American Conifer Society

06/14/2026

Hello! We’re 11 days away from the National Meeting in Portland OR.

Unfortunately we’re at capacity, and the registration is closed. However, the Central Region is having its annual meeting in Cleveland OH. 37 conifer lovers signed up already!

https://www2.conifersociety.org/events/EventDetails.aspx?id=2063123&group=

06/13/2026

Have you seen the cultivar of Metasequoia named after Dr. Peter Raven?

‘Raven is one of the 1952 trees planted in front of the Lehmann Building at MBG in 1952. It is distinguished from typical specimens of Metasequoia glyptostroboides in the following ways: (1) uniform pyramidal growth habit, (2) low branching habit with branches uniformly spaced, (3) deeply furrowed bark, (4) better resistance to foliar diseases, and (5) more vigorous growth rate. 'Raven' features soft, linear, feathery, fern-like, bluish-green to yellowish-green leaves that turn orange to red in fall. Trees will typically grow up to 3' each year, eventually maturing to 70-100’ tall. Cultivar name honors Dr. Peter Raven, Director of the Missouri Botanical Garden from 1971 to September 2010. SHAW'S LEGACY is a trade name that honors Henry Shaw (1800-1889) who founded the Missouri Botanical Garden in 1859. U.S. Plant Patent PP21,318.

To learn more: https://www.missouribotanicalgarden.org/PlantFinder/PlantFinderDetails.aspx?kempercode=e309

If you missed this Celebration of Life, it will be available after editing on the website of the Missouri Botanical Garden.

06/13/2026

The American Conifer Society is dedicated to the development, conservation, and propagation of conifers, with an emphasis on dwarf and unusual varieties. Founded in 1983, the organization works to educate the public, standardize nomenclature, and promote the use of these trees in landscaping.”

Golden Gate Park is the co-host of the past annual meeting of the American Public Garden Association.
Park employees highlighted Monterey Pine (Pinus radiata) as the 4 tree species as William Hammond Hall stabilized sand dune applying the European land reclamation practices (reforestation).

These Monterey Pines are planted in the 1870s. Without the harsh environment on the California coast, they grew into tall trees, which look different than in the habitat.

Meanwhile, the Japanese Tea House opened in 1894. The Monterey Pines in this part of the Golden Gate Park are meticulously maintained with traditional Japanese branch work for over a century. Under the similar environment, different maintenance programs on the same species create different tree structures.

It takes time to build a training/ pruning system for a big conifer tree, even a dwarf one. Miniature and compact are perfect tree size for foliage appreciation.

06/12/2026

Look at these cool S-curve trunk shaping and layered branch pruning! They were developed to echo how storms, lightning, and wind sculpt trees in the wild. The City Arborists spend about 1 week every Fall to prune these Monterey Pines (Pinus radiata). No decandling in Spring due to vigorous bud-backing of this California Native Pine species.

Niwaki (庭木), the Japanese art of sculpting garden trees, originated from a deep-rooted, ancient reverence for nature found in Shinto. Niwaki is a system of training and pruning methods as a way to mimic the raw, dramatic forces of the natural world.

Japanese gardeners sought to signify the essence of a tree and demonstrate the imprints of time. Other than the spiritual difference with Bonsai, Niwaki has different tree size than Bonsai. While Bonsai focuses on miniaturization in a pot, Niwaki involves full-sized or semi-dwarf ground trees trained to frame landscapes and establish architectural harmony within the natural surroundings.

These trees are pruned systematically for decades. Please don’t hire Niwaki artists to attempt to achieve an instant similar look. True Niwashis and good pruners know that pruning is not a one time event. Excessive pruning undermines tree health and/or unscientifically shortens the lifespan of plant material. Hurricane pruning doesn’t necessarily create art but composting material or Fresh Arborist Mulch.

06/11/2026

How would you propagate Albino Coast Redwood (Sequoia sempervirens)?

“Albino redwoods lack chlorophyll, the green pigment in plants. Without chlorophyll, albino redwoods are unable to engage in photosynthesis. Photosynthesis is the conversion of Albino redwoods, which cannot produce nutrients, are parasites, depending on the parent tree for life.”

06/09/2026

The “Greeting Pine”, interesting.

On one of the world’s most beautiful mountains stands one of China’s most famous trees, a flat-crowned evergreen that may be 1,000 years old. The 'Greeting Pine' is so well known, it even has a bodyguard. That duty falls to Hu Xiaochun, the 19th Guardian of the Pine.

05/29/2026

“Pollarding is generally avoided in traditional Japanese gardens, where the goal is to mimic the natural, aged beauty of wild trees. Instead, Japanese horticulturists rely on highly specialized techniques like Daisugi (a form of pollarding) and Niwaki to carefully control the size and shape of trees.”

“Aggressive pollarding creates harsh, blunt branch stubs that clash with the flowing, organic shapes of trees.” However, it is still a pruning system to grow a Ginkgo to appreciate the foliage in a small yard where there’s no room for the straight species to reach its genetic potential. The bottom line is that we enjoy the garden without significantly undermining the plant health.

05/27/2026

Can you think of a place that name after a conifer?

Here’s how Palo Alto got its name. El Palo Alto (the Tall Tree) is a historical Coast Redwood (Sequoia sempervirens).

There are several documentaries about this secuoya roja or secuoya costera in Palo Alto.

05/26/2026

Hello! Hello! The registration of the upcoming National Meeting hosted by the ACS Western Region is now officially closed.

However, we still have a rendezvous in early June in New Jersey in early June and the Central Region meeting in early August in Northern Ohio!

Details: https://www2.conifersociety.org/events/EventDetails.aspx?id=2063123&group=

05/25/2026

We're 1 day away from the registration deadline for the 2026 National Meeting in Portland OR.

Join us on June 25, 26 & 27 to tour Iseli, Buchholz , connect with friends, and gain insights into gardening and horticultural practice.

You can register and learn more through the link: https://www2.conifersociety.org/events/EventDetails.aspx?id=2020692&group=