Trials and Tribulations of a Conifer Collection in the South

By Eric Smith
July 25, 2017

By: David Poston, Senior Horticulturist, Moore Farms Botanical Gardens

Situated in USDA Hardiness Zone 8a in the low country of South Carolina, Moore Farms Botanical Garden was established in 2002 on croplands that were once swamps. It's a conifer's nightmare. It's not easy to grow conifers in an area where there's consistent high summer temperatures in the day and night, high humidity, and high water table. Being located in swamplands, the water table is incredibly high. Water will soon fill any hole dug over three feet. To compensate for this, we tend to plant high, amend the soil, and add gravel to the base.

In 2014, I ran across Cunninghamia konishii 'Little Leo' in Architectural Trees' availability. I checked our database to see if we've ever had this in our collection. We purchased one in 2009 and it was marked dead in May of 2010. I was told that it was a weak performer and I wish I had listened. That tree was planted in an area that didn't have irrigation at the time, and, looking back, I thought it may have struggled to get established. Considering how well C. lanceolata 'Glauca' performed in various situations in the garden, I thought I could find a place that it would thrive. I never did.

Die-back of interior growth of Cunninghamia konishii 'Little Leo'

I went ahead and purchased a three gallon tree to place in a more prominent area of the garden with irrigation. All was well until August. The foliage on the inside started to die back. I pruned out the dead with hopes of interior growth and better air circulation. I noticed new buds along the trunk. I found hope in its survival. Then the foliage started to die from the ground to the top. The winter came and finished it off. It didn't make it a full year in the garden.

In the Fall of 2014, I ordered C. lanceolata 'Greer's Dwarf' from Forestfarm Nursery. A dwarf variety said to get only six feet tall, ours has a more prostrate habit. After sitting in the nursery for a year, it was planted in a newly renovated area in January of 2016. It has established well in an area of full sun and no irrigation. It had been receiving supplemental watering throughout the summer. Over the course of two years, there haven't been any issues with any die-back in the interior growth. A "larger" variety of 'Little Leo', this has been a great substitute.

Cunninghamia lanceolata 'Greer's Dwarf' (Photo by Kaitlyn Humphrey)

I was excited when I saw Cryptomeria japonica 'Twinkle Toes' at Iseli Nursery in Boring, Oregon. Here is this dense, dwarf Cryptomeria with beautiful golden foliage that I had to have for our collection. The plant was so dense that a simple tap to the foliage made the whole plant jiggle like Jell-O™. I purchased one and planted it in 2016. I picked a spot that received morning sun and afternoon shade because I was concerned that the golden foliage would burn in full sun. It was doing well, until it rained. I wasn't having an issue with water but with fire ants. They built an impressive mound through and around C. 'Twinkle Toes'. I didn't notice it when it happened and by the time I did, the damage was dramatic. I did my best to knock down the mound. With it being such a dense plant, it was extremely difficult to remove the mound inside of the plant. I treated the ant mound and hoped for the best. The majority of the lower branches, the right side, and some of the tip growth had died. With the majority of the foliage dead, and it being slow growing, I considered it a loss.

Pinus strobus ‘Angel Falls’ in decline.

Recently, I have also been focusing on collecting Pinus strobus. There are large, established specimens located in an outer area of the garden. We lost the majority of them to Hurricane Matthew last year. We've had success and we've had failure. 'Coney Island', 'Fastigata', 'Contorta', and 'Niagara Falls' have performed well, but the needle drop from this past year has left them looking scrawny. 'Blue Shag' has been the best performer. 'Angel Falls' didn't fare so well. Planted in full sun with irrigation, when the heat of summer arrived, it began to shed its interior needles. I began to give it supplemental watering in hopes of getting it through the summer. Later in the season, I noticed that the needles had a pale green appearance. They still clung to the tree, but it looked as if all life was being drawn from them. Not long after, they began to turn brown. I did some research and came to the conclusion that it was white pine decline. With the fear that it might spread, I removed it from the garden immediately.

