Another dilema, conifer among fruiting trees

16 years ago

I posted this on the Wildlife Forum because Conifers are good for wildlife.

I have two very large conifers (sorry I do not know what kind). One is more prickly (do not produce cones) and the other is lighter and a big wheeping (produces some kind of purplish berry).

These conifers are placed next to the road and I absolutely love them. The main reason I want to keep them is because they provide winter shelter, nesting places, and hiding places for the animals.

But, on the down side, both are dying. They used to be absolutely stunning. There are numerous vines that I have fought for years that are growing in them, but they just keep coming back. Also on the one that produces the purplish berry there is alot of brown (dead foilage). The large ice storm we had earlier this spring might have damaged them too. Not sure.

I see lots of birds flying in and out of these, so they absolutely love them, especially the purplish berry one).

I should also mention that these trees are HUGE, topping at about 25-30 feet.

The problem is that I just cannot live without some kind of conifer for refuge for the birds and wildlife. I refuse to. But, I have a feeling that these will have to come up soon.

The other problem is that I want to plant fruit bearing trees. Next to the road would a conifer look good along side say two dog woods and if so, how would you place them, the conifer in the middle or on one of the ends.

I guess overall what I am really trying to figure out is how to landscape the yard for the birds and animals.

Does anyone have a good suggestion on what kind of conifer would work well with dogwoods and LOOK GOOD amongst them.

I know that the one that produced the light purplish berries was there favorite because I think the needles were very soft.

I would want one that is somewhat fast growing (but lives a long time) and does not need to be as large as the ones that I have now.

I am in Zone 5B, IL.

I am so very sorry for all of the questions that I have asked on this board lately, but my whole garden is quite a mess this year.

Thank you all so very much.

Comments (2)

terryr
16 years ago
Without having a visual of your property, just going on what you're saying, I'd plant a Pinus strobus (white pine). Easily my favorite conifer. As for size though, yours at 25-30 aren't huge. The Pinus strobus gets 60' to 80', much larger in natural areas. They have a 20' to 40' spread. Another one would be Thuja occidentalis (white cedar or American arborvitae), home landscape plants in the 20' to 30' size range, 10' to 15' wide (larger in natural areas). IL native plants is what I'm most familiar with, sorry! If these would work, or just one of them, I'd place them more in the back, meaning the conifers would be more towards the road as your back drop, with Cornus alternifolia in front of them, spacing them to allow the growth of the conifers and the growth of the trees. On either side of the Cornus alternifolia, I'd probably plant more smaller trees and shrubs. Adding in perennials.
maifleur01
16 years ago
Do not plant white pines until they find out a cure for the blight that is effecting them. I lost the two big ones in front to the disease. Depending on what you read the cause is a fungus/bacteria carried on beatles or a airbourne fungus. There is a spray but it just keeps it in check not a cure.
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