Urban/Community Forestry NR/FF/015 (pr) Conifers for Utah Mike Kuhns, Extension Forestry Specialist This list is arranged alphabetically by family and This fact sheet lists conifers that can be grown in Latin name. Some example cultivars (cvs.) are listed, Utah, including all native and most introduced but more may exist. Learn about species and know conifers, and some suggested cultivars. your site for successful selection and planting. Utah natives are indicated by (*). Introduction USDA hardiness zones and general comments also are Conifers are some of the provided. most important ornamental plants grown in Utah For more information on landscapes. The same Utah trees refer to “Trees of species of conifers tend to Utah and the Intermountain be planted over and over, West” by Kuhns, the Utah but many more are available Tree Browser at treebrowser. that have been proven to org and USU’s Extension do well. Take advantage forestry website at forestry. of the diverse selection of usu.edu. For information available conifers to increase on arboreta and tree the beauty and health of our identification go to the last landscapes. page of this fact sheet: http:// goo.gl/WN5DR. This fact sheet provides a fairly complete list of conifer Family Araucariaceae trees and shrubs that can be +monkey puzzle (Araucaria grown in Utah, as well as araucana) – risky, but one all native conifers. Species Incense-cedar has been growing for several that are strictly shrubs (never years at USU; zones 7(6?)-11. trees) are noted. All have been found growing in Utah and most do well somewhere in Utah. Many Family Cupressaceae are rare (shown by +) and may not be totally proven, incense-cedar (Calocedrus decurrens) – many in some are hard to obtain commercially, and many the Salt Lake area; excellent large tree, but small need very particular conditions to do well. Some are cultivars exist; crown is narrow for its height; cvs. much more desirable than others. 'Aureovariegata', 'Compacta'; zones 5-9. +Port Orford cedar (Cupressocyparis x horizontal juniper (Juniperus horizontalis) – Family Ginkgoaceae or Lawson cypress leylandii) – hybrids of prostrate shrub; many cvs. including 'Blue Chip', ginkgo (Ginkgo biloba) (Chamaecyparis Cupressus macrocarpa 'Blue Mat'; zones 2-7(?). – very tough, beautiful lawsoniana) – well- and Chamaecyparis tree; tolerant of urban established specimens nootkatensis; fast *one-seed juniper (Juniperus monosperma) – conditions; plant at UofU; genus growing; several at the native shrub not usually used in landscapes; zones male cvs.; many cvs. Chamaecyparis prefers UofU; cvs. 'Castlewellan', 2-7(?). including 'Autumn Gold', moist sites; many cvs. 'Golconda', 'Naylor’s 'Fastigiata', 'Pendula', *Utah juniper including 'Golden King', Blue', 'Robinson’s Gold', 'Princeton Sentry', 'Santa (Juniperus osteosperma) 'Silberstar'; zones 5-7(8?). 'Silver Dust'; zones 6(5?)- Cruz'; zones 3-9. 10. – coarse textured tree; zones 3-7. Port Orford cedar Leyland cypress *Rocky Mountain Ginkgo juniper (Juniperus +Nootka falsecypress Arizona cypress scopulorum) – tough Family Pinaceae (Chamaecyparis (Cupressus arizonica) – native shrub or tree; very *white fir (Abies nootkatensis) – graceful, good blue color; heat and common; blue foliage; concolor) – toughest of weeping habit; several drought tolerant; doing many cvs. including the native true firs; long doing well at UofU; cv. well in Logan, Utah; 'Gray Gleam', 'Sky needles, blue color; cvs. 'Pendula'; zones 4-8. Rocket', 'Table Top Blue'; Rocky Mountain juniper 'Prostrata', 'Violacea', cvs. 'Blue Ice', 'Blue 'Gray Gleam' Pyramid', 'Glauca', 'Silver zones 3-7. 'Wattezii', 'Wattezii Smoke'; zones 7(5?)-9. Prostrata'; zones 3-7. eastern redcedar (Juniperus virginiana) – very Italian cypress similar to Rocky Mountain juniper but less blue; many cvs. including 'Canaertii', 'Cupressiformis', White fir Nootka falsecypress Arizona cypress 'Emerald Sentinel', 'Grey Owl', 'Spartan'; zones 2-9. +grand fir (Abies grandis) – long-needles; from Northwest; growing at UofU; zones 6(5?)-7. +Hinoki falsecypress (Cupressus sempervirens) northern whitecedar (Thuja occidentalis) – very (Chamaecyparis – classic narrow cypress common tree or shrub; cold hardy; deer damage obtusa) – 'Gracilis' common; cvs. 'Douglasi Aurea', 'Emerald', 'Globosa', *subalpine fir (Abies lasiocarpa) – narrow, spire- planted in SW Utah (also like crown; does poorly on warm, dry sites; zones 1-5. doing well at UofU; surviving in Moab); 'Nigra', 'Pendula', 'Techny'; zones 2-8. dwarf forms are cvs. 'Glauca', 'Roylei', +Spanish fir (Abies pinsapo) – very interesting especially nice; cvs. 'Stricta', 'Swane’s appearance; blue color; growing in Murray 'Crippsii', 'Gracilis', Golden'; zones 7-9. arboretum; zones 7(6?)-10(?). 