The dream of everyone is to have a coniferous garden on their site, the decorativeness of which attracts and enchants. Dwarf forms are especially fascinating with their exoticism. These plants give the site a well-groomed and prestigious look. Our article is about popular types of "babies", about how to choose a seedling, about growing conditions.
Why are coniferous dwarfs so in demand?
Dwarf forms are called plants with slow growth, the maximum height of which does not exceed 3.5 meters. Maturity for many occurs after several decades. Due to this, such miniatures are appreciated by the owners of compact plots.Unlike the usual coniferous giants, the undersized ones do not take up much space, do not obscure the site and exactly repeat their large counterparts. Today, many varieties have been bred based on pine, juniper, spruce, and yew.
Spruce Canadian Common 60-80 cm
Dwarf forms are in demand in landscape design, perfectly combined with deciduous shrubs, included in compositional groups with flowers. Indispensable for the design of rock gardens, rutaria, rockeries.
Babies can have a non-standard color and bizarre shape. Main advantages: possibility of placement in any limited place; frost resistance, as they are always “head over heels” covered with snow.
The nuances of growing conifers
Fashion on miniature plants appeared recently, and many gardeners are still poorly versed in varieties, do not attach much importance distinctive features of each subspecies are unfamiliar with varietal characteristics. This often causes difficulties when growing dwarf conifers.Each plant has individual volume parameters and vegetation speed. The cause of cultivation errors comes from inattention in the selection. Some varieties per season give an increase of 2-3 cm, and there are also those growing by 10-30 cm. Such a difference leads to a violation of the planned layout, a distortion of the intended outlines. As a result, your seedling suffers, as redevelopment and transplantation begin.
The main condition for successful cultivation is the ability to understand varietal classifications. Coniferous dwarfs According to growth characteristics, they are conditionally divided into five subspecies. Data is based on annual growth and is in centimeters.
1. Micro-dwarfs - 1-3.
2. Mini-dwarfs - 3-8.
3. Dwarfs - 8-15.
4. Medium-sized semi-dwarfs - 15-30.
5. Full-grown - in a year they increase by more than 30 cm. By the age of 10 they are a mature plant 3-3.5 meters high.
Difficulties in caring for mini-conifers are processing fungicidal preparations(at least twice a year), as there is a tendency to develop fungal infections. It is required to clean the soil from fallen needles and leaves.
Pay special attention to the label. For the right product, information is given not only about the name, but also the variety, species, genus, family, at least in Latin. Inspect the seedling, make sure it is in excellent condition. Never take with open roots - they are doomed. Choose a conifer growing in a container.
If there are doubts about the conformity of the varietal affiliation, then the classification can be determined visually. The growth rate is usually well visible on the side shoots. Accordingly, micro, mini or other types of dwarf can be recognized by eye. You will receive a guarantee of quality in the nursery. There you will be consulted and guided with the choice.
Dwarf conifers in landscape design
Rockery is an ideal place for micro and mini dwarfs. The rest of the categories, except for full-grown ones, amazingly complement the compositions with stones, snags, and land on the lawn. It is customary to mulch the soil under group plantings with wood chips or pine bark. Almost all joint plantings use Mountain Pine: Winter Gold, Mops, Gnom.The combination of several varieties, with different crown shapes, needle colors are well assembled and do not require any additions. For example, take three plants, one tallest will serve as a vertical (Cypress, Balsam Fir). The second is desirable to choose a spherical (pine Mini Mini, Kaktus, Frodo). It remains to supplement the composition with a creeping coniferous bush.
Most often, the basis for miniatures is the dwarf species of Tui Western, let's name the most popular:
Amber Glow (golden-yellow hemisphere up to 80 cm),
Anniek (spherical 50-80 cm, up to 1 m wide),
Aurea Nana (150-170 cm, oval crown with a pointed crown),
Aureo-spicata (conical height up to 3 m),
Caespitosa (pillow-shaped, compacted, at the age of 15, height 40 cm, width 30,
Cloth of Gold (slowest growing),
Somrasta (ovoid up to 2 m),
Cristata Aurea (upright 1-1.5 m),
Danica (spherical, reaches 50 cm by the age of 20),
Hoseri (multi-stemmed, disc-shaped, 70-90 cm, diameter 120).
While creating landscape design actively used coniferous plants. Evergreen shrubs, trees look attractive at any time of the year. They are unpretentious, you do not have to spend a lot of time and effort on caring for them. With the help of coniferous crops, you can decorate any site by creating a unique design.
Coniferous plants for a garden and a summer residence
Evergreen shrubs and trees are considered unpretentious, but each of the species needs to create the most suitable conditions for growth and development. When choosing, you need to pay attention to the size of the plants and the rules for placement on the plot.
Tall
In large gardens, parks or adjoining plots tall coniferous plants look spectacular. If there is little space, then the tree can become the center of the composition. Other plants are placed around it so that a harmonious ensemble is created.
When planting tall species, it must be borne in mind that plants will eventually take large area. Them root system grows well. There will be shade from tall trees, so shade-loving crops are planted next to them.
