Growing Conifers 2ND EDITION BY JOHN MASON CONTENTS Credits 4 About The Author 5 CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION 6 Caring For Conifers 8 Conifer Problems 10 CHAPTER 2 PROPAGATING CONIFERS 12 Some Methods For Improving The Success Of Propagation 12 Cutting Propagation 13 Seed Propagation 14 CHAPTER 3 GROWING CONIFERS IN CONTAINERS 16 Why Grow Conifers In Containers 16 Choosing A Container 16 Some Ideas For Using Conifers In Containers 19 CHAPTER 4 CONIFER HEDGES & TOPIARY 20 Pruning Conifers 20 Shaping Conifers 21 Pruning Tools 23 CHAPTER 5 LANDSCAPING WITH CONIFERS 24 Using Conifers 24 Growing Conifers 24 Purchasing Your Conifers 25 Conifer Landscape Use Lists 26 CHAPTER 6 COMMERCIAL & OTHER USES FOR CONIFERS 30 Edible Conifers 30 Conifer Oils 30 Agroforestry And Timber 32 CHAPTER 7 DIRECTORY OF CONIFER CULTIVARS 34 Abies (Silver Or True Firs) 34 Actinostrobus 37 Agathis 37 Araucaria 38 Athrotaxus 40 Callitris 40 Cedrus (Cedar) 41 Cephalotaxus (Plum Yew) 42 Chamaecyparis 43 Cryptomeria 47 X Cupressocyparis 48 Cupressus 49 Dacrydium 51 Ginkgo (Maidenhair Tree) 51 Juniperus 52 Lagarostrobos (Syn. Dacrydium) 57 Larix (Larch Or Tamarack) 57 Metasequoia (Dawn Redwood) 59 Microbiota 59 Picea (Spruce Or Spruce Firs) 60 Pinus 62 Podocarpus 68 Pseudotsuga (False Hemlock) 69 Sciadopitys 70 Sequoia 70 Sequoiadendron (Syn Wellingtonia) 71 Taxodium (Bald Or Deciduous Cypress) 72 Taxus 73 Thuja 75 Thujopsis 76 Torrya 77 Tsuga (Hemlock) 77 APPENDIX 79 Acknowledgements 79 Certificates & Advanced Diplomas In Horticulture 79 ACS Distance Education 79 Further Reading 79 ACS Global Partners 80 > BACK TO CONTENTS PAGE CREDITS © Copyright: John Mason The information in this book is derived from a broad cross section of First published in 2011 by John Mason as an e-book resources (research, reference materials and personal experience) from the authors and editorial assistants in the academic department Text and Photos by John Mason of ACS Distance Education. It is, to the best of our knowledge, composed as an accurate representation of what is accepted and Distributed through ACS Distance Education appropriate information about the subject, at the time of publication. P.O. Box, 2092, Nerang MDC, The author fully recognise that knowledge is continually changing, Queensland, Australia, 4211 and awareness in all areas of study is constantly evolving. As such, we encourage the reader to recognise that nothing they read should ever be considered to be set in stone. They should always strive to broaden their perspective and deepen their understanding of a ISBN: 978-0-9871395-6-6 subject, and before acting upon any information or advice, should always seek to confirm the currency of that information, and the appropriateness to the situation in which they find themselves. www.acsebook.com www.acsbookshop.com As such, the publisher and author do not accept any liability for actions taken by the reader based upon their reading of this book. PAGE 4 > BACK TO CONTENTS PAGE ABOUT THE AUTHOR JOHN L. MASON Dip.Hort.Sc., Sup’n Cert., FIOH, FPLA, MAIH, MACHPER, MASA Mr Mason has had over 35 years experience in the fields of Horticulture, Recreation, Education and Journalism. He has extensive experience both as a public servant, and as a small business owner. John has held positions ranging from Director of Parks and Recreation (City of Essendon) to magazine editor. John is a well respected member of many professional associations, and author of over thirty five books and of over two thousand magazine articles. Even today, John continues to write books for various publishers including Simon and Shuster, and Landlinks Press (CSIRO Publishing). The author, John Mason, at Monet’s Garden in Giverny outside Paris. PAGE 5 > BACK TO CONTENTS PAGE CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION Conifers are an ancient group of plants, which were the The great thing about conifers is they dominant species when the world’s climate was colder. The look good all year round. Most of them range of modern conifers is diverse, with cultivars to suit to virtually all types of climates and environments. are grown for foliage, and in general, Even though there are more varieties to suit cold or temperate foliage remains the same pretty well climates, there are still plenty of conifers also which grow in all year. Unlike other trees and shrubs, hotter areas (hot dry or even wet tropics). you do not have a month of attractive CLASSIFICATION OF CONIFERS fl owers, followed by an obscure plant There are several ways of classifying plants. Different texts that the remainder of the year. A brilliant you read will classify conifers in different manners, particularly blue of gold foliage conifer will be blue in terms of the higher or uppermost levels. There appears to be much greater