Even though there have been issues and failures in the garden, there have been many more successes. I look forward to expanding our collections and collecting data. Be sure to check out our plant database through our website. www.moorefarmsbg.org

About the Author: David Poston is Senior Horticulturist and manager of the ACS SE Reference Garden at Moore Farms Botanical Garden. Focusing in public horticulture, he has built his knowledge through hands-on experience. David graduated from Sandhills Community College in Pinehurst, NC with an A.A.S in Landscape Gardening. After internships at Longwood Gardens and Atlanta Botanical Garden (ABG), he was hired full time as the Greenhouse & Conservation Nursery Assistant Horticulturist at ABG. He joined the Moore Farms Botanical Garden team in 2012.

By Web Editor
April 1, 2020

We’re very sorry to share the news that Derek Spicer passed away on March 30, 2020. According to his wife, Carole, there were complications following his operation last week and it was clear that the recovery was not going as planned. A CT scan revealed a serious infection around the operation site, and he sadly passed away on Monday evening.

Carole says "At this time, we’d just like to give our thanks to all of the staff at Leicester Royal Infirmary for everything they did for him under these incredibly difficult circumstances.”

Those of us in the ACS who knew him will miss his knowledge, humor and all that he contributed to the field of conifers. All of our sympathies to Derek's family. He will be sorely missed.

Here is a message from Rod White, Vice Chairman of the British Conifer Society:

I am sure you will all join with me in sending our sincerest sympathies to Carole and their family.

Derek’s passion for conifers is well known to you all and his time, love and effort has been given so freely over many years for the benefit of us all. His legacy to the conifer world is undeniable and will be felt for many years to come. We are so very fortunate to have benefited from his wisdom and guidance, he will be sorely missed.

We are further so very fortunate that in his journey through life exploring his passion for conifers, that he was acutely aware of the need to pass on his knowledge and repay the generosity he had received from so many individuals over so many years. This was the driving force behind his determination to produce along with his co-author Aris Auders the magnificent two volume Encyclopedia of Conifers. As I am sure some of you are well aware, this is a wonderful reference book and one that is unlikely to be superseded for many years to come. We are so very fortunate that he consciously and most generously chose to share his passion and knowledge for the benefit of us all.

I hope you will continue to enjoy and develop your interest in conifers and hopefully be inspired to emulate in your own way the remarkable contribution Derek has made to spreading the knowledge, joy and passion that he displayed during the course of his life for our chosen group of plants.

Whilst writing, I would be extremely grateful for those of you who have treasured memories of Derek if you would consider writing a short personal note of any happy or amusing anecdotes that may bring a smile to your face when remembering this wonderful man.

These can be sent to the secretary and may hopefully add in some way to a tribute to Derek to be included in the journal at some future date.

I very much look forward to your support.

By Tom Cox
November 8, 2019

Learn about the myriad Andean conifers of Chile, Argentina, and Uruguay.

A longtime dream of mine has been to document and photograph in-situ populations of the temperate conifers of South America. These are only found in Chile and Argentina. Very little is ever written about them and, to my knowledge, they have never been discussed in Conifer Quarterly (CQ).

For sake of clarity, it is important to distinguish these temperate (Andean) conifers from those tropical and sub tropical conifers, occurring further north in locations such as southern Brazil, Paraguay and northern Argentina, e.g. Araucaria angustifolia and Podocarpus lambertii. An easy assumption which I made early-on is that any conifer growing south of the U.S. border would not ever be winter hardy in my Zone 7b climate.

While over the years a number of these Andean conifers have made their way to our arboretum, growing them has proven at best to be quite challenging. As I was to learn on this trip, the conditions, in which they naturally occur, is difficult to replicate in the Piedmont region of Georgia.

Andean Conifers in South America

As one who has a fascination with conifer evolution, it was interesting to learn more about these Andean species. With the exception of Araucaria araucana (Monkey Puzzle tree), they are seldom seen in collections, even in the countries to which they are native. While none are particularly garden-worthy, their place in the conifer kingdom is interesting.

