Discover how to make your own hypertufa (stone-like) containers for your conifers.
Miniature conifer and succulents in a hypertufa pot. Photo: plantman56.blogspot.com
After
attending my first National ACS conference in Oregon several years ago,
my idea of using single season annuals in containers changed. Container
gardens typically include tall spindly plants surrounded by colorful
annuals, planted in faded plastic containers. As the season comes to an
end, the plants get sadly redirected to the compost bin, one season and
gone.
The
conference tour visited several beautiful display gardens where I saw
hypertufa (stone-like) containers planted with small conifers and alpine
perennials arranged to form miniature landscapes. I realized then that
there was a new group of plants that I could use in my container
gardens. It did not take too long for my Pennsylvania garden to include
many conifer containers of all shapes and sizes.
After
the conference my goal was to create containers just like the ones I
had seen in Oregon. I purchased and made many different containers. I
experimented with different plants, different soil mixes and then I
worked on making my own containers. This is what I found to work best
for me.
What is a Hypertufa Pot?
Hypertufa
allows you to be creative, childlike, and artistic, while making your
own container. Even mistakes can look good. Instructions on how to make
hypertufa containers can be found on the internet and in many garden
magazines. However the most complete source of information was in the
book, Creating and Planting Garden Troughs by Joyce Fingerrut and Rex Murfitt.
There
are many ways to make hypertufa. My formula starts with equal parts of
Portland cement, peat moss, and perlite. Thoroughly mix the cement with
water to form a damp, but not wet mixture. Add liquid cement color to
the wet mix to make the container more decorative.
Apply
the mix, about 1½” thick, to the inside (or outside) of a mold, usually
a large plastic container. After a day, gently remove the slightly
hardened hypertufa from the mold. Wire brush the pot to create a
textured, stone-like finish. Place the container in a plastic bag to
keep it moist, slowly allowing it to cure for a few weeks. As it cures,
the container will become stronger. Once properly cured, these
containers can remain weather resistant for many years.
A hypertufa container waiting for planting. Photo: plantman56.blogspot.com
Making a Planting Mix for a Hypertufa Pot
Building
a house requires a good foundation. Making a good container garden
requires great soil. Whether you are growing conifers in hypertufa
containers or annuals in plastic pots, success begins with creating a
healthy environment for root growth. The growing medium has to provide
roots with sufficient oxygen and also allow gas exchange in the root
zone.
Bagged
potting soil is mostly peat moss and within a short time the peat moss
breaks down and compacts. My conifers need to stay in the containers for
a few years and, therefore, the soil mix needs to remain functional.
While searching the internet for just the right soil mix, I discovered
the Garden Web forum and read about Al’s Gritty Mix, one of two mixes
created by Al Fassezke – or “tapla” as he is known on the forum. His mix
of ingredients not only creates a well drained, highly aerated soil for
containers, but also allows for air to move through the root system and
by-product gasses to escape. The ideal growing environment!
Ingredients for a hypertufa mix
When
you make your own containers you can control the size and number of
drainage holes. My containers have at least one 2” drainage hole which
is then covered with a piece of window screen. We have been taught to
use a layer of gravel on the bottom of the container beneath the soil to
improve container drainage – no longer true.
Instead
of extra water draining immediately into the gravel, the water actually
“perches” or gathers in the soil just above the gravel. This wet area
has no air space, which is not an ideal environment for roots. Roots
grow best in well aerated soil. So the addition of gravel only reduces
the available space for roots to grow. More detailed information on
“perched water table” can be found by doing a search on the internet.
Conifer Selection for a Hypertufa Pot
Unfortunately,
the conifers used in the container will eventually outgrow their space,
and using slower growing plants will keep your planting undisturbed for
a few years. Conifers are classified as mini (grows less than 1” per
yr.), or dwarf (grows 1-6” per yr), which helps when selecting the right
plant for your container.
The
next concern will be to pick a plant that will survive the winter in a
container. Start by using a plant that is at least one zone colder than
your zone. However, additional winter protection may still be needed.
Here are just a few examples of conifers and perennials that I have been
able to grow successfully year round in containers in my USDA Zone 6
garden: Chamaecyparis obtusa ‘Nana’, Zone 5, Juniperus communis ‘Gold Cone’,Zone 4, Picea glauca ‘Jean’s Dilly’, Zone 4.
There are hundreds of alpine perennials, for example, selections of Sedum, Zones 2,3,4 and Thymus, Zone 3, Sempervivum - Zones 3, 4, and occasionally I use non-hardy succulents like Echeveria, Zones 8, 9 – around 150 species – which I bring inside as it begins to get cold.
Conifer in a hypertufa pot. Photo: plantman56.blogspot.com
Designing the Landscape of a Hypertufa Pot
A
conifer container can have a design, one conifer in one container, or
you can create a mini landscape. Many nurseries now carry mini and dwarf
conifers in 4” containers, making it easy to plant multiple conifers
and several alpine perennials in one container. Design is a matter of
personal taste. I place a tall accent plant, possibly a small juniper,
off center in the container.
