Planning for Dwarf Conifers

People who have lost piñon trees due to the bark beetle are looking for alternative plantings. And many are discovering dwarf conifers as they redesign garden areas. However, dwarf is a relative term. Some dwarf trees will mature at heights of 20 to 30 fe

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  • Topics: Conifers, Trees & Shrubs
  • Author: Cindy Bellinger
  • Keywords: Dwarf Conifers, trees,
  • Date: January 2006

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People who have lost piñon trees due to the bark beetle are looking for alternative plantings. And many are discovering dwarf conifers as they redesign garden areas. However, dwarf is a relative term. Some dwarf trees will mature at heights of 20 to 30 feet, while others will only reach 3 feet. In terms of growth rate, though, most dwarf conifers are slower growing than traditional trees, and many only grow a 1/4” to 1” a year, so getting to that mature height will take a while—even for the 30-footers.

For ease of care, nothing compares to a dwarf conifer. Due to the slow growth rate, pruning can be kept to a minimum. Prune to remove damaged branches and to maintain an attractive shape.

Conifers tend to like slightly acidic soil, which we have no problem with around here. But if you want to amend your soil to make it more acidic, a single yearly application of sulfur in the root area (a few inches away from the trunk to just beyond the drip line) should do the trick. If grown in highly fertile soil, a tree tends toward excessive growth.

Generally, a healthy plant will require minimal fertilization—a good organic fertilizer like Yum Yum Mix should be added when planting and can be scratched into the surface of the soil on a yearly basis.

A dwarf conifer is not only a hardy evergreen well adapted to our high desert climate, but these small, durable trees can be planted throughout the garden and will not readily outgrow their space. They are also invaluable for providing winter interest when everything else is dormant.

Some of the dwarf conifers we carry include:

*Pinus aristata ‘Blue Bear’: grows to 15-20’ tall and spread from 10-12’ wide.

*Pinus edulis ‘Trinidad’: grows to 24-36” tall and spreads to 24-36” wide.

*Pinus leucodermis ‘Gnome’: grows to 4’ tall and spreads from 2’ wide.

To get a sense of the varying dwarf sizes, come walk our Xeriscape Demonstration Garden. We have many different mature specimens growing there.