The Best Dwarf Evergreen Trees for Winter and

How to Protect Them in the Cold

 
There are so many evergreen dwarf trees out there. It can be overwhelming with all your choices. When you finally decide which tree you pick, you want to ensure your tree will last for as long as possible.

The Old Farmer’s Almanac helps keep you informed when there will be harsher winters. This can help you plan when it comes to keeping your trees safe.

Below we will look at some of the best evergreen dwarf trees on the market.

Mops Mugo Pine (Pinus Mugo)

Mops Mugo Pine is emerald green and somewhat rounded. You won’t have to worry about the tree changing color during the winter months.

Make sure you place this tree somewhere it can get sunlight, as it won’t grow otherwise. Moreover, it’s a slow-growing tree.

The needles go all the way down the base of the tree covering the ground beneath it. It’s a great tree for ground cover because of how far out it spreads. This tree will grow to be 3-5 ft. tall x 10 ft. wide, and will spread out about 3 ft.

If you take care of this tree it can last you at least 50 years. It doesn’t require much pruning, you only need to trim any new growth from the current season.

You need to have good soil if you choose this tree. Water needs to drain well throughout the soil. This tree doesn’t do well with standing water.

Conica Dwarf Alberta Spruce (Picea Glauca)

The Conica dwarf evergreen is a lighter green color compared to the darker green trees you can get. This dense tree has a more pyramidal shape to it.

This slow-growing tree can reach up to 12 ft. tall and get about 3 ft. wide. To keep it smaller you can always prune your tree. Otherwise, this tree will stay all neat and tidy on its own.

If you find this tree being too big for your tastes, it has a relative, the Humpty Dumpty Spruce which grows to be 6 ft. tall.

Arnold Arboretum Dwarf Japanese White Pines (Pinus Parviflora)

The Arnold Arboretum is a short blue-green evergreen. This tree can grow to be 3ft. tall and spreads out about 2 ft. It has a broad pyramid shape and can take about 10 years to grow.

Like with most pines, this tree craves sunlight. Yet, it can tolerate some shade.

As with the Mugo Pine it needs the sun to grow and well-drained soil.

Slender Hinoki Cypress (Chamaecyparis Obtusa)

Slender Hinoki Cypress is a deep green color and has a more pyramidal shape. At full height, it can grow to be 15ft. tall and 5ft. wide. It’s the softest of the trees listed here.

This tree can handle partial sunlight but prefers full sunlight. As with the others, it needs well-drained soil.

During the winter months, the needles will get bronze or reddish tones.

If this tree is too big for you, you can get a similar tree called the Nana Gracilis. It only gets as tall as 5ft.

Winter Protection Tips

No matter which type of tree you get, before a freeze one step you should always take is to heavily water it. Watering the trees will slow down the freezing process.

During the winter you want to protect the roots. Put down some thick mulch around the base of the tree or any areas the roots are exposed.

Make sure the trees are sheltered in a place where the strong and harsh winds of winter can’t get to it. For example, you could put netting over your trees. If that isn’t a possibility, use an anti-desiccant spray on the trees.

An Endless Supply of Dwarf Evergreen Trees

That concludes our list of dwarf evergreen trees. There are different shapes and colors to choose from. If you want shorter or taller trees, this list should cover them all.

Yet, if these don’t match your needs, there are plenty of other options out there.

Check out this article to learn more ways to take care of your trees and shrubs.