As a starting point, there are only nine species in the region and they belong to three families:

Podocarpaceae: containing Lepidothamnus fonkii, Podocarpus nubigenus, Podocarpus salignus, Prumnopitys andina, and Saxegothaea conspicua.

Araucariaceae: containing Araucaria araucana

Cupressaceae: containing Austrocedrus chilensis, Fitzroya cupressoides, and Pilgerodendron uviferum.

I dare say that none of these conifers are exactly household words. During our travels, we documented all but the following; Prumnopitys andina, Podocarpus salignus, and Lepidothamnus fonkii.

The conifer, alerce (Fitzroya cupressoides) in Puerto Montt, Chile

The Conifer Adventure Begins

Our journey began in Santiago, Chile, where we met up with ACS members Ken and Elena Jordan (Roseburg, Oregon). After several days in Santiago, it was off to the port city of Valparaiso, where we boarded a Golden Princess cruise which was to be our home for the next 14 days. I was not certain as to how I might acclimate to being on a ship for that long as I’m used to being out making my own way. As we get older, and I am less able to trek all over the globe, this presented an alternative which worked.

Our first stop was in Puerto Montt, Chile, and Alerce Andino National Park, where a remaining stand of Fitzroya (native common name is Alerce) were protected. While some specimens in the region are dated as 4,000 years old, my guess is that, what we saw were secondary forest. Nonetheless, many of these trees were at least 75’ (23 m) tall with virtually no limbs for the first 40’ (12 m).

Another characteristic is their slow growth—less than 1” (2.5 cm) per year. Fitzroya is considered one of the largest trees in South America and now receives national protection. It was formerly used for the building of houses, shingles, and boats, and even used in aircraft. One small cathedral in Puerto Montt is constructed entirely from Fitzroya and casts the same red hue as our native redwood.

Exploring Chile

Fitzroya derives its name from Vice-Admiral Robert FitzRoy, the captain of HMS Beagle during Charles Darwin’s famous voyage. An associated conifer common in the forest was Podocarpus nubigenus (more on this species later). On the touristy side, the city of Puerto Montt is a small port founded by German settlers over 150 years ago. There is a pleasant main square, the aforementioned cathedral, and the authentic Angelmo market, famous for fresh seafood and souvenirs. We enjoyed a very nice seafood meal with wine in a little “hole-in-the-wall” cafe overlooking the port. Alas, these are sometimes the best meals.

Sailing southward along the coast of Chile, we stopped in Punta Arenas; a formerly bustling city prior to the opening of the Panama Canal in 1914. There is some interesting architecture and fine homes which are emblematic of another era. Situated near the Straits of Magellan, it was interesting to see how people lived this far south and so remote.

We then sailed around legendary Cape Horn at the southernmost tip of South America. This often violent stretch of water between Antarctica and South America can sometimes be the roughest sea in the world. Luckily, it was relatively calm as we sailed past. We then traversed through the Drake Passage and on to Ushuaia, Argentina, which is considered the southernmost city in the world.

Cultivated conifers, Italian cypress (Cupressus sempervirens) at San Carlos de Bariloche, Argentina

Arriving at Argentina

Our next stop was Port Stanley, Falkland Islands. Officially classified as a British overseas territory, there has been some controversy concerning ownership between Great Britain and Argentina, which resulted in a two month undeclared war in 1982. The occupants are considered British citizens, and the city has a distinct British feel.

Having previously travelled to Ascension Island in the equatorial south Atlantic (another British overseas territory), it was interesting to see how they lived on this also remote outpost. It was fascinating on this largely treeless island to see a number of conifers such as Picea orientalis ‘Skylands’ and Cupressus macrocarpa planted on the grounds of the governor’s mansion—all performing quite well.

It was then on to Montevideo, Uruguay, which is an interesting old city in this small country wedged between Brazil and Argentina. A short ride from the port found us four coneheads at the botanical garden. Regrettably, our cab returned exactly at the time we requested, but much too soon to enjoy fully this garden which has a very good plant collection with numerous old conifers. One of special note was a 30’ (9 m) Cupressus torulosa, a rare find in any collection.

