Iseli Nursery: Dwarf Conifers, Japanese Maples, Living Art®, Bonsai

Tsuga
Plant Name	Habit	Zone	Rate	Color	Description
Tsuga canadensis 'Abbott's Pygmy'	Globe Shaped	4	Miniature	Green	Don't step on this mini-conifer, which is among the smallest of any in the genus. Site it where the tiny globe with its miniature, dark-green leaves will be easy to see, in a trough, rock garden or raised bed. Despite its diminutive size, the plant is tough and hardy, but it does appreciate protection from hot afternoon sun.
Tsuga canadensis 'Albospica'	Upright Broad	4	Intermediate	White	This lovely, open hemlock has been cultivated and enjoyed since 1866. Its foliage has snowy-white tips that contrast dramatically against the mature, dark-green needles. A single tree contributes a large, elegant flash of brilliance to brighten the shade garden.
Tsuga canadensis 'Ashfield Weeper'	Weeping	4	Large	Green	The long, arching branches of this erect, irregularly-shaped canadensis have pendulous branchlets covered with lots of dark-green needles that are bigger than those of the species. The tree's smooth, gray bark combines with its swooping branches, draping branchlets and small cones and buds to create a uniquely elegant look in the landscape. Use it as a specimen to anchor a formal bed or entry planting.
Tsuga canadensis 'Aurea Compacta'	Upright Broad	4	Dwarf	Yellow	This slow-growing hemlock produces graceful tiers of branches in an open, architectural form with outer needles that turn brilliant yellow where the sun hits them. The tree, which tolerates shade, will be a bright courtyard shrub or a dramatic understory tree, especially with protection from hot, dry extremes.
Tsuga canadensis 'Bacon Cristate'	Upright Broad	4	Dwarf	Green	Very unusual needles and shoots define this extremely dwarf, cristate hemlock that was found in the wild in northern New Jersey about 1925 by Ralph Bacon. Similar to, but smaller and darker than 'Jervis', this selection produces both ultra-dense, bright green foliage and short, dark green, twisted needles with white striations on the reverse. The gnarly, irregular plant prefers part shade, moist, well-drained soil and protection from drying winds. Liners Only
Tsuga canadensis 'Betty Rose'	Globe Shaped	4	Miniature	White	An extremely slow-growing mound with an irregular shape, this delicate selection produces white-tipped foliage that takes on a blush of light pink in spring. Although difficult to propagate, the tiny hemlock has many qualities a conifer collector desires: foliage, color and a tight, petite form.
Tsuga canadensis 'Cloud Prune'	Spreading	4	Dwarf	Green	This beautiful, spreading hemlock develops dense, irregular layers of branches that create an open form reminiscent of Japanese "cloud pruning." The gracefully-held "clouds" of short, green needles make a naturally sculptural addition to formal garden designs. Limited Availability
Tsuga canadensis 'Cole's Prostrate'	Prostrate	4	Dwarf	Green	An outstanding, underutilized hemlock, this spreading cultivar has stiff main branches that knuckle under and bend downwards to create a truly prostrate form. Gnarly interior branches show off the plant's silver bark, which adds dimension to the exceptional, low plant. Use the garden gem to drape over or around stones or walls in a site with partial shade.
Tsuga canadensis 'Dawsoniana'	Upright Broad	4	Intermediate	Green	Extremely attractive tufts of short, bright-green needles give the gracefully arching shoots of this compact, multi-stemmed plant a dense look. Selected by Jackson Dawson at the Hunnewell Arboretum in 1927, it grows slowly, but attains a full, bushy form. Among the most attractive of the wide-leafed cultivars.
Tsuga canadensis 'Forest Fountain'	Upright Broad	4	Intermediate	Green	A small, pyramidal tree with deep-green foliage, this selection has branches that arch upward in the shape of a fountain. Plant the extraordinary sculptural plant as a focal point or as part of an informal grouping. Formerly called 'Dwarf Upright,' it was found and introduced by John Mitsch, Aurora, Oregon.
