I just got a question about the Swedish Columnar Aspen. It is used very often as a quick-growing privacy screen. The leaves make a nice rustling sound in the breeze. It's a really nice tree, but it is so overused. And not only is it a short-lived tree (generally, short-lived qualifies as about 20-30 years), but if there is ever some kind of disease that hits aspens, then it is going to spread like wildfire around Calgary. I think it's time for people to diversify.
Still, lots of people have tiny backyards so a columnar tree is needed. Fortunately, nurseries are introducing new varieties almost every year. There is a columnar caragana, is very hardy and drought-tolerant for our prairie conditions.
But my favourite are the columnar crabapple trees, especially Gladiator. This tree has beautiful purple foliage (dare to be different!), pink flowers in spring, and no fruit to pick up in the fall. It is prairie hardy and grow to about 20 ft tall. I'm thinking of getting one myself...
Does anyone else have some suggestions?
Good timing for this topic! Winter is planning time for the garden, and we are trying to decide what we are going to put in for trees on the sides of our back yard.
It is a mature lot, however, the only plantings are a row of spruce along the back that provide privacy. We want to tie it all together and are thinking of planting 'skybound' cedars, as they are supposed to be hardy and wind resistant in our zone 3.
We are also thinking of the 'sutherland' caragana, however, we live near a ravine and the common caragana and cotoneaster are both showing up in ravines in the city, apparently choking out native plants. The city is asking people to consider alternatives. Not sure if 'sutherland' would pose the same problem or not.
We tried a 'rosthern' columnar crab at our last house and it immediately got fireblight so we are a little scared off on those.
I've seen some gorgeous columnar pines around (not sure just which they are) and will look more into those.
This is a tough one! :)
Posted by: THe Ms. S | January 02, 2009 at 01:49 PM
An even better choice is the Iseli Columnar Spruce. They are grown at my tree nursery to caliper size. You can reach me by e-mail at ludwig.tammy@gmail.com
Posted by: Tammy | May 21, 2009 at 07:25 AM
I like the River Birch - of local seed sources. It is relatively narrow with a small foot print - much more ornamental in the winter than Caragana or Swedish Col Aspen. I have some growing - been in the ground for 12 years and have never been watered. Very attractive with good bronzy red bark in the winter
Posted by: Ken Wright | November 01, 2010 at 07:39 PM