Conifers

Conifers add structure, texture, and year-round interest to your landscape, especially in winter. This diverse group ranges from towering forest giants to compact miniatures, so there’s a conifer for gardens of any size.

They also offer a wide palette of colors, from deep greens to vibrant yellows, blues, and even shades of red. With so many growth rates, forms, and textures to choose from, conifers can turn your landscape into a dynamic, eye-catching display.

Sunlight: Most conifers thrive in full sun, though some tolerate partial shade. Check the light requirements for your specific variety to keep it healthy and avoid stress.

Watering: Water when the top couple of inches of soil feel dry. Well-draining soil is essential to prevent root problems.

Soil: Conifers prefer well-drained, slightly acidic soil (pH about 5.5–7.0). Sandy or loamy soil enriched with compost is ideal.

Mulching: Mulch helps retain moisture and regulate soil temperature. Keep it in a donut shape, leaving space around the base of the trunk to prevent rot.

For more general tree care guidance, see the Tree Owner Resources from the International Society of Arboriculture (ISA).

Why We Stock Oregon Green Arborvitae in 5-Gallon Pots

Oregon Green Arborvitae (Thuja occidentalis ‘Smaragd’) is one of our most popular conifers for screening and hedging. We carry it only in 5-gallon pots, 4 to 5 feet tall, because the International Society of Arboriculture (ISA) recommends planting younger, smaller trees over larger, more mature ones.

Why smaller trees are the better buy:

• Less transplant shock: Younger trees lose far less of their root system when dug and moved, so they bounce back faster.

• Easier planting: They are lighter and can be planted correctly without heavy machinery.

• Lower maintenance: Larger trees need intensive watering, extra care, and root pruning after planting. Younger trees adapt to your native soil without heavy amendment.

• Better long-term growth: Smaller trees often catch up to and outgrow larger stock within 3 to 5 years.

• Lower cost: Smaller trees are cheaper to buy.

Need something taller? We can special order 6 to 7 foot trees, which typically arrive within two weeks during the growing season. These come with heavy, burlap-wrapped clay root balls and are more complex to transplant. Because transplant success depends on handling after the trees leave our nursery, we can’t guarantee their survival.

2026 Conifer List

Below is the list of conifers we plan to carry this year. If the list doesn’t appear, try refreshing the page.

Availability may vary, since we may not receive everything we order and some quantities are limited. Please call ahead or email our buyer to confirm that an item is in stock. Download a PDF of the list here.

Questions?  Email joshua@westseattlenursery.com