View full sizeYou can find an unusual conifer to decorate for any style decor.We buy live Christmas trees with the best of intentions, excited about the possibilities of decorating our living rooms for the holidays and our gardens for evermore.
Sometimes, that's just the problem. Evermore is a long time. How often do we really think about how big that pretty little thing is going to get? Even if we do, impulse usually overcomes common sense, and we buy it anyway. Then a couple of years go by and that 6-footer is a 30-footer. A couple more years and it engulfs the house, maybe the neighbors' too.
On the other end of the spectrum, the tree never gets in the ground at all. Not meant to stay in a pot, it languishes until those promising green needles have turned a too-late brown. Oops.
There's another option, says
Choose a dwarf or miniature conifer that stays within the bounds of urban reality.
"These are small, slow-growing plants that can be potted up, used as holiday trees, then taken outside to a deck or patio and enjoyed the rest of the year," he says.
We're not talking about the Christmas tree of your childhood. Leckey chose a range to share that hits every design note from quirky to contemporary. Dress up a tabletop with a glacially slow-growing Norway spruce. Light the living room with a brilliant yellow Scots pine. Or, go for elegance with a softly weeping, blue-tinged hemlock.
View full sizeDozens and dozens of conifers lend themselves to manageable live Christmas trees. From left to right: 'Gold Coin' Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris 'Gold Coin'; 'Silver Mist' deodar or Himalayan cedar (Cedrus deodara 'Silver Mist'); 'Frohburg' compact weeping Norway spruce (Picea abies 'Frohburg'); 'Loderi' juniper (Juniperus squamata 'Loderi'); 'Nanaimo' Korean fir (Abies koreana 'Nanaimo'); 'Gold Coin' again; blue Swiss stone pine (Pinus cembra 'Glauca'). Except for transplanting into a pretty pot and moving outdoors after the holidays, maintenance can hardly be called maintenance at all. Water and fertilize when needed and transplant every four years or so.
There you go. A good intention that's easy to keep.
EVENTUAL SIZE
3-5 FEET
'Heddergott' Veitch fir (Abies veitchii 'Heddergott'):
If you're really cramped for space, you won't do much better than this little beauty that grows quite happily in a pot to about 3 1/2 to 4 feet. The soft needles coyly show their white undersides, giving it a luster hard to resist. Definitely a different kind of Christmas tree, so small and unhurried, you'll be able to bring it in for winter festivities year after year. Zone 4
'Green Prince' cedar of Lebanon (Cedrus libani 'Green Prince'):
Here is a Christmas tree for the free spirits among us. A short-needled, dark green, quirky little tree that dawdles into a 3-foot or maybe 5-foot natural bonsai, 'Green Prince' can be shaped, trimmed or staked, but looks great whether you do or not. Happy in full sun and well-drained soil; reasonably drought-tolerant once established. Zone 6
'Obergaertner Bruns' Norway spruce (Picea abies 'Obergaertner Bruns'):
A very slow-growing tree with half-inch, deep green needles and a form that is upright and slightly open. In a few years, it will become a traditional cone shape and eventually top out at 3 feet. Like most Norway spruces, 'Obergaertner Bruns' grows best in medium to full sun and moist soil. This little treasure can stay in a pot for years, and work just as beautifully in a trough garden or hillside rock garden. Zone 3
5-8 FEET
'Silver Mist' deodar or Himalayan cedar (Cedrus deodara 'Silver Mist'):
This dense, fluffy-looking, silver tree is a real eye-catcher. It will, if staked, grow slowly into a 5- to 7-foot cone of a tree about as wide as it is tall with gracefully drooping branches. Left unstaked, it will be less tall and flatter on top. Very appealing either way. After 3 to 4 years of age, it is fairly drought-tolerant, and, while many light- or yellow-toned conifers prefer some shade, this variety is fine in medium to full sun. Zone 6
'Gold Coin' Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris 'Gold Coin'):