To
create a natural looking scene, place a grouping of rocks inter-planted
with several alpine perennials around the conifer, add a creeping Sedum
or thyme to hang over and soften the edge. Mixing leaf textures will
create visual interest. Once everything is planted cover the soil with a
mulch of fine gravel.
Hypertufa Pot Maintenance and Fertilization
Conifer
containers require a sunny location and minimal care once established.
Newly planted containers will need to be watered a little more
frequently until the roots get established. Since the recommended soil
mix has no nutrients, fertilizer is required. Care should be given not
to overfertilize. More is not better no matter what you grow. Excess
fertilizer in soil makes it more difficult for plants to absorb water
and nutrients. Only give plants what they need.
I
have found good success with a fertilizer that has low NPK (nitrogen,
phosphorus and potassium). I use a very weak solution of liquid
fertilizer on a frequent basis. In nature, plants do better with regular
access to low levels of nutrients, as opposed to sudden large
infusions. I use a fertilizer like Dyna-Gro’s Foliage-Pro 9-3-6, or
similar NPK in a 3:1:2 ratio. It has all the primary macronutrients,
secondary macronutrients (Ca, Mg, S) and all the micronutrients. Its NPK
formula is very close to the ratio most plants actually use. I also
supplement with a little time-release fertilizer in case I forget to
apply the liquid fertilizer.
A larger hypertufa container of conifers, succulents, and low-growing plants. Photo: plantman56.blogspot.com
Conifer Winter Care for Hypertufa Pots
Many
conifer containers can be kept outside all year. However, plant
survival will increase if you provide some extra protection. Roots are
exposed to colder temps in containers than they are if growing in the
ground. As I mentioned above, select plants that are at least one zone
lower than yours.
As
winter approaches, one option is to relocate the container to a
microclimate near the foundation of your house. Avoid the south side
because it might cause the plants to warm and freeze resulting in
heaving. For colder climates dig a shallow hole and sink the container
in the hole. Mulch the container. Another option would be to place the
container in an unheated garage or shed. The plants do not need light
during the dormant period. Bring the pot back out as the temperature
outside begins to warm in the spring.
Container
gardening with conifers is something that anyone can do, even if you
only have a small patio or deck. You are limited only by your
imagination and a sunny location.
Conifers
of the California Mountain Trails
By Web Editor
April 13, 2020
Discover the immense diversity of conifers in Northern California's Klamath Mountains.
A
conifer panorama: Allison Poklemba (far right), climbs to the highest
point on the Bigfoot Trail at Packer’s Peak in the Trinity Alps
Wilderness
In
2009, just after the school bell rang for the last time that year, and
my 30 seventh grade students ran out the door for summer, I jumped into
my car and headed to the Mendocino National Forest in Northern
California to start the first-ever, official thru-hike of the Bigfoot
Trail.
I am the first person to plan, map, and hike the Trail,
which I created by connecting existing trails and Forest Service roads. I
decided to name it after Bigfoot, also known as Sasquatch, the large
and mysterious creature purported to inhabit the mountains in this part
of the country.
A thru-hike is a hike on an established
end-to-end, long-distance trail, with continuous footsteps, that is
completed within one calendar year. Over the next 20 days and 360 miles,
I walked, mostly alone, on my way across the Klamath Mountains to
Crescent City, CA.
The
Bigfoot Trail follows the Boundary Trail through the Red Buttes
Wilderness along the California-Oregon border. Dr. Jeffrey Kane is seen
here on the Boundary Trail
A Hike Amongst the Conifers of Klamath Mountains
I
first cooked up the idea of this hike in 2007 with my friend, mentor,
preeminent botanist, and conifer expert, John O. Sawyer. We envisioned
it as a way to connect existing trails, roads, wilderness, and botanical
wonders across the Klamath Mountains.
This project would combine
hiking and natural history by defining a new thruhike in one of the
most speciesrich, temperate, coniferous forests on Earth. North America
holds two of the most species-rich, temperate forests in the world:
those of Southern Appalachia and those of the Klamath Mountains.
What
do these locations have in common? Glaciers and seas did not completely
cover them during the Cenozoic Era, and the mountains were monadnocks,
or islands above the plains, offering temperate refuges to plants and
animals over time. Both locations have historically maintained a
moderate climate.
Conifer Diversity in the Californian Klamath Mountains
These
areas are beyond the southern terminus of the enormous continental ice
sheets of the Pleistocene Epoch (commonly called the Ice Age). Some
plants undoubtedly remained in these regions through historic climatic
change, while other species repeatedly moved in as the climate cooled,
and the glaciers pushed southward, or, then, species moved out and
followed other glaciers northward.
These dynamic fluctuations
have cradled plant diversity in these two unique regions. The current
consequences of these historical patterns are that the Klamaths and the
Southern Appalachians have grand floristic diversity, a concentration of
endemic plants, and a fundamental importance to the forest floras of
nearby regions.
Per unit area, the Klamath Mountains and the
Southern Appalachian Mountains hold more plant taxa than any others in
North America. Plant genera such as Cornus (dogwood), Asarum (wild
ginger), and various conifers (Pinus, Abies, Thuja, Chamaecyparis) grow a
continent apart, while providing a comparative glimpse of ancient
floras.
