Top 5 Conifers That Aren’t Junipers

[Rhumphres01]

Every list I see of beginner species includes types of juniper, and although they are great, I’m curious as to what people think of other conifers. In your opinion, what are the top 5 easiest conifer species that aren’t junipers?

 

[bluone23]

I’d say larch is easy
Also Japanese black pine and scotts pine

 

[Russ1]

Mugo Pines are easy and very forgiving and probably any local variety of pines that will grow new buds when the candles are cut.. Where I am it's Pitch Pines. Japanese Black Pines if your climate allows, White Pines though easy don't bud back very easy.. Japanese Yew or English Yew. Hinoki Cypress and Larch are others but may require more care in watering. Didn't count, how many is that?

 

[Rhumphres01]

I’d say larch is easy
Also Japanese black pine and scotts pine

Do you prefer the JBP or the scotts more?

 

[BrianBay9]

Bald cypress

 

[Shogun610]

Personally I only have 2 junipers in my collection. Majority is Pine , Spruce and Native Deciduous (Larch included) with a few non native exceptions.
I don’t think there is a beginner species that is easiest. Each type of Conifer or Deciduous has its needs and to do it the right way will require learning.

 

[Russ1]

Dawn Redwood.

 

[bluone23]

Do you prefer the JBP or the scotts more?

In my climate both do well, but a good JBP is hard to get.
Also the jbp develops faster.

 

[thatdirtykid]

How do people feel about Taxus for this "top 5 conifers that aren't juniper for beginners". I am a total newb, but my yew seems to be pretty hardy, yet I have not wintered one. After a fairly minimal prune and slip pot to check the roots I have mainly been feeding it and letting it grow. Slower growing but back budding easily and has compact foliage. I don't see a ton of yew when doing my reading, but some of the old trees are truly magnificent.

Obviously this would be regional, like BCs and the Redwoods are as well.

 

[Wires_Guy_wires]

Japanese red pine has turned out to be one of the most fogiving species of pines I own.
Scots pine is first place.
Thuja is also very forgiving but difficult to style, very easy to grow.
Atlas cedar is easy from seed and grows fast. Difficult to repot though.
Ginkgo biloba is a conifer. I find them easier than larch, but their growth is super slow.

 

[BrianBay9]

...Ginkgo biloba is a conifer. I find them easier than larch, but their growth is super slow.

Technically Ginkgo is a gymnosperm but not a conifer.....doesn't produce cones.

 

[Kanorin]

@Rhumphres01 I see that you are in St. Louis, me too! Here are some conifers that I know do quite well in StL

• Japanese Black Pine - Grow very well here. Good beginner species and there is lots of info about how to handle them. One of my first trees and I've still got it.
• JRP - grow well, but less common here.
• JWP - grow well, but much slower so less a beginner species. Have to be careful when we occasionally get a very rainy streak.
• Yew - I don't have any, but I know many people do have them here and they do great
• Bald Cypress - love our hot humid summer climate and are very tough and strong growers
• Scotts Pines - Don't have any myself, but plenty others do. Seem quite beginner-friendly
• Mugo Pine - Grows well and good beginner species.
• Dawn Redwood - Another good beginner option, similar look to BC
• Hinoki Cypress - Not a top choice for beginners, but are doable here with some shade and some restraint from doing too much in a single year
• Ponderosa Pines - Slow growing so not super beginner-friendly, but they do well here
• Thuja - Don't have any, but I know people do have them here
• Shortleaf Pine - Our only MO-native pine
• Other NA native pines - Virginia, Pitch, loblolly, cortorta, jack I think all of these can at least do ok here
• Colorado Blue spruce / white spruce - Do ok here, maybe not quite as beginner friendly, don't have any myself

Anecdotally I've been told that larch tend to not thrive here due to the heat of our summers. Haven't tried one.
TLDR most conifers grow pretty well here. If I had to pick 5 beginner-friendly ones, I'd go with JBP, Mugo Pine, Yew, Bald Cypress, Scotts pine.