consistency between the different systems at or gold month in, month out. the lower levels of classifi cation (i.e. family, genus & species). There are many features which attract people to conifers. In many texts, particularly older ones, conifers are classifi ed Chemicals in their foliage tend to deter many pests from in a plant division called the “Gymnospermae” which are attacking them and inhibit weed growth on the ground below. more commonly called the Gymnosperms. This term means The heady aroma of conifer foliage is unique and for many literally “naked seed’ and these plants are seed producing people it is attractive. plants where the seeds are not enclosed in an ovary. The most familiar sub-group of the gymnosperms are the conifers. Many conifer varieties are slow growing. While some see This classifi cation refers to the way in which conifer species this as a disadvantage, it can also be an advantage. Once produce ovules (which will become seeds once fertilized) as a conifer garden is established, the slower growth generally exposed immature cones or fl owers. Other gymnosperms means the effect remains stable. Unlike fast growing shrubs, include cycads and the Gingko. conifers are less likely to become shabby and overgrown, and require much less frequent pruning. In more recent times the gymnosperms have commonly been split into four separate plant divisions as follows (although the general term gymnosperms is still commonly used as a collective for these four divisions): Kingdom Plantae (The Plant Kingdom) SUB KINGDOM DIVISION Bryophytes Bryophyta (bryophytes) Vascular Plants Seedless Psilophyta (psilopods) vascular plants Lycophyta (lycopods) Spenophyta (horsetails) Pterophyta (ferns) Seed Plants Cycadophyta (cycads) Ginkophyta (gingko) Coniferophyta (conifers) Gnetophyta (gnetophytes) Anthophyta (angiosperms) Class Dicotyledones Class Monocotyledones Callitris collumellaris PAGE 6 > BACK TO CONTENTS PAGE Cycadophyta CONIFER FAMILIES & GENERA These are the cycads. Cycads have an appearance like Araucariaceae palms, but unlike palms they do not fl ower. They have sluggish cambial growth, pinnately compound, palmlike or Evergreen trees & shrubs, from Sth Hemisphere, broad or fernlike leaves, and they produce a cone in the centre of needle-like foliage. Two genera in this family: Agathis, Araucaria their crown (not unlike a conifer cone). Cycads are mainly subtropical southern hemisphere plants, though there are Cephalotaxaceae some which come from other areas. There are about 10 Evergreen trees or shrubs with narrow, erect, evergreen leaves, genera and about 100 species. similar to Taxus. One genus in this family: Cephalotaxus Gingkophyta Cupressaceae Containing only one species (Gingko biloba), which has Usually heavily branching plants, trees or shrubs, upright considerable cambial growth, fan-shaped leaves, ovules and or spreading, leaves in whorls or 3 (occasionally 4). Genera seeds exposed, with the seed coats fl eshy. This species is in this family include: Actinostrobus, Callitris, Calocedrus commonly included loosely as a conifer in many gardening texts. (Incense Cedar), Chamaecyparis, Cupressus, Diselma, Fitzroya, Fokienia, Juniperus, Libocedrus, Microbiota, Neocallitropsis, Papuacedrus, Sabina, Tetraclinis, Thuja, Thujopsis, Widdringtonia Ephedraceae Shrubs, twiggy growth with sparse foliage. One genus in this family: Ephedra Pinaceae Mainly trees, occasionally shrubs, usually with needle like foliage, from Northern hemisphere. Genera in this family include: Abies, Cathaya, Cedrus, Keteleeria, Larix, Picea, Pinus, Pseudotsuga, Pseudolarix, Tsuga Ginkgo biloba Gnetophyta This is an isolated group of plants of three genera: Gnetum, Ephedra and Welwitschia which contain about 70 species. They are not commonly grown. Coniferophyta These are the conifers. Most are trees, and most are from cooler climates, however there are also some tropical species. They have active cambial growth and simple leaves. There are about 50 genera and 550 species (plus thousands Larix decidua (European Larch) of cultivars). PAGE 7 > BACK TO CONTENTS PAGE Podocarpaceae SOIL Evergreen trees & shrubs; flattened, scale or needle-like Conifers prefer most well drained fertile soils. Excessively foliage. Genera in this family include: Acmopyle, Dacrydium, sandy or clay soils are generally not liked by most. Microcachrys, Microstrobos, Phyllocladus, Podocarpus If establishing conifers on clay based soil it is important to Taxaceae raise the level of soil, by either importing fresh soil onto your property or by adding bulk to the existing soil (i.e. adding Genera in this family include: Amentotaxus, Austrotaxus, compost). Both methods should treat the existing soil first Pseudotaxus, Taxus, Torreya with gypsum powder to be dug into the clay or a liquid solution