THE MANUAL Forestry Sciences

VOLUME 34

The titles published in this series are listed at the end o/this volume. HUMPHREY J. WELCH

The Conifer Manual

Volume 1

This book represents a fuU revision and up-dating of the following works

Manual of Cultivated in the Cold and Warm-Temperate Zone by P. den Ouden and Dr. B. K. Boom (1965) and Manual of Dwarf Conifers by Humphrey J. Welch (1979)

SPRINGER SCIENCE+BUSINESS MEDIA, B.V. Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Helch. H. J. IHumphrey James l The conlfer manual! DY Humphray J. Halch. p. cm. -- IForestry s:jences ; •. 341 "Represents a full revlS10n and up-dat,ng of '" Manual of cultlvateo con1fe"s In tha cald-Ine warm-temperate zona. by P. den Duden and Dr. B.K. Bool ... and Manual of dwarf con,fars. by Humphrey J. Heleh." Includes blCII09"aphlcal referenees. ISBN 978-94-010-5647-2 ISBN 978-94-011-3704-1 (eBook) DOI 10.1007/978-94-011-3704-1 1. Drnaman:ei cc~ifars. 2. Ccrlfars. 3. Ornamental ccn1ţe~s- -Varietial. 4. Conlfers--Verletles. I. Dudan. P. den (P1eter den). 1874-1964. ~Ianual of cuittvated con,,!rs. II. Helch. H. J. (Humphre\' JunI. [>;anua' of a,"arf conifers. III. Ti"[le. IV. Serles. S3~2e.W39 1990 634.9·75--c:2C e9"~8827

ISBN 978-94-010-5647-2

Pri"ted O" acid-free paper

Ali Rights Reserved O 1991 by Springer Science+Business Media Dordrecht Origina1ly published by Kluwer Academic Publishers in 1991 Softcover reprint of the hardcover lst edition 1991 No part of the material protccted by this copyright notice may be reproduced or utilized in any fonn or by any means, electronic or mechanical including photocopying, recording or by any information storage and retrieval system, without written permission from the copyright owner. TABLE OF CONTENTS Volume One

Author's Introduction 1 Watering 42 Pruning 42 Picture Credits 3 5. Classification and Nomenclature 44 A Conifer Bibliography 4 Botanical classification 44 1. General Introduction 9 Historical review 47 The word 'conifer' 9 Nomenclature of cultivated 50 The origin of conifers 9 The codes of nomenclature 51 The morphology of conifers 11 Latin-form cultivar names 53 The roots 11 Authorities 54 The trunk 11 Types and protologues 54 The branches 11 The World Conifer Data Pool 56 The buds 13 Conifer names registration 56 The 14 Conifer Data Sheet 60 Flowers and cones 14 6. Identification 62 2. The Uses and Value of Conifers 18 Keys 62 Conifers in nature 18 Guides to identification of 63 Using conifers 18 Method of using the guides 63 A solitary specimen 20 The twelve main groups 64 Hedges and shelter belts: woodland 20 'Go-to' listing for main group one 65 Dwarf conifers 20 'Go-to' listing for main group two 65 Alpine forms 22 'Go-to'listing for main group three 66 Seedling mutations 22 'Go-to' listing for main group four 69 Juvenile fixations 23 'Go-to' listing for main group five 72 Bud mutations 23 'Go-to'listing for main group six 74 Witches' brooms 24 'Go-to' listing for main group seven 75 Cultivariants 25 'Go-to' listing for main group eight 80 Using dwarf conifers 25 'Go-to' listing for main group nine 83 'Go-to' listing for main group ten 83 3. Choice of Species and Varieties 31 'Go-to' listing for main group eleven 85 Climatic zones and hardiness ratings 31 'Go-to' listing for main group twelve 86 4. Cultivation 37 7. Varieties Currently Available 90 Soil preparation 37 Citation of 'authorities' 90 Purchase of plants 38 Citation of Latin-form cultivar names 91 The planting season 41 Abies 92 Planting 41 Acmopyle 167 Aftercare 42 Actinostrobus 167

v VI

Agathis 167 316 Amentotaxus 167 Ephedra 317 Araucaria 167 317 Athrotaxis 171 Fokienia 317 174 Ginkgo 317 Austrotaxus 174 321 Callitris 174 Ha\ocarpus 322 174 Juniperus 322 Cathaya 178 Keteleeria 404 Cedrus 178 Larix 405 Cephalotaxus 191 Libocedrus 421 194 Metasequoia 421 263 Microbiota 423 Cunninghamia 279 Microcachrys 424 X Cupressocyparis 282 Microstrobus 424 288 425 Dacrycarpus 313 Phyllocladus 425 Dacrydium 315 Decussocarpus 316 Index to Volume One 427 TABLE OF CONTENTS Volume Two

