Narrow Columnar Evergreen Suggestions/Advice; Plum Yew?

7 years ago

Hello All - I'm continuing in my quest to source six narrow columnar evergreens (max width 1-2 feet). Was going for taxus media "flushing" or any of the similar yews and finally found one, only to then realize that they are extremely toxic to dogs and my dog does nibble on plants sometimes. So back to the drawing board it is.

Here are the pertinent details. USDA 7b, evergreens will be sheltered by masonry walls. Sun-part shade. Will be grown in raised garden beds, so I can control the soil/drainage reasonably well. I don't get deer, and we rarely get heavy snow and I would be happy to protect/truss it in the winter if needed. Other plants in the raised garden bed are a small 12-15" clipped hedge of dwarf english boxwood, climbing hydrangea, and near white daylilies. This is a small courtyard type space so I am trying to keep it simple with a palette of greens and whites (and some color in containers). Interesting color contrasts, foliage, texture, architectural interest is what I am going for. This does not need to screen or be a hedge. It needs to be non-toxic in that it will not kill or injure the organs of a dog--an irritant is completely okay.

I'd love to go with the fastigiata plum yew for its dark color and texture of needles. But, I'm wondering if it could be maintained to a width of 2 feet and if so, how difficult is it going to be to keep it looking nice and shapely? Does anyone have experience with this?

Others I am considering are Degroot's Spire Arborvitae (probably too light yellow-green for what I want), Green Spire Euonymus (looks to be a dark green, which I like, but I haven't seen a mature photo of one yet), Graham Blandy Boxwood (love the look of this one), Tiny Tower Cypress (love this but cannot seem to find it for sale), Lemon Cypress (probably too light yellow-green for what I want). Choices I am not considering are Emerald Arborvitae (too wide), Ilex Sky Pencil, and the Skyrocket type Junipers.

Your thoughts/advice/experience is appreciated. Thank you.

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Comments (6)

sc77 (6b MA)
7 years ago
last modified: 7 years ago
Looks like you have done your research. You have mentioned most of the top choices that come to mind. In 7b, your plenty warm for plum yew, no issues there. I have Korean Gold in 6b and only minor winter burn. I like the look of plum yew, compared to the others mentioned, especially if it's pruned into a columns or rounded. I don't love the look of the normal shape it wants to take on, which is a vase shape. It seems the width is very manageable, as all the shoots tend to emerge near the base and progressivly push out wider toward the top. If you limit the shoots, it should be easy to keep narrow. Maybe some twin to pull the branches tight together near the top as a form of training would help also.

Two other options I can think of that might work:

Chamaecyparis lawsoniana 'Wissel's Saguaro'

Juniperus communis 'Compressa'

Taxodium distichum 'Peve Minaret' can be kept very narrow as well. Decidious
gardengal48 (PNW Z8/9)
7 years ago
Do you have a height restriction? Or a height you are shooting for? The Tiny Towers needs full sun and will be marginal for your area and if you need much height very rapidly you will be waiting a long time for the Graham Blandy :-) The euonymus has issues.......very prone to scale and even in my very mild climate is subject to random winter die back, to the point where most retail nurseries no longer carry it. And if it lives that long, it will eventually get much wider than 24".

The 'Wissel's Saguaro' is a great plant - I have one myself - but it presents a very random growth habit with these twisted arms (like the cactus for which it was named) popping out here and there. Not a smooth, narrow, columnar look at all. And would also prefer full sun.

