Carol,

How tall and how slender do you want it to be when it is fully grown? If you can give an approximate size range, that will help us to come up with the best plants for your situation. Also, are y'all looking for an evergreen, a deciduous plant, or either or both?

Keep in mind that anything tall and thin will be at high risk of snapping and breaking if the area experiences one of those horrible feezing rain/sleet/ice storms.

Dawn

I was going to suggest Juniperus 'Sky Pencil', but am told they do not like hot, humid weather. That said, my neighbor grows one, and the only damage on his is from a dog lifting it's leg, LOL!

Here are some other suggestions for warmer, more humid climates:

Thuja occidentalis 'Malonyana'
Thuja occidentalis 'Malonyana Aurea'
Thuja occidentalis 'Degroot's Spire'
Thuja occidentalis 'Rosenthalii'
Thuja occidentalis 'Emerald Variegated'
Thuja occidentalis 'Yellow Ribbon'

Chamaecyparis nootkatensis 'Van Den Akker'

Pinus strobus 'Stowe Pillar'

Picea omorika 'Pendula Bruns'
Picea glauca 'Pendula'
Picea engelmannii 'Bush's Lace'
Picea abies 'Weeping Blue' - Rich's Foxwillow Pines (WOW!)

Pinus resinosa 'Fastigiata'

Dwarfs and minatures:

Bold yellow-winter interest cultivars include:

Pinus mugo 'Fruhling's Gold'
Pinus contorta var latifolia 'Chief Joseph

Others to consider:

Pinus cembra `Blue Mound'
Pinus strobus 'Merrimack' - nice subtle yellow in winter.
Pinus strobus 'Sea Urchin'

Tsuga canadensis (All can be sheared) 'Gentsch's White'

Picea glauca 'Jean's Dilly'

Juniperus communis 'Berkshire'

Chamaecyperus pisifera `Gold Pin Cushion'

C. pisifera `Compacta Variegata'

Susan

Susan,

What a great list you have compiled for Carol! I was thinking of 'Sky Pencil' as well, but it is a different one than the one you mentioned.

Carol,

Here's a couple of additions to the list Susan gave you. The heights and widths I've listed for them are just estimates. In our climate that may get a little bit taller and a little bit wider, but not excessively so.

Japanese Holly--Ilex crenata 'Sky Pencil' This holly has a different form than most hollies. It is tall and thin--like a telephone pole. When mature, it will get about 8' tall and will spread out about 15" to 18" wide. It has lovely forest-green leaves and would make a bold accent piece. It is very low maintenance too. It would do best in full sun to part sun.

Eastern Red Cedar--Juniperus virginiana 'Skyrocket'. Unlike the native eastern red cedars found all over Oklahoma, this improved one has a very upright, columnar shape. It will reach a mature height of 12' to 15' tall, and a mature spread of 18". It has that rich blue-green foliage and grows well in full sun and fairly dry soil once it is well-established.

Eastern Red Cedar--Juniperus virginiana 'Blue Arrow'. This is another improved eastern red cedar that grows fairly tall and remains pretty narrow. It will reach a mature height of about 10 to 12' and a spread of about 3'.

Boxwood--Buxus 'Green Tower'. This boxwood differs from the standard rounded, mounded shapes of many boxwoods as it also grows upward in a columnar manner. It will reach a mature height of about '8 to 10' and will get about 18" to 24" wide. It would probably do best in partial shade, but I have seen them in full sun, as long as they receive adequate irrigation. This is the standard deep green boxwood color.

European Barberry--Berberis thunbergii f. atropurpurea 'Helmond Pillar'. This is a purple barberry and it is deciduous. It will reach a mature height of about 6' and a width of about 18" to 24". It is cylinder-shaped, but the top of the shrub broadens out a little more than the base. In the spring it will bloom with little yellow blooms, followed by red fruits. The 'purple' foliage is a sort of burgundy with the smallest amount of a green tint in the spring and summer. In the autumn the leaves turn a brilliant red before they fall. It is pretty pest and disease-resistant. Can grow in full sun to partial sun to dappled shade.

If you want somthing that has a lovely scent, the following two plants are good possibilities. However, they are not as tall as the other suggested plants:

Summersweet--Clethra alnifolia 'Rosea'. This is a selection of native summersweet. It will only get 4' to 6' tall when mature, and will spread to about 3' wide. It has glossy deep green foliage in summer and the foliage will turn a golden-yellow to orange in the fall. It blooms in late summer and the rosy-pink spiky flowers have a honey-like scent. This shrub will grow in nearly any soil and is relatively pest free. It can grow in sun to shade, but will bloom best if it has a least half a day of full sun.

Summersweet--Clethra alnifolia 'Ruby Spice'. The growth habit of this one is very much like 'Rosea' above. Its' flowers are a deeper dark rosy red or ruby red.

Summersweets like a humusy acidic soil and will require a little more pruning to keep them from becoming too twiggy.
Once the summersweets mature, their bark is really lovely too.

If you need something taller than the ones we suggested, let us know.

Dawn

Dawn and Susan

Thank you so much for the input. Will spend some time looking at your suggestions. I really appreciate your help.

Thanks so much
Carol