Conifer collection
CONIFERS (continued)
Cady’s Falls Nursery
Don & Lela Avery
637 Duhamel Rd. Morrisville, Vt. 05661
802-888-5559 avery@vtusa.net
Picea abies ‘Perry’s Golden’ in new growth
Abies koreana ‘ Silberlocke’
WITCHES’ BROOMS
Witches’ brooms are abnormal growths that appear in a wide range of woody plants and are frequently found in conifers. They can be caused by disease, physical injury or spontaneous bud mutations. It is this last group that is of horticultural value. Almost all of the dwarf and slow growing conifers in cultivation worldwide originated as seedlings or vegetative propagations from these strange growths. Many broom propagations are inherently weak and short-lived, but careful selection of healthy brooms over many decades has resulted in an abundance of garden-worthy plants, a few of which are shown below.
Dormant wirches’ broom in Larix laricina in Montpelier Vt.
Witches’ broom in Pinus mugo ‘Mops’ in our garden.
Picea abies ‘Pusch’ originated as a witches’ broom in Picea abies ‘Acracona’
Picea orienalis ‘Tom Thumb’
Picea pungens ‘Ruslyn Blue Moon’
Larix decidua ‘Pendula’ in the perennial garden. The same specimen in June and later in November.
Pinum parviflora‘ Bergman’s Gold’ showing off the male cones.
Larix decidua ‘Pendula’ in November
Pinus banksiana ‘Black Duck’ in full candle, from a witches’ broom on the Maine coast. Grown and selected here.
