Evergreens are the anchors of the garden. They endure through the coldest days of winter and create year-long harmony in the landscape. Dwarf varieties are wonderful for maintaining the beauty of smaller garden spaces where towering conifers would overwhelm them.
Dwarf varieties are smaller than their full-sized relatives but are usually genetically the same. Through selective breeding, these trees and shrubs either grow more slowly or grow less tall. As a result, they require less space, less water, and fewer nutrients.
There are many benefits to planting dwarf evergreens. They:
- Help maintain the aesthetic of the landscape year-round.
- Fit in smaller spaces where larger trees would overpower them.
- Conserve resources, reserving them for the rest of the garden.
Let’s take a look at some beautiful dwarf varieties of evergreen trees. We will find a perfect one for your space that you can enjoy for many years.
Emerald Green Arborvitae
Italian Cypress ‘Tiny Tower’
A few years back, I visited a friend living in Tuscany and took a train ride through the countryside. I was so taken by the towering cypress trees that are iconic in the Tuscan landscape. These narrow upright trees can get far too large for many spaces in the suburban garden.
This is where ‘Tiny Tower’ works her magic. This well-shaped dwarf evergreen tree has dense, feathery foliage. It grows this way all on its own and requires little pruning. These trees offer the clean lines of a topiary without all the maintenance.
As far as size, while ‘Tiny Tower’ will eventually reach 25′-30′ tall, it gets there very slowly. It also remains narrow, so it will rarely interfere with structures nearby. You can grow this one in a container to keep it even more compact.
Arborvitae ‘Emerald Green’
Arborvitaes are great for use as a screen or windbreak. Their dense, evergreen foliage makes them an ideal hedge or boundary. They are long-lived and fast-growing, but some conventional varieties can reach towering heights of 60 feet. ‘Green Giant’ grows up to three feet per year!
For a more petite version of this adaptable tree, ‘Emerald Green’ is perfection. Its much slower growth rate means that it takes longer to get large enough to block anything out. It also tops out between 10′-25′, so if you have some time to wait, these make an excellent screen.
Plant a row of these to shelter an area from view. They make an exemplary hedge, but also grow well in containers without much maintenance. They have a naturally neat and attractive form without pruning.
Spruce ‘Baby Blue Eyes’
When I think of spruce trees, I think of the classic Christmas tree. Well-balanced, conical shapes characterize this genus of conifer. A typical Tenenbaum of six or seven feet is about ten years old. That’s a nice manageable size, but over time, standard varieties can grow as tall as 200 feet!
To attain that classic look in your landscape, and keep a manageable size, ‘Baby Blue Eyes’ is a stunner. Dense and symmetrical, this dwarf evergreen tree will top out around 30 feet at the tallest. The foliage is silvery bluish-green, short and stiff. It will look great when decorated with lights for the holiday season.
Hinoki Cypress ‘Nana Gracilis’
Because of their large size, you’ll be hard-pressed to find a true Hinoki cypress in a neighbor’s yard. These trees are gorgeous but typically grown as specimens in large, open areas. A mature tree can reach 75 feet tall and 25 feet wide.
The fanlike foliage and unique growth habits of this plant are unique and beautiful. It adds a great deal of texture planted alongside broadleaved trees.
‘Nana Gracilis’ is a dwarf variety that only grows to about six feet tall, making it ideal for small spaces close to the home. It’s a winner of the sought-after Award of Garden Merit from the Royal Horticultural Society.
Himalayan Cedar ‘Feelin Blue’
Himalayan cedar is an imposing tree in the wild. Its long arching branches can reach outward 20-30 feet, and it reaches heights up to 150 feet. In cultivation, it stays closer to 50 feet tall at maturity. That’s more manageable, but what if you want to feature this delightful, draping evergreen in a smaller area?
The solution is the pretty dwarf evergreen variety ‘Feelin’ Blue.’ This variety only grows about five feet tall, but it spreads nicely and looks wonderful in a rock garden or as a patio tree. The short, spiky, needlelike leaves are a cool shade of blue-green, and the branches hang down in a weeping manner.
Juniper ‘Skyrocket’
Juniper trees tend to stay a bit smaller than some other trees on this list. However, full-sized varieties can reach 50 feet tall. That’s large for many yards. These pretty trees are popular for their fine foliage and deep blue berries, which are the key ingredient in gin distilling.
‘Skyrocket’ isn’t the smallest dwarf juniper around, but it is a very attractive evergreen tree. This low-maintenance juniper grows in a nicely balanced, rounded column. A row of these makes an excellent border or screen. The fine, feathery foliage is a striking shade of pale, silvery green. It stays closer to 20 feet on the height side.
Southern Magnolia ‘Little Gem’
The Great Southern Magnolia is a classic figure of beauty and grace. The full-sized trees can grow very large over time, up to 90 feet tall with a 60-foot spread. My grandmother-in-law has this amazing tree in her front yard, and I’ve always admired the glossy leaves and large, fragrant blooms.
Sadly, I don’t have a space for that size tree without chopping down a rather large live oak. The solution I chose was ‘Little Gem’ magnolia. This dwarf magnolia reaches heights of 20′-30′ over time, with a more modest spread than the full-sized type. It is the first broadleaved tree on the list, and it’s a special one.
While not nearly as sprawling, the foliage and flowers of ‘Little Gem’ are an exact match on a very slightly smaller scale. The creamy, white blooms are six to seven inches in diameter and have a signature, lemony sweet scent.
Spruce ‘Pendula’
Spruces have attractive, naturally conical shapes. Their branches row in a whirling pattern, reaching outward. This gives them a unique appearance as there are horizontal layers of branches. These evergreens can reach heights up to 200 feet in nature, but stay somewhat shorter in cultivation.