Ate Hoopsii (Hoopsii)
To popular species tall conifers include blue spruce. The Hupsi variety is valued for its attractive appearance and predictable growth. When planting, you can immediately guess what size the spruce will be in a few years. Upon reaching the age of 30, the height of the spruce will be 10 m, and the crown will grow to 4 m in diameter. Spruce grows up to 15 m in height and 5 in diameter.
When planting, preference should be given to sunny areas. The needles of the Hupsi spruce are prickly and thick, and the shoots are strong and flexible. The needles grow up to 3 cm long. The branches are covered with a dense layer of silver-blue needles. Many note the special attraction of this tree in late spring and early summer, when young light blue twigs appear.
Spruce varieties Hupsi differ:
- love for sunny areas;
- frost resistance;
- good adaptive abilities;
- unpretentiousness to soil mixtures.
The soil in which spruces grow should be periodically fertilized. When forming landscape design, experts recommend shading Hupsi with an emerald-colored lawn. Such spruce trees are well combined with weeping species. deciduous trees, bushes.
Spruce Hupsi tolerates haircuts well
A slow growing conifer that many people like is Korean fir. AT natural conditions mature trees grow up to 12 m high. Distinctive characteristics:
- the presence of soft dense needles, the edges of which are rounded;
- the length of the needles reaches 2 cm;
- on top the needles are glossy, bright green, 2 silvery longitudinal stripes are visible below;
- cones are arranged vertically, they begin to grow on young trees, whose height is 1–1.2 m;
- young cones have a violet-purple color, with time their color changes to dark brown.
The tree is demanding on the level of moisture and soil fertility. In the first years of life, it is recommended to create partial shade for him; at a more mature age, it can also grow in open areas.
Korean fir belongs to shade-tolerant plants
The columnar Serbian spruce can grow up to 45 m in height. Upon reaching the age of 10, a coniferous tree grows up to 10 m, the diameter during this period is 2 m. Its branches are short, the lower ones are inclined to the ground.
The branches are covered with flattened dark green needles. On the underside, 2 stripes of a bluish-white hue are visible on them. Cones are blue-black, in maturity their color changes to brown.
Serbian spruce is unpretentious in terms of growing conditions, it is distinguished by good frost resistance and relative smoke and gas resistance. For normal growth and development, the plant needs regular watering, but it tolerates dry periods better than ordinary spruces.
This coniferous tree is classified as shade-tolerant. It is used in group and single landings.
Serbian spruce is best planted on loamy soils.
Tuya Smaragd (Smaragd)
Popular with landscape designers is the thuja variety Smaragd. Its height reaches 5 m, while the diameter does not exceed 1–1.5 m. Smaragd is a coniferous tree with a regular cone-shaped crown, and the branches grow vertically.
Thuja is a slow growing tree. In a year, she adds no more than 20 cm in height and 5 cm in width.
It is not difficult to care for Smaragd thujas, but they require constant watering, it is undesirable to allow the soil to dry out. If the plant is in sunny areas, then the crown will be dense, and the needles will be bright. In shaded areas, it can grow, but the crown will become more rare.
The needles of thuja Smaragd are shiny, bright green
Juniper Skyrocket
The skyrocket is known as the pencil tree. The plant reaches a height of 6–8 m, and does not exceed 1 m in width. Its shape is columnar, narrow. The branches of this type of juniper grow vertically. The needles of the plant are gray-blue in color, it can be needle-shaped or scaly.
Skyrocket is planted in small household plots. When choosing a place for growing, it is better to give preference to open areas that are well lit by the sun.
You can also grow juniper in nutrient-deficient areas.
Dwarf
With the help of small plants, you can make a unique landscape design even in a small area. Traditionally, they are placed along the paths, in the corners of home gardens with a lawn, or used as an element of complex compositions.
Compacta Glauca Pine (Compacta Glauca)
Dwarf cedar pine is great for landscape design. The main characteristics include the following:
- when grown in the middle lane, the height does not exceed 3 cm, the width is 1.5 m;
- the needles are bluish-green in color, the needles are 8–9 cm long;
- branches grow densely, they are directed upwards.
When creating heather, stone gardens dwarf pine Compacta Glauka is used. Plants look good on alpine slides and plantings on lawns. The specified type of pine is best grown on moderately acidic and moderately moist soils.
When planting pine trees, preference should be given to well-lit, sunny areas.
mountain pine
Two types of pines are popular with homeowners.
Winter Gold is a hemispherical pine. Her crown is squat, on the sides it is unevenly developed. AT summer time the needles of the mountain pine are light green, and in winter it acquires a yellow-golden color. At the age of 10, the height of the plant is 0.5 m, and the diameter of the crown is 1 m.
The Ophir variety has a regular rounded shape. But after a few years of growth, the pine can become a little lopsided and more spreading. Adult 10-year-old plants are usually no more than 0.5 m in height, and they can be about 1 m in diameter.
No less popular is the variety of mountain pine Mini Mops. It is used for decorating areas. The pine tree grows very slowly, the annual growth is 2 cm. When it reaches the age of 10, the height of the conifer does not exceed 40 cm. The Mini Pug needles are dark green in color, young shoots are light green in color. From the branches a flattened - spherical crown is formed.