Tsuga canadensis 'Frostie'	Globe Shaped	4	Dwarf	White	The narrow branches of this canadensis display soft, silvery-white needles that visually cool down the garden; in winter, they take on a blush of pink to warm up the scene. A trim form, year-round color and delicate texture make this cultivar a worthwhile choice. Limited Availability
Tsuga canadensis 'Geneva'	Upright Broad	4	Intermediate	Green	Layered branches of thick, soft, dark-green foliage combine with the upright stature of this tree to lend year-round elegance to the shade garden. With a scale that suits smaller gardens, this conifer adds character as a specimen or as part of a screen. Named for a tree that grows at Trinity Church Home, Geneva, New York, former home of the founder of Maxwell Nurseries.
Tsuga canadensis 'Gentsch White'	Globe Shaped	4	Intermediate	White	Brighten a shady spot with this variegated, globose shrub. Its creamy-white branch tips are especially intense in fall and winter, and an annual shearing will maintain a compact habit and encourage new, white growth. From Otto Gentsch, Long Island, New York.
Tsuga canadensis 'Golden Splendor'	Upright Broad	4	Large	Yellow	This graceful, elegant, fast-growing Canadian Hemlock resembles the species in all but color: this one, introduced by John Mitsch, Aurora, Oregon, is golden. Unlike other golden cultivars, it tolerates full sun and produces brighter color with more exposure. 'Golden Splendor' makes a dramatic specimen tree or it can be sheared into a golden hedge.
Tsuga canadensis 'Gracilis'	Spreading	4	Dwarf	Green	The spreading shoots of this low hemlock produce a broad, flat-top effect, so it makes a good understory addition to mixed borders. Densely packed, bright, new needles erupt on the slow-growing, uniform plant in spring. Often improperly called 'Gracilis Nana' or 'Nana Gracilis'.
Tsuga canadensis 'Hornbeck'	Globe Shaped	4	Miniature	Green	Tiny, flat needles and many brown buds provide a dense covering for this tight, irregularly mounding hemlock. The durable, adaptable plant, which is bigger than 'Abbott's Pygmy' and smaller than 'Jervis', grows slowly and offers an attractive, in-between size for smaller spaces, where the delicate, green foliage and informal shape lend texture and form. Limited Availability
Tsuga canadensis 'Horsford'	Globe Shaped	4	Miniature	Green	Alpine plants tend to hunker down and stay small as a defense against the forces of winter. This mini-conifer demonstrates such characteristics, with a dense, irregular growth habit and a miniature scale. Foliage has a variety of looks, from congested to more open, which adds to the small plant's alpine charm. Enjoy it in rock garden, trough or container. Limited Availability
Tsuga canadensis 'Horsford Contorted'	Upright Broad	4	Dwarf	Green	Tiny needles grow thickly along the twisted branches and coiled, contorted branchlets of this unique, surprisingly attractive tree. The curious branching pattern accounts for the plant's nickname "Pig Tails", which accurately describes the look. Site the conversation-piece plant in a container or near patio-seating for fun.
Tsuga canadensis 'Hussi'	Upright Broad	4	Dwarf	Green	This dark-green cultivar, found more than a century ago (1900) by John F. Huss, Hartford, Connecticut, is still an attractive selection for small gardens. It grows slowly into an irregular form with an upright habit, short, twiggy branches and prominent buds.
Tsuga canadensis 'Jacqueline Verkade'	Globe Shaped	4	Dwarf	Green	The tiny, dark-green needles, widely spaced at the tips of branches, give this selection an open look, while simultaneously maintaining a dense interior. Found as a seedling at Verkade Nursery, Wayne, New Jersey, it has a small, rounded shape in youth, which develops into a conical form with age.
Tsuga canadensis 'Jean Iseli'	Spreading	4	Dwarf	Green	'Jean Iseli' is a treasure for the collector's garden: a slow-growing, low, spreading form, with short, green needles. Its delicate texture comes from tertiary branchlets, only 1-1/2 times longer than the needles, which break bud intermittently along new growth. An Ed Wood seedling selection named in honor of dwarf conifer pioneer Jean Iseli.
Tsuga canadensis 'Jeddeloh'	Spreading	4	Dwarf	Green	A dwarf, spreading mound, often referred to as Bird's Nest Hemlock, this seedling cultivar has a unique, depressed, funnel shape at its center. The slow-growing plant has bright green foliage with feathery, arching tips. Discovered by Jeddeloh Nursery in a cemetery in Germany in 1950.
