Conifers in the garden – conifer species & care instructions

As a rule, native plants and trees grow best in our gardens. They have learned to adapt for a long time, can handle the summers and winters, and most soils too. If something does not fit on the substrate, it can be made to fit. The speed of growth is also important so that you know how quickly such a tree will grow. The final size to be expected is often decisive for the purchase, or at least it should be. In many gardens, however, you can see enormous trees that darken half of the garden and the house and in the shade of which nothing grows. Planning was wrong here. You can be blinded by the size of your purchase and forget how quickly such a tree can grow over the roof of the house. So that the house, pipes, paths and fences are not damaged, the type and size of the root must also be known. Pavement and terrace slabs are quickly raised or underground house lines are damaged because no one has thought of the size of the tree roots. Ultimately, the location also has to be right. Some conifers need sun, at least a lot of light and if possible from all sides, some can cope with partial shade and some even with shade. The trees cannot thrive under the wrong conditions. So there is a lot to think about before you bring one or even several conifers into your garden. The trees cannot thrive in the wrong conditions. So there is a lot to think about before you bring one or even several conifers into your garden. The trees cannot thrive under the wrong conditions. So there is a lot to think about before you bring one or even several conifers into your garden.

Native conifers

• Fir – 51 species – native to us silver fir
• Spruce – about 40 species – Norway spruce – also called red spruce and Serbian spruce
• Pine – Scots pine
• larch
• Eibe
• Cypress family – over 100 species – thuja, juniper and sequoia

Slow growing conifers

• Eibe
• Korea-Tanne
• Noble-Tanne
• Nordmann-Tanne
• Grannen-Kiefer

Fast growing conifers

• Scots pine
• Norway spruce
• larch
• Weymouthskiefer
• Atlas cedar
• Conifers
• Leyland cypress
• Thuja

Small trees (2 to 8 m) can also grow as large shrubs

• Sugar loaf spruce
• Korea-Tanne
• Blue white pine
• Pillar tree of life
• Emerald tree of life
• Columnar juniper
• Umbrella fir
• Yellow false cypress
• Snakeskin jaw
• Lawson’s cypress
• Ball false cypress

Medium-sized conifers (10 to 15 m)

• Jewelry fir tree
• Common yew
• Occidental tree of life
• Pines (e.g. mountain pine)
• Spruce (e.g. blue spruce)
• Himalayan cedar
• Japanese yew
• Canadian Helmlock Fir

Large trees (over 20m)

• Fir trees
• Redwoodtree
• European larch
• Blaue Atlas
• Spruce (e.g. Norway spruce)
• Pines (e.g. black pine)
• Nordmann-Tanne
• Douglasie

Deep-rooted conifers

• Eibe
• Kiefer
• larch
• Tanne
• juniper
• Zeder

Shallow-rooted conifers

• Fichte
• Thuja

Root types

• Heart root – larch
• Taproot – Pine and Fir
• Vertical roots – spruce and Swiss stone pine

light faded

• Sun – pine and larch
• Partial shade – spruce and fir
• Shade – yew

Care of the most widely used conifers 

Although many gardens are now very small, numerous conifers are still planted in them. Above all, spruce, fir, pine, yew and cypress trees are often seen, also in front gardens, where they overgrow everything after a few years and the windows no longer get any light. The size of the trees is often underestimated when buying, you only see that the tree is evergreen and therefore offers a beautiful sight all year round. After 15 to 20 years at the latest, many homeowners have a problem with their house tree. It provides so much shade, disturbs the neighbors and prevents anything in the garden from blooming or the lawn from growing. It is important to choose the right trees, especially conifers, right from the start. Deciduous trees can usually be pruned, with conifers, with a few exceptions, things are different.

Yew (Taxus)
Yew trees are an exception. They are easy to cut and also sprout from old wood. This means they can be kept at any height. There are different types of yew. The common yew is the only European species. It tolerates pruning excellently and grows very densely. It is often used as a hedge plant or for topiary cuts. If the green of the needles is too gloomy for you, you can try Taxus ‘Fastigiata Aurea’. This has yellow-green needles.

Yew trees can become large trees, 15 m and more are not uncommon. However, they are usually kept smaller by cutting. Their needles are soft, dark green at the top and a little lighter at the bottom. The trees bloom in May. Small, bright red berries develop later. These are poisonous! Yew trees can live to be very old, hundreds and even thousands of years.

• Sunny to shady location, where bright sun is not so cheap
• Plants in spring or autumn
• Slightly calcareous and nutrient-rich soil
• Enrich sandy soils with compost
• Water weekly from April to August
• The sunnier, the more water
• Fertilize with compost in the spring
• Cut twice a year if possible, at least as long as height growth is desired
• Also sprouts out of old wood – rarely in conifers
• Well hardy, but needs water when it is dry
• Propagation – cuttings and seeds

Silver fir
The silver fir is also called the queen of conifers. In good locations, the trees can reach heights of up to 50 m and can also be several hundred years old. Silver firs grow very regularly branched and look very harmonious in terms of growth. The cones stand upright, which makes the trees easy to distinguish from spruce trees. Silver firs have the deepest roots under the conifers, it is not uncommon for them to smell 3 m. They also take up a lot of space in width, far beyond the crown diameter, up to 10 m. Not really anything grows there. The needles of silver fir are glossy dark green on the top and simple green on the underside. Flowers appear after about 30 years, and so do cones. These do not fall down as they do with spruces and pines, but literally dissolve.