The heart of the
Marble Mountain Wilderness is Marble Mountain itself, sprinkled with the
rare California-endemic foxtail pine (Pinus balfouriana)
A Conifer Botanical Museum in the Mountains
Complex
interactions between biotic and abiotic factors have encouraged and
nurtured biodiversity in the Klamath Mountains over millions of years.
The region is a botanical museum, hiding relicts of epochs gone by,
which are called paleoendemics,
such as Brewer spruce (Picea breweriana).
The region is also a cradle, promoting the adaptive evolution of new species, which are called neoendemics,
like Baker’s cypress (or Modoc cypress, Cupressus bakeri). Complex climates and soils nurture biodiversity. The area also has a central location and continuity
with other mountain ranges along the Pacific Cordillera.
Across
this landscape, a mosaic of habitats mix at a crossroads of five biotic
regions—Cascade Range, Oregon Coast Range, Great Basin, Central Valley,
and Sierra Nevada—each helping
to define the Klamath Mountains.
Within the geologic
boundaries defining these complex habitat mosaics of the Klamath
Mountains, there are approximately 3,540 taxa (species, subspecies, and
varieties) of vascular plants and up to 38 species
of conifers, depending on how one delineates the region. In addition
to plants, the region holds exceptional diversity in amphibians,
mammals, and birds.
Michael Kauffmann surveys the final climb up the Bear Creek Trail into the Trinity Alps Wilderness
A Glimpse of an Older Coniferous Forest
In
the Tertiary Epoch, beginning around 65 million years ago, a temperate
forest prevailed here, unlike any other in the history of the Earth. In
this Arcto-Tertiary forest, as it is called—existing on a landmass that
would soon become North America, Europe, and Asia—a blending of conifers
and broad-leaved trees dominated the landscape.
With continental
drift and climate change, the offspring of these great forests became
fragmented. Over time, ice ages came and went, causing a change in
flora, as increasingly dry conditions became more common.
The
descendants of the Arcto-Tertiary forest became less extensive and more
isolated. These progenitors remained, finding refuge in the higher and
cooler regions that maintained a climate more similar to that of the
early Tertiary—in what we now call northwest California and southwest
Oregon.
Here, today, we glimpse a forest that is similar to those
of the earlier epoch. Holdouts include, but are not limited to, Brewer
spruce, Lawson cypress (Chamaecyparis lawsoniana), coast redwood (Sequoia sempervirens), California pitcher plant (Darlingtonia californica), and Kalmiopsis (Kalmiopsis leachiana).
The
final segments of the Bigfoot Trail pass through Jedediah Smith
Redwoods State Park, here in the Stout Grove. Seen here is Ian Nelson
walking among the redwoods
The Bigfoot Trail
The
Bigfoot Trail highlights the immense ecological diversity of the
ancient forests of Northwest California and other unique landscapes by
connecting existing trails and remote Forest Service roads. It passes
through the hamlets of Hayfork, Junction City, Seiad Valley, the town of
Crescent City, and gets close to Etna and Hiouchi.
Trekkers from
all over the world have hiked either parts or all of the trail since
2009, with at least 40 thru-hikers having completed the route. These
folks not only bring monetary rewards to local communities, but also
leave with a love for this unique region, as they venture on a conifer
treasure hunt.
There is now a non-profit organization overseeing
the establishment of the route. The Bigfoot Trail Alliance is a 501(c)
(3) that is working to support the establishment and maintenance of this
360-mile route through the Klamath Mountains. The BFTA fosters a
community committed to constructing, maintaining, promoting, and
protecting—in perpetuity—the Bigfoot Trail.
Visit the Bigfoot Trail website
to learn more about the trail and the mission of the organization.
After the Summer 2019 ACS National Meeting in Oregon, the American
Conifer Society became a partner with the Bigfoot Trail Alliance. For
that, we thank you all!
Text and photographs by Michael Kauffmann/Bigfoot Trail Alliance.
Picea abies 'Pusch', looking like a rosebush in bloom! Photo by Janice LeCocq
Spring is here, and it's not just about flowers. Conifers have both showy new growth and gorgeous cones. Some will rival even the most flamboyant flowers. Take the Pusch Norway Spruce above, for example. And those 'roses', which are actually seed cones, don't need to be deadheaded and persist for weeks.
Pollen cones on Pinus parviflora 'Cleary'
Male (pollen) cones can be showy, also, as the Cleary Japanese white pine above illustrates. Pinus parviflora is a much-prized species, due to its soft needles, often borne in two-toned clusters and in some cases with yellow, white or pink new growth.
Known familiarly as 'Goldylocks', this Japanese white pine sports lemon-yellow foliage in spring.
Pinus parviflora 'Tenysu kazu', also known as Goldylocks, is one of the showiest conifers in spring. It's pretty nice the rest of the year, too, with its slightly twisted needles that have silvery undertones. This one appears to be harder to grow than many other white pines, but the beauty may be worth the potential heartache!