8. Varieties Currently Available Picea to 9. Propagation 10. Pests and Diseases Appendix One: Obsolete names cited in Manual of Cultivated Conifers (Den Ouden and Boom) but not repeated in the present work Appendix Two: Confusion in the use of the names ABIES and PICEA by some early writers on conifers Index to Volumes One and Two

vii Author's Introduction

The research that has culminated in the pUblication being introduced .worldwide) save by one or two of this Manual was in the first place undertaken private conifer enthusiasts. My own efforts at for a new edition of the book Manual of Cultivated recording data at Devizes1 made possible the Conifers by P. den Ouden and Dr B. K. Boom appearance in 1979 of a larger book: Manual of (both now deceased), published in 1965. Dwarf Conifers. That book was clearly in effect The claim in that book to have included every a partial up-dating of the den Ouden and Boom cultivar published since 1753 was not entirely book under revision, so the decision was made realised, and the stated objective, i.e. that the book to produce an entirely new work, with the present should serve as a basis for the international register title and with the following objectives. that was even at that date under consideration required a lot of space to be devoted to quite 1. To bring the into line with current archaic information. practice. Each of the authors of the Manual of Cultivated 2. To extend the species descriptions and make Conifers was well qualified for the task. P. den them (by the use of side headings) more easy Ouden had been systematically collecting conifer to use. data throughout his long life as a nurseryman and 3. To supply some form of 'keys'. had already produced his Naamlijst van Coni/eren 4. To release space for new material by relegating (published in 1937 and adopted as a standard for several hundred obsolete names to an Appendix. varietal names at the International Horticultural 5. To bring the coverage of cultivars up to date Congress in Berlin in 1939) and also his book so far as possible, incorporating material from Coni/eren Ginkgo en Ephedra (in Dutch) published Manual ofDwarf Conifers. in 1949. Dr B. K. Boom, as the government taxonomist in Holland, had been recording data The volume of material was now too great to be regarding new conifers as part of his official duties. contained within a single book of manageable size So the Manual of Cultivated Conifers could be so the new work has had to be produced in two readily compiled at that time from available in• volumes. Unfortunately this has necessitated the formation. division of the big, descriptive chapter between the My own book, Dwarf Conifers - A Complete two volumes. The genera Abies to Phyllocladus will Guide, published the following year, owed a great be found in this volume and the genera Picea to deal to help from Dr Boom, who spent several Widdringtonia in the volume which it is intended days with me at the Wansdyke Nursery at the time shall follow shortly. the book was in preparation. Unfortunately this particular contribution by Dr There remains to me only a duty to acknowledge Boom does not seem to have continued after his the great help received from other people - always retirement and since then little if any systematic a difficult task and (in the case of a major com- recording of new introductions was done in this field (despite the flood of new conifer cultivars I Since developed as the World Conifer Data Pool. See p. 56.

1 2 Author's introduction pilation of this kind) an impossible one because I am spared having to draft the usual encomium there have been so many contributions, large and to a long-suffering secretary since this is a lUXUry small, direct or indirect, from so many sources I have had to do without. But in its place I think that individual acknowledgement would be quite an apology is due to the word-processor I have impossible. I here mention just a few; other debts had to make do with instead of a secretary for of gratitude are acknowledged throughout the all the abuse and unparliamentary language that book but my sincere thanks go to everyone able has been hurled at it since we first met. to trace his or her own contribution anywhere in And lastly, since I have been doing the work the book. at home ever since an event that I still refer to J. H. Lewis, my successor as International Con• as my retirement, my thanks go to my wife for ifer Registrar (and for many years my mentor in putting up with the loss of the best room in the all matters botanical) has been most helpful. My house for use as a library, for accepting the loss thanks go to A. G. Mitchell, K. D. Rushforth and (for whatever that might have been worth) of many A. D. Silva, amongst others, for their critical help hours of my society, and - most of all - for her on technical matters, to Dr John Mills for per• maddening, but steady encouragement to peg away mission to use the unpublished work of the late and complete a job which had turned out to be Laurence Gough, to Adrian Bloom, Robert Fin• far more arduous than I had bargained for when cham, D. M. van Gelderen and many another I took it on. plantsmen for help with details of new cultivars and to Don Mitchell for reading through the entire MS. Humphrey J. Welch Picture Credits