The Mini Pug plant is light-loving, it can tolerate a little shading, but with a constant deficit sunlight its growth deteriorates, the tree may dry out. Pine is undemanding to soils, it grows even on soils with a lack of nutrients. It tolerates frost and wind well.
Gardeners, if desired, can form a crown of a mountain pine, the plant tolerates haircuts well
El Barry (Barryi)
Popular slow-growing species include the common Barry spruce. In young undersized plants, the crown has a rounded shape. Over time, the branches grow to the sides. By the age of 30, the spruce becomes about 2 m in height.
The needles of the Barry variety are dark green, brown-orange young shoots appear in spring. Spruce is shade-tolerant, it can be safely planted in shaded areas. Coniferous tree takes root better and grows on loamy and sandy loamy well-drained soils.
Excessive waterlogging of the soil is harmful to Barry spruce
Tuya Danica (Danica)
In dachas and plots near private houses, many plant evergreen thuja. Variety Danica is one of the most common. The plant is spherical in shape. At the age of 10 years, its diameter is 0.4 m. Maximum size adult shrubs - 0.8 m in height and 1 m in diameter.
To distinctive features Tui Danica include:
- the needles are shiny, bright, dark green;
- cones rounded, Brown, size 8–12 mm;
- the needles have a flat scaly shape, it is located vertically;
- the root system is superficial, there are several deep roots.
Tui can grow without problems in partial shade and in the sun.
In brightly lit areas, thuja will be brighter and denser
Spruce Conica (Conica)
Thanks to the attractive appearance Many people plant Konik spruce in their dachas and gardens. The variety is distinguished by a fluffy, dense crown, an ideal conical shape, which is obtained naturally without haircuts.
View features:
- under natural conditions, Konika grows up to 3-4 m, when planted in parks, gardens, in summer cottages - up to 2 m;
- light green soft spruce needles, needles no more than 1 cm long;
- annual growth about 6–10 cm high, 3–5 cm wide;
- spruces should be planted in sunny places; in the first years after planting, it is recommended to shade the plants on the south side with white spunbond;
- grows well on neutral and slightly acidic soils with plenty of moisture, but reacts badly to waterlogging.
Konika spruce landscapers are often planted in the foreground, they look good when placed alone and in groups.
Spruce has a small growth due to strong branching and a small distance from one internode to another.
Creeping
Creeping plants are often used as a decorative element in rocky gardens. With their help, you can add volume to landscape flower beds.
Juniper Wilton (Wilton)
AT flower arrangements in summer cottages, garden plots, many add horizontal junipers. Variety Wilton spreads with a low cover on the ground. At the age of 10 years, it rises above the ground by no more than 15 cm. In breadth, it can grow by 2–3 m. The needles of the Wilton juniper are silver-blue.
Wilton is one of the varieties that can be safely grown in an urban environment. It is undemanding to the composition of the soil, frost-resistant and tolerates temporary droughts.
It can be planted as a single plant or in group plantings. Wilton looks good in rockeries, rock gardens. This species looks spectacular if its branches hang from retaining walls.
Juniper Plumosa (Plumosa)
The Chinese variety of juniper Plumosa is creeping. But it reaches a height of 30–50 cm. The plant spreads 2–2.5 m along the surface. Old branches lie on the ground, and young shoots rise from them at an angle of 45 °.
The branches of the juniper Plumosa are feather-like. The needles in summer and autumn are gray-green in color, in winter the needles acquire a purple hue. The variety belongs to the photophilous, but it grows well in shaded areas. In the shade, the color becomes light green. Juniper is undemanding to soils.
Junipers are suitable for acidic and alkaline soils.
Canadian hemlock
Hemlock is a conifer belonging to the pine family. Landscape designers like to use weeping hemlock species for individual or group plantings, which are located on rocky areas, near water bodies, in open areas.
Popular is the slow-growing hemlock variety Prostrate. It belongs to creeping cushion plants.
Variety characteristics:
- the needles are tender, small, green;
- annual growth up to 6 cm;
- at the age of 10 years, Canadian hemlock grows up to 50 cm in height, it spreads 1 m on the ground.
It is better to plant hemlock Prostrait in partial shade. She needs cool and high humidity. Heat, drought, the plant does not tolerate well. Moist soils, which are slightly acidic, are ideal for planting, it is important that they contain a large amount of nutrients.
El Loreley (Loreley)
Variety Lorelei refers to weeping species spruce. Its trunk is arched, the lower branches spread along the ground. Creeping spruce becomes after grafting into the root collar. In height, the branches rise no more than 0.6 m, then the shoots descend and spread over the surface of the earth.
For planting, it is better to give preference to sunny areas, although spruce grows in partial shade. Soils should be drained, slightly moist, sandy and loamy soils are suitable.
When forming landscape design, it should be taken into account that the Lorelei spruce looks good in areas with varying heights.
Stagnation of moisture is harmful to spruce
Microbiota cross-pair (Decussate)
The cross-paired microbiota belongs to the cypress family. It can be grown in complex climatic conditions she is not afraid strong winds, rocky soils and shade. Branches in natural conditions can rise to a height of up to 1 m, but when grown in gardens, in summer cottages, its height usually does not exceed 60 cm.