From mid-November to mid-February this little tree is an absolute showstopping lemon yellow. As the weather warms up, the yellow fades to a pleasing light green, and stays that way until the next winter. 'Gold Coin' grows moderately during its first 3 to 4 years, then starts putting on a bit more speed. At 10 years, in a container, it can be 5 to 6 feet tall, and perhaps up to 12 feet in 15 to 20 years. It has a conical, somewhat open form, but the new growth (called candles) can be clipped off to create a smaller, denser look. It does best, and produces the best winter color, when grown in medium to full sun. Somewhat drought-tolerant once established. Zone 3
8-10 FEET
'Koto Buki' Japanese black pine (Pinus thunbergii 'Koto Buki'):
A fine, well-mannered tree that keeps a military bearing as it obediently inches up to 10 to 12 feet over 20 years. With impeccable timing, white tips appear in late fall in time to light up the tree like tiny Christmas lights. Behaves best in medium to full sun, and is pretty drought- and salt-tolerant. If unstaked, 'Koto Buki' will grow a slight, pleasing sweep or curve in the central stem. Zone 5
10-12 FEET
'Morris Blue' Korean pine (Pinus koraiensis 'Morris Blue'):
After it spends a few years in a pot, you'll love how this evergreen enriches the garden year-round. A slash of white on the reverse side of the long needles gives the eventually 12-foot tree a silvery illusion that almost looks like a dusting of snow. Unlike dense, shade-casting conifers, this one allows sun to infiltrate, so perennials thrive underneath. 'Morris Blue' gets 6- to 9-inch cones early in life (around 5 to 6 years old). As a bonus, the pine nuts in the cones are edible. Zone 3
15 FEET AND TALLER
Weeping Serbian spruce (Picea omorika 'Pendula Bruns'):
This delightful, blue-green tree gets relatively tall (15 to 20 feet) but takes so long to do it, you'll be ready to take it out of the pot. Stays very narrow to give an often-needed vertical accent on a patio and takes up little room. Additionally, when the weeping branches hit the ground, they continue to grow and form a pretty little skirt that can be planted around. Prefers well-drained but moist soil. Zone 4
'Geneva' Canadian hemlock (Tsuga canadensis 'Geneva'):
Hemlocks are the most graceful trees in the woods, particularly when upright, as is this one -- which grows up to 15 feet but not for 20 years. Their generally horizontal, blue-green, soft, small-needled branches dip at the ends, for a graceful, statuesque look. And because hemlocks evolved as an understory tree in the forest, they are quite happy, at least for the first several years, growing in lower-light conditions. Once established, they are fine in more sunlight so long as the soil is moist and well-drained. Zone 3
HOW BIG WILL YOUR TREE GET?
A common question when people are buying a dwarf or miniature tree, says Dave Leckey, owner of Oregon Small Trees. The answer? It depends. Genetics naturally determine the growth and ultimate size, but each tree is different and other things influence size: amount of sun, water and fertilizer; type of soil and how well-drained it is. Discuss requirements when you choose your tree.
OTHER OPTIONS
Christmas trees don't have to be conifers. Don't believe it? Sean Hogan, owner of Cistus Nursery (cistus.com), and Laura Crockett, owner of Garden Diva Designs (gardendiva.com), suggested three beauties each.
Hogan's picks:
Strawberry tree (Arbutus unedo):
Red bark and shiny, green leaves: What could be more Christmasy? 25 feet tall; Zone 7
Compact Carolina cherry laurel (Prunus caroliniana 'Compacta'):
An 8- to 10-foot shrub with a shape very like a traditional Christmas tree. The dense, shiny green foliage will hold up heavy ornaments and be a perfect foil for lights and garlands. Buy several and you'll have a great outdoor screen. Zone 7
'Little Gem' magnolia (Magnolia grandiflora 'Little Gem':
The beauty of a full-size, evergreen magnolia, but in a manageable size that will live in a pot for a long time. Fragrant, white flowers are almost the size of its much larger relative. 20 feet tall; Zone 7
Crockett's suggestions:
Japanese maple: (a few to choose from: Acer palmatum 'Sango-kaku,' A. p. 'Bloodgood,' A. p. 'Shishigashira' A. p. var. dissectum 'Crimson Queen,' A. p. d. "Waterfall.'
