Yew (Taxus spp) is probably the most shade tolerant of common conifers with eastern hemlock also fairly shade tolerant. But likely not a great location for any blue spruce. Would need more specifics on what you mean by 'golden cypress' and how much shade exactly (hours and time of day) this area receives. Most conifers are just not very happy in much shade.

that's what I was afraid of another factor is we have a heavy deer population and I believe yew and hemlock would be salad for them. What about Rhoddie Maxims?

z5 is half the Us.. and varies widely ... including areas where pungens might not work .. where are you ...

and the words 'mostly shade' ... arent very descriptive ... how many hours of sun.. and when.. and otherwise.. how bright ... what else is growing in the area ...

ken

Deer (or rabbits, I never caught them in action) love Canadian hemlock. I planted about 8, $5 CH and only one did not get eaten. I would go with a basic norway spruce if you have the room. Ive got a couple weeping norways in shade doing fine as well (stake em high to get bigger, in shade they just dont grow as fast but they seem to be full). Everything else should be fine. No firsthand experience with other variants of norways in shade. Ive also got a hoopsi in shade (and a couple fat alberts in partial sun/shade). The FA are doing fine as is the hoopsi, but the hoopsi is not as full as it would be if in full sun (or so I think). Still looks great and is plenty full for me though, just hope it holds up as it ages.

you might try Picea orentalis,,,I have a 'barns' in shade that receives morning sun

ron

Tom, unfortunately no pics yet, but I was at the Sharpsburg, MD national cemetery, and there were, in addition to the usual large Norway spruces, several just as large/impressive firs labeled balsam firs! They were certainly firs, but found it hard to believe they were balsams. Prb'ly almost or right at 100' tall, 30" dia and healthy.

Thought balsam firs wouldn't thrive in the heat/occasional drought there (z6), but might be wrong.....

No, I think you're exactly right.....and that these almost assuredly could not have been BF. Just the size alone almost rules it out-they rarely exceed maybe 80 ft. And again as you say, not at all a tree of hot zones. Hmmm?

Tom, misidentifying is pretty common, especially w/firs. Still, I looked at the Maryland big-tree site and there are some surprisingly big balsam firs, but the biggest listed tree is not nearly as big as several of those firs in the cemetery. Go here:

http://www.mdbigtrees.com/view_tree.aspx

and change the "List by genus" to Abies to see the registered firs. Still, I'm intrigued by this & will eventually go back to get some pics. I suspect those firs might actually be Nordmann firs (the needles were blunt-tipped). I could not see or find any cones as they keep that national cemetery very clean.

I also have a picea orientalis in mostly shade that is doing seemingly well. A skylands spruce might be another option. 3 of my 4 are in mostly shade and so far so good.