On young shoots of the microbiota, the needles are needle-shaped, with time it becomes scaly. In summer, the needles are dark green, and in winter, the color changes to copper-brown. When planting a cross-pair microbiota, preference should be given to shady areas. The plant looks good in single plantings in the center of the lawn, in mixed compositions when planting along lawns, flower beds, slopes, coastal areas.
Microbiota shoots form a flattened shape with distinct tiers
Photo gallery: conifers in landscape design - site design ideas
Coniferous crops are actively used to create individual landscape design on the plots. When planting, it is necessary to take into account which soils the plants prefer, how they relate to sunny and shaded areas. Only plants with the same care can be planted nearby. Coniferous compositions, with a properly formed design, will delight owners for many years.
Evergreen coniferous plants decorate the garden plot and heal the surrounding air. However, to plant huge pines, cedars and cypresses on compact suburban areas is not possible. Undersized conifers, species and varieties will come to the rescue, their photos are presented in gardening magazines and on specialized sites.
To undersized conifers, dendrologists include such evergreen woody plants, which in adulthood have a height of no more than human height, and a crown diameter - no wider than the span of the hands. Today they are at the peak of demand, and not least because of their merits. coniferous shrubs vertically challenged:
- compact and therefore do not take up much space on the site;
- make it possible to create original dendrological compositions;
- decorative throughout the year;
- often used in a container as a Christmas tree;
- they winter well and often do not even require additional insulation - snow covers them with a top.
These plants have some features that can be attributed to their shortcomings. They are more deciduous plants susceptible to fungal attack and therefore, before wintering, they require mandatory cleansing of dry needles, as well as regular treatment with fungicides. Many of them have a vulnerable crown shape, there is a high risk of branch breakage, some varieties are short-lived, while others are poorly propagated.
But, despite this, dwarf conifers have many fans.
The best varieties and types of dwarf conifers with descriptions and photos
A lot of miniature conifers have been bred. They are classified according to the varietal direction:
- spruce;
- cypress;
- fir;
- pine;
- yew.
Spruce dwarfs - the most common in the park and garden business, they are low, suburban area enough for them. Most often, a miniature form of Norway spruce (Little Gem variety) is grown with a flat-rounded crown. The plant adds 2-3 cm in height annually and at 10 years old has a height of about 0.5 m. The shoots of a miniature spruce are tightly compressed, thin, and the needles are dense and completely cover the branch.
The dwarf Canadian spruce format is also common - varieties Laurin, Echiniformis and Alberta Globe. The first is narrow-conical, the second is spherical, and the third is hemispherical. Their annual growth is only 1.5-2 cm, and the height is 0.3-0.4 m at the age of ten.
The nest-shaped dwarf spruce is a miniature variety of prickly spruce (variety Nidiformis), its crown imitates a nest with its depressed, flattened top. The tree has an annual growth of 3-4 cm, but increases mainly in width, and not in height, and therefore rarely grows above 1 m. And the smallest variation of prickly spruce is the Maxwellii variety. These low conifers for a summer cottage do not grow more than 0.6 m and therefore are actively cultivated in containers as New Year's trees.
Cypress varieties of conifers are heat-loving, but there are frost-resistant options among them. Most dwarf cypress trees are miniature trees, but a few shrubs are also included in this group. They are spectacular, perfectly decorate a personal plot. There are two types of these plants - with yellow needles and green. The former are grown in sunny areas, while green conifers are grown in shaded areas.
The cypress dwarf most beloved by gardeners is thuja. Its variety Amber Glow is distinguished by the presence of golden needles, the height of this plant is no more than 1 m. Thuja orientalis is represented among the low conifers by the Aurea Nana variety with a dense branched oval-shaped crown with a pointed crown and golden green needles in the warm season of the year and bronze in winter. And the western thuja has several dwarf forms at once, and its most common varieties are Caespitosa, Danica and Hoseri.
Fir - fast-growing coniferous crops that need to be placed in shaded, wind-protected places. They require well-drained, well-saturated moisture, fertile soil. Caring for them is as simple as possible: dwarf firs require only periodic loosening of the soil and sanitary spring pruning.
The culture is frost-resistant, does not require special warming for the winter, except for the first year after planting - in the first wintering, the plant is carefully covered with spruce branches. The most common dwarf fir are miniature balsam fir (Nana variety) and Korean fir (Tundra variety).
Pine dwarfs include several varieties of plants at once, with a wide spreading crown, with needles collected in small bunches. At the same time, the number of needles in the bundle differs significantly for different trees and shrubs. The needles live for several years, after which the plant sheds them and acquires new young needles. Pine - the most unpretentious coniferous plants, caring for them is not laborious. The main thing - correct fit and maintenance of the plant in the first year of life.
All dwarf pines are extremely heat tolerant and very coldy, but at the same time light-loving. Mountain pine miniatures are in demand - varieties Gnom, Mops and Ophir. They are distinguished by a spherical crown and long needles, but the first variety grows up to 1 m, the other two - only up to 0.5 m.
