Evergreens

Pinus sylvestris ‘Hillside Creeper’ is a classy creeper that spreads out and forms a flat mesa of layered branches that are covered with thick, green needles. The vigorous, hardy pine, lighter green in winter, makes an excellent ground-covering option for banks or walls or tucked in and around boulders. Found as a seedling by Layne Ziegenfus of Hillside Gardens, Lehighton, Pennsylvania.

Garden Size: 2’H x 10’W

Intermediate: 6-8″/year

Prostrate

Zone 3

Bluish Green

Conifer

Full Sun

For longer needles, a more natural, open look and a consistent habit, the versatile Pinus mugo ‘Palouse’ is perfect for a casual landscape where a larger Mugo Pine is warranted. The robust green selection grows into a bushy, rounded mound, or with annual candle pruning, it can be kept smaller and more refined. A reliable and hardy addition to the sunny mixed border, it also works well as a divider or to fill a corner.

Pinus mugo ‘Palouse’

Delicate, green needles and short, slender branches give Larix decidua ‘Prag’ a soft, airy texture. Newer branches sweep gently upward and then spill down as they mature, giving ‘Prag’ a low, mounding form. Super cold hardy, this deciduous conifer is a great choice in some challenging garden conditions.

Garden Size: 6’H x 6’W

Dwarf: 3-6″/year

Globe Shaped

Zone 2

Green

Conifer

Full Sun

The exciting and unique Picea pungens ‘Procumbens’ develops into a spreading, undulating ground cover. Performs best in a sunny location. Thrives in the coldest, harshest climates. Outstanding when allowed to wander among and over rocks and stone walls.

Mature Size: 2’H x 10’W

Zone 2

An exciting addition to the TRUdwarf collection of mugo pines, Pesto® has a unique spreading habit. Its vibrant green needles contrast strongly with its attractive brownish purple buds. Maintaining its ground-hugging form with minimal or no pruning, Pesto® provides the gardener with a low maintenance choice. Extremely adaptable and hardy, Pesto’s® consistency, reliability, and attractiveness make it an excellent choice for many areas.

Light Requirement: Full Sun

Mature Size:

• Height: 10"

• Width: 18"

Zone: 2

Photos courtesy of Iseli Nursery

Larix decidua ‘Puli’ is an elegant alternative to the common L.d. ‘Pendula’. When staked, its slender branches create a narrow silhouette that is more dense and lighter green than ‘Pendula’. If unstaked, ‘Puli’ branches spread out slowly along the ground and make an effective ground-cover. Very attractive in gardens with an Asian aesthetic. 

Light Requirement: Full Sun

Mature Size:

• Height: 10'

• Width: 4'

Zone: 3

Photos courtesy of Iseli Nursery

Ornamental upright and spreading habit of growth with rich green evergreen foliage and blue berries in summer. Excellent background for the large border.

Light Requirement: Full Sun

Height: 4'

Width: 6'

Zone: 3

Photo and data courtesy of Aubin Nursery and Bellwyck Horticolor.

7' tall Cedar Spiral

Exquisite, cinnamon red, peeling bark is shown off to good effect on this new, large cultivar from the Trompenburg Arboretum, Rotterdam, Netherlands. The spicy colored bark, exposed through the tree’s open, elegant branch structure, makes a knockout color contrast with its cool, silvery blue needles. Through artistic culture, ‘Bonna’ can become a uniquely shaped garden tree with stunning character and color.
Artistic Forms may not be as shown. 5'-6' tall.

Image courtesy of Iseli Nursery

Pinus sylvestris ‘Bonna’

Boldly textured, medium length needles make the sturdy, upright, multi-stemmed Pinus mugo
‘Big Tuna’ a favorite for areas in the landscape with a little more room. The slow-growing trees become taller than wide and quite bushy. Very hardy with a unique, dense habit, this evergreen shrub’s resinous buds turn showy during cold winter months and stand out distinctly against dark green foliage.

Photo courtesy of Iseli Nursery

Pinus mugo Iseli® ‘Big Tuna’

Pinus koraiensis ‘Blue Ball’ is a dwarf selection of Korean Pine with blue green needles that emphasize the blue. Short stiff branches and long needles form a globe shaped plant that has a bit of irregularity to it. Hardy and adaptable, with minimal disease or insect problems, ‘Blue Ball’ has great potential for a variety of settings.