Finding Fair Winds

Our last stop was Buenos Aires. After a couple of days there, we said goodbye to Ken and Elena, who headed back home to Oregon. This is a city which most people claim to either love or hate. We loved it. Every street is tree lined, with Jacaranda being the principle landscape tree. What a sight it must be in the spring when these trees are covered with blue trumpet shaped flowers.

We found the city to be clean, with beautiful European architecture, wide boulevards, great food and wine, and friendly people. If visiting, a must stop is in the Recoleta cemetery which contains the graves of Argentina’s famous, including Eva Peron. The botanical garden is a gem and contains a large area dedicated to conifers from around the world, most of which are straight species. The garden contains numerous statues, winding paths and inviting benches where one can sit and relax for a while. Another highlight is a greenhouse imported from France in 1900. In summary, it makes for a nice escape from the hustle and bustle, and admission is also free.

It was now time to lay the sissy stuff aside and kick the hunt for endemic conifers into high gear. We flew to Bariloche in the lake district of Argentina and rented a car. Bariloche is an idyllic little town reminiscent of a European ski resort. It is also a town where conifers are king; and lays claim to being the chocolate capital of Argentina, a good combination as both are sweet.

Araucaria araucana, Pseudotsuga menziesii, Cupressus lusitanica, C. macrocarpa, Pinus radiata, and P. pinasterare everywhere. We spent our first two nights in a room overlooking scenic Lake Nahuel Huapi, which sits at 2,500’ (765m) elevation. Our view was framed by two perfectly formed Araucaria araucana. A postcard setting for sure.

Southern beech (Nothofagus sp.) in Puerto Blest, Argentina

Stumbling into a Valdivian Rain Forest

One day, we drove along the shore of this deep blue lake with its backdrop of rugged peaks of the Andes to Puerto Panuelo, where we caught a boat to Puerto Blest in an effort to search for native conifers. As a side note, this port is also where one would find the legendary Llao Llao hotel and resort—the most famous hotel in Argentina. After an approximate one hour boat ride, we docked and began our trek.

This was the only physically challenging portion of the trip as we had to climb 700 steps alongside a spectacular waterfall. Fortunately the steps were broken up by landings where one can take a rest. Along the way, we saw more specimens of the rare Fitzroya. We would also document specimens of Saxagothea conspicua, Pilgerodendron uviferum, and Podocarpus nubigenus, as well as a wide variety of mosses, mushrooms, and lichens.

We were in the middle of a Valdivian Temperate Rain Forest; one of the world’s five major temperate rainforests and the only one in all of South America. The annual precipitation here is around 197” (5000 mm). Snow-capped volcanoes and Andean peaks are the backdrop of these temperate rainforests. We also saw numerous Southern beech (Nothofagus sp.) forests, one of only three of this type of forest in the world.

Seeing the Argentine Araucaria

Before leaving Bariloche, we took another boat to the island of Victoria. It had been recommended by a local horticulturist as a place to see conifers. If one travels to Puerto Blest, then there is no reason to travel here except to see exotic trees. It has plants and trees from all over the world which began as seedlings. Of particular note is a long Sequoiadendron giganteum allee with trees approaching 100’ (30 m), as well as large specimens of Pinus ponderosa, taeda, and radiata, and several species of Cupressus. The island was privately owned in the past.

The highlight of the entire journey was soon to unfold. After spending several nights in the charming mountain town of San Martin de los Andes, which is nestled between high peaks next to Lake Lacar, we were off to Lanin Volcano. The principle reason was not to see the snowcapped volcano, but rather to visit a natural forest of Araucaria araucana. This has long been high on my bucket list, particularly after seeing a small grove of planted trees at Bedgebury Pinetum. After driving for what seemed forever on a dirt road which looked as if it had been bombed, we began to see the cone shaped, snow-capped Lanin Volcano.

We were lucky as it danced in and out of clouds making it possible to catch full views. Soon we would find ourselves in the middle of the Araucaria. There were all sizes and various forms, although we saw little evidence of seedlings. At the risk of sounding hyperbolic, this was one of the greatest experiences of all times. There were few vehicles to spoil the moment and the weather was cooperating.