(1) Bailey, The Cultivated Evergreens (1923) (9) Nicholson, The Gardener's Dictionary (1884) (2) Beissner, Handbuch der Nadelgehiilzer Ed. 3 (10) Nimmo, M., Haverfordwest, Dyfed, U.K. (1930) (11) Pallas, Flora Rossica (1878) (3) Engler, Naturliche Pjlanze-Jami/ien (1926) (12) Silva Tarouca, Unserer Frieland Nadelhiilzer (4) Flora of China Vol. 7 (1978) Ed. 2 (1923) (5) Forestry Commission of Great Britain, Con• (13) Sudworth, Forest of the Pacific Slope ifers in the British Isles (1972), drawings by (1908) Mrs. K. Darter. (14) Veitch, Manual of the Coniferae Ed. 2 (1900) (6) Mrs. Bente King. (15) Mariosa, Peter, Lynton, N. Devon, U.K. (7) Mulligan, Brian, Kirkland, WA 98035, U.S.A. Unnumbered photographs supplied by the (8) Loudon, Arboretum et Fruticetum Britannicum author. (1838)

3 A Conifer Bibliography

In addition to the following works consulted during the preparation of this book, much information relating to conifers can be found in general dendrological books, technical periodicals and in regional and local floras.

Antoine, F. 1867 Ditto. Ed. 2. 1840-47 Die Coniferen nach Lambert, Loudon Chadwick, L. C .. et anderen. 1976 A Study of the genus . Bailey, L. H. Chaudun, V. 1925 The Cultivated Evergreens. 1956 Ornamental Conifers. (Translation from 1933 The Cultivated Conifers in North America. the French by Higgins, V.) Baker, R. T. & Smith, H. G. Cheng, W. C. et al. 1910 A Research into the Pines of Australia. 1978 Flora Reipublica Popularis Sinicae. Vol. Beissner, L. 7. 'Gymnospermae'. 1887 (Apr.) Systematische Eintheilung der Co• Chittenden, F. J. See Royal Horticultural Society. niferen. Clinton-Baker, H. 1887 (Oct.) Handbuch der Coniferen-Benen• 1909-1935 Illustrations of Conifers. 4 Vols. nung. Coltman-Rogers, C. 1891 Handbuch der Nadelholzkunde. 1920 Conifers and their Characteristics. 1891 lst Supplement to Handbuch der Coni• Cope, E. A. feren-Benennung. 1986 Native and Cultivated Conifers of North• 1892 2nd Supplement to Handbuch der Coni• eastern N. America. feren-Benennung. Coulter, J. M. and Chamberlain, C. J. 1909 Handbuch der Nadelholzkunde. Ed. 2. 1910 Morphology of Gymnosperms. 1930 Handbuch der Nadelholzkunde. Ed. 3. Critchfield, W. B. and Little, E. L. (Revised J. Fitschen). 1966 Geographic Distribution of the Pines of Bloom, Adrian the World. 1975 Conifers in your Garden. Dallimore, W. Brotero, F. de A. 1908 Holly, Yew and Box. 1827 Historia Natural dos Pinheiros, Larices et Dallimore, W. and Jackson, A. B. Abetos. 1923 Handbook of Coniferae including Gink- Browicz, K. goaceae. 1982 Chlorology of Trees and in S.W. 1931 Ditto. Ed. 2. Asia. Vol. 1. 1948 Ditto. Ed. 3. Callen, G. 1960 Ditto. Ed. 4 (Revised by Harrison, 1976-7 Les Coniteres cultives en Europe. F. G.) Carriere, E-A Debazac, E. F. 1855 Traite Generale des Conneres. 1964 Manuel des Conneres.

