Latest Conversations

Posted 6 hours ago by Craig Griffin to robusta

This looks to be a rather unique tree to be grown in the US. How tall & wide has your tree grown? Thank you, C. Griffin.

Posted 10 hours ago by Aldon Daniels to Yoshino

what sort and number of butterflies, insects and moths does this tree support?

Posted 14 hours ago by Paul Champlin to virginiana

At what age can you tell the gender of a J. virginiana?

Posted 1 day ago by Sharon Plow to Ellwoodii

I love my new "tree". It's really beautiful. My daughter got it for me yesterday. I don't know how to care for it. I live just below Baton Rouge. Any ideas?

Posted 2 days ago by Francisco Garin to falcatus

This species, like Afrocarpus gracilior, can withstand winter temperatures of -5ºC without damage in the Iturraran Botanical Garden, in northern Spain.

Posted 6 days ago by David Olszyk to Filiformis

the plicata will have reddish bark on second-year branchlets. That's probably the only way unless you've handled millions of them.

Posted 6 days ago by Bill Hoffman to Filiformis

Thuja occidentalis 'Filiformis' and Thuja plicata 'Whipcord' are two different species. How does one tell them apart in the landscape without labels?

Posted 9 days ago by David Olszyk to sibirica

Google also talks about a Graupa Forestry Research Center in Saxony, Germany. They've been doing some work with Larix in forestry trials. It's possible that this is one their experimental trees. How Joe got his hands on it may remain a mystery for a long time.

Posted 9 days ago by David Olszyk to sibirica

There is a mention on one of the more obscure sites I use for research purposes. The listed name is simply 'Graupa', said to have been named by an un-named German person for a plant seen in a botanic garden in Yakutsk Russia.

Posted 9 days ago by Bill Hoffman to sibirica

In 2006 I purchased a Larix siberica 'Nana Graupa' from Edelweiss Nursery in Duluth. I cannot locate any information about this cultivar on the internet. Does anyone have any knowledge about this cultivar?

Posted 9 days ago by David Olszyk to Golden Mop

of course. It's a tree, and as such never stops growing until it dies. The terms "dwarf, intermediate, and large" have nothing to do with their eventual size and everything to do with the growth rate. In the case of conifers, dwarf is defined as growing six inches or less per year. So, 'Golden Mop'…

Posted 9 days ago by Laura Jull to Golden Mop

I have seen 'Golden Mop' threadleaf false-cypress grow well over 2 feet tall. I had some in my yard that easily were 8 feet tall and have seen them in arboreta that were 10 feet tall and wide. This is not a small conifer, but is considered dwarf compared to the straight species of Chamaecyparis…

Posted 10 days ago by Karen Mayercsik to Trautman

I have a Trautman, how do I prune? Will trimming the top make it thicker?

Posted 11 days ago by Trish to Black Dragon

Thanks David - I should proof my messages; I meant 6a is (-10) but you probably knew that!

Posted 11 days ago by David Olszyk to Black Dragon

Hi Trish, you're right at this one's hardiness limit. It'll probably survive, but not thrive. I've seen them suffer during the winter in NJ.

Posted 11 days ago by Trish to Black Dragon

I live in Zone 6B (-5) on the east coast. I have a 'Black Dragon' Cryptomeria that is 17 inches tall by 13 inches wide and beautiful. Zone 6B is (-5) Can it be planted for just this winter in soil in an above ground pot that has bright light but is sheltered from winds? Or am I taking a chance I…

Posted 11 days ago by David Olszyk to Aurea

Hi Kelsey ... it's actually a tricky question. By my observations in the field, during a plant's first 20 years, the rate of growth will be fairly slow, around 6 inches per year. As they get older, they're not as golden and start growing faster, 12 inches or more per year. The largest one I've ever…

Posted 11 days ago by Kelsey to Aurea

I've found a lot of conflicting information about this tree's growth rate and size in my research. I always come back to the conifer society to double-check and am so thankful for this site. In this case, the conifer society website says the typical rate of growth is 4-6" per year in the plant…

Posted 12 days ago by Sara Malone to araucana

Guy, send a photo to [email protected] It may be Araucaria heterophylla - Norfolk Island pine. You can Google images of that to see if that looks like your tree.

Posted 13 days ago by Web Editor to Nana Gracilis

There are some Hinoki that are narrower. There are many, many cultivars of this species so the best thing to do is to see what is available for you locally. Then check our database for size estimates. Also, you can prune these to keep them narrower. Your biggest challenge with container planting in…

Posted 13 days ago by Web Editor to Globosa Nana

You don't have to but you certainly can. They respond well to pruning.

Posted 13 days ago by Web Editor to Pendula

Frances, these are all pretty big trees. There are other small weepers, though most of them are not quite this graceful. Try using our 'Advanced Search' feature (you'll find it on the home page on the left). Good luck!

Posted 14 days ago by Frances P. to Pendula

Such a beauty! I'm looking for a dwarf cultivar of this tree (about 8-20 ft) with a full body and weeping branches. Do you know if there is such a tree and if so, could you steer me in the right direction to find them? I would love to add such a tree to my front yard. Thank you!

Posted 14 days ago by David Olszyk to Renken

no worries, Catherine. The regular species is Sitka spruce (Picea sitchensis), one of the largest-growing spruces on earth. While a full reversion to a 300-foot tree is probably not in the cards, something intermediate wouldn't be a stretch. You'll know in 15 to 20 years. You're right; there's…

Posted 14 days ago by Catherine to Renken

Thank you for your response! What is the regular species? I am terribly ignorant on all this. I’m trying to figure out how big they might get so try to research online and there is not a lot of information in Renken. Thank you so much 😊

Posted 14 days ago by David Olszyk to Renken

Hi Catherine ... I've seen some strange examples of 'Renken' as well. My thoughts are that this one has been around long enough that growers are starting to use cuttings that are in the process of making a reversion to the regular species (this happens a lot).

Posted 14 days ago by Catherine Carrico to Renken

Hi. I recently purchase three Picea sitchensis 'Renken' at a local nursery however they don’t look like the pictures I’m seeing online. How can I tell if it really is the Renken?? Can I send pictures to someone for them to see what they think?

Posted 15 days ago by Fran Bagley to Globosa Nana

Should you trim these plants?

Posted 18 days ago by Craig Griffin to What type of eastern white pine, Pinus strobus?

I hope my question is not absurd, but I would like to know what I have in my yard; coming from 2 sapling eastern white pines that I planted years ago from Arbor Day handouts. Both look the same, with no bark, but instead have an olive green to gray color "skin", and bright green needles, not the…

Posted 4 months ago by Louise Westrand to PNW heat wave!!!

Does anybody have thoughts on our conifers that still look good to stay alive for the rest of the year? I lost too many conifers this summer. Watering was not enough.