Close up of Pinus parviflora Goldylocks new spring foliage
Lots of conifers have dramatic new foliage in spring. Picea pungens 'Jan Byczkowski' is one of many Colorado spruces with white or yellow new growth. This darkens to the mature blue or blue-green in summer. 'Maigold' and 'Nimitz' have similar coloring, as does P. pungens 'Gebelle's Golden Spring'
Picea pungens (Colorado spruce) 'Maigold'
Picea pungens 'Gebelle's Golden Spring'. Photo by Janice LeCocq
Several Picea pungens also have ruby-colored cones.
Picea pungens 'Ruby Teardrops' is probably the best-known spruce for jewel-like new cones. Pictured above is Picea pungens 'Koster Pendula', not a legitimate name but found fairly often in the trade so styled.
Taxus baccata 'Bright Gold' puts on a show in spring.
Taxus baccata 'Dwarf Bright Gold' has new foliage the same color as Forsythia flowers, but the Taxus, commonly called English yew, rarely needs pruning. Even better, after the spring flush has subsided, it contributes color, structure and depth to the garden.
What's happening in your conifer garden? Colorful new growth? Interesting cones? We want to see your photos!
Touring with Talon: Buchholz & Buchholz Up Close and Personal
By Sara Malone
March 9, 2013
evergreen plants, conifers, foliage plants
When we set out to tour the iconic nurseries of the Pacific Northwest, we confess to having been a bit nervous that they would not live up to the folklore that has been created and nurtured by the conifer cognoscenti. Our third stop, Buchholz & Buchholz, continued the theme of exceeding our expectations! Talon Buchholz, whose eponymous nursery is responsible for almost as many plant introductions as the Garden of Eden, met us upon our arrival and gave us a personal tour. His affection for the plants and their histories made this one of our favorite stops on our road trip.
conifers, evergreen plants, Buchholz & Buchholz
Talon's nursery includes a wonderful, quasi-naturalized display garden, the Flora Wonder Arboretum, which exudes more personality than most commercial settings. A number of the plantings have clearly been in the ground for many years, and elements of whimsy and creativity abound. Conifers, maples and other woody specimen plants are Buchholz's specialty, which is one of the reasons that we were eager to visit.
Weeping larch
It's clear that Talon has a sense of humor; the weeping larch in the above photo looks like some kind of mythical creature and there is even a weeping Douglas fir that has been pruned in the shape of an elephant. The interplantings of conifers, maples and other deciduous specimen trees and shrubs is both artful and natural. There is no pretension here--the plants speak for themselves.
conifers, evergreens, foliage plants
It was a joy to see specimens in the ground, obviously carefully placed and planted. Talon knows each plant--each specimen, actually--and tells the story of how it came to be - and be included in the Buchholz & Buchholz repertory. His nursery covers many, many acres and yet he speaks of the plantings with more personal connection than do most gardeners with infinitesimally smaller lots.
Japanese maples at Buchholz & Buchholz
The Japanese maples in the gardens were amazing--a wild array of colors, shapes and textures. It was instructive to see so many mature specimens in the ground; so often we are reduced to seeing small plants in pots or recent garden plantings. The maples were beginning to take on fall color when we visited, we can only imagine what they look like in spring with new growth. mixed foliage, evergreen shrubs, conifers
As the border above illustrates, the Flora Wonder Arboretum is an homage to the concepts of form and foliage; Talon interplants conifers, maples, ginkgos, natives and grasses with an easy hand. The plants are given enough space to demonstrate their shapes and architectures.
Ginkgo biloba, Buchholz & Buchholz
Many of the Flora Wonder plantings have been in the ground for decades - it is a great spot to see specimens that have attained some size, such as this Ginkgo.
maples in containers, Buchholz & Buchholz
The greenhouses abound with specimen plantings beautifully displayed in cedar boxes - Japanese maples, conifers, etc were arrayed in soldierly rows. We were particularly taken with the pumice planters, in which single plants or combinations were attractively nestled. It was at about this point that we tried to figure out if they would fit in our luggage.
We thoroughly enjoyed our visit and took our leave only because the staff was trying to close for the day. Talon's website has hundreds of beautiful images and if our review of our visit piqued your interest, go on a virtual tour with Talon at Buchholz & Buchholz Nursery. You won't be disappointed! Next stop: The Oregon Garden's Conifer Collection, Silverton, OR
Taxodium ascendens cluster made from three trees that are cut back each year. Other plants from left to right are Carpinus betulus 'Nana', Abies nordmanniana ‘Pendula’, Picea pungens ‘Hermann Naue’, Cedrus libani ‘Hedgehog’, Abies koreana ‘Ice Breaker’, Callicarpa dichotoma ‘Issai’, and Coreopsis verticillata ‘Moonbeam’.
Bald and pond cypresses are versatile trees for the landscape, so why don’t they get planted more? Sometimes Taxodium species are not considered to be suitable for northern landscapes. This is perhaps due to northern visitors seeing them at Cypress Gardens in South Carolina or the Everglades in Florida and then presuming that they are not cold hardy. But the nativity of bald cypress extends into the colder areas of the U.S., such as southern Illinois and Missouri. They have even been successfully grown in colder zone 5 areas in the Midwest and New York State. Pond cypress is a bit less hardy but certainly is a zone 6 tree. The ACS lists both bald cypress (Taxodium distichum) and pond cypress (Taxodium ascendens) hardy to zone 5. (Author’s note: there is a third species in this genus, Taxodium mucronatum, but it is a semi-tropical, zone 9 plant.)
