Cedrus deodara 'Snow Sprite' did well in my Zone 5b...now 6.

It got so large I had to remove it.

I grow 6 Crypotmeria japonica. 3 in full sun, 2 in sun/part shade and 1 in shade. All do well with no issues.

Dave

Dave, how long have you lived in Kansas?
How big is the large you were referring to for the cedrus snow sprite? I have and 8' area I was planning on putting snow sprite in or the cryptomeria. It is close to full sun from late spring to early fall. After that it becomes partial sun. What cryptomeria do you have? I was looking at the tansu. Do you have any other cedrus? If so what are they? Could you fill me in a little because you are my best bet for getting it right because of your location. Can you believe all the questions? Thanks for the quick response.

"Dave, how long have you lived in Kansas"?

Longer then you care to know..all my life.

"How big is the large you were referring to for the cedrus snow sprite"?

4ft x 3ft tall in 6 years.

"What cryptomeria do you have"? Not a big fan of Crypotmeria but they do quit well for me.

'Atawhai'

'Tansu'

'Tensan'

"Do you have any other cedrus"?

Yes. I have many cultivars of deodara, atlantica and libani. They all do well. Anything particular your are interested in for more information?

Bare in mind your micro climate will be the determining factor in your ability to grow some of these cultivars.

I have a protected zone 5b micro climate. I have yet to by into the new zone 6.

Your questions are important. Feel free to ask and participate anytime.

Dave

I understand about the zone. My thing is that I very rarely drop below 0 in the 31 years I have lived here. I guess I am willing to take a chance on some things. My micro climate is very protected with tall fence and several tall trees and many established conifers. I have grown some zone 7 plants with success for years but they were cheap and just wanted to try for fun. I won't do that for conifers though.
What don't you like about the cryptomeria? Is there anything you like about the tansu, and what size is it for you?
For the cedrus, I am looking for something smaller. Maybe a small dwarf or even mini. Upright would be cool, but low growing would be fine also. My mind just goes round and round when I start looking and like I said earlier, you may be my best bet at getting some cool things that work well for me.
The snow sprite will be perfect for another area I have, so I am going to order one.
I know this is a very general question but would you offer me some suggestions on some ultra cool conifers you know of or have? I may drive over one day and take a look at your stuff.
Do you have a picea omorika nana? I have a chance for a nice 5 gallon plant for cheap. I have no preference on plants in general, just interesting and nice I guess.
I hope I make sense with what I have said because like I said my head is spinning right now because I get so excited doing this stuff. Thanks again.

in my z5.. it grew like a weed in summer..

and struggled wildly in winter..

for others .. it is not a z5 plant.. subject to micro climate ...

and depending on how reliable your z6 is .. who knows ..

it took mine about 3 years to finally die

ken

I'm way down in zone 7 and no expert.

source was Girard and Evergreen nursery online, small, inexpensive trees

Mine struggle (especially in the summer) compared to other trees I planted on my new lot. They had an exceptionally snowy/icey first fall/winter for the region. Couple that with the summer heat and droughts and they fact they are not wind protected on my lot, and you see that I probably made a bad choice. So for me, yes, they are "hard to grow" :-) Especially when I can get a foot or two a year out of other confiers like dawn redwood, bald cypress and nanjing beauty (hybrid).

I do love the Cryptomeria japonica though, and will continue to see if mine adjust (or perhaps can be moved to a better spot!)

Nothing against Crypotmeria. Just personal preference.

Picea omorika 'Nana' Fairly common cultivar no issues. I have grown it.

Not the best time of day for pix.

Two 'Tansu'. Both small when planted 8 years ago. One table top the other conical.
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Two Tensan'. Miniatures...about 1/4 inch a year. Two different growing habits. They should be given some protection from winter sun.

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Cedrus libani 'Green Prince'. Slow groweing dwarf. This one has developed an upright leader. If you don't want that cut it out and let it grow horizontal. 3 ft tall and 2 wide in 10 years depending on how you grow it.

