Link provides good suggestions

Here is a link that might be useful: http://forums.gardenweb.com/forums/load/conif/msg111959595264.html

Thanks sc77 but that link is over 3 years old and half the pictures have been deleted (everybody please post purple pix here if you have them). If conifers are like every other plant group there are probably at least 20 purple cultivars that have come into circulation since that thread was written, you need monthly not even yearly updates to find out what's now available. This new thread will much more accurately reflect the current hobby if enough people are willing to contribute to it. I welcome everyone's input.

But why purple conifers anyway? Yukk! Ghastly! What a dreadful travesty!

Resin

You're obviously not a Californian...;-) People dye their dogs these days, what's so bad about purple conifers? You've never wanted to create a science fiction alien flora flowerbed? They're some of my favorites!

"what's so bad about purple conifers?"

You won't find any in Yosemite. Or Sequoia NP. Or Redwoods NP. There you are. Q.E.D.

Resin

Can you post a photo of a science fiction alien flora flowerbed?

Just curious.

I have never seen a purple conifer and I grow a few.

Possibility in winter color on some Chamaecyparis or Platycladus orientalis. I can't be specific on what cultivar though.

Show me.

Dave

Typo on above: species is thyoides (not throides).

Cryptomeria japonica 'Elegans' turns purple in the winter.
'Google images' that cultivar name..

J

Some Cryptomeria japonica, 'Elegans' turn plum colored in the winter. Some, a lime green, and others a bronze color.

Here's one of my plum colored 'Elegans'.
Mike
http://home-and-garden.webshots.com/photo/2470563230036511179KxsLB

Here is a link that might be useful: Cryptomeria j., 'Elegans'

Here you go Dave, a carnivorous bog does the trick quite nicely, just make sure to have plenty of sunlight, pure water (best is distilled or reverse osmosis) and high humidity if you want the Nepenthes to pitcher properly. This is an indoor display for a plant show but the principle is the same. If you don't have high humidity don't use Nepenthes except indoors, also bring them and other tropicals indoors in winter in cold climates. You'll have more than one neighbor's jaw drop...

I forgot the rule that we're only allowed to keep conifers that are native to our state Resin, I can live with that rule pretty happily as a Californian, but a lot of folks here aren't as lucky and will be stuck up a creek...lol

If purple pines dotted the UK would that make them
OK? ;-)

Very nice floramakros. Thanks for posting a photo and satisfying my curiosity.

I certainly wouldn't want to be wondering through that maze of
carnivorous bog with a drink in my hand. I can't imagine being devoured by a hungry plant.
LOL.

A purple conifer in growing season could be a stretch. In winter time you can go there.

As I said I am not aware of one but I don't pretend to know everything. Hopefully Edwin can chime in.

Dave

thyoides can turn a nice purple color in winter, but how dependent is that on temperature?

No thanks!

My C. thyoides gets very purple in winter and we barely freeze...it is MUCH more purple than any of my Cryptomeria, which get more bronzy/lilac.

Nice artwork, flora. Bet you could make a snazzy lookin' pipe organ out of those pitcher plants.

Can't help you with a purple conifer and since Resin's pic looks like a tree flocked with wine I'm not sure I'd want to see one.

tj

Chamaecyparis thyoids 'Ericoides' ('Red Star') a plum-purple color in late fall through early spring
{{gwi:651856}}

-Sam

Microbiota decussata has a rusty-red color that, with some imagination, appears purple in autumn and winter.
Cupressus duclouxiana is a nice blue-green accompanying cypress from China
{{gwi:623912}}

Yes on the Microbiota and the Cryptomeria being very interesting in winter - love them both. But not purple!

An uncommon cultivar of the Siberian Larch (L. sibirica (L. russica)) is said to have a purple-colored flush of growth in the spring--Larix sibirica 'Rasputin'..

-Sam

Here is a purple one:
Cryptomeria japonica 'Filip's Winter Magic'
{{gwi:640834}}

The last one wins the purple prize!

coniferjoy, how heavily is that picture photoshopped?

"Cupressus duclouxiana is a nice blue-green accompanying cypress from China"

Far from convinced that is correctly labelled!

Resin

No photoshopping here.
I don't like photoshopping and to tell the truth I don't know how to use it.

This selection is part of my Filip's Collection which stands for good quality and special conifer cultivars.

The one at the pic is the original mutation which derived on a Cryptomeria japonica 'Pygmaea'.
The 'Pygmaea' stays green, while the mutation is turning into a purple colour when it's getting colder...

Resin, I will begin a new thread with pictures of the alleged Cupressus duclouxiana to determine its true identity.

Very nice addition, Edwin! I do like its winter color very much. It reminds me of Cryptomeria japonica 'Elegans'

-Sam

Great pix fellas, what a way to brighten up a wintery spot! I have a new C.j. Yoshino (see other thread) and I've heard conflicting information on whether it changes foliage color in the winter and what color it becomes. I don't expect such outstanding purples but a nice reddish bronze blush would be wonderful. Here's hoping.

pineresin 8/9 UK (My Page) on
Wed, Nov 14, 12 at 4:32

But why purple conifers anyway? Yukk! Ghastly! What a dreadful travesty!

I agree.

De gustibus non est disputandum!

I hit the purple lottery! If you read the first message of this thread you can see I've been looking for a purple horizontally spreading conifer. Well I decided to visit Green Acres nursery on this black friday. Of course I couldn't resist the black plant display and picked up the new blackbeard cultivar of black mondo grass covered with black berries, this is your mother's black mondo on steroids! It is completely jet black, large and quite striking.

Then I came to the conifers and saw exactly what I was looking for: a Purple King Mountain Plum Pine Podocarpus lawrencei 'Purple King'. According to the description "Purple King Mountain Plum Pine has attractive bluish-green foliage which emerges creamy white in spring. The needles are ornamentally significant and turn purple in fall." This exotic comes from southeast Australia & Tasmania but can take temps down to 0 degrees F. It gets about 3ft tall and 5-6ft wide which is exactly what I wanted! Christmas came early this year! Happy Thanksgiving weekend to my fellow Americans and for everyone happy growing!

Picture please... :0)

I just got mine today so no pictures yet coniferjoy, I'd love to see other photos of this rare gem (at least the cultivar was unknown to me until today, lol ;-) so if anyone has it in their collections please show us (any cultivation tips you have will also be appreciated, I'm planning to keep it out of the afternoon sun).

Always on the lookout for more unusual plants for my garden I've discovered another purple gem to add to our list, I just got a Chamaecyparis thyoides 'Heather Bun'. Here's the description: "A pleasing, round-topped form displaying feathery plumes of olive-green with soft plum overtone on slender branches. Foliage turns intense plum color in winter. Evergreen." Don't think your garden's appeal has to go dormant in winter; add some fireworks! ;-)

@floramakros

Another purple turning cultivar is Platycladus orientalis 'Sanderi'.

Wolfgang

Thanks for the info Wolfgang.