Yew varieties include full-grown and shrubby plants. The main representative of the group is the yew, which is characterized by strong branching and the presence of an extensive root system. It prefers fertile drained soils, does not tolerate high acidity and waterlogging of the soil, and is quite picky about air humidity. At the same time, the yew is shade-loving and will survive even in a heavily shaded area of the site.
The most common variety of dwarf yew is Adpressa Aurea, also referred to as Adpressa Variegata. At 10 years old, this plant is about 60 cm tall and no more than 70 cm wide. Its crown is dense, almost round, the leaves are short, only 0.6-1.2 cm in length. No higher than 2 m, a yew of the Amersfoort variety grows, the crown of which is irregular, closer to oval, shaped, loose, and the shoots branch in different directions.
Landing and care rules
Most dwarf conifers for the garden require special planting and care conditions, but there are some general rules for any kind.
Planting of such plants is carried out in late April - early May. The easiest way to grow these crops is from seedlings, while the high quality of the purchased plant is required. The earth ball on its roots should be intact and be approximately 1/3 of the entire length of the seedling. It is desirable that the seller pack the root system of the conifer in burlap. The shade of the needles of the “correct” seedling is saturated, and the needles are elastic.
Planting a plant takes place in the following order:
- dig a hole of such depth and width that an earth seedling can be freely placed in it;
- in the fossa (its central part) a hill is made of soil with a height of 2/3 of the depth of the pit;
- a seedling is placed on a hill, the roots of the plant are carefully distributed along its slopes;
- bury the roots, periodically slightly trampling the soil;
- water the plant;
- pour dry soil around the seedling;
- mulch the soil under the conifer, sprinkle around with peat.
General care of plants consists in their regular watering, sanitary (for the health of the conifer) or decorative (so that it looks as harmonious as possible in landscape design) pruning. In winter, coniferous plants for the garden should be cleared of excess snow - otherwise it will break branches and even trunks of a miniature tree or shrub. If the branches are still broken, small ones should be removed, and large ones should be carefully fixed for growth.
Modern summer residents have abandoned plowing their plot into a continuous garden bed. Harvest is good, but you also want aesthetic satisfaction from your country oasis. Therefore, rock gardens, rockeries and various landscape compositions pushed garden chores into the background, and coniferous plants took the best places on the shelves of seedlings dealers.
Of course, you can do without coniferous plants in landscape design, but this is a losing step. It will be difficult to get rid of the feeling of incompleteness, as if lost in the palette of colors. desired colors. There are no halftones softening the contrast. There is not enough smell of needles shading the floral aroma.
Ephedra beautiful in themselves are also extremely appropriate as a background to the floral variety. One, “but” - not every site will accommodate a pine or spruce, tall trees will not be appropriate everywhere. The solution is simple undersized (varieties) pines and spruces, which, precisely because of their small dimensions, are at the peak of popularity today.
Despite the huge species and varietal diversity of conifers, the term “dwarf” cannot be found in the literature. They are considered to be decorative forms. a certain kind, which grow several times smaller than the mother plants.
For example, Christmas tree (Picea abies) reaches a height of 50 m, with a crown span of 8–12 m, its decorative Pillow Spruce Nidiformis (Nidiformis) grows no higher than 2 m with a crown width of 2–3 m. A characteristic feature of undersized trees is a small increase in shoots per year, rarely exceeding 10–15 cm.
Advantages of undersized and dwarf firs
Modern landscape design relies on low-growing conifers, thanks to their many advantages. We only mention the main ones:
- these plants fit easily and grow well in confined spaces, allowing you to create from them in small areas picturesque landscape compositions;
- almost all are very durable;
- external contrast and difference from each other in terms of crown type (pyramidal, creeping, spherical, conical, etc.), size, color.
- unlike the parent species, their use is much more diverse: rock gardens, rockeries, Japanese gardens, mixborders, vases, flower beds, etc .;
- trees are easy to care for and maintain, do not require frequent feeding, and only some species need formative pruning.
Species diversity
Dwarf and undersized spruces are inherent in most coniferous species. The famous German scientist Gerd Krüssmann in his book " Coniferous species» described more than 1200 species of rocks, of which more than 800 decorative species. In deciduous trees and shrubs, these forms are also found, but much less frequently.
For the most part, they do not bloom and they do not have seeds; the main way to propagate them is cuttings. But this method is not suitable for all types of conifers, there are breeds that exclusively do not “want” to propagate by cuttings. Such varieties are propagated by copulation or budding to a related or maternal species. Standard forms reproduce exclusively in this way.
Almost all species are successfully grown and propagated in all climatic zones of our country, taking into account sufficient soil fertility and periodic moisture.
Any popularization in landscape design and gardening superfluous - attractiveness will do it for itself.
Low growing and dwarf pines
Of the great variety of trees of the pine family, the most attractive and, perhaps, common varieties mountain pine (Pinus mugo).
Mountain pine Pumilio (Pumilio)- a shrub with spreading branches 2.5–3.0 m wide and up to 1.5 m high. Shoots of different lengths, located close to each other, directed upwards. The needles are different in length, but more often short. Pine is unpretentious to growing conditions, tolerates dry and poor soils. Widely popular as decorative culture. Looks good planted both individually and in groups. Recommended for landscaping rocky slopes and large rock gardens.
