Mine has been in a south facing garden bed for the past 3 years. It gets direct sun for most of the day. It had a little tip die-back the first year but has been doing well since then. I don't know if this helps, just my growing experience!

I don't know for sure if you get the intense sun that I do but maybe we are a go for this plant. I will see if anyone else has some more input. Thanks again.

If for some reason I find out the Meyer's Dwarf will not work, you can tell the type of plant I may be wanting to use in this area. I have also been thinking maybe Picea mariorika 'Machala' or Picea bicolor 'Prostrata' unless I can find something more interesting than these two. Hopefully the Meyer's will work.

'Meyer's Dwarf' will take full sun no problem.
I have one in a shady area of my own collection that grows much more slowly than specimens grown in sun.

Abies cephalonica is a Mediterranean fir, so it's used to the warm, sunny weather.
Hope this helps!

-Sam

Hey Sam, how's it going. I have not seen it in person but how would you say it compares to the Machala and Prostrata? Which seems to be the nicer plant?
Are there any prostrate Pinus that would be better or as nice? Pictures are one thing but talking to people that have experienced them really make a big difference to me. Just looking for options is all. Thanks.

Scott, I'm doing great!
'Meyer's Dwarf' can easily become a more upright yet dwarf tree.

It will definitely get taller than 'Machala' or (I assume you mean) Picea alcoquiana (syn. bicolor) 'Prostrata'
These will stay nice and low.
As for pines, Pinus mugo 'Corley's Mat' comes strongly to mind--very low and spreading.
Good luck with your decision; hope I didn't overwhelm you!

-Sam

It grows in the midwest really well under intense sun, humidity, etc-.

Dax

How long will it take the Meyer's Dwarf to become taller? All specs I see for 10 years is 18" x varied widths. Can I keep it in check for height with a little trim periodically? Or would I be better off going with something that is truly prostrate? So you are not familiar with any other pine prostrate form? What do you think of the Machala and Prostrata?

I recently discovered that Picea x mariorika 'Machala' and Picea alcoquiana 'Prostrata' are 2 names for the same conifer.

Picea x mariorika 'Machala' should be a cross between Picea mariana and Picea omorika.
I never saw any characteristic of both these species in this cultivar...

Another nice prostrate one is Pinus sylvestris 'Albyn'.

I was looking at the Pinus sylvestris 'Albyn'. I don't know not seeing either the Meyer's Dwarf of the Albyn. Which do you like better? Or the Machala?

Hey, Scott.
What kind of form and growth rate are you looking for?
'Meyer's Dwarf' has a tendency to be more of an upright plant given time as I stated earlier..

The spruce you mentioned will be a lower-growing, smaller plant.

Pinus sylvestris 'Albyn' will stay low but will grow more quickly than either of the spruces..

-Sam

The area is around a 6x5 spot. I want to keep it under 2' tall so it will not obstruct my view of my pond and falls. When you say upright for the Meyer's Dwarf, how upright are we talking?

This post was edited by ingeborgdot on Thu, May 9, 13 at 12:08

Scott, I think you should go for the Picea alcoquiana 'Prostrata'. It has a nice two-toned, blue-green foliage that emerges with a purplish hue in spring.
{{gwi:695768}}

It will not outgrow the space you mentioned, and it will look nice year-round.

-Sam

So you are saying that the Meyer's Dwarf will get too big. Crud. I kind of wanted that but that's the way it goes sometimes.

I can kill it in three months here in Kansas City with temps in the 90's and high humidity.

Dave

This is very interesting news about 'Machala'. Are you certain, Edwin? Would you recommend that we relabel out 'Machala' as Picea alcoquiana 'Prostrata'?

Alex

Alex, last winter Don Howse and I discussed this subject and now here at home in my Pinetum I did the comparison test.
The result was that they're the same in needle, bud structure and new growth that is flushing out at the same moment in the same way.
I'm not saying yet that we've to relabel our 'Machala' specimens in Picea alcoquiana 'Prostrata'.

This is because I'm not sure if the Picea alcoquiana 'Prostrata' is a cultivar of this species.
It's new flush does have a blue colour and I'm not familiar what the colour is on the species Picea alcoquiana.
Maybe Clément or Resin can help us out...

Internet is useless because there's a very big mess to see between Picea alcoquiana and Picea jezoensis.

Returning to the original question and to relate better the difference between Dave's 'Mid-west' and my 'Mid-west'. I would call where I am (Mercer County, IL) middle to upper Mid-west whereas Dave is in the lower Mid-west.

So ingeborgdot you being in western Kansas (now I see) - take Dave's advice. Stay away from firs for the large part. If you can find heat tolerant species grafted on Abies nordmanniana or Abies firma, then you may try them, but I'd still try to keep them out of all day sun.

Dax

Well, I still am much different than Dave also. He is humid, I am dry. When summer days get hot, I may get hotter but my nights actually get somewhat cool. Down to low 60's much of the time. I have been growing
Abies n. Golden Spreader,
Abies n. Berlin,
Abies balsamea 'Piccolo',
Abies concolor Kalous, Piggelmee, Archer's Dwarf
Abies koreana 'Aurea'
Abies koreana 'Blauer Eskimo'
Abies koreana 'Cis'
Abies koreana 'Green Carpet'
Abies koreana 'Silber Perl'
Abies koreana 'Silberlocke' for several years now and they are doing wonderful, (at this point). I am not going to try it though, just because of its size.

If you can grow all of those you should be fine.

tj

Too big for where I want it though.

I have a beautiful specimen (about 2ft tall by 3ft), I love the light color of the bark in contrast to the needle color (it has beautiful needles btw) and the unusual red Spring flowers, it looks like an ancient tree. It takes the full sun and heat of the Sacramento Valley every season with minimal watering, the heat and lack of humidity mirrors its native Greek climate so it thrives here. It never appears stressed and an added bonus is the wonderful scent of its needles if you rub against them. I wanted a conifer native to Greece figuring it would do great in my rock garden and I couldn't be happier! This conifer is perfect for the full sun hottest part of a California garden where other full sun loving species will fade if not watered daily. How it reacts to a high humidity environment you'll have to ask others. I love it, good luck.