New in the Nursery: Mini Conifers

We can’t get enough of these pint-sized conifers that just arrived in our nursery, made all the more darling when strung with tiny lights and baubles on the tabletop or mantel. Ranging from 3-10 inches in height, they also look great featured in a window box display or planted outdoors, where they will grow very gradually (only an inch per year for some species!). Learn more about how these petite pines can bring life to holiday decorating, below.  

Pixie Dust Dwarf Alberta Spruce: Slow growing and requiring minimal pruning, this mini conifer cultivar will typically increase in size 1-2 inches per year, reaching a maximum height of 6 feet if left un-pruned. Cold hardy, it loves a cozy container or can be planted directly into the ground. Keep this pint-sized pine’s roots moist in well-drained soil and place in full-to-partial sunlight.  In mid-summer, you’ll see it sprout tiny, yellow buds. Watch for dead growth that tends to clump near trunk of the tree, especially during fall and winter. Gently slough lifeless foliage away to keep your tiny evergreen merry and bright! 

Amber Gold Arborvitae: Turning a brilliant shade of amber-green during the winter months, this cultivar is native to Europe and will grow up to 10 feet tall and 3 feet wide if left un-pruned. With scale-like foliage that naturally takes on a globe form, it is sensitive to soggy soil and should be placed in full sun to keep the roots from rotting. 

Prostrate Beauty Deodar Cedar: With fine, silver-blue foliage, this mini evergreen becomes dense, mound-shaped, creeping groundcover when planted outdoors. With a slow growth rate of 1-2 inches per year, it will only reach a maximum height of 2 feet tall and 8 feet wide over the course of its 50+ year lifetime. As it matures, the Deodar Cedar can be pruned into the shape that best suits your garden. Find a sunny spot and give it a healthy dose of compost upon planting in dry, well-drained soil.

Blue Planet Dwarf White Spruce: Great for trough planting or tight garden spaces, Dwarf White Spruce forms a dense, irregular bun of tiny, blue needles, some of the smallest found on any Picea glauca cultivar. Cold hardy and slow-growing, if left un-pruned this mini evergreen will grow anywhere from 8 to 10 feet tall over the course of 10 years. 

Dwarf Twisted Hinoki Cypress: Indigenous to Japan, this evergreen conifer boasts flat sprays of scale-like needles that curl downwards, creating gently arching branches to give the plant a soft appearance. While it can grow up to 15 feet in 10 years, it is still considered “dwarf” due to its slow growth of 1-4 inches annually. Prune back new growth to keep your cypress small; this will also help to protect it from winter damage. Water regularly, at least once a week, and more frequently in extreme heat conditions. 

1L. Blue Planet Dwarf White Spruce; 1R. Dwarf Twisted Hinoki Cypress; 2. Pixie Dust Dwarf Alberta Spruce; 3L. Amber Gold Arborvitae; 3R. Prostrate Beauty Deodar Cedar

Throughout the season, our plant team highlights their freshest additions to the garden with New in the Nursery. Check in at your local store to take home these newly-arrived greens.