Pine mountain Mugus (Mughus)- creeping spreading shrub 1.5–2.0 m high. The branches are short. The needles are hard, dark green, undemanding to soil and moisture, winter-hardy. Often used in garden compositions. Recommended for landscaping slopes, ravines and rock gardens. Looks spectacular in group and single plantings on the lawn.
Pine mountain Gnome (Gnom)- a shrub with a spherical shape and a dense crown, 1–2 m in diameter. The branches are short, densely placed, each shoot grows 3–5 young in a season. Needles 3.5–4.5 cm long, dark green, dense, glossy. Exceptionally favorably decorates rock gardens. Grows well in containers or vases.
Mountain pine Pug (Mops)- by 10 years in diameter reaches 0.5 m. Very short branches. The needles are dark, with a greenish-blue tint, straight. It is undemanding to growing conditions. Recommended for rockeries, rock gardens and container growing.
Pine mountain Winter Gold (Winter Gold)- Growth is very slow. By the age of 10, it reaches a height of about 0.5 m and no more than 1 m in the span of the crown. The crown is rounded, flattened. In summer, the needles are painted in delicate bright green tones, while in winter they turn yellow, with a golden tint. Will make a good addition to any garden. It is frost-resistant, it is not pretentious to soils, grows on stony soils.
Of the not so popular, but very interesting varieties, I would like to mention the undersized form of Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris): Watererei (Watereri) and Globosa Viridis (Globosa Viridis); austrian pine (Pinus nigra): Nana (Nana) and Vrero (Brepo).
Low-growing and dwarf spruces
For example, at spruce (Picea abies) very common and popular types:
Norway spruce Nidiformis (Nidiformis)- Dense nest-shaped shrub. By the age of 10, it reaches a height of only 0.4 m and up to 1.0 m of branch span. Needles, on thin shoots, short, light green. To the type of soil and its moisture content is relatively unassuming. Ideal for rock gardens, rock gardens and container growing.
Norway spruce Little Gem- hemispherical. By the age of 10, it reaches 0.5 m in diameter. The branches are thin, located radially from the middle of the bush. exceptionally good as standard form. To the type of soil and its moisture content is relatively unassuming. Recommended for growing in rock gardens. Suitable for planting in vases and containers.
Norway spruce Wills Zwerg (Will's Zwerg)- very elegant, characterized by a dense narrow-conical crown. By the age of 10, it reaches a height of 1.0–1.2 m, retaining the type of crown. The growing needles are pale green, strongly contrasting with the old, dark green. To the type of soil and its moisture content is relatively unassuming. Suitable for group or single plantings in small gardens.
Pygmy Spruce (Pygmaea)- with a dense elegantly rounded crown. It grows to a maximum height of 1.5 m, spreading the crown by 2.0–2.5 m. The needles are light green, needle-shaped. To the type of soil and its moisture content is relatively unassuming. Suitable for group or single plantings in small gardens.
El Formanek (Formanek)- an original variety without a central conductor with beautifully sprawling recumbent branches. By the age of 10, the height is 0.5 m, often a one-sided crown, spreads up to 1.5 m. The needles are like those of an ordinary tall spruce. Grows well in a variety of soils sunny places. Recommended for rocky hills and small gardens.
Extremely popular among short brothers prickly spruce (Picea pungens) prickly spruce Glauca Globosa (Glauca Globosa). A low growing tree with a wide conical crown. The older it gets, the more it grows in breadth, gradually the crown is rounded. Growth is slow. It grows up to 3 m both in height and in width. The needles are slightly sickle-shaped, dense, light blue, prickly, about 2 cm long. It is undemanding to growing conditions. Resistant to soot and smoke. Recommended for rock gardens and container growing. Planted on the lawn, singly or in groups, fits well into landscape compositions.
At Canadian spruce (Picea glauca), known as gray, a very popular undersized decorative form Conica (Conica). By the age of 60, the plant is not higher than 4 m. The crown is dense, pyramidal, the diameter of its base reaches 2 m. in early spring sunburns of the southern side of the crown are not excluded (the yellowing needles partially fall off). Effectively appropriate in a variety of landscape compositions. Recommended for container growing on roofs and terraces, group plantings near houses, rock gardens and rockeries.
Spruce Canadian Konica mutated into many subspecies accepted by producers as separate varieties. Of these, the most common are: Alberta Globe, Laurin (Laurin), Gnome. These varieties are often sold under the general name Konika. Indeed, for an ignorant person they are very similar, but in fact the differences are quite characteristic. Therefore, it is more rational to purchase them from the manufacturer or at least in garden centers, but only with a label on which the Latin name of the plant.
Spruce Canadian Daisy White (Daisy's White)- reaching a height of up to 3 m, the diameter of the crown base is 1–1.5 m. The crown is dense, pyramidal. The variety is original with growing pale yellow needles, which will turn light green by summer. To the type of soil and its moisture content is relatively unassuming. Recommended for container growing, single and group plantings near houses. Suitable for rock gardens and rockeries.