Can I ask why you dismissed the 'Sky Pencil'? It offers exactly what you are looking for. If you are patient as far as height is concerned, either it or the boxwood are very good choices.
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Whaas, 'Whitespire' is another birch that gets my dander up, lol! It's a dog in all respects, misnamed (It's a gray birch cultivar, not platyphilla or whatever the claim always is), is not very white-barked, and in all respects just spins things drastically wrong, IMO. I think it was even promoted or developed by UW-W. Anyway, yeah, not one of my favorites, not even one which I would consider worthy of living, again lol'ing here. As to 'Avalanche', I have no idea. I am absolutely, strongly biased here though and I'll freely admit it. In my woods up north, which I sometimes consider a kind of racist place, the predominant species are white cedar, white (or paper) birch and white pine, lol! I like just the species-run plants as they grow....and this is huge with me...where they occur naturally. So in a sense, my input here is of limited usefulness. In my paradigm, I'd probably question the need for any birch to be planted in places where they did not occur naturally, there being-again, to my view-so many better choices. But guys like Select Landscapes, etc. don't always have the luxury of adopting this point of view...I get that...and so, the hunt for a more widely-adapted birch will continue. Up in my woods, the paper birch are happy, healthy, and in some cases, truly enormous. Somehow down in the swamp, there are numerous replications of where a white cedar and a white birch have grown up together, their trunks in direct contact at the base, with the one seeming to embrace the other. To bad I'm so lame at posting pics. I bet a lot of people would really get a kick out of that. The "cedar" dates from forest fires in the 1930s, I am led to believe, and the birch, not being very shade-tolerant, probably got its start right around then too. So the birch grow much faster than the cedar and tower over them. Plus, there are yellow birch in that woods. My yellow birch may be intergrades with the paper birch though. I've heard they can do that and the yellows are not quite as attractive as those in hilly, more northern hardwood stands all over northern Wisconsin and Upper Michigan. But all in all, quite the place. Springs like crazy too. The only really good time to walk back in there is winter. 'Crimson Sentry' maples are very dense, pretty much on a par with most healthy Norway maples. But like you describe, a muddy color. Oh and Select landscapes....I concur with you....those terms leave a lot of room for slop. They're the best we've got, but it takes experience within one area, plus book knowledge, both of which you've obviously got, to make good predictions as to what plant might do what. Oh, and my Iowa comments pertained to all but that little area around McGregor which is so fascinating and looks so much like areas much farther north. I'm sure one or more birch species are native in that little pocket. +oM
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z6 is about half the US ... and parts of canada.. can you narrow it down a bit ... frankly .. i think a tree .. most trees .. will be too vigorous .. unless maybe.. a smaller type Japanese maple.. pruned to remain in proportion ... looks brand new.. walk around the neighborhood.. and see what others have done ... snap a pic of what you like.. it helps us.. help you ... [the wagons ready.. giddy up...] that grass is rather useless ... i think.. over the years.. it should probably be all garden ... is snow removal an issue .... as in.. is that spot used to pile up snow .. if so.. it might limit what can go there .. though on the north side.. thats an incredibly bright area.. i would not think only in terms of shade plants ... most size estimates .. are at ten years ... and double at 20 .. so hoping for 12 feet in 10 years.. one would expect 24 feet in 20 years .. or you learn how to prune ... ken ps: the dogs ready for the walk around the neighborhood too .. lol ...
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melissa1234567
Original Author
7 years ago
Thank you all for your input.

I had done some image searching trying to find a plum yew that had been kept pruned narrow/columnar but couldn't find anything, hence my concern. I will definitely keep it in the mix.

I am not considering Sky Pencil because I've yet to see a nice looking one, they seem to get destroyed in the winter/snow (from what I've seen around the neighborhood and they are all over), they don't have a full look, and they aren't columnar. I'm picturing something more full and lush (but narrow). Also, my LA thinks the leaves will basically look the same as the boxwood and she'd prefer more of a contrast.

It looks like my refined list is Tiny Tower Italian Cypress (Monrovia sent me a list of places that might have it in my area), Plum Yew, and Juniper Compressa (like how it looks pruned). Thank you, and I look forward to any more input you might have!
sc77 (6b MA)
7 years ago
last modified: 7 years ago
Here is an example. Normal form on the right, pruned columnar on the left

Website even has tips on when to prune and by type of plum yew
http://www.wilsonbrosgardens.com/Fastigiata-Japanese-Plum-Yew--Cephalotaxus_p_454.html
melissa1234567
Original Author
7 years ago
This is very helpful, thank you! It looks a lot different pruned like that--a lot like the other columnar regular yews, which is great! Now, to see what I can find that is a decent size at a decent price...
Embothrium
7 years ago
The fastigiate plum yew grows hugely wide in time.

Narrow Columnar Evergreen Suggestions/Advice; Plum Yew?

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sc77 (6b MA)

gardengal48 (PNW Z8/9)

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Narrow Columnar Evergreen Suggestions/Advice; Plum Yew?

Comments (6)

sc77 (6b MA)

gardengal48 (PNW Z8/9)

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sc77 (6b MA)

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