Columnar Plantings

Acer rubrum ‘Bowhall’
Narrow form of red maple. Bright red fall color. Grows 1.7’/year. Matures at 40-50′ tall and 10-15′ wide. Full sun.

Carpinus betulus ‘Franz Fontaine’ 
Hornbeam. A dense pyramid of textured leaves. Reaches 30′ tall and 15′ wide. Full sun.

*Cupressus sempervirens ‘Tiny Tower’ and ‘Stricta’
Italian Cypress. A classic in columnar plants. ‘Tiny Tower’ reaches 25′ tall and 3-4′ wide. ‘Stricta’ reaches 40-60′ tall and 3-5′ wide. Excellent drainage, shelter from severe winds and cold. Full sun.

Fagus sylvatica ‘Red Obelisk’
One of several beech cultivars that are narrow. Maroon leaves in summer. Grows to 35′ tall and 8′ wide. Full sun.

Koelreuteria paniculata ‘Fastigiata’
Golden Rain tree. Feathery deciduous foliage is topped by sprays of yellow flowers in summer. Fast growing to 35′ tall and 6′ wide. Easy. Full sun.

*Pinus flexilis ‘Vanderwolf’s Pyramid’
A soft pine with striking steel blue needles. Grows 16″/year. Reaches 30’+ tall and 10-15′ wide. Full sun and good drainage.

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*Chamaecyparis obtusa ‘Gracilis’
Slender Hinoki Cypress. Artistic structure complimented by dark green, fan-like foliage. Grows 3-6″/year reaching 20′ tall and 4-5′ wide. It can reach 30′ in time. Full sun to part shade. Good drainage.

Columnar Apples
An apple that reaches 12′ tall and 3′ wide. White flowers with a pink blush in spring and colorful, edible fruits in the fall. Three varieties available: ‘Golden Sentinel’, ‘North Pole’, and ‘Scarlet Sentinel’. Full sun.

*Ilex vomitoria ‘Will Flemming’
A dense column of tiny, shiny, dark green leaves. Grows 6-12″/year reaching 15′ tall and 2-3′ wide. Full sun to partial shade.

*Juniperus scopulorum ‘Skyrocket’
Silvery blue spire of scaly foliage. Grows 12″/year reaching 10-15′ tall and 3-5′ wide. Full sun and good drainage.

*Juniperus scopulorum ‘Moonglow’
Intense silver blue foliage creates a dense pyramid. Grows 12″/year reaching 15-20′ tall and 5-8′ wide. Full sun.

Laburnum anagyroides ‘Sunspire’
Columnar Golden Chain Tree. Deciduous, three lobed leaves and clusters of bright yellow pea-shaped flowers in early summer. Green bark. Slow grower, 12-15′ tall and 5-8′ wide. Full sun.

*Pinus sylvestris ‘Fastigata’
Narrow form of Scotts pine. Thick blue green needles and reddish bark are a nice contrast. Grows 12″+/year reaching 20′ tall and 3-4′ wide. Full sun and good drainage.

*Taxus baccata ‘Stricta’ 
Irish Yew. Dark green spire. Slow growing (3-6″/year) eventually to 20′ tall and 3-5′ wide. Full sun to partial shade. Good drainage.

*Thuja occidentalis ‘Holmstrup’ – Compact, dark green foliage. Grows 6-12″/year. Conical habit, 8-12′ tall, 4-5′ wide at base. Full sun to partial shade.

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*Buxus semp. ‘Graham Blandy’
A narrow form of English boxwood. Grows 3-6″/year in height. But it is no wider than 3′. Full sun to part shade.

Berberis thunbergii ‘Helmond Pillar’
A deciduous barberry with dark maroon leaves. It matures at 4-5′ tall and 2′ wide. Requires full sun.

*Chamaecyparis lawsoniana ‘Blue Surprise’
Soft, feathery, powder blue foliage with purple tints in winter. Matures at 8′ tall and 2-3′ wide. Full sun and excellent drainage.

*Chamaecyparis pisifera ‘Boulevard’
Very soft blue, curly foliage with purple tints in winter. Slow to 8-12′ tall and 4-6′ wide. Full sun, good drainage.

*Chamaecyparis thyoides ‘Red Star’
Tiny, green, star shaped foliage turns maroon in winter. Slow growing dwarf conifer (1-3″/year) stays narrow. Requires full sun. Tolerant of many soil types.

*Ilex crenata ‘Sky Sentry’ or ‘Sky Pencil’
Small, rounded, glossy leaves and black berries. Slow growing to 10′ tall and 1.5′ wide. Needs full to partial sun.

*Juniperus communis ‘Compressa’
Conical, with grey-green foliage. Slow growing (3-6″/year) reaching 2′ tall and 6″ wide in ten years.

*Juniperus communis ‘Gold Cone’
Bright yellow foliage in spring and summer. Grows 3-6″/year reaching 6′ tall and 2′ wide. Needs full sun and good drainage.

*Picea glauca ‘Conica’
Dwarf Alberta Spruce. Cone-shaped plant with compact foliage. Grows 3″/year, to 8′-12′ tall and 3-5′ wide. Requires full sun.

*Pinus sylvestris ‘Sentinel’
A dwarf, narrow form of Scott’s pine with bluish needles and reddish bark. Slow growing to 4′ tall and 1′ wide in ten years. Needs full sun and good drainage.

*Taxus baccata ‘Amersfoort’
An unusual yew with stubby, wide needles and distinctive structure. Grows 1-3″/year. Full sun to partial shade.

*Taxus x media ‘Beanpole’ 
A dense pillar of dark green foliage. Very slow growing (1-3″/year) indefinitely. Full sun to part shade. Protect from severe winter winds.

*Thuja occidentalis ‘Degroot’s Spire’
Very narrow form of arborvitae with spirally arranged foliage. Grows 6-12″/yr indefinitely. 8′ tall and 1′ wide in ten years. Full sun to partial shade.

Download the list: Columnar Plants