4 A conifer bibliography 5

De Laubenfels, D. J. Harrison, C. R. 1972 Flora de la Nouvelle Caledonie et Depen• 1975 Ornamental Conifers. dances. No.4. 'Gymnospermes'. Henkel, J. B. & Hochstetter, W. Den Duden, P. 1865 Synopsis der NadelgehOlzer. 1937 Naamlijst van Coniferen. Hillier, H. G. 1949 Coniferen, Ephedra en Ginkgo. 1964 Dwarf Conifers. Den Duden, P. and Boom, B. K. Hochstetter, Wm. 1965 Manual of Cultivated Conifers. 1882 Coniferen oder NadelgehOlzer. De Vos, C. Hoopes, J. 1867 Beredeneerd Woordenboek der Voor• 1868 The Book of Evergreens. namste Heesters en Coniferen in Neder• Hornibrook, M. land gekweekt. 1923 Dwarf and slow-growing Conifers. 1887 Handboek tot de Boomen, Heesters en 1939 Ditto. Ed. 2. Coniferen. Iwata, T. and Kusaka, M. Eichler, A. W. 1954 Coniferae Japonica Illustratae. 1899 "Coniferae" in Engler A. & Prantl, K. Die Jackson, A. B. naturlichen Pflanzenfamilien. 1946 The Identification of Conifers. Eiselt, M. G. & SchrOder R. Jager, H. 1960 NadelgehOlze. 1865 Die ZiergehOlze. 1976 Ditto. Ed. 4. Jager, H. & Beissner, L. Elwes, H. J. and Henry, A. 1884 Die ZiergehOlze. Ed. 2. 1906-15 Trees of Great Britain and Ireland. 6 1889 Ditto. Ed. 3. vols. Jay, B. A. Endlicher, S. 1952 Conifers in Britain - A Guide to Iden• 1847 Synopsis Coniferarum. tification. Engelmann, Geo. Jenkins, C. F. 1880 Revision of the genus Pinus. 1939-51 Hemlock Arboretum Bulletin. Farjon, A. Kent, A. H. See Veitch, 1900. 1984 Pines: Drawings and Descriptions of the Kirwan, C. de Species. 1867 Les Coniferes indigenes et exotique. Fitschen, W. See Beissner, 1930 Klika, J. et a1. Fitzpatrick, H. M. 1953 Jelicnate. 1929 Coniferae: Keys to the Genera and Species. Knight and Perry 1965 Ditto. Ed. 2. 1850 Synopsis of the Coniferous Plants grown Florin, R. in Gt. Britain. 1955 The systematics of the Gymnosperms. Kobayashi, Y. et a1. Forbes, J. 1975 Matsu-zukan. 1839 Pinetum Woburnense. Krussmann, G. Franco, J. do A. 1955 Die NadelgehOlze. 1950 Abietos. 1960 Ditto. Ed. 2. Fraser, H. 1972 Handbuch der NadelgehOlze. 1875 Handy Book of Ornamental Conifers. 1979 Die NadelgehOlze. Ed. 3. Gaussen, H. 1983 Handbuch der NadelgehOlze, Ed. 2. (Re• 1944 on Les Gymnospermes actuelles et fossiles. vised Hans-Dieter Warda). Gordon, G. and Glendinning R. 1985 Ditto. (English translation by Epp, Mi• 1858 The Pinetum. chael E.). 1862 Supplement to The Pinetum. Kumlien, L. L. 1875 The Pinetum. Ed. 2. 1936 Hill's Book of Evergreens. 1880 Ditto. Ed. 3. (As Ed. 2, save for 2 addi• 1946 The Friendly Evergreens. tional pages). Lambert, A. B. 6 A conifer bibliography

