Many species of conifers have dwarf forms. Pines, firs, yews, cypresses and spruces all have low growing mounding and spreading forms that work well as shrubs and in spaces in the garden that can’t accommodate tall trees. The following photos, taken at the Oregon Garden show some dwarf conifer varieties appropriate for home landscapes.

A dwarf spreading variety of the Norway spruce: (Picea abies ‘Pumila Nigra’).

This is a dwarf rounded form of the Sitka spruce called ‘Pappoose’ (Picea sitchensis ‘Pappoose’). This variety grows slowly to about 6 to 8 feet tall and wide, but the wild species form grows along the Pacific Northwest coast and can grow over 100 feet in height.

This low conifer is called blue spreading noble fir (Abies procera ‘Glauca Prostrata’).

Another low fir, a dwarf Korean fir, (Abies koreana ‘Green Carpet’). This is one of my favorite low conifers. It is a tough shrub growing 3 to 4 feet high and spreading out about 8 to 10 feet. The soft green, finely textured foliage makes a good substitute for other common, overly used conifers such as tam junipers.

‘Snow’ sawara false cypress, also known as threadbranch cypress (Chamaecyparis pisifera ‘Snow’)

‘Lemon Thread’ sawara false cypress (Chamecyparis pisifera ‘Lemon Thread’)

This low spreading conifer, Podocarpus alpinus ‘Blue Gem’ is from the highlands of southern Australia and the island of Tasmania.