I donÂt grow either (yet), and have never seen 'Sunshine' so I cant really answer your questions, but I would like to say that the [2] walnut glen plants that I have seen were stunning with new foliage. I donÂt know if itÂs the BEST selection out there, but it looks like something thatÂs worth the extra TLC to get established.

I'm biased so I'll let you choose. The flush on 'Walnut Glen' is very good however some will argue that there are far better pungens. I don't know about the flush on 'Sunshine'. They both are relatively the same dimensions as you probably know. 'Sunshine' is definitely yellow, however.

UBC Forum's 'Sunshine'

UBC Forum's 'Walnut Glen'

Dax

boy... this is a tough one .... i can only give you my observations .... and i will check for a few pix ...

i have seen large ... say 12 foot WGlen ... stunning ... as i previously noted.. i thought for the first 3 years mine was chlorotic and going to die ....

WG is just sickly 'looking' ... though it isn't... after seeing the large one .. i came to appreciate the smaller one ....

its a dull yellowish plant through out .... it buds out that way.. and stays that way ...

sunshine is a greener plant... with end tips of a more vibrant yellow .... i do NOT recall anything special in spring .... but the yellow holds all year .... the buds may be yellower... but at that time of year i have other conifers doing more spectacular things.. and nothing sticks in my head ....

the yellow tissue on both tends to burn in drought ... but my plants are young ..... nothing horrible .... just some tip browning.. and it was a horribly hot and dry summer this year ...

if i had to recommend only one pungens ... it would be hoopsi for its blinding blueness .... lol ... not much help adding a third... lol ...

i walked out and looked at them .... As of right now .... today .. i would go with sunshine .... but if it were out of stock .. i would go with the other ... and tomorrow i might change my mind ....

i will try to get better pix with my new camera ... ken

walnut glen
{{gwi:831103}}

sunshine
{{gwi:822941}}

found this one in photobucket... apparently nearly spectacular in spring.. sunshine

{{gwi:704741}}

i will stick with sunshine .. ken

some pix from today
first.. 3 sunshine pix
{{gwi:737127}}
{{gwi:851831}}
{{gwi:851833}}

and two WG pix
{{gwi:851835}}
{{gwi:851837}}

Is it my imagination or does WG have a tighter and more symmetrical habit than Sunshine? I made note of this when I was Googling info and pics on these two cultivars but don't know if my observations are conclusive.
Ken - your plants seem to bear this out - that Sunshine is "weirding" pretty good....;)
Zack

Hi Zack, I'd agree that it's a tough choice between these two. 'Sunshine' has yellow new foliage and holds it's color much longer than the other Spring yellow flushing cultivars. Here's a pic of my small one.

'Walnut Glen' has kind of a creamy lime Spring color.

and is kind of blue frosted with a cream color the rest of the season.

Dan

Thanks for your responses but truthfully, you guys really weren't much help at all in helping me decide between the two.

True to form, It looks like I will have to purchase both of these plants and conduct my own evaluation trials.
Accordingly, I will have to advise my non-gardening wife that I conducted a poll on an international forum of experts and was unable to secure a definitive answer on the superior cultivar...thus having to buy both of them - a big disappointment.....

It's just so hard to get good help these days ;)

Zack

'Sunshine' is a better plant. Better yet, 'Golden Feathers'. 'Walnut Glen' looks great from a distance but then appears not as desirable when approached.

Along with 'Golden Feathers' there are better forms than the two you seek Zack...

I like:
Picea orientalis 'Aureospicata'
Picea mariana 'Aureovariegata'
Pinus contorta 'Taylor's Sunburst' (wider / larger)
Picea glauca 'Mac Golden'

Dax

ya know zack .. i was getting angry at your denial of nay assistance in the matter .... but luckily got over the caffeine buzz.. and realized ... well that you have a sense of humor.. lol ...

listen .. i have said this a million times.... IF IN TEN YEARS IT GETS TOO BIG ... CUT IT DOWN ... i mean really $25 bucks over 10 years... 2.50 per year.. or 5 for both ... they will bring you so much joy in 10 years.. who cares if you have to cut it down ... heck .. that's less than a cup of coffee in many places ...

good luck

ken

I agree with Dax, 'Sunshine" is a better plant but not one I would choose. There are better forms to choose from.
You are asking us to recommend the better of the two. I personally don't think there is 10 cents worth of difference between them. If there was you wouldn't be asking us to make the choice. That's why there is an impasse regarding you question.
Look up the ones Dax likes, especially the Picea orientalis 'Aureospicata' Beautiful conifer with stunning blush of Spring color.

You can go to the ACS data base and look at all the above for mentioned. http://www.conifersociety.org/

Dave

Hi Zack, I thought the pictures might help you decide between the two, because they do look different to me. I liked your tongue in cheek comments and think you've come to a reasonable solution to your dilemma :). You can never go wrong with the buy both solution. Dan

In all seriousness, thanks for the help, guys-
That Golden Feathers does look like a great plant and while I don't recall seeing it readily available, I'll keep my eye out for it. Thanks again for a nice rally of opinion on these cultivars...
Zack
BTW- my wife took that "international forum of experts" stuff hook, line and sinker - gotta remember that one....:)

there are always better things available ...IF YOU CAN FIND THEM FOR SALE ....

or wait 5 years until you do ...

go figure on that... ken

Isn't that ALWAYS the trick - if you can find them for sale...
I've got a number of cultivars on what I'm sure has become a 5 year list, Ken. But you know, that's part of the fun of this in a way, the anticipation...
Zack

If your a collector you can find anything with in reason out there.'Walnut Glen' is available from Iseli and a host of the above mentioned in this thread are also available. If your local nursery buys from Iseli or any other repeatable grower have them order your special conifer.

What is not available locally I have my nurseryman put my order in with his, usually in November. Presto: in March my conifers are here. I have never waited 5 years for something I really wanted. Maybe 1-2 years at the most.

Dave

Thanks Dave-
Part of my reasoning for this thread was that I had an order pending where both of these cultivars were available and I was trying to decide between the two. I opted to add both to the order so my problem is solved, right?
Not so quick - now I'm on the hunt for Golden Feathers (harder to find) and P.o. Aureospicata (I think I'll take your advice and order locally for spring - if I can find room for the darn thing).
So I start out trying to choose between two plants and wind up with four - sound familiar?
Z.

Yes I knew you needed to make a choice between the original two but you wanted the forum guys and gals to make that choice for you. That is a tough call. It always gets thrown back to you as you found out.

Your quote: So I start out trying to choose between two plants and wind up with four - sound familiar"?

Yes to some degree. I started out looking for one and ten years later I now have 250. Better start preparing your non-gardening wife for what's coming. Your hooked.

Dave

Better learn to graft!

Dax

Well, I've been working on my wife for some time now really and she's beginning to mellow somewhat - I think I'm up to somewhere north of 125 conifers as well as a maple collection,and collections of sempervivums, sedums and daylilies...when I put it down in black and white, she is really VERY tolerant...but then again, her shoe collection is expanding at a comparable rate...:)
And as far as grafting is concerned, Dax, that will require a prop house which isn't in the plans right now. I did attend a grafting class last year and have a healthy P.f. Vanderwolf's Pyramid to show for it. I will try some summer grafting of maples next year - maybe that will appease me until I get a house set up. Your new property looks great btw, Dax - congrats on seeing this dream come to fruition! It looks like you are building a great life out there for yourself....
Zack