Spruce Serbian Nana (Nana)- a tree that is distinguished by the correct symmetry of the pyramidal crown and rigid short branches. The height of an adult plant is 3.0–3.5 m, the diameter of the crown base is 2.5 m. The elegance and charm of this conifer is created by the two-tone needles, dark green above and light blue below. Moderately demanding on soil and moisture. Recommended for small home gardens, heather and rocky gardens, for container growing.
Now, at the time of the development of landscape design, it has become fashionable to plant dwarf conifers in your garden plot. Superstitions that coniferous plants in the yard are dangerous, that they are supposed to be planted only in cemeteries, have gone to the side.
And rightly so, because coniferous plants are very useful - they purify the air, fill it with essential oils that are so useful for our lungs, and the aesthetic appearance of properly cared for coniferous plants cannot be compared with other plants.
Yes, others beautifully blooming and decoratively deciduous naturally contribute to the overall landscape, but conifers, and especially dwarf conifers, complete the overall picture.
Now it's hard to imagine a good garden plot without conifers. And the dwarf forms of conifers are especially beautiful. They are comfortable, beautiful, have a different color of needles, they are easy to care for. And if you want to decorate your garden with dwarf conifers, then this article will help you navigate, choose a place for planting dwarf conifers, and we will also tell you which dwarf compact forms of conifers are best planted in the garden.
So, different coniferous plants have a variety of crown shapes, and this allows us to make a composition from several species or buy a compact conifer of the shape that you like best. And you can visit our partners.
Common, natural species of coniferous plants are mostly tall trees; in the forest, for example, pines can reach up to 50 m in height. But this is a rarity where the area of the site allows you to plant such tall trees. Thanks to breeders, stunning forms and varieties of dwarf conifers have been bred, which even for years can keep almost the same shape and height.
The tallest of the dwarfs reach 1 - 2 meters. Unless the conifers growing in breadth can also reach up to 2 m long, but they remain on average low in height. But there are varieties of creeping conifers that are limited in growth, so they are also considered dwarf.
And there are miniature, compact varieties that do not exceed 0.5 meters, then such plants are well planted in tubs and containers.
These, according to most landscape designers, are the most effective in terms of ease of cultivation, care and aesthetic beauty of the plant. Why go far into the forest when you can sit on a bench under your green pets and enjoy the illuminating aroma of coniferous ether?…
How do dwarf conifers differ from the rest of their relatives? Dwarf conifers, like all other plants, grow. But very imperceptibly, approximately the annual growth is 2 - 3 cm. They have short branches, which are also at a small distance from each other, which makes the shape of the bush compact. And you will not find cute varieties of spherical forms of a bush in the wild!
And where did these coniferous "gnomes" come from? The perseverance of breeders gave us multivariance in vegetation, but at home it will not be possible to grow a dwarf coniferous plant from an ordinary breed.
Dwarf coniferous plants cannot be propagated by seeds, because the variety is not preserved and the plant grows ordinary, tall, wild. But gardeners are happy to propagate such plants by cuttings, layering.
You can buy dwarf conifers in many landscape design stores. Just be sure to be interested in the characteristics of the plant - what is the shape of the crown, what is the height of an adult plant, how to walk. And also make sure that the root system is well developed and not damaged.
Because sometimes it happens that the plant first has a spherical shape and can grow like this for several years, and then literally in 2 years it will stretch and take on a cone-shaped crown. This is not the fault of the plant, it is correct, just before buying conifers, you need to carefully find out the nature of the plant.
Dwarf conifers for the garden have a price, roughly speaking, not cheap in relation to other types and forms, but keep in mind that before they go on sale, they are grown in nurseries for several years. 10 cm plants can be grown 3 years!
Caring for dwarf conifers is easy, because they are a mutation different types conifers. Therefore, they require care that is suitable for other wild relatives.
What compositions can be created from compact, dwarf conifers in the garden?
Can you drop them off in rocky garden . They have clear boundaries, so they will well emphasize the structure of a rocky garden.
These plants can decorate patio or especially entrance to the house in winter. Add a couple of ornamental grasses to such a composition for a change, which retain their dry stems in winter.
They can be grown in garden pots, tubs, small containers. And this will allow you to place conifers along the paths, near the entrance to the building, near the place of rest, on the veranda, right on the lawn or even on the roof, if there is a space for relaxation!
Raised compositions or plants in a trough! A great option to slightly raise the level of plants in space, which will focus on them. If someone has an old trough lying around, then its bottom must be perforated in several places so that there is a drain of excess water, melted water or after watering. We install it on a well-laid layer of stones, and on the sides we also decorate with stones. Maybe someone can do it without cement mortar, but if the design is shaky, then the solution will help.
Next, you need to put drainage on the bottom, you can also broken bricks, cut branches from trees, which will add looseness. And we fill the trough with soil that is suitable for coniferous plants. Remember, it must be sour? Fine! We plant dwarf coniferous plants in the ground, and in the intervals between them, you can plant some beautifully flowering or decorative leafy plants. For example, sockets can be planted along the very edge. Do not forget that other plants should not be taller than conifers!
Also, such conifers can be planted in containers and garden pots. Before buying, be sure to ask the seller about the future sizes of the crown and root system, so that later you can choose the plant exactly for your tub or container, the sizes can be different!
And now we suggest that you familiarize yourself with the most popular forms of dwarf conifers.