1803-07 A Description of the Genus Pinus. Murray, A Vol. 1, 4to. 1863 Pines and Firs of Japan. 1824 Ditto. with an Appendix by D. Don. Vol. Nelson, J. (Senilis) 2. 1866 Pinaceae. 1828 Ditto. In 2 vols. 4to. Parde, L. 1832 Ditto. Ed. 3. 1937 Les Coniferes. 1837 Ditto. Ed. 1. Vol. 3. Parlatore, P. Lawson, P. and Son 1868 'Conifereas' in DC., Prodomus. 1851 List of Plants of the Fir Tribe. Pilat, A. Lemmon, J. G. 1964 Jelicnate 1898 Conifers of the Pacific Slope. Pilger, R. Little, E. L. 1926 'Gymnospermae' in Engler & Prantl, Die 1953 Check List of Native and Naturalised Trees natiirlichen Planzenfamilien. Ed. 2. Vol. of the United States. 13. Little, E. L. and Critchfield, W. B. Ravenscroft, E. J. 1969 Subdivisions of the Genus Pinus. 1863-84 The Pinetum Britannicum. 3 Vols. Liu, T-S. Large folio. 1971 A Monograph of the Genus Abies. Rehder, A. Loudon, J. C. 1927 Manual of Cultivated Trees and Shrubs. 1838 Arboretum et Fruticetum Brittanicum. (8 1940 Ditto. Ed. 2. vols.) 1949 Bibliography of Cultivated Trees and Magrini, G. Shrubs. 1952 Le Conifere. (Italian.) Richard, L. C. Makino, T. 1826 Commentatio Botanica de Conifereis et 1966 New Illustrated Flora of Japan. Cycadeis. Masters, M. T. Royal Botanical Gardens, Kew, U. K. 1881-1904 Numerous papers in Journals of the 1896 Handlist of Coniferae. Further editions Linnean and Royal Horticultural Socie• issued in 1903, 1925, 1928, and 1961. ties. 1964 Catalogue of living Plants. Part 1. Mayr, H. Royal Horticultural Society. 1890 Monographie der Abietineen des Japan• 1892 Report of Conifer Conference held in 1891. ische Reiches. (Vol. 14 of the Society's Journal.) Meyer, F. 1932 'Conifers in Cultivation'. Report of the 1952 Die NadelhOlzer, including Ginkgo. Conifer Conference held in 1931. (F. J. Mirov, N. T. Chittenden, Editor.) 1967 The Genus Pinus. 1972 'Conifers in the British Isles'. Report of Mitchell, A. F. the Conifer Conference held in 1970. (El• 1972 Conifers in the British Isles, published by speth Napier, Editor.) H. M. S. O. Mitchell also contributed See also under Mitchell, A.F. largely to the Report of the Conifer Con• Rushforth, Keith. ference, 1970, published under the same 1987 Conifers. title ('Conifers in the British Isles') by the Salomon, C. Royal Horticultural Society, also in 1972. 1884 Deutschlands winterharte Baume und Morgenthal, J. Straucher. 1950 Die Nadelgeholze. Schelle, E. 1952 Ditto. Ed. 2. 1909 De Winterharten NadelhOlzer Middel• 1954 Ditto. Ed. 3. europas. 1964 Ditto. Ed. 4. Seneclause, A. Mottet, S. 1868 Les Coniferes. 1902 Coniferes et Taxacees. Shaw,G. R. A conifer bibliography 7

1909 The Pines of Mexico, 1985 The Cultivated Hemlocks. 1914 The Genus Pinus. Testu, Charlotte Siebold & Zuccarini. 1970 Coniferes de nos Jardins. 1842 Flora Japonica. Valavanis, W. N. Silba, l. 1976 Japanese Five-needle Pine. 1984 An International Census of the Coniferae. Van Gelderen, D. M. and van Hoey-Smith, l.R.P. 1986 Encyclopaedia Coniferae. 1986 Conifers. Silva Tarouca, E. G. and Schneider, C. Van Melle, P. J. 1913 Unsere Frieland-Nadelh61zer. 1947 Review of Juniperus chinensis et al. 1923 Ditto. Ed. 2. Veitch, J. Slavin, A. D. See Royal Horticultural Society. 1881 Manual of Conifers. Smith, Richard of Worcester. 1900 Ditto. Ed. 2. (Edited by Kent, A. H.) 1861 Plants of the Fir Tribe. (No copy known Von Tuebeuf, C. F. to exist.) 1897 Die NadelhOlzer. 1864 Ditto. Ed. 2. 'Enlarged and revised edi- Webster, A. D. tion'. 1896 Hardy Coniferous trees. 1867 Ditto. Ed. 3. Welch, Humphrey J. 1872 Ditto. Ed. 4. 1966 Dwarf Conifers - A complete Guide. 1874 Ditto. Ed. 5. (No copy known to exist.) 1979 Manual of Dwarf Conifers. Smith, J. R. P. van Hoey. See under Van Gelderen. Wilson, E. H. Sudworth, G. B. 1916 The Conifers and Taxads of Japan. 1908 Forest Trees of the Pacific Slope. Wolf, C. B. & Wagener, W. E. Swartley, G. B. 1948 The New World Cypresses.