CONIFERS SUITABLE FOR SOUTHEAST TEXAS
A. Easy
- Calocedrus formosana (Taiwan Incense Cedar) – ok so far ; no problems with Cercospora so far (unlike Calocedrus decurrens)
- Calocedrus macrolepis (Chinese Incense Cedar) – ok so far; no problem with Cercospora so far (unlike C. decurrens)
- Cedrus brevifolia (Cypress Cedar) – ok so far
- Cedrus deodora (Deodar Cedar) – ok so far ; rapid grower
- Cedrus deodara – in September 2008 hurricane Ike snapped off the top 3/4 of this tree
- Cephalotaxus fortunei (Fortune Plum Yew) – ok so far
- Cephalotaxus harringtonia ‘Fastigiata’ (Japanese Plum Yew)– ok so far
- Cephalotaxus sinensis (Chinese Plum Yew) – ok so far
- Chamaecyparis obtusa (Hinoki Cypress) – a southern Japanese False Cypress; Beautiful!
- Chamaecyparis pisifera (Sawara Cypress) – a southern Japanese False Cypress; Beautiful!
- Chamaecyparis thyoides (White Cypress) – weak tree that breaks in strong winds; not drought resilient
- Cryptomeria japonica ‘Ben Franklin’ (Japanese Cedar) – our best Cryptomeria (beautiful tree)
- Cunninghamia konishii (Taiwan Cunninghamia) – 50% survival; C. lanceolata probably superior
- Cunninghamia lanceolata (China Fir) – a beautiful prickly tree that does very well here
- Cunninghamia unicaniculata (Chinese Fir) – ok so far
- Cupressus abramsiana (Santa Cruz Cypress) – small indigenous area near Santa Cruz CA; fire endangered
- Cupressus assamica (Indian Cypress) – ok so far ; exact classification is confused
- Cupressus atlantica (Moroccan Cypress) – heat challenged
- Cupressus chengiana (Cheng Cypress) – doing well; beautiful!
- Cupressus forbesii (Tecate Cypress) – ok so far
- Cupressus funebris (Chinese Weeping Cypress) – possibly the best adapted cypress for east Texas
- Cupressus glabra (Smooth Cypress) – needlecast problems; getting by
- Cupressus sempervirens (Italian Cypress) – some have needlecast
- Glyptostrobus pensilis (Chinese Swamp Cypress) – plant this at water’s edge
- Juniperus asheii (Ashe Juniper) – doing very well; indigenous west of here
- Juniperus deppeana (Alligator Juniper) – ok so far
- Juniperus flaccida (Mexican Weeping Juniper) – ok so far
- Juniperus foetidissima (Stinking Juniper) – ok so far
- Juniperus monosperma (One-Seed Juniper) – ok so far
- Juniperus occidentalis (Western Juniper) – ok so far
- Juniperus osteosperma (Utah Juniper) – ok so far
- Juniperus oxycedrus (Prickly Juniper) – ok so far
- Juniperus pinchotii (Pinchot Juniper) – ok so far
- Juniperus procumbens ‘Green Mound’ (Bonin Isles Juniper)
- Juniperus procumbens ‘Nana’ (Bonin Isles Juniper)
- Juniperus scopulorum (Rocky Mountain Juniper)– ok so far
- Juniperus silicola (Southern Red Cedar) – indigenous east of here; doing very well
- Juniperus virginiana (Eastern Red Cedar) – indigenous in this area
- Keteeleria evelyniana (Evelyn Keteeleria) – from Southwest China; well adapted to east Texas
- Metasequoia glyptostroboides (Dawn Redwood) – from mid-west China; well adapted here
- Pinus attenuata (Knobcone Pine) – so far so good
- Pinus brutia var. stankewiczii (Crimian Pine) – ok so far
- Pinus densiflora (Japanese Red Pine) – ok so far
- Pinus echinata (Shortleaf Pine) – an indigenous pine species in this area
- Pinus elliotii (Slash Pine) – ok so far
- Pinus engelmannii (Apache Pine) – our one (very) successful western yellow pine (others die from Mycosphaerella needlecast)
- Pinus glabra (Spruce Pine) – indigenous east of here; a fine tree in east Texas
- Pinus greggii (Gregg’s Pine) – one of the few Mexican natives that are doing well here, some late mortality due to pitch canker
- Pinus greggii
- Pinus koraiensis (Korean Pine) – ok so far
- Pinus massoniana (Chinese Red Pine) – ok so far; a lovely Pine from southcentral China