'Nana', 'Nana Gracilis', 'Nana Lutea', 'Tetragona Aurea'; zones 5-8. Italian cypress 'Stricta' Chinese juniper Hinoki falsecypress (Juniperus chinensis) – many highly variable cvs. 'Gracilis' including 'Aurea', 'Columnaris Glauca', 'Hetzii', 'Pfitzeriana', 'Stricta'; zones 3-7. +Sawara or Japanese *common juniper falsecypress Northern whitecedar Oriental arborvitae (Chamaecyparis (Juniperus communis) pisifera) – can be large – native shrub; tough Oriental arborvitae (Thuja orientalis) – winter or small; cvs. 'Filifera', like all junipers; cvs. damage common; many cvs. including 'Aurea Nana', 'Filifera Aurea', 'King’s 'Compressa', 'Effusa', 'Blue Cone', 'Filifera'; zones 6-9. Gold', 'Plumosa', 'Repanda', 'Sentinel', +western redcedar (Thuja plicata) – worth trying 'Squarrosa'; zones 4-8. 'Silver Mile'; zones more; many cvs. including 'Aurea', 'Gracilis', Sawara falsecypress Leyland cypress 2-7. 'King’s Gold' Common juniper 'Repanda' 'Hogan', 'Pumila', 'Zebrinus'; zones 5-7. Spanish fir (*) Utah Native (+) Very Rare in Utah (*) Utah Native (+) Very Rare in Utah Atlas cedar (Cedrus atlantica) – nice blue color; Japanese larch (Larix +Serbian found all over Utah; cvs. 'Fastigiata', 'Glauca', kaempferi) – deciduous spruce (Picea 'Glauca Pendula'; zones 6(5?)-9. tree or shrub; many omorika) – cvs. including 'Blue doing well in Rabbit', 'Nana', a group at Salt 'Pendula'; zones 4-7. Lake City LDS Conference Norway spruce Center; cvs. Japanese larch 'Nana' (Picea abies) – highly 'Expansa', variable and very 'Nana', 'Pendula'; ornamental; many cvs. zones 4-7. including 'Argenteospica', Serbian spruce 'Decumbens', 'Inversa', Oriental spruce 'Nidiformis', 'Pendula', (Picea orientalis) – 'Reflexa', 'Repens'; zones cvs. 'Aurea', 'Gracilis', Japanese red pine 'Umbraculifera' 2-7. 'Nana', 'Nutans', 'Skylands', 'Wittbold'; Atlas cedar Deodar cedar *Engelmann spruce zones 4-7. Japanese red pine (Pinus densiflora) – nice Deodar cedar (Cedrus deodara) – large cones; large (Picea engelmannii) – tree with interesting dwarf forms; cvs. 'Aurea', our most common native specimen at St. George LDS temple; cvs. 'Aurea', *blue spruce (Picea 'Globosa', 'Oculis-draconis', 'Pendula', 'Pumila', spruce, but rarely planted; 'Aurea Nana', 'Aurea Pendula', 'Golden Horizon'; pungens) – common; 'Umbraculifera'; zones 3-7. cvs. 'Argentea', 'Glauca'; zones 6-9. cvs. 'Fastigiata', zones 2-7(6?). Engelmann spruce 'Hoopsii', 'Iseli *pinyon (Pinus Fastigiata', 'Iseli edulis) – native; +Cedar of Lebanon Foxtail', 'Kosten', 'Mesa rarely planted; (Cedrus libani) – white spruce (Picea Verde', 'Montgomery', zones 4-8. wonderful, stately glauca) – 'Densata' Blue spruce 'Pendula'; zones 2-7(6?). tree; dark green (called Blackhills 'Iseli Fastigiata' Afghan pine foliage; doing well spruce) may be more (Pinus eldarica) at Salt Lake City heat tolerant than some – long-needled; LDS Temple; cvs. spruces; growing in heat tolerant; 'Compte de Dijon', Orem; cvs. 'Alberta planted in SW 'Pendula', var. Globe', 'Conica', Utah; zones 6-8. stenocoma; zones 'Conica Laurin', Afghan pine 5-7(8?). 'Densata', 'Doumetii'; zones 2-6. Cedar-of-Lebanon *limber pine (Pinus flexilis) – European larch White spruce 'Densata' Blue spruce 'Mesa Verde' (Larix decidua) – most native; fine texture; commonly planted larch cvs. 'Columnaris', in Utah; deciduous; cvs. +lacebark pine (Pinus 'Glauca', 'Glauca 'Fastigiata', 'Pendula'; +black spruce (Picea bungeana) – beautiful bark; Pendula', 'Glenmore zones 2-6. mariana) – very otherwise somewhat like Dwarf', 'Pendula', uncommon; I have Scotch pine; may be hard to 'Vanderwolf’s +western larch seen a young one doing find; cv. 'Compacta'; zones Pyramid'; zones 4(3?)- (Larix occidentalis) – well at the UofU; cvs. 4-8. 7. deciduous; growing at old 'Doumetii', 'Ericoides', Forest Service nursery 'Golden', 'Nana', *lodgepole pine (Pinus Aleppo pine (Pinus site in Big Cottonwood 'Wellspire'; zones 3-6. contorta) – native that is halepensis) – heat Canyon; zones 4-6. rarely planted; zones 2-6. Limber pine tolerant; found in SW European larch Black spruce 'Wellspire' Lacebark pine 'Vanderwolf’s Pyramid' Utah; zones 8-10. (*) Utah Native (+) Very Rare in Utah (*) Utah Native (+) Very Rare in Utah Bosnian pine mugo pine (Pinus +southwestern white *Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii) – large (Pinus heldreichii) mugo) – common pine (Pinus strobiformis) native that is sometimes planted; cvs. 'Compacta ', – somewhat like shrubby pine; – often blue colored 'Fastigiata', 'Glauca', 'Pendula'; zones 4-6. Austrian pine; small cvs. 'Aurea', needles; one of the better one growing at Ogden 'Mops', 'Sherwood white pines (5-needled) Botanical Gardens; Compact', 'Slow for Utah; cv. 'Loma cvs. 'Compact Gem', Mound'; zones 2-8. Linda'; zones 5-9. 'Green Bun', var. leucodermis; zones 6(5?)-8.