Landscaping with Conifers and Ginkgo for the Southeast

by Tom Cox, John M. Ruter

Overview

A first among conifer and ginkgo guides

“Landscape selection of conifers and their cultivars for the Southeastern U.S. is now made easier. This is a guide every conifer-seeking gardener and landscaper in the region will want to consult.”—Ronald W. Lance, author of Woody Plants of the Southeastern United States: A Winter Guide

“Bravo! We finally have a reference suitable for conifer enthusiasts in the southern United States that explores not just the common conifers found in nurseries and landscapes but also introduces a plethora of species and varieties rarely encountered in the South and deserving greater use.”—Dave Creech, Director, Stephen F. Austin Gardens

“A good guide to what conifers may be used in the home landscape and any requirements necessary for their success.”—Don Howse, Porterhowse Farms

Conifers are among the most beautiful and versatile of all landscape plants, offering year-round variety of color, form, and texture. They remain underutilized in the South, in part because of the common misconception that they are not adaptable to the climate. Laying such claims to rest, this book introduces readers to conifers that grow successfully in southern landscapes.
         
Gardeners in the South traditionally have relied on the mass of spectacular spring blooms as the mainstay of their landscapes. However, with the addition of conifers or cultivars of the genus ginkgo, homeowners can enjoy twelve months of low maintenance color. Tom Cox and John Ruter present a variety of conifers that grow from Virginia to Florida to Texas. They provide tips on growing, pruning, preventing disease and pest problems, and on proper selection and cultivation requirements—all unique to the Southeast.
         
In short, this guide includes essential information about what to buy, where to plant it, and how to maintain it. It also offers advice on what to expect from mature conifers and ginkgo while suggesting genera and species that have proved adaptable and cultivars that have performed well in the southeastern United States. Landscaping with Conifers and Ginkgo for the Southeast is a compilation of years of research and horticulture experience that will aid anyone, whether novice or professional, in creating beautiful year-round landscapes.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780813042480
Publisher:	University Press of Florida
Publication date:	04/16/2013
Pages:	288
Sales rank:	456,625
Product dimensions:	9.10(w) x 6.10(h) x 0.70(d)

About the Author

Tom Cox, past president of the American Conifer Society, is the founder and owner of Cox Arboretum and Gardens in Canton, Georgia. John M. Ruter,Allan M. Armitage Endowed Professor of Horticulture at The University of Georgia, is a teacher, ornamental plant breeder, and has authored or coauthored over 400 publications and two books.

Table of Contents

1 Introduction 1

2 Cultural Practices 7

Planting 7

Fertilizing 8

Mulching 9

Watering 9

Weeding 10

Planting Time 10

Transplanting 10

Containers 11

Pruning 12

Soils and the Southern Climate 16

Conifers and the Southern Climate 17

Rootstock Selection 19

3 Insect Pests 22

4 Disease Problems 30

5 Conifers and Ginkgo and Their Cultivars 40

Abies 40

Araucaria 45

Calocedrus 47

Cathaya 52

Cedrus 53

Cephalotaxus 62

Chamaecyparis 68

Cryptomeria 82

Cunninghamia 94

Cupressus 99

Fokienia 111

Ginkgo 113

Glyptostrobus 120

Juniperus 122

Keteleeria 148

Metasequoia 151

Microbiota 155

Nageia 156

Picea 157

Pinus 177

Platycladus 206

Podocarpus 209

Pseudolarix 210

Pseudotsuga 212

Sciadopitys 215

Sequoia 219

Taiwania 222

Taxodium 224

Taxus 236

Thuja 239

Thujopsis 248

Torreya 249

Tsuga 251

Wollemia 256

Appendix 1 AHS Heat Zone Map 259

Appendix 2 USDA Hardiness Zone Map for the South 260

Appendix 3 Conifer Sizes 261

Appendix 4 Conifer and Ginkgo Selection Based on Landscape Application 263

Appendix 5 Nursery Sources and Conifer Gardens in the South 265

Appendix 6 Growth Data for Conifers in Tifton, Georgia 271

Acknowledgments 275

Sources 277

Index 281