I don't know how fast , but yellow ribbon looks nice

ron

yes.. that or sunkist ....

both are a green tree.. with heavy yellow highlights ... which varies over the season ... sometime being yellow [spring i think] ... and more gold in winter ...

bulletproof in my z5 MI ...

ken

sunkist

yellow ribbons

My 'Sunkist' at a bit over 6' after 5 years in place toward the left side of the photo. There's also one at the very right edge, but since it is partly hidden by a deciduous shrub, that doesn't show the true color. If you want to see it in other seasons, I will rummage some more through photos. At installation it was just over 3', so that should give you a feel for growth rate here.

'Aureospicata' appears to have more horsepower than typical for the species, has grown over 60 ft. tall in plantings out here. There's also a history of it being sold as 'Elegantissima' but that is a different variety. Point being you may be more likely to find it on the market somewhere under the misapplied name rather than the correct one.

True material will have somewhat coarse, glossy dark green foliage with kind of poky looking golden yellow new growth tips. (Hence 'Aureospicata', golden spike).

I don't know where it fits on the relative hardiness scale, if you are saying you are in USDA 3 that is quite cold.

Thanks to all who replied! I'll try to find either Sunkist or Yellow Ribbon.

you will probably be hard pressed to tell them apart ... so either will do ...

the key i missed mentioning ... its the green they have.. which adds to the vigor level ...

if you are in canada ... try whistling gardens ...http://www.whistlinggardens.ca/

ken

Thanks to all for your helpful suggestions! I went shopping, Sunkist was not available, but Yellow Ribbon was:

Be sure to make vertical cuts through the circling outer roots in 2 places (one on each side) when you go to plant it out of that very under-sized pot. In the meantime keep it well watered. And if I am seeing one pot inside another pull the outer pot off A.S.A.P.