Hobbiton conifers of the week, June 4th

11 years ago

Perma-potted tour this week.

Most of these conifers are placed in a mix of sand, bark, gritty mix, gravel and pebbles and thus far, despite remarkably wet Winters(30+ inches this last November-April), have shown very few signs of distress.

I don't fertilize, though I may in the future and I am hopeful I can have some of these beauties in these pots for a decade or more. I do water deeply about twice a month in Summer though this year I may trim that back to once a month. Someday, hopefully with a little root pruning, they can be planted in a garden either here or elsewhere.

The pots are mostly fiberglass/new hard plastic sources and are very strong, durable, immune to frost issues and have held up well - on top of being very light.

On to the photos!

Chamaecyparis lawsoniana 'Treasure Island' - Gets less then an hour of direct sunlight a day and remains dry, even in Winter. Perhaps the lack of rain/snow will help keep it's form.

Pinus parviflora 'Ara-Kawa' - one of the Japanese white pines that has unusual bark in older age. This five year old specimen now sports some shiny new cones.

Picea omorika 'Aurea' Shows bright green growth before it turns a pale gold with sunlight. This color is prominent briefly and only on the higher edges of the needles so that in older specimens it is largely unnoticed, though still a beautiful specimen in it's own right even without gold hues. Three years in this pot now.

Picea omorika 'Berliner's Weeper' Very narrow and beautiful in older age, my specimens(even those in the ground), which were taken from side-branches, still haven't fully taken to a skyward leader. Someday soon...

Pinus parviflora 'Nana' - Small, blue and plentiful cones.

Picea omorika 'Pendula Bruns' - Growing like a wild animal, this specimen has been in the pot two years and though it is large and fast growing, I intend on keeping it there for a long time, perhaps until it tips over time and time again!

Cedrus libani var. atlantica 'Hillier's HB' About eight years old, grows an inch or two a year and very prostrate. Took a bit of a frost beating it's very first year(to about 5 degrees F/-15 C') but has recovered well.

Pinus nigra 'Black Prince' - Compact and happy, I think pines are good candidates for pots given their tendencies to be very tolerant of drought and nutrient defeciency.

Some Iseli miniature/dwarves.

Abies koreana 'Blauer Eskimo' - Happy in part shade.

Pinus nigra 'Oregon Green' - under the eaves of the house and no sign at all that they want more water then my occasional offerings.

Picea mariana 'Nana' - Much older then you might think.

Pinus parviflora 'Regenhold' - A tiny, awesome pine.

A line of pots marching.

One of the most bold Japanese maples also this week:

Acer palmatum 'Shirazz'(syn. 'Geisha Gone Wild'). Extremely bright and unsual for all the growing season.

Mystery plant:

Picea smithiana... Looks like a cultivar I saw at Bob Fincham's place, but mine was bought as a species seedling from Forest Farm. Four years in the ground and very slow growing still. Possibly just not thrilled with our drier Summers.

-Will

Comments (15)

ghgwv
11 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
Enjoyed the pictures.
Gary
whaas_5a
11 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
Nice, there is always something interesting in the picture along with the featured plant.
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The idea for Picea abies 'Gold Drift' and Picea pungens 'The Blues'(Thank you Sam, that was a careless error) was after visiting Boyko nursery in Oregon with Bob Fincham. Jim's an amazing grower and tender of conifers and he has a great number of ideas displayed through his plants. He had several very large combo's of these two wonderful plants and I was smitten. According to Bob, 'Gold Drift' will outgrow 'The Blues' over time, suggesting that if you choose to do this you start with a larger 'The Blues' and things will slowly even out. Mine appears well set to do just that. Thank you Sam also for more backround info on 'Hosta la vista', which is indeed a great combination name both of it's location and a common saying. The former Governator would be proud. :) Thanks for showing us all the potential of this monster Clement, THAT is a monster, but beautiful tree. It seems likely mine won't want to stay in it's pot too long! Sam, my graft was acquired from a local nursery that, if you haven't, you HAVE to visit. Dragonfly farms is run by Heidi Kaster out of Kingston and besides several thousand other varieties, her conifer offerings are well over 1,000 varieties. Yeah, as in three zero's behind a one. She gets stuff from all over, Iseli, Buchholz, R&R, some newer smaller nurseries in Oregon and she's been a great enabler for me over the last few years. She's less then a half hour from you I think. :) More soon, as I'm back from vacation and just starting to get back into the swing of things. -Will
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alley_cat_gw_7b
11 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
Will, Enjoyed the post! Liked looking at the variety.
botann
11 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
The Japanese Maple called 'Shirazz' caught my attention!
Looks like I'm going to be on the hunt for that one.
Mike
whaas_5a
11 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
You guys sure are lucky with the JMs you can plant. That particular cultivar looks amazing but looks like pooter around here.
zsolti_hungary
11 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
Big like, as usual.
harv2016
11 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
The japenese maple just fills me with envy, just one zone away. The potted plants look, great do you have to repot and root prune frequently?
sluice
11 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
Like the cones on Pinus parviflora 'Ara-Kawa'
severnside
11 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
Hey it's June 13th already! Waiting for the new HG CoW
whaas_5a
11 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
Looks like double dose come June 18th.
firefightergardener
Original Author
11 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
Will, in my gardens, if you move too fast, you cannot see which is featured! :)

""The japenese maple just fills me with envy, just one zone away. The potted plants look, great do you have to repot and root prune frequently? ""

Harv, most of my potted conifers have been in their spots for 3-4 years now. No root pruning, no repotting(yet), no amendments and no problems. Outside all year, moderate/heavy waterings in our dry Summers. Smooth sailing so far!

I have some more photos for another edition, I'm glad to see folks appreciate my efforts. If I am enabling, then I am doing well. :)

-Will
monkeytreeboy15
11 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
Your 'Treasure Island' looks fantastic, Will!

I had one that died of root rot because I kept it in a pot out in the rain that had less-than-mediocre draining capabilities.

-Sam
coniferjoy
11 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
Will is waiting for my comments first before he starts a new post :0)

Pinus parviflora 'Ara-Kawa'
Must be written as 'Ara-kawa'.

I don't believe that the Pinus nigra 'Oregon Green' is the true one, the needles are to long and it doesn't have the typical needle setting for this cultivar. (see link)
To me the one in the pot looks like the normal species or a simular fast growing cultivar, probably the understock...

Will, I also have my doubs about your Pinus parviflora 'Ara-kawa'.
This is because the true one does have green needles instead of blue one's.
Can you show us a detail pic of the part just above the grafting union, the bark at that place should be courser at that place allready.
Thanks in advance!

Here is a link that might be useful: {{gwi:751388}}
firefightergardener
Original Author
11 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
Hi Edwin! Thank you, as always, for looking over each plant and their spelling. I will correct 'Ara-kawa', which I have repeatedly mispelled now.

'Oregon Green' is one I will watch closely and I agree at this point, particularly since the needles are not formed completely, do not look like the normal cultivar.

I will say that 'Ara-kawa' DOES have rough/corkish bark already and that it appears different then the understock. Perhaps the lighting wasn't ideal when I took the photo, though to the naked eye it is more blue then green on this plant.

-Will
dcsteg
11 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
"Picea omorika 'Pendula Bruns' - Growing like a wild animal, this specimen has been in the pot two years and though it is large and fast growing, I intend on keeping it there for a long time, perhaps until it tips over time and time again"

A beautiful specimen that's trying to tell you something.

I would plant that sucker in a choice highly visible spot.

Dave

Hobbiton conifers of the week, June 4th

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ghgwv

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Hobbiton conifers of the week, June 4th

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