Behind us were large mountains where Austrocedrus chilensis and Nothofagus spp. blanketed the slopes. Facing us was the volcano and in this alpine valley were the legendary Araucaria. It was easy to see the transitional aspects of the area where Austrocedrus grew on the rocky slopes and Araucaria in the lowland on pure volcanic scree. The contrast between conifers of the rainforest and those in drier areas was stark. It offered insight in to how I might attempt to grow these in north Georgia. They are all very site specific.

The coniferous monkey puzzle tree (Araucaria araucana) at Lanin National Park, Argentina

A South American Summary

For many of our readers, there will likely be no interest in trying to grow these conifers. Aside from availability, as mentioned earlier, they are quite site-specific with varying moisture demands. With the exception of Araucaria, they are even rare in botanical gardens and were not even seen in Buenos Aires or Montevideo. Thus, they will likely remain in the domain of the collector and in highly specialized collections.

From a botanical and historical standpoint, they are an important group. It is believed that the southern conifers were much more diverse before the glaciations. Four of the nine conifers are represented by a single species. These are survivors from a much earlier period. As previously discussed, conifers such as Fitzroya cupressoides can live for thousands of years. Like Sequoiadendron giganteum and Pinus longaeva, the Andean conifers offer a glimpse back into the climate history of our planet.

Further, the lineage of conifers from the southern hemisphere show a significantly older distribution than their counterparts in the northern hemisphere and are thought to be an older group. One reason cited is that the scattered persistence of mild, wetter habitats in the southern hemisphere may have favored the survival of older lineages.

Once a part of a larger supercontinent (Gondwana) which included Australia and New Zealand, there are numerous disjunctive genera common between the countries. This is similar to the floristic similarities between the southeastern U.S. and portions of China. Unlike the phenomenon where one waits until they get home to look at their pictures to see if they had a good time, this was a trip guaranteed to please many lovers of conifers and those who also appreciate beautiful scenery, coupled with good food. And, the excellent wine will be a bonus for some.

Conifers du Jour

Saxagothea conspicua (Prince Albert’s Yew): This monotypic genus was a rather commonly occurring conifer in this area. It resembles a yew (Taxus) in appearance with .6–1.2” (1.5–3 cm) long lanceolate leaves, which are fairly hard with a prickly spine tip (like the genus Torreya). The dark purple-brown bark is thin and flaky to scaly, which I found attractive. While they can reportedly attain heights of 82’ (25 m), we saw none taller than approximately 10’ (3 m). At least one nursery in the U.S. (Far Reaches Farm in Port Townsend, Washington) carries this species.

Pilgerodendron uviferum: While mostly seen around bogs and swamps, we found it on wet mountain slopes within the rainforest where it grew next to Nothofagus betuloides, Saxagothea, and Fitzroya. While it can reportedly attain heights of 65’ (20 m), we saw nothing approaching this. The specimens we did see displayed an appealing dark brown bark which exfoliated in long strips. Close examination of the densely crowded scale-like needles reminded me somewhat of a succulent.

One prominent feature was that all needles appeared to be of the exact same length. Several trees observed were perfectly conical and rather handsome, which makes me want to try this species in our arboretum. I recall seeing this species during my unforgettable stay at Bedgebury Pinetum in the U.K., but do not recall it being that remarkable. This is analogous to the boy or girl we pay no attention to in high school and then one day we see them as a star on TV. Due to overexploitation as a building material, Pilgerodendron is now protected under CITES (the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora).

Podocarpus nubigenus: As a genus, Podocarpus are to the southern hemisphere what pines are to the northern hemisphere—that is to say, the most number of species. P. nubigenus is the southernmost Podocarpus species in the world and is one of two occurring in the region covered in this article. The other, P. salignus was not found. P. nubigenus is another conifer growing to around 65’–80’ (20–25 m). The specimens we observed were no taller than 15’ (5 m). As observed, this is a tree also reminiscent of the genus Taxus, but most like Podocarpus totara from New Zealand. It is of interest to me how the Antarctic flora from this region bears strong resemblance to that of portions of New Zealand. This is an irregularly shaped tree I suspect has no garden merit outside special collections and for conservation.

