Contents
Coniferous shrubs with photos and names will help you navigate through the numerous offers of nurseries. When buying, it is better to take into account not only the features of garden compositions or the unpretentiousness of plants, but also the characteristics of the soil and climate.
The benefits of growing coniferous shrubs on the site
Evergreen shrubs are often the best choice when planning a garden. Coniferous plants are quite unpretentious, they take root well in various parts of most of the country. Green shrubs of original forms at different times of the year are successfully perceived aesthetically, as a bright spot of color. Most coniferous plants have undeniable advantages:
- the possibility of placing in the sun, in partial shade or even in the shade;
- undemanding to the type of soil;
- plasticity of the crown – disposition to pruning or shearing;
- release into the air of aromatic healing compounds – phytoncides;
- minimal care required.
Types of coniferous shrubs
Numerous evergreen shrubs of various families for the convenience of beginner gardeners can be grouped into 3 size groups:
- high;
- medium height;
- dwarf.
Low-growing
One of the most popular requirements for coniferous shrubs is a small size, which allows you to create picturesque and diverse garden ensembles.
Mountain Pine Golden Glow
A slow-growing evergreen shrub will become a bright flashlight in the garden, not only in winter, but also in summer. The needles of the plant, intensely green in summer, become yellow with the onset of cold weather, especially in the upper half of the needles. By the age of 10, the bush grows up to 0,5-0,6 m, reaching a diameter of up to 80-95 cm. The Golden Glow variety is frost-resistant, tolerates -35 ° C, develops on any soil, on solar exposure.
El Maxwell
The height of the fir-tree shrub is 90-100 cm, the dense crown is wide-pyramidal, extending up to 1,5-1,8 m. The shoots are often formed, densely covered with light green needles. Frost-resistant shrub grows on any soil acidity, but requires a moderately moist, well-lit area. Adapts to gas pollution in industrial centers.
Juniper Blue Chip
The popular variety of ground cover creeping juniper horizontal Blue Chip rises to a level of only 20-35 cm. The branches spread to the sides up to 150 cm. Silver-blue needles become darker in winter. The plant is not capricious, develops well on loose soils, can suffer with excess moisture. The preferred exposure is sunny, on rockeries and rock gardens.
Aurora Cypress
Attracts with a beautiful wavy pattern of natural stacking of spirally twisted branches that form a crown with an irregular cone silhouette. The height of the shrub is 50-65 cm, the diameter of the crown is the same. The plant is frost-resistant, but at the end of winter it should be covered with agrofiber to prevent the needles from burning out in the sun. Likes moist soil and well lit area. The Aurora variety does not tolerate urban conditions well.
Microbiota cross-pair Jacobsen
In a hardy plant native to the Far East, the branches partly creep along the ground, others rise slightly, so a support is installed near the bush. The height of the crown is up to 40-70 cm, the diameter is 30-60 cm. During the year, the growth of shoots is only 2-3 cm. The scaly needles are dark green, turns brown with cold weather, then turns green again in spring. Planted in wet, semi-shady and shady areas, in rock gardens. The shrub is often defined as a type of juniper, but it is closer to the eastern thuja.
Middle-aged
Evergreen coniferous shrubs of medium height – up to 2 m are often chosen as a visual focus for garden compositions. They also serve as an interesting backdrop for undersized shrubs and flowers.
Pine mountain Gnome
The shrub after 18-20 years of growth reaches more than 1 m in height, after another 2 decades it rises to 2 m. The annual growth is 10 cm in width and 15 in height. The crown is spherical, oval over the years, very dense due to densely growing shoots, 80-90 cm in diameter. Dark green needles, needles 4 cm long. Planted in the sun, in loose soil. The variety is widely used in urban gardening.
Spruce Glauka Globoza
Variety Glauca Globosa is considered by many gardeners to be a shrub, since spruce growth is very slow – by the age of 30 it reaches 3 m. Rounded crown, 1,2-2 m in diameter, dense due to many short branches covered with prickly, silver-blue needles 1-1,5 .35 cm long. The variety is undemanding to soil fertility; it develops better on slightly acidic soils. The plant is photophilous, drought-resistant, tolerates frosts below -XNUMX ° C.
Juniper Chinese Mint Julep
Juniper variety Mint Julep with a dense and spreading crown is named by analogy with a strong mint flavored cocktail because of the rich and bright color of green needles that seem constantly fresh. The height of the shrub is 1,5-2 m, the width of the crown is 2,8-3,5 m. The juniper shoots are long, flexible, arched. Likes a sunny location, light soils, moderate humidity.