Tsuga canadensis 'Jervis'	Upright Broad	4	Dwarf	Green	Dense branching, a broad, pyramidal form and congested, dark-green foliage are similar to, but more compact than 'Hussi.' Plants grow slowly into irregular, upright forms with prominent buds and short, twiggy growth.
Tsuga canadensis 'Julianne'	Spreading	4	Dwarf	Green	Medium-green, narrow needles are widely spaced and attached at an upward angle on the branches. It has a distinctive habit for a Canadian Hemlock: a multi-stemmed, almost fastigiate, branching structure that exposes the silver-white needle undersides and gives 'Julianne' both a feathery texture and a lighter green appearance.
Tsuga canadensis 'Kelsey's Weeping'	Weeping	4	Intermediate	Green	'Kelsey's Weeping' is unique among pendulous types because of its asymmetrical growth habit. The tree's secondary branches spread out and form a scaffold from which pendulous, younger branches hang and produce a full, layered, weeping form.
Tsuga canadensis 'Lewis'	Upright Broad	4	Dwarf	Green	'Lewis' forms an irregular pyramid with rigid fans of fluffy, dark-green, densely set needles. The slow-growing plant stays small and makes an attractive shrub-like presence in the garden. The foliage is a little more fragile than that of other hemlocks, so site this selection where pet and kid traffic won't injure it. Limited Availability
Tsuga canadensis 'Little Joe'	Globe Shaped	4	Miniature	Green	This tiny, tough globe with miniature, dark-green needles makes a reliable choice for trough, rock garden or raised bed. Despite its small stature, the plant is tough and hardy, but it does appreciate protection from hot afternoon sun. Similar to 'Abbott's Pygmy', this selection came from Joe Cesarini. Limited Availability
Tsuga canadensis 'Minuta'	Globe Shaped	4	Miniature	Green	A rare and aristocratic plant, this extremely dense, mounding hemlock has one of the slowest growth rates of all the cultivars. Small, densely arranged needles and crowded branches form a very small, tight, bun-like conifer that needs a showy spot in trough, rock garden or raised bed. Discovered in a group of seedlings by Daniel M. St. George of Charlotte, Vermont.
Tsuga canadensis 'Moon Frost'	Globe Shaped	4	Dwarf	White	Bright, white, new growth with older, inner foliage that retains a light tone combine to give this plant a distinctly white appearance. In winter, foliage of the seedling, developed by Ed Wood, takes on a blush of pink. A compact globe when young, 'Moon Frost' broadens and increases its growth rate with age, but remains a reliably small, dwarf plant.
Tsuga canadensis 'New Gold'	Upright Broad	4	Large	Green/Yellow	Bright, yellow-gold, new growth gives this large tree brilliance in the spring that contrasts with the previous year's dark-green foliage. Similar in size and habit to the species, this selection makes a great hedge, because shearing plants encourages them to produce more colorful new growth.
Tsuga canadensis 'Pendula'	Weeping	4	Large	Green	The popular weeping form of Canadian Hemlock is widely known and used, especially when it is staked and trained to develop height and character. Pendulous branches form a thick exterior "shell" of foliage that covers the plant's interior structural scaffold.
Tsuga canadensis 'Shawangunk'	Globe Shaped	4	Dwarf	Green	Unusual, twisted, green needles that are rounded at the base and pointed at the tip hug the stems of this interesting selection. Layers of short, fine branches curve at the tips and form a dense globe. Named by Vern Palmateer of New York for the mountains where it was discovered in 1985 by a hiker, the original tree was 20' tall. Limited Availability
Tsuga canadensis 'Sherwood Compacta'	Spreading	4	Dwarf	Green	The low, spreading, layered branches of this dwarf canadensis produce a broad, flat-top effect, so plants make good understory additions to the mixed border. Densely packed, bright, new needles erupt on the slow-growing, uniform plant in spring. This smaller version of 'Gracilis' is a seedling selection of Andy Sherwood, Portland, Oregon. Limited Availability
Tsuga canadensis 'Slenderella'	Upright Narrow	4	Intermediate	Green	This trim tree has a tall, narrow habit with long, slender branches that are clothed with short needles. It makes an excellent backdrop or screening plant for limited spaces, especially in the shade garden. Limited Availability
Tsuga canadensis 'Stockman's Dwarf'	Spreading	4	Dwarf	Green	A unique, miniature version of 'Gracilis', this compact, nest-type hemlock produces layered foliage that suggests clouds. It has the dark-green needles common to many cultivars, and it prefers partial shade to full sun. Limited Availability
Tsuga canadensis 'Summer Snow'	Upright Broad	4	Intermediate	White	The new spring growth of this cultivar is white, which produces a striking contrast against the dark-green interior foliage on the fast-growing, upright, broad plant. Its size, shape and colorful growth make it an extremely useful highlight for shade gardens. Originally propagated by John Mitsch, Aurora, Oregon.