Summer profile of Taxodium distichum at Frelinghuysen Arboretum, Morristown, NJ
Taxodium are among the few trees that are notably resistant to most insect and disease problems. They also are very resistant to blow-over by high winds, a feature that is now more important in times of major changes in the weather.
Cultivars of T. distichum include ‘Pendens’ which has large cones and drooping branchlets, ‘Shawnee Brave’, a narrow pyramidal form, and ‘Monarch of Illinois’ which is wide spreading. There is also a dwarf selection, found by Gary Gee of Gee Farms in MIchigan, called 'Gee Whizz'. Read the link to see why Gary gave it this name!
Seed cones of Taxodium distichum at Frelinghuysen Arboretum, Morristown, NJ
Taxodium ascendens seed cone on the cultivar ‘Nutans’ showing a tinge of pink color and interesting geometric pattern. The cone is slightly ovoid.
Bald cypress and dawn redwood (Metasequoia glyptostroboides) have a similar overall appearance, as both are in Cupressaceae, the cypress family. Their macro-appearance is similar, but they can be distinguished by noting whether the leaves and branches are alternate or opposite. Bald cypress has alternately arranged leaves and branches, often referred to is the ‘ABC rule”: alternate bald cypress. Dawn redwood is much more frequently used in the landscape than bald cypress, perhaps because of the fascinating story of its finding in China in the early 1940’s, long after it was thought to be extinct. Following this discovery, a large amount of seed was exported to the U.S. and Europe and trees were grown in arboreta and large estates across both the old and new worlds. It rapidly found its way into the landscape industry because of widespread adaptability to American gardens.
Taxodium ascendens ‘Morris’ (Debonair®) original plant at Morris Arboretum of the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia PA.
Meanwhile, the bald cypress was viewed as a utility tree, that had wide usage across the Southeast, where there are large native stands. It was the ‘go to’ tree if one had a need for a decay resistant wood for outdoor use. The wood is stable and easily worked and still is available in southern states for building purposes. Logs that have been under water for a long time are called sinkers. They are brought up from the bottoms of streams and rivers and processed to produce particularly beautiful boards and trim for the building industry.
Taxodium distichum bark of an older tree.
Taxodium distichum fossilized buttress found at Theodore Roosevelt National Park in North Dakota, age 65 -53 million years.
While often used as landscape trees in the southern states, it seems that neither bald nor pond cypresses were considered much for use in the northern states. This may be due to the misconception that they are not cold hardy. This is now changing because of the discovery and use of cultivars in recent years. Among the ornamental features that add interest are fastigiate and weeping types as well as those having appressed leaves and intermediate and slow growth rates.
Taxodium distichum ‘Cascade ‘Falls’ in October – This now popular form was named, patented, and distributed by Noeline and David Sampson, Cedar Lodge Nursery, New Zealand.
Bald cypress typically reaches a height of 50 to 70 feet and a width of 20 to 30 feet. Pond cypress is the junior tree to bald cypress as it grows more slowly but may eventually reach the same height, although it is narrower. Bald cypresses can grow in wet areas but are adaptable to places having normal rainfall. Traditionally, they have been planted next to ponds, allowing development of ‘knees’, vertical woody projections that emanate from the roots and appear around the trees (see photo). Pond cypress in its native habitat grows on higher ground than Baldcypress but is also capable of growing knees if the soil is moist. Neither tree will form knees in areas having only average rainfall. The reason that cypress form these structures on their roots is unknown. The leaves of the pond cypress are shorter and slenderer than those of the bald cypress and are in general angled upward, giving it a distinctive appearance.
Knees form on both bald cypress and pond cypress
All Taxodium species are deciduous, and in most climates turn a fiery orange in autumn, another wonderful reason to include one in your landscape!
Row of Taxodium ascendens ’Nutans at the Presbyterian Church cemetery, Morristown, NJ showing ‘straw’ consisting of fallen leaves and branch tips at the season’s end.
Taxodium ascendens ’Nutans’ on the upper pond bank at Frelinghuysen Arboretum, Morristown, NJ in October.
Taxodium distichum – Typical seed, leaf, and twig drop seen in January at the Frelinghuysen Arboretum.
Taxodium disticum bark of a younger tree not planted in a wet location. Note the orange color and the slightly flaking bark.
Seedlings of Taxodium ascendens in July from seeds collected in January and stratified for 10 weeks. Cones can be collected off the ground in the December – January timeframe in Morristown, NJ. On aging the cores will shatter making it easier to obtain the seeds.
Taxodium ascendens ‘Morris’ (Debonair®) showing appressed leaves. Original plant at Morris Arboretum of the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia PA.