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Cedrus libani 'Kenwith' Miniature.

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Just go to my Photobucket account. Click view all. If you see anything you like we can talk about it.

Dave

Here is a link that might be useful: Davesconifers

Wow, nice stuff. If you were going to pick several plants,(not just cryptomeria, or cedrus) which 3 or 4 would you pick?
I just want to pick your brain a little. Thanks.

Something to be aware of in Kansas: even on the east coast zn 7, a minority of Cryptos look like crap if they don't have reasonably good soil. They come from a climate with massive and reliable summer rainfall. I've seen a couple, for example, on a hot dry south facing slope, poor soil, that looked terrible. But if they get established in good soil, they can be reasonably drought tolerant. I've never watered one past the first year but I have good deep silt loam soil.
It's also a matter of perception...no part of my garden is permanently irrigated. I only water newly things. Yet some people have said they see established Nordmann firs in Oklahama, for example. I can only assume they are in an irrigated lawn or bed. So I'd say if you either have a watering system or are prepared to water if it needed, go for it.

I was assuming the OP was in Kansas...not sure if that's the case?

I was just going by what Dave in Kansas was saying that he has had good luck with his. I am probably not going with cryptomeria anyway but if he can grow it I may have a shot if I ever want to.

Actually, I am looking at getting a couple low growing mini's (not crypt). I just need to do some searching and find some interesting ones that will do well in just over an hour of full sun with the rest of the time as bright a light you can have without being full sun. Much of it is dappled light. Dave, you have any you like in Shawnee? Thanks.

Oh yeah, I have irrigation. If I did not have drip lines I could not grow half my stuff.

Oh, and one more thing. I said earlier I have a chance to get a larger picea omorika nana. What is the growth rate of the nana? I would like to hear from anyone that has grown it. Thanks.

Here is a photo of 'Nana'. About 10 years old.

Height: 3 to 6 feet. Width: 4 to 6 feet. They can get large over time.

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Shawnee KS. Is in extreme eastern KS a suburb in the greater Kansas City area.

All my watering when needed is by hand or yard sprinkler.

Dave

Dave, thanks again. I hate bugging you but do you have any low growing minis?
If you had to pick any of your smallest what couple would you choose that grows well for you? You have been a big help.

"do you have any low growing minis"?

Most are Chamaecyparis obtusa cultivars 3-5 inches tall.

I will have a look tomorrow.

Dave

Older crypts here in west MD survive, but look haggard w/lot of dead branches. I'd guess a combo of needle-blight & cold damage. In warmer Wash DC area they look a bit better.

here is a couple.

I like the green prince but can't seem to find it of any decent size anywhere.

Nice pictures toucanjoe. My Sekkan-Sugi (sugi is the japanese word for Cryptomeria) gets a bit of shade and is somewhat more whitish looking, perhaps for that reason?

Beng's observations make sense to me. Although I'd wonder if the ones in DC also are more "spoiled"...i.e., on deeper soil compared to mountain soil, and perhaps watered and/or fertilized if they are in suburban gardens. But yes, they might be zn 6 hardy but really prefer a milder climate like their Japanese home. The most beautiful I ever saw was a massive one somewhere in a nice neighborhood of Norfolk VA, "Ghent" perhaps, which is zn 8. Lush, dense and green with not a bit of brown needles anywhere. Had to be at least 50' and maybe even higher. Even the ones at the National Arboretum used to look a bit scraggly.

I've seen some very large and nice look ones at Longwood, too. But that's not surprising, really, ALL the trees at Longwood look nice, or they get sent to a corner LOL.

How about Sciadopitys verticillata? Is this hard to grow? Dave, do you have any in Kansas?

Cryptomeria japonica "Dacrydioides"

"How about Sciadopitys verticillata? Is this hard to grow? Dave, do you have any in Kansas"?

I don't grow them. I might consider a dwarf if the right one comes my way.

Dave