Evergreen trees are the most visible plants in the winter landscape. The striking, tall spires of showy evergreens form the walls of the yard. They help shelter landscapes from the wind, provide a planting backdrop and screen out undesirable views.
Bold shapes stand out in the winter. They include weeping or cascading trees in high contrast situations against a fence or building. Evergreen trees with unusual shapes, colors or interesting silhouettes make excellent accents when combined with other interesting features.
Most evergreen trees are columnar. This means they are taller than they are wide. Remember that all but the dwarf types will eventually become very large trees, so plan accordingly. Maintain a sense of scale in your design process. A 100-foot tall spruce makes an 18-inch dwarf juniper look out of place if the two are planted side by side.
Evergreen trees might be the backbone of the winter landscape, but a garden composed solely of conifers is boring. They do not have enough variety throughout the seasons. Mix them with deciduous trees, broad-leaved evergreens and other plants that will keep their color during the winter.
Finding the right tree for the right place is a longtime passion for gardeners in Utah, where difficult soils, climatic extremes, water shortages and excesses are always a challenge. Even seasoned professional horticulturists find the choices daunting. Others might feel overwhelmed by the many choices.
Part of the confusion when selecting these stately trees comes from the naming of the trees themselves. While it is popular to name all of these trees pine trees, that applies to only a small group of the trees. Included in this group are spruce, fir, juniper, cypress, cedar, sequoia, Douglas fir and incense cedar. All are large evergreen trees that grow in northern Utah.
This column is focused on the less common types. We will not cover the pines, spruces and firs.
Adding to the tree selection confusion is the application of common names. When the early pioneers came to settle here, they viewed the trees that were common in Utah as similar to the trees from their previous homes. They called the trees cedars, and the name stuck even though the trees are really junipers. The name stuck and transferred to many geographical sites including Cedar City, Cedar Fort and Cedar Valley, all of which would correctly be called "juniper."
Several true cedars grow well in selected local landscapes. The Cedar of Lebanon, Cedrus libani, is a handsome tree that, as the name implies, is native to Lebanon. It grows about a foot per year and stays in scale with most landscapes for many years. It spreads as it ages and the greenish foliage becomes darker with age. Because they grow slowly, trees are more costly but well worth finding. The mature size is 60 feet high and 30 feet wide.
Cedrus libani atlantica, or Blue Atlas cedar, is a more widely available and widely planted type. It has a showy blue color and an open growth habit. It is native to Algeria and suffers from our snow that tends to break its branches. Look for named selections that have a weeping habit or needles that are blue or silver.
From the Himalayan mountains come the soft and beautiful Cedrus deodora, or Deodara cedars. The graceful cascading branches are light green and very attractive. The tree spreads, so it needs to be pruned to keep the plants confined and develop a denser configuration. It is marginally cold hardy in our area, so plant it where it gets some protection from extreme wind and cold.
Giant sequoias, or Sequoia giganteum, as the name implies, are very large trees. These redwoods are impressive in the forests of California and actually grow very well in our area. They are not a tree for a small garden because in their native area they are likely to reach 325 feet high.
With a trunk (not a tree) diameter of 30 feet, the handsome dark green foliage creates a superb, if very large, tree for parks or large estates. If the species form is too large, consider the "Pendula" cultivar with a much smaller form and drooping growth habit.
One of the most successful trees for our area is the incense cedar. Although it is not a true cedar, it has several attributes that make it attractive here. It will grow to 75 feet and has a narrow upright shape. Among its desirable characteristics is that it takes the summer heat and drought very well. It is also tolerant of poor soils including heavy clay soil.
When considering the large conifers, do not forget the junipers. These trees are tough, drought-resistant plants that are widely planted in many landscapes. Several species grow well in our area, and some types get rather large. Select cultivars that are going to fit the size and shape of the area that you want to plant because there are more than 100 different types of junipers sold in area nurseries.
The common Utah and Rocky Mountain junipers are going to spread out and become as wide as they are tall. Tall, narrow types include "Skyrocket," "Columnaris," "Pathfinder" "Manhattan Blue," "Wichita Blue" and many others. Eastern red cedar, or Juniperus virginiana, is the tree that provides the lovely cedar wood used for cabinetry, and it is also satisfactory for our area.
Arborvitaes are other columnar evergreens that grow well here. There are two types, the American and the Oriental, with the latter being the more cold hardy. Many different named cultivars of different sizes, shapes and colors are available, so select the ones that fit your growing area. Arborvitaes are susceptible to being pulled apart with snow.
Select some of these more unusual conifers for a more beautiful and striking winter landscape. Landscapes that look good during the winter will remain interesting during other seasons, and large conifers are an excellent way to improve your landscape.
KSL Radio Greenhouse Show
Larry Sagers is featured on the KSL Radio Greenhouse Show every Saturday from 8 a.m. to 11 a.m.