 

[MaciekA]

I'm with @Shogun610 . There really isn't any particular conifer that stands out as much easier than all the others because they're mostly all "easy once you know how and have stopped stubbornly insisting on making it up as you go". Conifers ruthlessly punish making shit up as you go.

People that follow their mentor's / teacher's / reputable-source's teachings generally don't get stuck in quicksand w/ conifers. @Rhumphres01 , prioritize education from a reliable and reputable source/teacher that teaches how to build conifers in stages. Then they are all reasonably similar in difficulty level, and most of your species selection effort can come down to climate / region compatibility.

 

[Rhumphres01]

@Rhumphres01 I see that you are in St. Louis, me too! Here are some conifers that I know do quite well in StL

• Japanese Black Pine - Grow very well here. Good beginner species and there is lots of info about how to handle them. One of my first trees and I've still got it.
• JRP - grow well, but less common here.
• JWP - grow well, but much slower so less a beginner species. Have to be careful when we occasionally get a very rainy streak.
• Yew - I don't have any, but I know many people do have them here and they do great
• Bald Cypress - love our hot humid summer climate and are very tough and strong growers
• Scotts Pines - Don't have any myself, but plenty others do. Seem quite beginner-friendly
• Mugo Pine - Grows well and good beginner species.
• Dawn Redwood - Another good beginner option, similar look to BC
• Hinoki Cypress - Not a top choice for beginners, but are doable here with some shade and some restraint from doing too much in a single year
• Ponderosa Pines - Slow growing so not super beginner-friendly, but they do well here
• Thuja - Don't have any, but I know people do have them here
• Shortleaf Pine - Our only MO-native pine
• Other NA native pines - Virginia, Pitch, loblolly, cortorta, jack I think all of these can at least do ok here
• Colorado Blue spruce / white spruce - Do ok here, maybe not quite as beginner friendly, don't have any myself

Anecdotally I've been told that larch tend to not thrive here due to the heat of our summers. Haven't tried one.
TLDR most conifers grow pretty well here. If I had to pick 5 beginner-friendly ones, I'd go with JBP, Mugo Pine, Yew, Bald Cypress, Scotts pine.

Thanks! This is super helpful! Interesting that you mention that Larch don’t do well here. I have an American Larch and although everything I read says they like full sun, I had to move it to receive only morning sun because a lot of its needles began turning brown in full sun in July, even with watering twice a day. Since it has been shaded it has since begun growing well. Do you know anywhere nearby that sells JBP?

 

[pandacular]

How do people feel about Taxus for this "top 5 conifers that aren't juniper for beginners".

I don't know about it being "easy" but many of my favorite Japanese trees are Taxus.

Ryan Neil once described Tsuga mertensiana (mountain hemlock) as "the procumbens of elongating species." That's a pretty strong endorsements in terms of "easy" species.

As a beginner, I've found the best trees for me to be the ones that react quickly and strongly to actions I take. My procumbens is the best example of this, but I have an Azara microphylla that is excellent in this regard as well. Not conifer, but it is a fast grower and responsive. The biggest thing I've learned from my trees is to watch them change and react.

 

[Kanorin]

Do you know anywhere nearby that sells JBP?

Yes, PM incoming.

 

[snowman04]

I too am having great luck with JBPs from Bonsify. Eric knows a little bit about those guys...

 

[pandacular]

there's also our local mad scientist, @cmeg1! can't wait to get a jbp or two from him come spring.

 

[Bonsai Nut]

Anecdotally I've been told that larch tend to not thrive here due to the heat of our summers. Haven't tried one.
TLDR most conifers grow pretty well here. If I had to pick 5 beginner-friendly ones, I'd go with JBP, Mugo Pine, Yew, Bald Cypress, Scotts pine.

I am going to add one conifer to your list that I have become attached to: hemlock. It's like a tree sized yew.

 

[Wires_Guy_wires]

Technically Ginkgo is a gymnosperm but not a conifer.....doesn't produce cones.

You are right! I had the wrong assumption that it belonged to the conifers because evolutionary it had needles that fused to form a leaf. Thanks for clearing that up!