- Pinus nigra (Austrian Pine) – ok so far
- Pinus palustris (Longleaf Pine) – an indigenous pine species in this area; susceptible to strong winds
- Pinus pinea (Stone Pine) – the umbrella pine from the Mediterranean area; an excellent tree here
- Pinus pungens (Table Mountain Pine) – ok so far
- Pinus rigida (Pitch Pine) – ok so far
- Pinus serotina (Pond Pine) – ok so far
- Pinus strobiformis (Southwestern White Pine) – early mortality but the survivors are doing well
- Pinus strobus (Eastern White Pine) – ok so far; doing surprisingly well in east Texas but having a more compact habit and shorter needles than in its native area
- Pinus tabuliformis (Chinese Red Pine) – ok so far
- Pinus taeda (Loblolly Pine) – a native species in this area
- Pinus taiwanensis (Taiwan Black Pine) – ok so far
- Pinus thunbergii (Japanese Black Pine) – ok so far
- Pinus virginiana (Virginia Pine) – ok so far
- Pinus wallichiana (Himalayan White Pine) – ok so far; we are suspicious of the true identity of some of these (shorter needles than typical wallichiana)
- Platycladus orientalis (Biota) – ok so far; beautiful tree!
- Podocarpus macrophyllus (Yew Pine) – the best adapted Podocarp for east Texas
- Podocarpus totara (Totara) –a dwarf bush in east Texas (a magnificent giant in New Zealand)
- Sequoia sempervirens (Coastal Redwood) – does well in the perfect site (not too wet, not too dry); ‘Soquel’ may prove superior to other cultivars
- Sequoia sempervirens
- Taiwania cryptomerioides (Taiwania) – ok so far; beautiful! (Be sure to water them)
- Taiwania flousiana (Coffin Tree) – ok so far; same as T. cryptomerioides which we like slightly more
- Taxodium ascendens (Pond Cypress) – excellent tree for a wet site; subspecies of T. distichum
- Taxodium distichum (Baldcypress) – a Texas native; wet site preferred
- Taxodium mucronatum (Montezuma Cypress) – native of Mexico and southern tip of Texas (Hildago and Cameron counties); wet site preferred
- Taxodium x ‘Nanjing Beauty’ (Taxodium mucronatum x distichum) – ok so far (2 years); wet site preferred
- Taxus baccata (English Yew) – ok so far
- Taxus cuspidata (Japanese Yew) – ok so far
- Thuja (standishii x plicata) (Arborvitae ‘Green Giant’) – ok so far (3 years); fast grower; don’t forget to water!
- Thuja occidentalis (Eastern Arborvitae) – ok so far ; generally a very adaptable tree
- Thuja plicata (Western Red Cedar) – ok so far; slow grower
- Torreya grandis (Chinese Nutmeg Tree) – ok so far
- Wollemia nobilis (Wollemi Pine)– definitely requires pampering (shade cloth, weed free, regular water)
- Zamia pumila (Coontie) – a cycad from Florida and the Caribbean; doing very well here
B. Not Easy
- Araucaria araucana (Monkey Puzzle Tree) – needs some pampering, but worth it if you like the ultimate prickly tree
- Callitris oblongata (Tasmanian Cypress Pine)
- Callitris oblongata
- Cedrus atlantica (Atlas Cedar) – possible but not recommended
- Cedrus libani (Cedar of Lebanon) – possible but not recommended
- Cephalotaxus harringtonia ‘Duke Gardens’ (Japanese Plum Yew)
- Cephalotaxus koreana (Korean Plum Yew)
- Chamaecyparis lawsoniana (Port-Orford-Cedar) – possible but not recommended
- Cryptomeria japonica (Japanese Cedar) – inferior to C. j. ‘Ben Franklin’
- Cupressus duclouxiana (Yunnan Cypress) – possible but not recommended; one of the least attractive cypress’s
- Cupressus lusitanica (Mexican Cyress) – needlecast problems
- Cupressus macrocarpa (Monterey Cypress) – needlecast problems
- Cupressus nootkatensis (Alaska Yellow Cedar) – requires protection from the sun
- Cupressus torulosa (West Himalayan Cypress) – susceptible to high winds; an attractive tree.
