I planted this Pinus sylvestris 'Gold Coin' last summer and would like to add a few more conifers with this trait. I think I've got enough space to have five or so without it looking too gaudy. I much prefer a conifer with this trait than one that is gold all year. I've got some of those as well, but it's very easy to over do it with the gold. Besides, dead of winter is when having some bright color lightens the load a bit. Any suggestions?
I have p. sylvestris Moseri, which is gold in winter. It remains dwarf. Mine is nice and full; I like it. I'd post a picture, but I'm out of town. I have some really vivid thuja cultivars which are bright gold in winter, but I'm not sure what cultivar - they've been in the ground 15yrs or longer and are pretty big, maybe 8-10ft tall. Nice golden fans of foliage. But I'm not sure they're hardy for you.
What, you can overdo gold? Look at this collection from Conifer Kingdom...they're all gorgeous!
https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.480860025294601.102019.426615314052406&type=1
Sure you could add the odd green to break it up and give your eyes a rest...lol!
chief joseph is the brightest one I have, and from conifer kingdom. Right now it is buried under 4' of snow with more to come in the next few days.
Wha, that's not very timely to show off some fine winter color, what happened to global warming? When you find it, I want some too.
'Chief Joseph' seems to be the holy grail for winter gold, but I get the feeling it's one of those diva plants that many try, but few succeed. Some clones are just weak plants and not worth growing IMHO. I was not familiar with P. densiflora 'Aurea' or P. Mugo 'carstens', but they are a couple definitely worth taking a closer look at. Thank you.
If you're thinking about Pinus sylvestris, I didn't expect to like 'Bennett's OD' as much as I do like my little tree (also completely covered right now along with just about everything). Since it is variegated, I think it might make a nice contrast without saying," Hey I'm green." I have to admit, I'm a person who has to make an effort to grow the white pines until they are established.
This message was edited Feb 8, 2015 8:22 PM
Hmm, I was recommending p. sylvestris Moseri; I'm now back home and can post a picture. But I'm disappointed that the only picture I can find doesn't show him looking very gold.
He stays small and has full bushy habit. He's only about 3ft tall after 15yrs.
I have tried Chief Joseph, but he mercifully opted out after a couple tortured years.
did not realize that folks had issues with chief joe - hope my luck is better.
Three feet after 15 years? That is a slow grower! Weerobin, it doesn't look too bad. Maybe a little sparse at the bottom, but full on top. It's wearing a nice little snow cap.
Chief Joseph is one of those plants that collectors can't resist, but I've read so many posts over the years about how it has failed. Wha, maybe yours will beat the odds and grow on to become something special. Good luck with it.
Rosemary, are you getting blasted with more snow? We have not had any significant snow fall in about a month. Now that I've said that, we're likely to get dumped on.
I'm not familiar with the Bennett's OD and will have to check it out. Where did you find it?
http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/go/136080/
That's Bennett's OD, which is actually a p. strobus. I bought it last year from Conifer Kingdom under their intermediate growing category. However I've seen some listings that think it grows pretty tall, though I expect it to hover closer to seven feet eventually. Seemed only right to have one oculis draconis specimen so I chose a native species.
We are truly buried in snow in the northeast, easily over three feet without even counting the drifts, here in the 128 belt area. The latest snow deposit has stalled the mass transit system, and public parking lots can't be cleared for tomorrow. An arctic cold air blast is also returning. Thurs and Friday promise another little inch each day. So you could say there've been some snowstorms.
I forgot about another winter-gold pine I have, but I'll need someone's help identifying it.
It's a two needled pine. Though I know there are probably many, I suspect it's either a mugo or sylvestris. Of course I can't find the tag. It's a very bright gold in winter, but extremely slow grower. Only about 8 inches tall after 4-5 years in the ground. I posted a sort-of close up (as close as my cell phone will allow) if anyone knows how to distinguish between a mugo and sylvestris. I wish I had a dark green backdrop to show how bright it is, since the pictures don't show it very well. Though it's little, it certainly stands out in the otherwise dreary winter landscape.
Pinus mugo holds sets of needles for five or more years - a reason that plant looks so dense.
Pinus sylvestris holds its sets of needles for 2-4 years - a reason I've always thought that species looks so threadbare.
I can't tell from your images where annual growth begins/ends, but you probably can upon closer inspection.
As always, thanks for your pics Wee. I love your dwarf Pinus mugo, a real gem.
Weerobin, is that a stream or ribbon of asphalt in the background? Anyhow, that is a conifer of gold to behold. Could it be Pot of Gold...or something like that?
I do not have a Dragon's Eye Pine, nor did I know there was a P. strobes version. I'll have to check that out.
Threadbare seems a little harsh, but I know what you mean. I've been in eastern Iowa this week and have seen a few amazing Scot's Pines. They must have been commonly planted on farmsteads back in the day, because they have a grandeur (sp?) about them. Just a beautiful pine in that good Iowa soil.
Alas, nothing as prosaic as a stream. Just my driveway...
