I love my evergreen Helleri Holly Dwarf shrubs. They grow up to 3 feet in diameter, are deer resistant too. I live in NJ and they are quite happy here!

It depends on where you are in the country. For example, in partial shade areas, I have Densiformis yews, Hicksi yews, Everlow yews, and 'Winter Gem' boxwood. Also, semi-evergreen varieties of Euonymous, such as Moonshadow, Canadale, Emerald Gaiety, and Emerald 'n' Gold. I haven't tried any hollies, because my soil tends toward alkaline, and I think hollies prefer acidic soil.

Forgot to mention that none of these are conical.

The bonus with yews is they take to pruning to shape very well.

Forestfarm has an upright plum yew. Looks like it's z6, but some plants can be "stretched" a zone cooler if sheltered.

https://www.forestfarm.com/cephalotaxus-harringtonia-fastigiata-ceha196.html

Skip laurel could work.

Google yews pruned in conical shape and of cours the ones thta work in your climate I am in Zone 6 in Canada we had areally weird storm last winter it went to - 38 celsius and my yews survived and no winter kill.

Here's my Hicksii Yew about 4 years out of a one-gallon pot (I seriously need to learn how to prune it). Zone 4a, 40"+ high, growing in the shade on north side of a 16ft. high very thick red pine grove. Gets a little AM sun and maybe 2-3 hours of late afternoon sun.

Deer?

Until the deer question is answered…

There's also weeping eastern hemlock, which is a weeping/dwarf version of standard eastern hemlock. I think there are also other dwarf versions of eastern hemlock, which is very shade-tolerant. I don't know if the hemlock woolly adelgid is present in your area, but they may not notice a dwarf......

The Harringtonia plum yews are supposed to be deer- resistant, and they have not touched mine. One is upright but not conical, though they are prunable as gardengal noted, and not destined for 8” tall. I like Dee Runk boxwood, which is naturally conical, but slow- growing; I have one in a container, so more like 3-4 ‘ tall after several years but probably would grow more if in the ground.

With a little more sun and alot of patience you might consider an umbrella pine...This is a dwarf named 'Picola'

FYI the plum yew (Cephalotaxus harringtonii) wont be hardy in zone 5a.

indianagardengirl, I guess “yew” are right about zone. Certainly not for investing in foundation or other major plantings.

Plum yews are not true yews, which are much hardier. Don't know about their prunability but guess not as good as true yews.

Just to comment on my own personal experience.

I've had this Taunton yew, planted from a smaller pot May 28, 2019.

Even when I used to have deer coming into my yard at night, not once did I see evidence of deer browsing this yew and I never protected it. Summer or winter.

To me, deer are a separate problem that has to be delt with separately.

If you only had plants that were deer resistant, your garden would be pretty boring.

At least mine would.

5 years in the ground 'Taunton yew'. 6-17-2024:

"Maureen" yew is narrow and upright, 5 feet tall, approximately 1 foot in width.