The conifer, Chilean cedar (Austrocedrus chilensis) at Lanin National Park, Argentina

Araucaria araucana: One of only two species of Araucaria native to South America. The other being A. angustifolia from Brazil. Araucaria only occur naturally in the southern hemisphere. This is not an uncommon tree in parks and arboreta and is frequently seen in Portland, Oregon, and the U.K. Attesting to its cold tolerance, I have even seen a tree growing on Long Island, New York. Here in the southeast, the tree is not long lived due to being highly susceptible to the soil born fungus, Phytophthora. Some success has been achieved by using A. angustifolia as an understock. Due to its Jurassic like reptilian branches, it has been referred to as a “queer tree." Perhaps one day we may have this tree living in our collection.

Austrocedrus chilensis: Grown properly, this member of the cypress family can be a nice addition to a collection of rare conifers. The scale-like leaves are a blue-green color and have a prominent white stomatal stripe along the outer edge. The bark is shaggy brown. From personal experience in having killed several and from observation, the tree wants to be planted on the dry side and excellent drainage is a must. What surprised me was the extensive root system it puts out. No doubt this allows it to anchor well on slopes. Along with Araucaria and Pilgerodendron, this species offers the best garden-worthy attributes.

Author's Acknowledgement

I wish to acknowledge the invaluable assistance we received from Jeff and Patty Bisbee (Gardnerville, Nevada), who suggested many of the locations we visited to find these conifers, as well as Jeff’s technical assistance with this article. Numerous photographs taken by Jeff of conifers in the region as well as Mexico appear in the recently published two volume book, Conifers Around The World.

References:

Farjon, A. 2010. A Handbook of the World’s Conifers. Leiden, The Netherlands, Brill

Debreczy, Zsolt, and Rácz, István. 2011. Conifers Around The World. Budapest, Hungary, Dendropress

Photographs by Tom Cox.

How to Prune Conifer and Evergreen Trees

By Mary Donaldson
April 5, 2020

Discover beginner-friendly pruning tips for your conifers and evergreens.

Dr. Bert Cregg demonstrating how to make a cut during pruning

Do you ever wonder who was allowed and why they were allowed to prune a tree or shrub? Then do you wonder if that same person would be allowed to cut someone’s hair?

Just as one learns to cut hair well, it takes instruction and lots of practice to maintain a tidy look and style to landscape trees and shrubs. Pruning conifers requires a bit more awareness, as they can be less forgiving when done incorrectly.

Before approaching a landscape tree or shrub with something sharp in hand, it is important fi rst to be truthful about one’s knowledge and skills. The fear of doing something wrong is a good caution, but should not be a reason to do nothing.

Before and after pruning

Pruning Conifers with Purpose in Mind

“That is how things get way out of shape and out of bounds,” said Wayne Strayer, from Hidden Lake Gardens, located in Tipton, Michigan. He has spent the last three years of his 35 years in the green-industry, working on the Harper Collection of Dwarf and Rare Conifers. “Most people don’t prune because of fear.”

Pruning the plant when it has broken branches, disease, reversions or has become too big, are the most common reasons. In all circumstances, prune with a purpose in mind. With specimens, there is one main reason for pruning which can also be utilized with any planting in the home landscape.

“Maintain the shape of the plant,” said Jim Chamberlain, who has spent the last five seasons working in the Harper Collection at HLG. “I felt like I had been asked to watch over a celebrity,” Chamberlain said, recalling back to when he was given the responsibility of working in the Harper.

Pruning for a conifer's health

Pruning Like Nobody Knows We Were There

Initially, he was intimidated, but asked a lot of questions before doing anything. It took time to build his confidence up to where, Chamberlin very modestly explained, he can provide input on Harper maintenance.

His goal is to prune so that “nobody knows we were there.” This author’s personal primer has been Adrian Bloom’s book, Gardening With Conifers, which devotes a section to pruning and shaping conifers. Other books on pruning are available for purchase or checking out at a local library.