The Cypress Stupid Rashahiba
By the age of 10, the Rashahiba variety forms a dense, wide-pyramidal crown up to 1,7-2 m high. The plant is extremely decorative, thanks to the natural tints of greenery: from intense green in the center of the crown to light green or even yellow shades of needles on the tops of branches. Young shoots delight with fresh lemon color. The variety grows in the sun and in light partial shade. The soil is kept loose and moderately moist.
Yew Elegantissima
The Elegantissima variety grows more in breadth – up to 1,5-3 m than in height – up to 1,2-2,3 m. The growth of branches per season is 8-14 cm. green-yellow. Because of this feature, the bush is very picturesque in spring. Good development in full sun or light shade. The plant is winter-hardy, prefers neutral soils.
Tall
Coniferous shrubs up to 3-4 m high are chosen as a material for a hedge or a background for a lawn with flower beds.
Scotch pine
The variety of Scotch pine Watereri is durable, frost-resistant, with a rounded dense crown, which grows almost the same size in height and in circumference – up to 4 m. Gray-blue needles form bunches of 2 needles, 3-4 cm long. The plant is undemanding to soils, but does not grow on saline or too compacted. Pine coniferous shrub is photophilous, does not like shading.
Cypress Dracht
The shrub grows 2,5-3 m, the cone-shaped crown is up to 1,5 m in diameter. The fan-shaped branches are slightly twisted, giving the pattern of a dense crown a more lush look. The soft needles are green with a grayish tint. By winter, it acquires a bronze tint. The variety is frost-resistant, but does not tolerate drought well. Planted in the sun, in loose soil, which is moderately and regularly moistened.
Yew berry Hixie
The coniferous shrub Hicksii is characterized by an original wide-columnar crown that expands upwards. It reaches 3-4,7 m in height, diameter is from 2 to 2,3 m. The variety is durable, slow-growing – 10-15 cm per year. The needles are soft, dark green, 2,3-3 cm long. Berries are not used. Planted on drained, non-acidic loam. Grows in sun or shade, soil is moist but not waterlogged.
Cryptomeria japonica elegans viridis
The variety is decorative, lends itself well to formation, grows up to 4-6 m, the width of a dense and dense wide-conical crown is up to 4 m. The shade-tolerant plant has dark green needles with a bluish tint throughout the year. It is preferable to plant in acidic, moist soils. It tolerates frosts down to -23 °C.
Coniferous shrubs in the landscape design of the garden
The endurance and expressiveness of the silhouette of coniferous shrubs, most of which are amenable to formation, provide plants with high popularity for building various garden compositions of various styles:
- low and medium heights are located as points of attraction on spacious lawns;
- creeping and dwarf specimens – an indispensable element of rockeries, rock gardens;
- bright green plants of short stature often serve as a strict background for bright flower beds;
- densely planted tall bushes form a division into zones and decorate the walls of buildings and fences;
- dwarf conifers are often grown as container crops.
How to properly place coniferous shrubs in the garden and on the site
To maintain the attractiveness of the garden, the generally accepted rules are followed:
- a flower bed with dwarf coniferous bushes is located on a spacious plot;
- the lowest plants are planted in the foreground in the borders;
- near reservoirs, deciduous, weeping forms are planted to coniferous bushes;
- variegated varieties are planted pointwise, surrounded by specimens that do not change the color of the green.
Original compositions
Often conifers form. High and medium-sized junipers, arborvitae, cypresses are modeled, creating interesting examples of topiary art. Everyone chooses from a variety of options for garden ensembles:
- in the alleys, evergreen shrubs alternate with deciduous ones;
- low mountain pines are combined with ground cover junipers and creeping perennials;
- red-leaved barberries and tub nandins create bright contrasts with evergreen shrubs;
- junipers are excellent partners for ferns, dwarfs are also used as an ampel culture.
Hedge
The division between garden zones is made from bushes of different heights: low, medium or high. Usually the hedge is trimmed. Sometimes tall and medium-sized plants are planted alternately. The densest version of a coniferous hedge is planting shrubs in 3 rows in a checkerboard pattern.
How to choose coniferous shrubs
Almost all conifers are adapted to the conditions of the middle climatic zone. Varietal plants require careful care at a young age, often shelters for the winter. If landing in the country, choose unpretentious species:
- frost-resistant, up to – 30 ° C;
- hardy to spring sunshine;
- drought-resistant;
- undemanding to the type of soil.
Conclusion
Coniferous shrubs with photos and names – a suitable mini-reference book for beginner gardeners. Evergreens will show their strict and majestic beauty in favorable conditions, with appropriate care and placement.