Winter profile of a Taxodium distichum at Frelinghuysen Arboretum, Morristown, NJ
Winter profile of a Taxodium distichum at Frelinghuysen Arboretum, Morristown, NJ
Cones of Taxodium distichum in mid-winter, Frelinghuysen Arboretum, Morristown, NJ.
Have you thought of growing a Taxodium? Or maybe you already have one. Post photos and questions in the comments!
In spring the go-to colors are pastels, and the foliage garden certainly has its share of baby blues and soft yellows. However, they often share the garden space with deep, grown-up purple, which contrasts richly with the softer hues. Colorado blue spruce cultivars (Picea pungens cv.) are the quintessential powder blue foliage plants. When paired with other pastels, they have a demure persona, belying the strength inherent in their tough, spiky needles. Around purple, however, the blue acquires a steely note.
Picea pungens 'Lucretia' against Cotinus
Purple works well as a background color, especially if you want the background to be, well, in back. Lighter colors draw the eye, darker ones recede. A purple background allows the plants in front to claim the attention.
Eucalyptus pulverulenta 'Baby Blue' against the purply Cotinus
The Eucalyptus in the shot above is about as pastel as it gets, yet takes on a more sophisticated mien when backed by smoky Cotinus x 'Grace'.
Cercis canadensis 'Forest Pansy' is a lovely, if somewhat awkwardly shaped, small tree. Here it is planted behind a grouping of different shades of blues and greens and serves as a backdrop which adds richness to the scene and disguises its lanky branching.
Picea pungens 'Stoplight' and Mangave 'Macho Mocha'.
Succulents are a good place to look for 'evergreen' purples; the Mangave above is another great companion for blue spruce. Not only do the colors provide fabulous contrast but the strappy leaves of the Mangave are a wonderful foil for the spruce's small needles. And in true F&F fashion, these plants do the job all 12 months of the year.
A richly hued combination of purple Sedum, yellow Chamaecyparis
Chaenomeles, Cotinus x 'Grace' and Juniperus conferta
For a stained glass effect, mix purple with other saturated tones such as the greens and yellows pictured above. Paired with the yellow the purple warms up and creates deep contrast to the other colors.
This Cordyline
There are many grass-like plants (and even some true grasses) that add purple to the garden. The Cordyline 'Design-a-Line Burgundy' in the photo above adds depth and flair to what would otherwise be a colorful but flat combination, and, like the Libertia peregrinans (the orange grass) and the blue spruce and holly, holds its leaves all year. Many Phormium come in shades of purple and for those that don't mind the maintenance, there are several Pennisetum cultivars in deep purple tones.
Leptospermum 'Dark Shadows', Cotinus x 'Gracel and Cordyline
Colors work best when they are not isolated; don't hesitate to echo the tones throughout the garden. If you look carefully at the above photo you will also see a bit of purple in the far back about 3/4 of the way across the photo, as well as some purple tones on the plant in the immediate middle front.
Sambucus nigra
Apparently the colors 'Blue' and 'Black' sell better than the color purple. There are many plants sold as blue or black that are really purple, such as the Sambucus (elderberry) above. Remember, when selecting your plants, go by what the foliage looks like, not what the label promises. This Sambucus is deep wine-purple, and can be grown as a large shrub or limbed up to make a small tree.
Picea pungens 'Fastigata' and Coprosma
Purple gets more subtle in plants with two-toned leaves like the 'Plum Hussey' mirror plant. This cultivar of the New Zealand Coprosma leafs out bright green and the older leaves take on purple-tinged edges until the cold weather comes and drenches them in a deep, plummy coat. You can see Cotinus x 'Grace' in the background, striking, as befitting, a grace note. We can't seem to stop pairing our purples with light blue, can we?
The Cordyline
The genus Fagus, or beech, is another good place to go purple-hunting. In the shot above the tones of the large Cordyline in the back are picked up and carried forward by the glossy purple beech. The Yucca 'Blue Boy' (really purple, but that didn't make for the alliterative name) in the lower right hand corner continues the theme.
Yucca desmetiana
Fagus sylvatica
Beech trees (Fagus sp.) are welcome additions to gardens that are climate-appropriate because of not only their beautifully colored and textured leaves--at once both glossy and fuzzy--but also their elegant, silky bark which graces the winter landscape. They do best in spots with ample rainfall but once established will manage fine in even mild Mediterranean climates with little more water than some of the drought-hardy standbys.
Podocarps elongates 'Monmal' (Icee Blue) is flanked by Hebe
Purple doesn't have to be bold or strident; there are many plants with purple leaf edges or undersides, like Hebe 'Amy' in the photo above. 'Amy' also has purple flowers, but they are ephemeral. The leaves and stems are purple all year long.
Abies x arnoldiana
For real subtlety, treat purple as an ornament, the way that one might wear an amethyst ring or a garnet brooch. The cones on the 'Poulsen' fir are luscious, deep purple and decorate the shrub for months in spring and early summer.
2016 Conifer Road Trip
In August of last year, a couple of dozen coneheads traveled to the White Mountains of California to view Pinus longaeva, the Great Basin bristlecone pine, in situ. We hiked through the loop near Schulman Grove and saw hundreds of these ancient trees along with incredible views and interesting native shrubs.The trees were amazingly intricate, with gnarly shapes and incredible twisting branches. For those that have not visited, put this spot on your bucket list!