Caution is advised that some of these books may not be as detailed for someone who is trying to DIY, or may find the material is geared more toward professionals.

How to snip branch tips back lightly on a conifer

Pruning 101 with Horticulture Experts

For those who are inclined to learn visually, the site, is recommended.

The website offers links to videos with step by step directions, showing the finer nuances of pruning. Additionally there are articles which supplement the videos, both featuring Bert Cregg, Associate Professor of Horticulture at Michigan State University.

Cregg gives clear and understandable directions on why to prune, when to prune and how to prune. Control pruning is important to do with plantings in the first couple of decades. Strayer stated that he sees so many trees which have to be removed when they get too big. By being proactive instead of reactive, pruning can be used to prevent problems.

Chamberlain agreed, and added that getting to know the personality of a tree or shrub is important. Chamberlain described how some can be pushy to their neighbors or “namby-pamby," his term for needy.

By combining the knowledge of controlled pruning and plant habit, specimen plantings will most likely have a longer life. “If they had been pruned years back,” Chamberlain said, “they could have stayed, but they were making dead spots on their neighbor.”

How to make a cut half an inch or so above a bud on a conifer

Finding your Pruning Tools

More advice for the newbie is using the right tool and maintaining them. “Hedge clippers,” Strayer said, shaking his head and putting his arms up defensively, “Hands off.”

For professionals and the obsessed, bypass pruners are key in making clean cuts with live stems or branches. The blade is able to pass by the guide, creating cuts which will heal more quickly and be more aesthetically pleasing.

Anvil type pruners have a blade which stops when it makes contact with the flat cutting surface. Using this on live branches can crush part of the stem or branch tissue. It can also cause tears and create more contact area for pest and disease problems.

“Stay away from the anvil, they are just mashers,” Strayer said. “Avoid buying cheap pruners, they (good quality pruners) are a good investment. Keep them sharp.”

How to trim back the outermost tips to encourages fullness in a conifer plant

Keeping your Pruning Tools in Shape

Keeping tools sharp will make the job not only easier, but will minimize self-injury and less damage to plant pruning. Sanitation between pruning different plants is essential to minimizing the spread of disease. Simple bleach solutions or alcohol swabs are easy enough to become routine.

Guidelines for the right size tool for the stem or branch is 1” in diameter or smaller, pruners will work, while loppers will be best for 2” or larger. Anything thicker, select a hand saw. Cutting the branch back as much as possible before the final cut will lower the weight load and make the work less unwieldy.

Additionally, to decrease damage to the rest of the tree or shrub, make a preliminary cut on the opposite side of main cut to minimize splintering and bark tear.

How to lightly trim back the outermost growth using hand pruners or hedge shears

Finding Hands-On Pruning Practices

Other ideas for building confidence in pruning is to look for hands-on pruning classes through community colleges, botanical gardens, and Master Gardener programs which will provide more practice and instruction. Inquiring at a botanical garden or reputable nursery staff in the off-season for general questions can be helpful.

“You can take off more,” Strayer warns, “but you can’t glue it on.” Everyone has their methods of pruning. Hands-on practice will be the best training. Finding out what others use for guidance will also help as pruning is one part tool and many parts philosophy.

“When you’re pruning,” Chamberlain said, “step back and look at what you’re doing.” This was the advice he was given when he first started working in the Harper Collection.

“The worst time to prune is never,” Strayer said.

By Web Editor
October 11, 2019

Learn about variegated ginkgos with Mr Maple co-founder, Tim Nichols.

Ginkgo biloba ‘Snow Cloud’ during summer

Propagation and Cultivation of Ginkgos
First, I don’t think I can talk about cultivation of ginkgo without talking about giving them lime. Ginkgos prefer a more alkaline growing condition. You will notice a big difference in the health and growth of a tree with a more alkaline pH vs. a more acidic pH.