Dwarf spruce forms, especially the popular form of Norway spruce ‘Little Gem’- This is a small flat-rounded coniferous "ball" with a small depression in the center. It grows very slowly, usually grows by 2-3 cm per year. And at the age of 10 years, spruce 'Little Gem' reaches only 0.50 cm. The branches are thin, densely growing, and light green small needles are also densely located on it. The young growth is light green, from which it seems that the coniferous plant is speckled.
Photos of spruce ordinary Little Jam:
Mountain pine form ‘Gnom’- at the age of 10 years, it grows only up to 1 meter. And the forms of mountain pine ‘Mops’ and ‘Ophir’ at the age of ten they reach only 0.50 cm.
Dwarf pines are quite frost-resistant, less often than others are affected sunburn and fungal diseases. Attract gardeners with their spherical shape and long needles.
Photo of mountain pine Gnome:
Fir balsam grade ‘Nana’- imagine, in 10 years only 30 cm grows! Super-dwarf!) The shape can be narrow-pyramidal or cone-shaped. Nana fir is very fragrant, and the beautiful reddish cones are a wonderful decoration. dwarf plant for garden. Not demanding, frost-resistant.
Photo of balsam fir Nana: 
Korean fir grade ‘Tundra’- a little more, it can grow at the age of 10 to 0.40 cm, and in diameter - 0.6 cm. The needles are short, soft, young growth is light green. In winter, the needles remain the same bright. Unpretentious.
Photo of Korean fir Tundra:
Thuja western grade ‘Amber Glow’ is a mutation of the Danica variety. At the age of 10, it reaches 80-90 cm in diameter, as well as in height. Thuja Ameber Glow spherical. Very interesting branches and their coloring. They, like most thujas, are flat, but are most often arranged in parallel rows. And the color is yellow-green and almost orange in autumn! Here is a variety for other green conifers!
In the photo, thuja western Amber Glow:
Thuja western grade "Mr. bowling ball»- This is a spherical dwarf conifer, the crown is very dense, beautiful. It loosens up a bit over the years. The needles are fringe-like, tightly attached to the branches, dark green, and in winter with a bronze tint. At the age of 10, it usually reaches 60-70 cm, and up to 1 meter in width. the plant is unpretentious, but it is better to plant in moist, well-lit soil.
Photo of thuja western Mr. Bowling Ball:
Cypress obtuse variety "Nana Gracilis"- a very interesting dwarf coniferous plant. Cypress Nana Gratsilis has a rounded bush that looks like a twisted shell - it is wider at the bottom and narrows towards the top. Even the branches themselves are a little twisted. At the age of 10, it reaches 80 cm in height. The needles are dark green, shiny, dense. Not whimsical, but prefers partial shade.
Photo of the cypress tree Nana Gratsilis:
Gray spruce grade- a miniature Christmas tree with dense and small needles, densely located on the branches. At the age of 10, it reaches 40 cm in height. The crown is narrowly conical.
Photo ate gray Laurin:
Serbian spruce grade is a dwarf form selected by breeding from the Nana form. Age by 10 years - 20-25 cm, width - about 50 cm. Annual growth 3-4 cm. The shoots are short, the needles are also short, densely sitting on the shoots. Does not like dense and waterlogged soils.
In the photo, Serbian spruce Minima:
Yew berry variety ‘Stricta’ is a female clone of ‘Rustique’. The crown is columnar, loose. The needles are dark green. Perfectly complement the spherical varieties of conifers.
Photo of yew berry ‘Stricta’: 
Juniper vertical grade Blue Arrow- an adult plant reaches a height of 2-3 meters. But it is much narrower in width, because the crown is narrowly conical. The needles are not prickly at all, gray-blue in color. Frost-resistant, loves sunny places.
Photo juniper vertical Blue Arrow:
Arbor vitae grade «
Aurea Nana"- very decorative, because it has golden yellow needles! At the age of 10, it reaches a height of 80 cm or 1 meter. And in a year it grows only 8-10 cm. The crown is ovoid or cone-shaped. He likes sunny places, he needs shelter for the winter.
Photo of thuja eastern Aurea Nana:
Cypress pea variety "Filifera Sungold"- has golden needles and a rounded crown. The height of an adult plant is up to 2 m, wide - 3 m. But it grows very slowly, and by the age of 10 it grows only up to 0.50 cm - 1 m. It is interesting in that it has long and thin branches, they hang down. Not demanding, but if planted in the shade, the needles turn green.
Photo of pea cypress Filifer Sangold:
Juniper horizontal grade ‘Alpina ’
- a beautiful dwarf conifer for the garden. It reaches a height of 0.80 cm, grows up to 2 m in width. The branches rise slightly. The needles are bluish-green in summer and bluish-purple in winter. Frost-resistant, unpretentious.
Photo juniper horizontal Alpina:
Juniper Chinese variety "Expansa Variegata"- a wonderful and very attractive dwarf conifer. An adult plant reaches a height of up to 0.50 cm, and a width of 1.2 m. The unusual needles are bluish-green, have light cream blotches, as if anointed with light paint. Very decorative. Frost-resistant and undemanding.