Pinus longaeva in Inyo National Forest, White Mountains
The highlight of the visit for many of us was the discovery of a broom in a bristlecone just outside the visitors center.
The broom on a Pinus longaeva at the visitors center
'Ranger Bob', the docent on duty, obligingly fetched an increment borer to extract a cylinder so that the broom's age could be determined. As of this writing, we still don't have an answer to that question.
'Ranger Bob' with the core sample of the bristlecone
However, he also obligingly allowed us to take the one cone on the broom. We also were able to harvest cones from the parent tree and take cuttings from the broom. We entrusted the cones to Paul Warnick, of the University of Idaho Arboretum, who was on the trip with us. Paul has now germinated the seeds! The broom cone yielded only one seed, but it germinated. There are many seedlings from the parent tree. Further, Nathan Miller has the broom cuttings, and plants will be available beginning next year - stay tuned for a really fun item in the 2019 national meeting auction!
Pinus longaeva seedlings at the University of Idaho
Read about the exhilaration of finding a new cultivar at your local conifer nurseries.
The Bald cypress (Taxodium distichum) ‘Twisted Logic’ introduced by Tom Cox (Cox Arboretum)
For those of us who have been bitten by the conifer bug, there’s nothing quite as exciting as going to a local nursery and finding a conifer we’ve never seen before. It may bear a foreign name, or an unfamiliar pattern or color.
And, while it may not quite fit in our gardens, or it may not grow well in our climate, we may drop some serious money to give it a try anyway, because it’s new and exciting and different. But where do these conifers come from? How do they wind up in those local nurseries? And where on earth do they get those names??
Discovering a new cultivar of conifer is an obsession for some and a mild distraction for others, but it often seems the purview only of the deeply experienced within the conifer field. While the knowledge surrounding cultivar hunting is a bit steeped in legends and tales, the truth is, anyone can do it.
And once you understand what to look for, and what to do when you find something new, it can be an incredibly rewarding experience when you wander into that local nursery one day and see your own discovery there on the shelves.
Conifer Cultivar Definitions
The basics of discovering conifer cultivars are simple. There are three main ways in which new cultivars are found: they’re found as seedling variations, as sports, or as witch’s brooms.
A seedling variation is just a plant that has grown from seed and exhibits different characteristics from the parent tree. It could weep, or have a different color, or grow slowly or ultra-narrow.
A sport is a section of a tree that exhibits different characteristics. Variegated cultivars are often discovered as sports of parent trees.
A witch’s broom is a particular kind of sport denoted by a tighter cluster of growth in a section of the tree. Witch’s brooms often become the little globose (round) dwarf conifer cultivars we see in nurseries.
The Virginia pine (Pinus virginiana) ‘Fluffy Cloud’ witch’s broom
Finding any of these variations is as simple as searching trees and looking. But be aware that there are often trees that look different that aren’t different for genetic reasons. For instance, you might have a tree that’s infested by insects, causing it to grow in a different way.
Or, you might have one that’s been cut or broken by falling branches or other trees, causing it to grow differently because of damage. You might see discoloration from disease or fungus. All of these things could lead to trees that look different, but aren’t able to become new cultivars.
Propagating for a New Conifer Cultivar
Once you find something genuinely, genetically different, however, you can see about cloning it into a new plant. If you have no experience with grafting or propagating conifers, I would recommend not experimenting on your own with your newly discovered gem.
Even for the experts, there’s always a chance of failure, but at least they have the experience and the hardware set up to give it a better chance of survival. Since grafting is generally done in the dead of winter, I recommend spending the warmer months lining up nurseries or plantsmen who can help you.
When Sarah Montgomery recently discovered a Pinus virginiana witch’s broom in Alpharetta, GA, she came to me for help both with finding someone to propagate it, and with collecting. We spent the rest of the year, nervously watching it, hoping nothing would happen to the witch’s broom before we got a chance to collect it the following winter.
During that time, we rounded up a host of great people to clone her discovery and get it out into the market. All the grafters we talked to were incredibly helpful, and happy to tell us how to get these scions for grafting, and when they needed them.
Sarah Montgomery holding the Virginia pine (Pinus virginiana) ‘Fluffy Cloud’ witch’s broom
Collecting Samples of a (Potential) Conifer Cultivar
Collecting for us was just a matter of a tall enough ladder and a long enough pole pruner to grab a branch or two. Sometimes, it takes more drastic measures, as brooms can often be high up in the upper canopy. Some collectors have been known to shoot them down with shotguns. Whichever route you wind up taking, be sure you do it safely, and with the permission of the property owner.
Whether you opt to collect and propagate the discoveries you make or just leave them for others to enjoy, it’s always a good idea to take some great pictures and share what you’ve found with others. There are Facebook pages devoted to witch’s brooms, and plant propagation.
And, of course, the ACS has its own forum pages with eager eyes always ready to see pictures of the new and unique. Discovering new cultivars can be a great pastime, and fun for conifer lovers of all ages.