Variegated ginkgos are sought by collectors for their unique character and interesting variegated foliage. Many can prove difficult to propagate while maintaining the variegation. One common tactic is to prune out “reversions." While this method may be effective from time to time, some non-variegated branches may appear variegated the following year, while variegated branching may show no variegation the following year. It is still important, as with most variegated plants, to produce from plants that display the most stable variegation.

Another method is to give variegated ginkgos more sun. Often variegated ginkgos lose variegation more quickly in shadier conditions than in sunnier growing conditions. At our nursery, we have played around with the idea of rooting variegated selections, but these same problems appear to affect both grafted selections and rooted selections.

Ginkgo biloba ‘Jagged Jester’

Ginkgo Cultivars: 'Jagged Jester'
While ‘Variegata’ may be the most common of the striped variegated selections, many other cultivars exist, such as ‘California Sunset’, ‘Jerry Verkade’, ‘Joe’s Great Ray’, ‘Majestic Butterfly’, ‘Sunstream’ and ‘White Lightning’, to name only a few. Some of these may have a white striping variegation, while others may be more a creamy yellow. All of these striped, variegated selections can revert and do so frequently.

Ginkgo biloba 'Jagged Jester' is one of the most unique ginkgos I have seen. While this variegated plant still can revert, it reverts to one of my favorites, ‘Jagged Jade’, which has thick attractive foliage. Some believe this thicker leaf to be an indicator of a polyploid ginkgo, but I don’t know anyone who has tested this in a lab.

'Jagged Jester' was found as a variegated sport on the cultivar 'Jagged Jade' by one of our friends, Crispin Silva in Moalla, Oregon. We would expect 'Jagged Jester' to grow to 5 or 6 feet in 15 years. Fall color is a bright neon yellow.

Ginkgo biloba ‘Pevé Maribo’ showing color

Ginkgo Cultivars: ‘Pevé Maribo’
‘Pevé Maribo’ is a variegated sport that was found on the ever popular dwarf ‘Mariken’ by Piet Vergeldt in the Netherlands. The creamy yellow variegation gives this dwarf a little extra added flare and makes it unique. While this variegation is just as unstable as other variegated ginkgos, it reverts to ‘Mariken’, a 2010 ACS Collectors’ Conifer of the year. This isn’t a very risky plant, as either way it will be beautiful, dense and compact. ‘Pevé Maribo’ may reach 4 feet x 5 feet in 10 years.

Ginkgo biloba ‘Beijing Gold’ with Summer Variegated Flush

Ginkgo Cultivars: ‘Beijing Gold’
‘Beijing Gold’ is a uniquely variegated ginkgo that doesn’t revert. In the spring, older plants may leaf out completely yellow. As the spring progresses, chlorophyll pushes green into the leaf while the yellow begins to leave. By late spring to early summer, the foliage has turned to a solid green. New growth during the summer will often display white striped variegation.

While the older growth does not show this variegation, this ginkgo does not revert. Fall color, like most ginkgos, is a bright, neon-yellow. While the name makes one think this tree originated in China, the farthest I can trace this tree back is to the Netherlands in the late 1990’s to early 2000’s. ‘Beijing Gold’ may reach 8 to 10 feet in 15 years.

Ginkgo biloba ‘Snow Cloud’

Ginkgo Cultivars: ‘Snow Cloud’
‘Snow Cloud’ is perhaps my favorite ginkgo, primarily because it doesn’t revert and displays a snow-like frosty variegation. Originally brought over from Japan by our good friend Barry Yinger of Asiatica Nursery, the original name on this ginkgo was ‘Frosty’.

Years later, as soon as we tracked down a ‘Frosty’ from one of Barry’s customers, we started grafting it and getting it into production. ‘Snow Cloud’ hit the market, which happens to be the same tree. While ‘Frosty’ may have been the original name, ‘Snow Cloud’ is now the more accepted name in the nursery trade.

In hot climates, the white frosted variegation will fade more, but it always puts on a great spring display of variegation. Give 'Snow Cloud' morning sun and protection from the hot afternoon sun for best variegation. Fall color is a bright, golden yellow. We expect 'Snow Cloud' to reach 6 to 8 feet in 10 years.

Text and photographs by Tim Nichols.