Frank's Columnar Austrian Pine

Upright columns of green are always striking garden features, stopping the eye and giving a sense of completeness to the garden scene. For such a striking effect from an easy-care plant, don’t pass up on Frank’s Columnar Austrian Pine. The ordinary Austrian pine is well-known in colder zones as a great choice for a pine tree, with dense, very dark-green needles and black bark. Get the same look, but in a narrow column, with this great tree. Adding 8 to 12 inches of growth each year, it doesn’t take long until your young tree is 12 feet tall, but it will only be around 4 feet wide, with tight, upright branches forming a narrow column. The needles are a little shorter than in the natural tree, adding to the compact look of this excellent plant. Even when small and young it looks great as a miniature column, but in time it will grow taller, so make sure it has room overhead to push upwards. It is excellent as a garden accent anywhere, looking especially good with other evergreens among boulders and gravel, and on slopes and banks. Try a group of three out on a lawn, but not in the center of it – a great natural look you will love.

• Bold column of tight branches growing to 12 feet within 10 years
• Stays narrow naturally, needing no trimming
• Strong, dark-green foliage gives a great look
• Tolerates heavy snow without breaking
• Grows best in colder regions

The best spot for Frank’s Columnar Austrian Pine is out in full sun, and it grows well in any well-drained soil. Moist soil is good, but rocky, drier ground is fine too, with some supplementary watering while it gets established. Cold hardy right into zone 3, this species grows best where there are cold winters and summers that aren’t hot and humid. We don’t recommend this tree for the Midwest, or where summers are very hot and humid. In suitable climates it is problem free, and also never bothered by deer. You don’t need to trim it, but for a shorter, fuller plant trim the new shoots (called candles) before the needles grow out. Remove a little or a lot, depending on how compact you want it to be.