If you want a spruce or a fir, you should be OK with Norway Spruce and Caucasian Fir (or any of the other Mediterranean firs). Also Min Fir (Abies recurvata) and Meyer's Spruce (Picea meyeri) from China should do well in your conditions. Cedars will also be fine (they are very drought tolerant), provided you select a variety or cultivar with proven cold tolerance.

Resin

You might try to locate an Abies alba 'Green Spiral' (I think Gee Farms sells them) but be specific about what understock it is grafted to when you purchase. I assume that your best understock choices are Abies firma or Abies fraseri.

Dax

I would consider Chamaecyparis nootkatensis "Green Arrow" or "Van den Akker" for starters - both are very strict weepers with VdA staying 2-3 ft wide at 20+' tall and green arrow not that much wider - I planted VdA this summer in Nashville and have seen others doing very well in the area. I think you have a number of choices but you are right to research - and Dax is right about abies needing to be grafted on firma roots - otherwise, certain death. Smalljaw is the guy to consult on this forum about midTN - maybe he'll see this post soon and reply...you gotta watch out for him though, he'll talk you into some freaky stuff.....

Zack, last time I checked, you were in the extreme south growing native Azaleas from seed... Am I wrong? Different person possibly...

I like the suggestions for "mdten" that ZJONES suggested and no matter what, they will be on roots compabible for your area, especially if they're grafted.

Good call.

Dax

Thanks to everyone for the suggestions! Here is what I am leaning towards so far.

Weeping upright
Picea abies 'Frohburg'
Cupressus glabra `Raywood's Weeping'
Chamaecyparis nootkatensis "Green Arrow" or "VdA"

Upright narrow
Picea abies ÂHillside UprightÂ
Picea abies ÂCupressinaÂ
Abies alba 'Green Spiral' on firma understock

Are there any zone 6/7 Cedrus that are narrow weeping with a good green color?

If anyone has an opinion on these thanks again in advance.

Your site sounds good for junipers.

Juniperus scopulorum 'Tolleson's Weeping'
...tough and very cool looking,
or Juniperus virginiana 'Pendula'

C. nootkatensis rocks, but you'll need to water it in the summer heat.

Hey Dax-

I think you have me confused with someone else but we did correspond about some trades a couple of years back - never have gotten crazy about azaleas but that doesn't mean I won't someday...just need a few more acres and a few years to exhaust the maple and conifer thing.....BTW- Glad things are going your way these days.....
I have also seen a couple of what I believe to be picea glauca pendula locally - not so dark green but cool. I'd like to hear from anyone who has experience with pinus strobus Stowe's Pillar - pics look nice..also who has experience with picea omorika in the south - is this foolishness? "Berliner's Weeping, Bruns and Bruns Pendula " are all very interesting in this context.....
Zack

Oh yah. I remember you too.

So yah, Pinus strobus 'Stowe Pillar' - It's awesome but again like Picea engelmannii 'Lace', there aren't any large ones around to be seen. I know the original plant was very tall and did not open up like strobus 'Fastigiata' always does.

Spruces in the Tennesee is not my ballgame. However, I would tend to think that most all would live for a large number of years but will succomb at some point to humidity.

Dax