‘Pendula’ is also known by the name weeping white spruce. This tall, narrow variety tops out around 40 feet at the tallest. The branches weep downward gracefully, making this a perfect specimen for spaces where you want to avoid blocking too much sun.
Balsam Fir ‘Nana’
In cooler climates, the balsam fir is a great performer. It’s native to North America, and the oils extracted are popular for use in men’s fragrances. Their pyramidal shape and attractive cones make them desirable for the landscape. Full-sized balsam firs can grow up to 60 feet tall.
If you love the look and fragrance of a balsam fir but have a limited space to work with, ‘Nana’ is perfection. This compact variety has a rounded growth habit that makes a great, small shrub. It lacks none of the aromatic qualities of larger varieties.
Alaskan Cedar ‘Green Arrow’
Alaskan cedars are beautiful trees. They have a weeping growth habit and lovely evergreen foliage that drapes elegantly over long, weighted-down branches. It is more closely related to a cypress than a cedar, leading to a recent genus name change. In the wild, they can grow to 100 feet.
‘Green Arrow’ is a smaller variety that will only reach about 20 feet tall. Its tall, narrow form makes it an interesting specimen tree. Long, draping branches accentuate its dramatic, slender silhouette. It’s adaptable to most climates in the United States.
English Laurel ‘Nana’
English laurel is another broadleaved evergreen that is very popular for growing as a screen or hedge. It takes well to pruning, so you can keep even the taller varieties under control. Left to their own devices, they can reach up to 40 feet tall, though, which is no small tree.
If you’re looking for an attractive, dwarf evergreen tree, check out ‘Nana.’ It has the same appeal as a larger English laurel but is far less maintenance as it remainsy shrubby, only growing to about six or eight feet tall. Plant several of these in a row, and you’ll have an incredible hedge. It grows about one foot per year, making it a moderate grower.
Japanese Holly ‘Dwarf Pagoda’
Japanese holly is already a compact group of evergreens. You could plant a full-sized specimen, and it will not grow much taller than ten feet. These are a great little type of holly with smooth leaves, rather than spiky.
If you need an evergreen for a container or other small space, ‘Dwarf Pagoda’ is ideal. This small, evergreen shrub is very slow growing and will gradually grow to about three feet tall. The foliage is dense and grows in layers.
Inkberry Holly ‘Squeeze Box’
Inkberry holly is another species where even the full-sized trees are more like large shrubs, reaching only eight feet at maturity. They make great hedges, especially in areas with wet soil types. Native to the East Coast, they are adaptable to different climates and light conditions.
‘Squeeze Box’ isn’t necessarily a dwarf in the height department. At six feet tall, it’s just about the same as a non dwarf. It is, however, narrower, creating a more treelike shape. The larger varieties resemble shrubs. This is a wonderful small tree that works well in the front of the house to tie things together.
False Cypress ‘Softserve’
False cypress are tall evergreens in the same family as cypress. They can get as tall as 90 feet in cultivation and even taller in the wild. However, false cypresses are imposing trees, to say the least. They add beautiful color, texture, and structure to the landscape with their feathery boughs.
‘Soft Serve’ is perfect if you want all the beauty of a false cypress on a significantly smaller scale. This dwarf evergreen tree has a gentle, conical growth habit and a lot of movement to the branching. It won’t grow much past ten feet tall and spreads about half its height.
Olive ‘Little Ollie’
Olive trees are native to the Mediterranean region, as well as parts of Africa and Asia. A full-sized specimen typically grows to between 20-30 feet at maturity. For warm climates, these sturdy evergreens make great anchors in the yard. Their slender trunks and wide canopies make them great shade trees.
Olives make wonderful container plants and great additions to the outdoor patio or dining space. To bring a touch of the Mediterranean to your space, ‘Little Ollie’ is a compact, non-fruiting dwarf variety. It won’t grow beyond six feet tall, so it will remain portable.
Japanese Blueberry ‘Little Emperor’
Japanese blueberry is another beautiful, broadleaved evergreen for mild climate areas. They are desirable for their color-changing foliage. The leaves initially emerge a pretty bronze color before deepening to a dark green. The genus gets its name from the olive-shaped fruits it produces
Full-sized trees are 25′-35′ at maturity. That’s not large, but sometimes you just want a smaller tree! ‘Little Emperor’ tops out around ten feet. A grouping of this dwarf variety makes an excellent screen or hedge. They are wonderful foundation plants, as well.
Western Red Cedar ‘Northern Spire’
Western red cedar trees have aromatic wood that endures the weather like few other types. If you want rot-resistant outdoor furniture, this wood is an ideal choice. But we aren’t here to talk about furniture. You want a tree for your garden!
At close to 200 feet at maturity, full-sized Western red cedar is not a possibility for many yards. ‘Northern Red Spire’ is the perfect solution to the problem of space. This compact tree matures to about 20 feet tall and grows quickly.
Eastern White Pine ‘Connecticut Slate’
In the early stages, Eastern white pines grow very slowly. Once they get started, they grow at a decent clip of two to three feet yearly, up to 100 feet at maturity. That’s a fair-sized conifer. Their long, soft needles make branch ends resemble bottle brushes.
‘Connecticut Slate’ is a dwarf that matures to somewhere between three and eight feet tall. It has a beautiful texture and long, slender cones that hang toward the ground.
Austrian Pine ‘Frank’
This European native is well-loved for being a large, ornamental tree that provides food and shelter for wildlife. You’ll find large specimens in parks, where they create shelter and shade. Their form is conical initially, but as they maturity, the crown rounds out nicely.
‘Frank’ is a dwarf variety that retains a conical shape rather than widening at the crown. The bottlebrush-shaped branches point upward creating a dense screen. At only 10 feet at maturity, this pretty evergreen fits into most gardens seamlessly.
