Possibly a blue Leyland cypress. Bob shows some of the selections.

Dax

Here is a link that might be useful: Coenosium - Cupressus Cultivars

Okay, so don't leave us in suspense. What's the fastest yellow?

Oh sorry. Metasequoia "Ogon" aka gold rush is growing as fast as my neighbor's Lirodren(spelling) tulip tree. Mine has grown three feet this year. Could see it from space on one of the google maps shots.

Thanks Dax. Leyland cypress huh.... I might be able to do that. I mean its not like u told me to plant a Bradford Pear with Kudzu for decoration :)

How about Larix kaempferi 'Blue Rabbit'? It may outgrow Metasequoia or give it a run for the money.

Bradford pear. Way beneath, lol. A pear tree, of course that's fine. You get to eat dosh garnet.

Dax

Don't know about it growing there, but 'Oregon Blue' Lawson cypress seems to be pretty vigorous in this area.

Any blue foliage cultivar of Sequoia sempervirens would likely win, but of course won't be hardy in zone 6.

For zone 6 hardy, try Cupressus x notabilis, Abies concolor, and Pseudotsuga menziesii subsp. glauca.

Resin

Thanks guys, I'm going through the list still. Been plenty busy at work.

Dax, isn't Larix something you northerners with cool summers usually plant where the winters are too cold for best Metasequoia growth and the summers aren't quite as hot? I would think just in Chicago it would outgrow Metasequoia.

Maybe MOBOT just doesn't have a good one or it has not got my attention yet.

Thanks for the time, back to google!

I am resurrecting this post to find whether toronado or others have found other options. I am designing my yard and would like to have a tall blue conifer in the back to serve as background to other deciduous and evergreen trees.

I cannot find any picture of a large blue rabbit larix, dax. Do you know how large it gets? I need something that could reliably do 2+ feet a year

hey lca

how about you do your own post.. and give us a pic of the area.. or some better idea of you plan ..

and where you are ...

and we can help you ... directly ...

ken

alright! I'll post right away

My 3 chamaecyparis nootkatensis 'Glauca Pendula' are the fastest growing blue conifers in my yard.

I am hoping that this description is correct as I know there has been (and probably still is) a lot of controversy over it's naming and classification. Any clarification or correction is appreciated.

Jon

I think nootkatensis is now placed in the genus Cupressus

"I think nootkatensis is now placed in the genus Cupressus"

Yep

Resin

Thanks

My Abies concolor are beating the blue Picea engelmanii and Picea pungens glauca (bakerii?) all planted in same conditions.

Just noticed some engelmanii have caught up...

Hi lcadem:

A friend in Minnesota purchased a 1/3 M Larix kaempferi Blue Rabbit in 2003 and in 2010 it was between 7 and 8 M tall. It went from 1' to between 20 - 25'.

Expect serious growth. Keep larch well watered (moist ground consistently to get them established).

Dax

Dax, this is great info. It seems we have a winner. Do you happen to have a pic of that monster? Forestfarm's website states that it is a fastigiate cultivar...

I emailed him for a pic or pics.

Dax

Thanks, man!!!

I would think Cupressus glabra cultivars would be in the running, but I don't know how fast they grow in the Midwest.

Hey lcadem, I don't have a photo for ya. What he said is that after he planted it that the second year it became green so (he waited not happy about the situation from year 2 on) but ultimately he cut it down in 2011.

Don't let that information discourage you. Just because it turned green in his locale does not under any circumstances mean it will turn green in your soil. Heck he may of had it in too much shade...I just don't know.

He did say in addition that he read the ortet tree was 60' wide, and, I believe him. He's been at this stuff as long as I have and even longer.

Sorry to disappoint.

Dax

Hei Dax

no worries, I had a feeling this was the case. I have eventually found a couple of pix and the color was less than consistent. I also found a quite long thread on gardenweb about this specific cultivar (see link).

Also, my impression is that larch works really well ornamentally only when in groups. As a single, it is often scraggly.

I wish I could use cedrus atlantica...

Here is a link that might be useful: thread on blue rabbit

How about one of the Karl Fuch's selections of deodara cedar?
Karl Fuch's
Eisregen
there are others. I like these two. I'm growing Karl Fuch's.

Dax

Yep, I thought about that one. Is it growing fast for you?

I was also thinking about pseudotsuga menziesii 'blue wonder'. Does anybody have info on growth rate, hardiness reliability in zone 5a, and reliability of color. I have found three pics so far and they are small trees.

Mine will pick up speed. I planted it almost a year ago to the day, however, from a 5" band pot. It's gonna be a little while.

Greer Gardens has Karl Fuchs 3-4' available and 6-12". I bought a 3-4' Eisregren from them a few years ago that I killed with my lawnmower.. It was a heck of a nice plant. It had a large root-system.

Dax

Here is a link that might be useful: Greer Gardens: Cedrus deodara Karl Fuchs