Conifers: A Gardener’s Guide

It’s almost one of the most wonderful times of the year (though, we’re also partial to Spring) and you cannot wait to get your hands on a new evergreen to call your very own living Christmas tree for the next how many years. But wait...where are the Fraser firs? Why do all these Blue Spruces look the same but have different names? You’re telling me that Charlie Brown Christmas tree is an evergreen conifer?  

Take a deep breath. This is where the fun begins because what most people know about conifers or ‘Christmas trees’ is sometimes misconstrued. And here, we’re going to set the record straight, answer some burning questions, and maybe equip you with some new knowledge that will not only help you decide if a conifer is right for you, but to also make you an even better gardener. 

What is a Conifer? Can’t You Just Say Christmas Tree? 

Ah-ha, every conifer a Christmas tree does not make, my friend. Unless you really enjoy a truly wonky, Dr. Suess-looking tree, then by all means we will certainly not ick your yuck! Knowing what is and what isn’t a conifer is extremely helpful for every gardener, especially when you realize that some very common plants you might own now are technically conifers! 

A conifer is a woody, cone-bearing tree or shrub with needle or scale-like leaves that are usually (but not always!) evergreen. And if you want a fancy ten-dollar word to describe the bigger umbrella conifers are under, they help form the clade known as Gymnosperms, which means ‘naked seed’ i.e. the cute little cones! They make up some of the oldest plants in the world, and there are a known 600 species with an even greater number of cultivars, giving you lots of options for your living Christmas tree, eh? 

A lot of what we would consider Christmas trees are in fact conifers! Think, firs, spruce, cedars, and pines—the obvious conifers with their evergreen needles, cones, and pyramid-like growth habits. But did you know most arborvitaes are conifers? And yews, cypresses, redwoods, and most junipers are also conifers as well! 

But a conifer is not always evergreen, despite what appearances say! The popular dawn redwood and bald cypress are deciduous conifers, as these two plants lose their needles in the fall. Imagine you didn’t know your beautiful dawn redwood or bald cypress wasn’t evergreen and it started shedding its needles come November, you would certainly be thinking your poor plant had an issue! But don’t worry, there are only a few conifers that are not evergreen, when it comes to losing foliage with actual evergreen conifers though... 

Be Prepared—Common Issues for Conifers 

I think we’ve all been there when we’ve seen a rather scrappy looking blue spruce before with its rather silly-looking shape and balding lower half. We wouldn’t lie and say there are no issues you can run into, because there is a difference between user error (i.e. under-caring, underwatering, wrong location) and environmental effects like humidity, drought, and the like which can lead to issues within the plant itself.  

In our zone here, the biggest factor we must think about is in fact humidity, which can breed a whole host of fungal diseases if you don’t take preventative care or treat it right away. Common fungal diseases like needle-cast (which does exactly what it says on the tin) can cause conifers to shed their needles until they are bald and misshapen. And conifers do not regrow lower branches or needles; they follow the leader at the top of the tree and don’t look back! So once those needles are gone, unfortunately, they’re really gone for good. 

Scale is the other thing to look out for—no not the thing in your bathroom, but tiny little bugs that can cause your conifer to go from healthy to very, very unhappy if you’re not careful. These little pests can cause the plant’s needles to turn to a sickly yellow and will ultimately kill the plant if not handled correctly. 

Luckily, with just a little effort once or twice a year, you can prevent things like scale, needle-cast and other common issues. We suggest purchasing an insecticide and fungicide compatible with conifers and creating a yearly reminder to yourself to spray sometime between March and April before the new growth really starts pushing out! Doing this simple task once a year can make a huge difference in not only the health of your tree, but the appearance as well, so you don’t end up with a stick in the ground! 

Why Can’t I Buy (Insert Popular Christmas Tree Here)? 

It’s not that you can’t buy it—it’s just that there are other factors to think of that might caution you against buying it. 

 Why are people often discouraged to buy a Fraser fir or Balsam fir to plant in their own yard? We caution not against planting these trees, as they are endangered and native to our region, but against expectation. As with anything, what you put in is what you get out and why on earth does my Fraser fir look nothing like the beautiful ones at the Christmas tree farms? Because, for Christmas tree farms, caring for these plants is their life and livelihood; they have regular soil and disease checks, spray programs to prevent disease and infestation, and have been doing it for decades.  

So, unless you plan on treating your more delicate and susceptible conifer like a professional Christmas tree growing, we would suggest choosing a hardier variety like a Black Hills Spruce for a 1:1 Christmas tree look to a Fraser Fir or any number of Blue Spruces that are equally as delightful but do not require such painstaking care. 

What Makes a Happy Conifer? 

Like any other plant, conifers require a good location, good soil, and good watering—but there are several other things to check for before spending your money! 

In our zone, conifers need FULL sun, like, 6+ hours of sun if you can manage it. This is what makes those needles the brightest and shiniest, especially when it comes to Blue Spruces, which turn the prettiest steely-blue shade when they are happiest. 

It’s always a good idea to amend the soil before planting any plant, so we suggest Daddy Pete’s Plant Pleaser Planting Mix and some compost for giving those roots the best conditions to dig into!  

Watering depends on the time of year! Our rule of thumb is, for Spring and Fall, to water every 1-2 days for two weeks, then every 3-4 days for the next two weeks, and then every 3-4 days after the first month has passed. For Late Fall and Winter, water every 2-3 days for the first two weeks, then every 3-5 days for the next two weeks, and then every 7 days after the first month. But always make sure to water deeply ahead of freezing temperatures to help protect the plant and its root system.* 

*Always check the root system to verify the actual needs of the plant. Water demand will vary by type and size. In general, plants need roughly 1 gallon of water/foot of height of plant. Most garden hoses deliver 1 gallon of water in about 20 seconds.