- Fokiena hodgsinii (Fokiena) – requires protection from the sun
- Ginkgo biloba (Ginkgo) – needs some pampering; regular water
- Halocarpus bidwillii (Tarwood)
- Juniperus chinensis (Chinese Juniper) – good initial growth but so far uniform late mortality
- Juniperus communis montana (Common Juniper)
- Juniperus squamata (Flaky Juniper) – difficult, maybe not impossible
- Keteeleria davidiana (Yellow-Twig Keteleeria) – requires pampering
- Pinus armandii (Chinese White Pine) – requires pampering; lovely tree
- Pinus clausa (Sand Pine) – possible but several problems including wind throw
- Pinus hartwegii (Mexican Red Pine) – high mortality rate but survivors may last
- Pinus hartwegii
- Pinus leiophylla (Smooth-Leaved Pine) – good initial growth but late mortality due to pitch canker
- Pinus montezumae(Montezuma Pine) – subject to sudden mortality due to prolonged hot spells
- Pinus patula (Mexican Weeping Pine) – initial growth ok but later inevitable pitch canker
- Pinus peuce (Macedonian Pine) – high mortality rate
- Pinus pinceana (Weeping Pinyon Pine) – high mortality rate
- Pinus resinosa (Red Pine) – high mortality rate
- Pinus roxburghii (Chir Pine) – does well until severe late spring freeze
- Pinus sylvestris (Scots Pine)
- Pinus torreyana (Torrey Pine) – needlecast problems
- Pinus yunnanensis (Yunnan Pine) – susceptible to severe freeze
- Podocarpus acutifolius (Needle-Leaved Totara)
- Podocarpus henkelii (Falcate Yellowwood)
- Pseudolarix amabilis (Golden Larch) – east Texas is too hot
- Pseudotsuga menziesii var. glauca (Rocky Mountain Douglas Fir) – east Texas is too hot
C. Not Recommended
- Abies (Firs)– nearly every species has failed (but we’re still trying)
- Actinostrobus pyramidalis (King George’s Cypress-Pine)
- Araucaria heterophylla (Norfolk Island Pine)
- Athrotaxis cupressoides (Tasmanian Pencil Pine)
- Athrotaxis laxifolia (Tasmanian Cedar)
- Austrocedrus chilensis (Chilean Incense Cedar)
- Callitris rhomboidea (Oyster Bay Pine)
- Calocedrus decurrens (Incense Cedar) – major problem with Cercospora needlecast
- Calocedrus decurrens
- Calocedrus rupestris (Vietnam Incense Cedar)
- Cupressus bakeri (Modoc Cypress)
- Cupressus cashmeriana (Kashmir Cypress) – needlecast
- Cupressus goveniana (Gowen Cypress) – needlecast
- Cupressus guadelupensis (Guadelupe Cypress) – needlecast
- Cupressus macnabiana (Macnab Cypress) – needlecast
- Cupressus nevadensis (Piute Cypress) – needlecast
- Cupressus sargentii (Sargent Cypress) – needlecast
- Cupressus stephansonii (Cuyamaca Cypress) – needlecast
- Dacrycarpus dacryoides (Kahikatea)
- Dacrydium cupressinum (Rimu)
- Diselma archeri (Diselma)
- Ephedra aspera (Boundary Ephedra)
- Ephedra fedtshenkoiEphedra minima (Dwarf Mormon Tea)
- Ephedra monosperma halda
- Fitzroya cupressoides (Patagonian Cypress)
- Juniperus communis ‘Hornibrooki’ (Common Juniper)
- Juniperus recurva (Himalayan Weeping Juniper)
- Lagarostrobus franklinii (Huon Pine)
- Larix decidua (European Larch)
- Larix kaempferi (Japanese Larch)
- Larix laricina (American Larch)
- Larix occidentalis (Western Larch)
- Microbiota decussata (Siberian Ground Cedar)
- Microcachrys tetragona (Creeping Pine)
- Phylocladus alpinus (Mountain Celery Pine)
- Picea (Spruce) – nearly every species has failed
- Pilgerodendron uviferum (Pilgerodendron)
- Pinus aristata (Rocky Mountain Bristlecone Pine)
- Pinus banksiana (Jack Pine)
- Pinus brutia var. eldarica (Afghan Pine)
- Pinus caniariensis (Canary Island Pine)
- Pinus cembra (Swiss Stone Pine)
- Pinus cembroides (Mexican Pinyon Pine)
- Pinus contorta (Shore Pine)
- Pinus contorta murrayana (Sierra Lodgepole Pine)
- Pinus coulteri (Coulter Pine) – needlecast, probably Mycosphaerella
- Pinus edulis (Rocky Mountain Pinyon Pine)
- Pinus flexilis (Limber Pine)
- Pinus gerardiana (Chilgoza Pine)
- Pinus halepensis (Aleppo Pine) – early growth ok, then all die.
