We like them even in gray rain land!

The conifers around here are for the most part quite healthy, so that's not a huge concern -- at least yet. I rather like that beacon of gold that seems to change right before your eyes -- with or without snow.

Here's another for Ontario to consider.

What
cultivar is it, maackia? I am also looking for one that is 3'-4' high grafted
on a standard. This won't be cheap, and for best survival chances I am looking for a grower in my own USDA
zone 4, or perhaps USDA zone 5, but not warmer, no luck so far.

Of the first four pics, only #3 is actually a standard. The others are low graft/cutting, and while limbed up and resemble a standard, it's a result of pruning, not height of graft.

The scotch pine would be plenty hardy for you, ontario. So would mugo, or white. Japanese white would be a touch marginal, maybe...we used it in minneapolis, but had to be selective in it's use.

Mugo as a standard gradt, the others could be grown and pruned to replicate the effect.

Oh, OK, but limbing
up can take a decade before a seasonal gold show of significant size appears
above the snow line, ouch

Eastern White Pine
Pinus strobus is native to my area (Provincial Tree of Ontario). There is a cultivar
with a seasonal gold show, but I fear it will become a giant over time. I am looking for a small tree that keeps its size for a long time, I think that presumes a 3'-4' high grafted tree, something like the small tree in the lower left of the photo below, but with a seasonal gold show.

Pinus strobus
'Hillside Winter Gold'

I agree that some yellow conifers do just look sick, at least to the untrained eye. It's an acquired taste for sure. When I first got into conifers, I couldn't understand why everyone was raving about some of these yellow cultivars.. I was thinking you could get the same color in a malnourished tree as well....

However, there are some yellow conifers that even to the untrained eye appear electric and healthy. Pinus contorta var. latifolia 'Chief Joseph' takes the prize for that. Abies nordmanniana 'Golden Spreader' and Pinus mugo 'Carstens' are pretty good, as well as a handful of Chamaecyparis, which tend to be either yellow tipped or a yellow/green color in winter.

I would go with a fast growing upright that will eventually be way above the snow line, then mix in some smaller cultivars on standard. Typically, unless you are grafting them yourself, you won't find a fast growing species on standard, that's usually reserved for smaller cultivars. Like Picea orientalis 'Tom Thumb Gold' or even Pinus mugo 'Carstens' could be found readily on standard, but not something like Pinus strobus 'Louie'.

The thing I will never acquire a taste for is conifers that turn brown in winter... like Thuja orientalis 'Morgan'... That is something only a collector could find winter value in...

Shawn

That would be P. contorta 'Chief Joseph'. Marginally hardy in z4, but it is protected and no damage thus far (two winters).

The winter gold of
these conifers can apparently be inconsistent, they definitely need the cold plus other
factors that are unclear. Perhaps just enjoy the gold when it
does come, and you are still better off than 'never gold'?

Moreover, if there
were such conifers, I would be VERY happy with 3 or more seasonal colors, none of the colors has to be gold :-)

You bet there are with deciduous conifers!

I personally like a nice golden mugo in the winter but the ultimate cheer me up is a golden flushing conifer

Hi whaas,

What is that lovely thing?

"...deciduous conifers..."

Ah no, not throwing the trump card away...

When I think of yellowish conifers, I think of Cryptomeria (which can take on a bronze/yellow color in Winter) and those cultivars of the deciduous Metasequoia (Dawn Red), that are yellowish.