Ghost-Busters: On the trail of the albino redwood
By Jerry Belanger
June 29, 2017
It’s a pale ghost-like tree in the coastal redwood forests. It’s a mutant and very rare. It’s a white-needled tree that would make any gathering of coniferites gasp with excitement. It is also a mystery, although one that is slowly becoming unraveled.
Close-up of a patented chimeric redwood, 'Mosaic Delight' (All photos property of Thomas Stapleton, use only with permission)
The albino coast redwood (Sequoia sempervirens) has been observed for 150 years but, as was noted after a branch was displayed at the California Academy of Sciences meeting in 1866, “no explanation or theory was offered to account for this curious, abnormal blanching of the foliage...”
More than 30 years later, in 1898, Stanford plant physiologist George James Peirce studied albino sprouts growing in the Santa Cruz Mountains and determined that the needle anatomy and chemistry were somewhat different from nearby green specimens. He also showed that the albino sprouts could not be propagated — or survive — on their own.
Nothing more happened until 1976, when forester Dale Holderman happened upon an albino redwood in the Santa Cruz Mountains that had male albino cones. This discovery was a major milestone in understanding redwood morphology, and led to the exciting possibility that these mutants could be propagated. Indeed, in 1977 Holderman succeeded in crosspollinating an albino redwood to a normal green redwood, producing the first chimeric hybrids.
Then, a break-through
In 1997 arborist Tom Stapleton discovered and successfully propagated the first wild albino chimeric redwood known. He told us via email, “I approached Mr. Holderman in the summer of 2012 with a collaborative idea to attempt a propagation experiment off his chimera-albinos originating in the 1977 cross.
He explained that prior attempts to asexually propagate these cuttings were met with failure. With permission, I carefully selected cuttings that exhibited specific periclinal chimeric traits. After procuring 10 cuttings I was able to successfully root eight of them in a special media mix. After observing stable albino and green characteristics, Mr. Holderman and I filed for a patent in June, 2014.” The variegated, patented coast redwood with distinctive white and green needles has been named ‘Mosaic Delight.’
“Sadly, Dale Holderman passed away just two days after the patent was approved on April 5, 2016. I am forever grateful for the opportunity Dale gave me to continue his pioneering research.”
He added that the tree that produced the albino pollen in 1976 has never done it again.
However, in the spring of 2013, a redwood displaying a rather large teardrop aerial albino was found exhibiting albino male cones. More astounding, the mutation also displayed fully developed female albino cones. In the fall of 2013 seeds from these albino cones were planted in a research greenhouse. Seedlings emerged, but not all were white. This led to speculation that not all the pollen which fertilized the albino female cones had originated from within the mutation. Unlike Holderman’s hybrid seedlings 36 years earlier, these were either pure green or pure white, with no variegation. Lacking the ability to photosynthesize, the white seedlings died in five weeks. The green ones continued to grow, and have not displayed any signs of albinism.
Patent USPP26573: Coast redwood 'Mosaic Delight'
Stapleton planted 2,673 seeds from the teardrop albino. Only 119 germinated. Of these 92 were albino and 27 were green.
In percentages, 4.45% of the seeds planted seeds germinated, 3.44% were albino and 1.01% were green. In other words, viability was very low and genotype preference was approximately 30% green to 70% albino.
While the mystery of the ghostly white redwoods remains, it’s being probed by a plant biology PhD student at U.C. Davis, Zane Moore. Moore, working with Stapleton and others, set out to locate every known albino redwood. They found only 432 in the entire world. (A few years ago that number was 200: more are being discovered regularly.) He then analyzed clippings from these trees, and from their green neighbors. He found that the white needles were loaded with what should have been a fatal dose of cadmium, copper and nickel — twice as many parts per million as their green neighbors. Yet, they appear to thrive.
Looking forward, Stapleton and Moore have embarked on an experiment which hopefully will shed light on these fascinating questions regarding metal toxicity in coast redwoods. In his greenhouse, Stapleton is working with Moore to test a group of chimeric albino redwoods with doses of heavy metals. The results may yield clues to unraveling the mystery of why albinism occurs
in the world’s tallest tree species.
Moore has several theories, which he hopes to publish this year. Much work yet needs to be done, but he’s the man to do it: he’s only 22, and with what he has already accomplished, he no doubt has a long and illustrious career ahead of him.
Speaking of careers, it’s interesting to note that certified arborist, albino redwood guru and new ACS member Tom Stapleton’s primary occupation is operating seven hydroelectric power plants for Pacific Gas & Electric. In the same vein, we might mention that forester Dale Holderman holds a patent on an improved gopher trap. Coniferites are such interesting people!
Conservation is part of the mission of the American Conifer Society and
it's a passion for Tom Cox, founder of the Cox Arboretum in Canton, Georgia. Watch as Tom discusses some of the rare and endangered conifers that he and his team at the Arboretum are growing and helping to preserve.
The ACS makes conservation grants to individuals, research institutions and public gardens who are actively working to preserve endangered conifer species. If you or someone you know is involved in conifer conservation, check out our award requirements.
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