• Light location
• In order to grow evenly, they need light from all sides
• In addition, space must be planned, also on all sides
• Do not sit too close to houses, trees and hedges
• Plant in autumn
• Thrive on loose, deep and fertile soils
• Like a high level of humidity, so cheap near water
• Sensitive to dry soil
• Must also be watered in winter
• Well frost hardy, but endangered by late frost when young
• Propagation by sowing – cold germs
• Do not cut, otherwise the tree will lose its uniform growth
• Also no longer sprouts out of old wood

Blue spruce
The blue spruce is often referred to as the blue spruce, but this is not entirely correct. Popular as a Christmas tree, it is also often planted in the garden. Blue spruces are quite undemanding and frugal. They can reach a height of 30 m. Alternatively, there are dwarf forms that are much better suited for the home garden. Blue needle and slender conifers are also available. The spiky, square needles are blue in color, which is what makes this tree so unique. Blue spruces are shallow roots. Free-standing specimens are usually branched to close to the ground, which is rather rare in conifers. The cones hang

• Sunny location, preferably all around
• Sufficient space on all sides
• Annual growth 25 to 60 cm
• Humous, sandy, if possible nutrient-rich loam soil
• Water regularly, especially until it grows
• However, does not like waterlogging
• Fertilization with complete fertilizer
• Absolutely frost tolerant
• Propagation through grafting
• Start young plants so that they grow straight
• Cut not necessary
• Often attacked by sitka spruce lice – spraying is necessary

Norway spruce
Our native spruce is also called red fir, although it does not belong to the fir trees. Due to the reddish bark, the tree can be easily distinguished from the very similar silver fir. Spruces grow up to 40 m tall and hundreds of years old. The cones hang down, which is also a typical feature of the tree. The needles are pointed and run around the branch. The conical growth form and the very flexible branches are typical. The spruce is a shallow root, which is why it is also susceptible to wind. If the soil is optimal, however, it also forms additional sinker roots that provide more support. Spruces are easier to care for than firs, but have higher demands on soil and location.

• Sunny to partially shaded location
• It is best to have even light from all sides
• Plants in autumn
• Well-ventilated, not too dry soil
• Water young and newly planted trees regularly
• Otherwise only during longer dry periods
• Pay attention to magnesium and potassium in the soil
• Fertilize if necessary
• Doesn’t need a cut
• A cut is only unavoidable when training hedges
• Sufficiently hardy
• Not endangered by snow breakage due to the flexible branches

Pine
Scots pines are not so often planted in gardens because they make a lot of “dirt”. The long needles and tenons make a lot of work. The trees can be up to 35 m high and centuries old, up to 1,000 years. They form large roots, deep or wide, depending on the nature of the soil. Smaller pines are better, such as the dwarf pines or the up to 6 m high and therefore manageable mountain pines. They are ideal for heather gardens. Certain types of pine are also good for Japanese gardens. What is common to all of them, they do not like shadows. Nor should they be planted in the shadow of a house or other trees, which will grow crooked and not develop evenly in all directions. There is the right pine for every type and size of garden.

• Fully sunny location with light from all sides
• Plants between the beginning of autumn and spring
• Nutrient-rich, not too moist soil
• Requires plenty of water
• Fertilizing with special fertilizer for conifers
• Mulching all year round
• Cannot take a strong cut
• In dwarf forms, break out fresh shoots regularly
• If it grows too quickly, cut the annual shoot by half to 2/3 in July
• As a result, the tree changes its growth and branches out more strongly
• It can happen that it then has to be cut annually
• Propagate by sowing

Thuja – Tree of Life Thuja are
particularly popular as an evergreen, fast-growing hedge. There are different varieties, which differ mainly in their colors. Most trees of life, as they are often called, are extremely undemanding, robust and adaptable. Thuja as a hedge plant must be cut regularly, otherwise not enough light comes into the interior of the wood and there the needles turn brown and fall off over time. The thuja is balding. You can see that from the outside and the stupid thing is, you can’t save anything even by cutting, because the plants no longer sprout from old wood. Branch tips, wood and cones are highly poisonous. Contact can lead to skin irritation. It is best to wear gloves when cutting.

• Location in full sun, maximum partial shade, but always as bright as possible
• Water-permeable soil, enriched with peat waste and compost
• Plant early in spring (March / April) or late summer (August / September)
• Planting distance for hedges is 50 cm
• Mulch the soil so that it doesn’t dry out.
• Water regularly, especially in the first year after planting
• They don’t need a lot of water later on, but they just grow better when they get some
• Provide sufficient nutrients two to three times a year
• Use organic-mineral coniferous fertilizer
• From August no more nitrogen fertilizers
• Regular pruning is required for dense growth
• Cut in spring before budding begins
• Don’t cut too deep
• No longer sprouts from old wood
• Propagation by sowing or cuttings – both of which are not easy

Frequently asked questions

What are the most popular evergreen conifers for the garden?
It’s a matter of opinion. For me, the yew tree is number one and during my research I found that it is similar for many plant lovers. The yew tree is simply extremely adaptable. One species or variety is suitable for every location and every substrate. In addition, it can be brought into any shape and still needs little cutting. The best thing is that they sprout from old wood. The only negative point – the toxicity. The fruits in particular are dangerous. They entice children to snack. Alternatively, only male plants can be used. They don’t make berries. There are special varieties where the gender can be recognized in good time. Number two according to many statistics is the jaw. However, the large trees are not popular here, but rather the smaller types and varieties. The variety is great, so that second place can be accepted. The cypress trees are in 3rd place. They are really nice to look at, but unfortunately they are not that hardy and therefore not suitable for every location. Not so beautiful, but notorious for their fast growth, their robustness and ease of care, trees of life are in 4th place.

Can you cut conifers in your own garden without a permit if they have grown too big?
That depends on the tree protection statute of the municipality or the state. Information about local tree protection statutes can be obtained from the local authorities, i.e. the local gardening office or the public order office or the nature conservation office of the district authority.