Garden Size: 3’H x 3’W

Dwarf: 1-2″/year

Globe Shaped

Zone 3

Bluish Green

Weeping Norway Spruce

Our dark green, Picea abies ‘Pendula’ plants can be staked and trained into an outstanding upright specimen, or it can be allowed to grow as an undulating ground-cover that drapes over slopes and walls. Plant a row of several young P.a. ‘Pendula’s with stake and wire supports to train them into a living fence.

Garden Size: Varies with culture

Large: 12-15″/year

Weeping

Zone 3

Full Sun

Not your typical juniper!  Limeglow™ displays feathery foliage in electric chartreuse, a color that makes a striking contrast to other greens in the garden. Its spreading, vase form and juvenile foliage lend a cheery presence in almost any garden, including one with hot, dry conditions. The yellow sport from ‘Youngstown’ is reported to hold its bright color and to resist sunburn. Selected by Larry Hatch with North Carolina State University.

Juniperus horizontalis Limeglow™ (‘NOSlg’)

Garden Size: 2’H x 4’W

Dwarf: 3-5″/year

Spreading

Zone 3

The bright steel blue foliage of Chamaecyparis pisifera ‘Blue Moon’ adds a special color element to the garden, featuring short stiff branches covered with juvenile foliage that develop into a tight, compact ball with minimal shearing required to maintain its tidy form. ‘Blue Moon’ can be planted as a single color accent or in groupings for bright blocks of color. An excellent choice for foundation plantings also. Grows best in full sun with moist, well-drained soil.

Garden Size: 4’H x 4’W

Dwarf: 3-5″/year

Globe Shaped

Zone 4

Blue

Full Sun

This mid-size, green shrub is quite inconspicuous in summer, when it provides a delicate, green backdrop for showy, summer flowers. But when fall arrives, leaving summer behind, a profusion of extraordinary, bright violet berries decorate the vase-like, leafless branches and provide a dramatic color accent against a dusting of snow. A spring pruning is appropriate as flowers and berries form on new wood.

Callicarpa bodinieri ‘Profusion’

The Limey Norway Spruce

Formally thought to be a seedling selection of Picea glauca, the originator of this exciting plant has informed us that ‘The Limey’ is truly of Norway Spruce origin.Fresh, new foliage emerges each spring from the buds of Picea abies ‘The Limey’ with a bright lemon-lime color. Short needles adorn open branching that will fill in with maturity. As the season progresses, the exposed topsides of the needles remain a pleasant yellow while the undersides and shaded interior foliage turn lime green creating a striking contrast. ‘The Limey’ thrives in moist, well-drained soil.

Garden Size: 15’H x 12’W

Intermediate: 6-12″/year

Broad Upright

Zone 3

Yellow

Conifer

Full Sun

Varied Directions Larch

This name could be an understatement! In fact, the vigorous, spreading habit of this Larix decidua ‘Varied Directions’ produces robust twigs that propel the branches up and out, in—that’s right—varied directions. Golden tan branches, covered with thick twigs, eventually arch down and cover the ground in a unique configuration for each plant. Bright green spring foliage changes to gold in autumn before needles fall. Selected by Dr. Sydney Waxman, University of Connecticut.

Garden Size: Varies with culture

Intermediate: 12-15″/year

Weeping

Zone 2

Green

Conifer

Full Sun

An Iseli Introduction seedling selected from Picea abies ‘Rothenhausii’, this new dwarf cultivar has a prostrate habit that forms a low mounding shape with age. It can be grown as a slow growing ground cover or staked upright as a gentle weeper.  Delicate tiny green sprays of needles cover this very dainty specimen, which resembles cascading water that has been frozen in time. Great for containers or as a specimen plant for collectors. Truly a one of a kind.

Light Requirement: Full Sun

Mature Size:

• Height: 1.5'

• Width: 3'

Zone: 3

Photos courtesy of Iseli Nursery

The silvery green, dwarf Thuja occidentalis Mr. Bowling Ball^®(‘Bobazam’) looks like an oversized bowling ball, except for its fine, almost lacy, texture. Actually, it is a reliable, mid-size, spherical bush that has many uses in the landscape. A Lake County Nursery ‘Zam’ selection from Linesville, Pennsylvania, it is hardy, durable and adaptable to many conditions.

Light Requirement: Full Sun

Mature Size:

• Height: 6'

• Width: 6'

Zone: 3

Photos courtesy of Iseli Nursery