- Pinus heldreichii (Bosnian Pine)
- Pinus jeffreyi (Jeffrey Pine) – needlecast, probably Mycosphaerella
- Pinus lambertiana (Sugar Pine)
- Pinus lawsonii (Lawson Pine)
- Pinus maximartinezii (Martinez Pinyon Pine)
- Pinus monticola (Western White Pine)
- Pinus mugo (Mugo Pine)
- Pinus muricata (Bishop Pine)
- Pinus nelsonii (Nelson Pinyon Pine)
- Pinus oocarpa (Egg-Cone Pine)
- Pinus parviflora (Japanese White Pine)
- Pinus pinaster (Maritime Pine)
- Pinus ponderosa (Ponderosa Pine) – needlecast, probably Mycosphaerella
- Pinus pseudostrobus (Smooth-Bark Mexican Pine)
- Pinus radiata (Monterey Pine)
- Pinus remota (Papershell Pinyon Pine)
- Pinus sabiniana (Digger Pine) – needlecast, probably Mycosphaerella
- Pinus uncinata (Swiss Mountain Pine)P
- inus washoensis (Washoe Pine) – needlecast, probably Mycosphaerella
- Podocarpus lawrencei (Mountain Plum Pine)
- Podocarpus nivalis (Alpine Totara)
- Podocarpus salignus (Chilean Willowleaf Podocarp)
- Prumnopitys andina (Plum Yew)
- Pseudotaxus chienii (White Berry Yew)
- Pseudotsuga macrocarpa (Bigcone Douglas Fir)
- Pseudotsuga menziesii (Douglas Fir)
- Pseudotsuga sinensis (Chinese Douglas Fir)
- Pseudotsuga wilsoniana (Taiwan Douglas Fir)
- Saxegothea conspicua (Prince Albert Yew)
- Sciadopitys verticillata (Japanese Umbrella Pine)
- Sequoiadendron giganteum (Giant Sequoia) – needlecast, several species
- Taxus brevifolia (Pacific Yew)
- Taxus chinensis (Chinese Yew)
- Taxus floridiana (Florida Yew)
- Taxus globosa (Mexican Yew)
- Taxus sumatrana (Chinese Yew)
- Tetraclinis articulata (Arartree)
- Thuja koraiensis (Korean Arborvitae)
- Thuja standishii (Japanese Arborvitae)
- Thujopsis dolabrata (Hiba Arborvitae)
- Tsuga canadensis (Eastern Hemlock) – east Texas too hot for hemlocks
- Tsuga chinensis (Chinese Hemlock)
- Tsuga diversifolia (Northern Japanese Hemlock)
- Tsuga heterophylla (Western Hemlock)
- Tsuga mertensiana (Mountain Hemlock)
- Tsuga sieboldii (Southern Japanese Hemlock)
- Tsuga yunnanensis (Yunnan Hemlock)
- Widdringtonia cedarbergensis (Clanwilliam Cedar)
- Widdringtonia nodiflora (Sapree-Wood)