A different angle for indoor decoration, but imagine dripping glass or plastic icicles from the curvy, leafless limbs. Simple and striking, and so many to choose from. Hardiness and size vary by species.
Dwarf ginkgo (Ginkgo biloba dwarf cultivars):
With the same fascinating scalloped fans of large ginkgos, the dwarf cultivars mean anyone can have one. Look for multi-branched plants for a more exciting indoor display. ('Tubifolia,' 20 feet, rolled leaves; 'Autumn Gold,' 12-15 feet; 'Jade Butterflies,' 12-15 feet). Hardiness varies from Zone 3 to Zone 5.
'Sky Pencil' Japanese holly (Ilex crenata 'Sky Pencil'):
Skinny as a supermodel and just as pretty. Holds on tightly to small, shiny, dark-green leaves along stiffly upright limbs. Crockett suggests lining up several in front of the fireplace and decorating with tiny white lights. 8 to 10 feet tall; Zone 5
HOW TO TAKE CARE OF A LIVING CHRISTMAS TREE
- Move the tree into a garage or other sheltered, dry place for a couple of days before taking it into the house. Do the same when you move it back outdoors. Trees need time to acclimate to sudden temperature changes.
- Place trees in a well-lighted room that isn't too hot. Keep away from heat sources, such as furnace vents, fireplaces and wood stoves.
- Living trees shouldn't stay indoors much longer than two weeks.
- Use only twinkle or LED lights on the tree. Others types can cause excessive drying.
- Water sufficiently to keep roots from drying out, but don't let the tree rest in standing water.
- Living trees should be in containers with soil around the root ball. Be sure to protect the floor or carpet on which you place the tree.
- After it goes outside, remember to water the tree if it's been dry for a while or you've placed it under the eaves where it doesn't get rainwater.
GROWING TREES IN POTS
With a bit of care, trees can grow happily in pots for many years, says Dave Leckey of Oregon Small Trees, who offers these tips:
- To move heavier pots, use a hand truck or the very effective
- Trees in pots need to be watered more regularly than trees in the ground. How much you water depends on the type of soil and size of pot. In hot weather, water medium-size pots with well-drained soil every two to three days.
- Soil temperature can vary dramatically in a pot. If possible, shade the pot (follow sun exposure recommendations for the plant itself) from hot afternoon sun.
- In the Northwest, hardiness is not an issue since most conifers are fine down to Zones 6 and usually much lower.
- After several years, the tree may need to be lifted and root pruned, or moved to a larger pot.
- Wind can dry out trees quickly, so consider some protection from strong wind, water more regularly and provide some tethering.
- Most conifers need well-drained soil. Pumice or sand added to the growing mix can help. Be careful with peat in a mix. Peat holds water, which can be a good thing or a bad thing, depending on your watering practices.
- Don't overfertilize. You buy small plants because you want them to be small. Too much fertilizer can force the plant. Use a balanced formulation such as 10-10-10 or 15-15-15 at about half of the manufacturer's recommended volume and frequency.
SOURCES
Most of the trees recommended in this story are unusual and probably not available at big-box stores and many nurseries, though they will have more traditional live Christmas trees. All the conifers, which range from about $40 to $150 depending on size and variety, can be found at
also carries a lot of conifers. Laura Crockett recently saw three varieties of dwarf ginkgos there, as well. Magnolias, Japanese maples, 'Sky Pencil' Japanese holly, strawberry tree and compact Carolina cherry laurel will be easier to find. Call around before going to nurseries to avoid disappointment.
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