Tsuga caroliniana 'LaBar Weeping'	Weeping	5	Intermediate	Green	This Carolina Weeping Hemlock has dense mounds of arching shoots that produce a spiky appearance. Slender, dark-green needles are widely spaced along reddish-brown stems on the Appalachian native, and they turn up to expose prominent, white stomatal bands. Plant the specimen to drape over and around stones or walls.
Tsuga diversifolia	Upright Broad	4	Intermediate	Green	This beautiful species has dark-green needles with twisted shoots that reveal their silver-white, rice-like undersides and account for the common name, Rice Tree. Also known as the Northern Japanese Hemlock, it is suited to moderate-size gardens, where it develops a conical habit, often with multiple trunks. Richly elegant foliage and extreme hardiness contribute to its desirability. Selected as one of the Great Plant Picks for Northwest gardens, it does not outgrow its space.
Tsuga diversifolia 'Gracilis'	Upright Broad	4	Dwarf	Green	This dwarf selection of Rice Tree has the shortest needles of the hemlocks. Dark-green and rounded, they are congested on the interior and more widely spaced on the newer growth. Dense and rounded when young, 'Gracilis' develops an irregular habit with stiff, stout leaders that have weeping tips.
Tsuga diversifolia 'Loowit'	Globe Shaped	4	Dwarf	Green	Small, blunt needles look like green grains of rice interspersed with tiny brown buds. Diminutive branches crowded with branchlets form a tight, congested bun. This dwarf hemlock was selected from seed collected in the high alpine region of Fukushima prefecture, Japan. It was given the Native American name for Mt. St. Helens, Iseli Nursery's famous volcanic neighbor.
Tsuga heterophylla 'Iron Springs'	Upright Broad	6	Intermediate	Green	Short, dark-green needles contrast well with the light bark on the very irregular branches of this choice selection of Western Hemlock. It eventually develops a rigid, upright-broad habit, but it grows more slowly than the species. Found at Iron Springs, Washington, and introduced by the University of Washington. Limited Availability
Tsuga heterophylla 'Thorsen's Weeping'	Prostrate	6	Dwarf	Green	Rich, emerald-green foliage is arranged densely on the procumbent branches of this extraordinary small hemlock. When staked, the plant becomes a narrow, upright form with sweeping secondary branches that produce a full, soft look. It is strikingly beautiful both as a cascading form and as a groundcover, allowed to ramble through the understory.
Tsuga mertensiana	Upright Broad	5	Intermediate	Green	Native to mountains along the Pacific coast from Alaska to central California, the Mountain Hemlock is an elegant species with stout branches clothed densely with gray-green, radially-arranged needles. The slow-growing small tree lends a mountain flavor to garden settings. Try a drift of several to create a striking alpine scene or site a specimen to make a handsome focal point.
Tsuga mertensiana 'Elizabeth'	Spreading	5	Dwarf	Bluish Green	The sturdy, horizontal branches of this spreading Mountain Hemlock reach out and stay close to the ground. Soft, short, radially-arranged, blue-green needles, make the branches look like fine, blue bottlebrushes. An unusual low profile (roughly three times wider than tall) and striking year-round color make it very desirable. Site it on a bank near water or in an alpine garden. Native to mountains along the Pacific coast, plants prefer plenty of moisture, excellent drainage and protection from hot, dry conditions.