You’re probably familiar with conifers like loblolly, slash, and long and shortleaf pines, but there are other, lesser known conifers that make great plants for the home landscape.
One of the things that makes them great is that most conifers are evergreen, like this juniper, also known as Eastern Red Cedar. Junipers tolerate cold, heat, and drought and are among our most versatile plants. They’re grown as upright trees, as shrubs, and as groundcovers.
The Leyland cypress is perhaps the most popular landscape conifer and is great growing alone or in groups.
But if you like blue. consider the Arizona cypress. They are among the most picturesque in the Southern landscape.
Conifers like this Chamaecyparis crippsii and this golden thread give a golden color to the landscape.
Another under used evergreen to consider is the Japanese cedar or cryptomeria.
And conifers do include pine trees, which have an important place in the landscape, because they protect colorful understory plants like the dogwood, redbud and azalea.
If your landscape looks a little barren this winter, it may be in need of some evergreen plants, and you can hardly do better than conifers. I’m Norman Winter for Southern Gardening.