Fern Pine Columnar Tree for Sale - Buying & Growing Guide

Planting and Care

by John Haryasz | Horticulture Writer and Landscape Designer – last update on January 2, 2023

Planting instructions

You can plant the Fern Pine Columnar Tree in nearly any planting area in zones 9 through 11 that receives between four to eight hours of direct sunlight per day. The soil in your planting locations should have good drainage and at least a moderate amount of organic nutrients. Once you find a location that meets those conditions, plant your Fern Pine Columnar Tree in a hole that is as deep as the root ball is tall and about twice as wide. Backfill the hole while watering before covering the area with a layer of mulch.

Watering and nutrients

In most cases, it is best to water your Fern Pine Columnar Tree about once or twice per week throughout the growing season, depending on the overall temperature and rainfall. However, while this plant does perform best with weekly waterings, it is also quite drought tolerant, meaning that it can often go a while without any water at all. To feed this plant, all you need to do is apply a slow-release fertilizer that has an even balance of nutrients once per year during the spring months.

Pollination

The Fern Pine Columnar Tree comes in both male and female versions, and you will need to plant both if you want to allow for successful pollination. Both versions of this plant carry cones rather than flowers. The male cones are responsible for opening and releasing their pollen into the wind. The pollen then travels via wind currents to the cones on the female plant. However, pollination is not a common concern for those who grow this tree since it does not produce fruits that people commonly harvest.

Pruning

Fortunately, the Fern Pine Columnar Tree develops a neat columnar form without the need for shaping. However, pruning remains beneficial for this plant. When pruning, you should use a set of tools that are as sharp and sterile as possible to remove any branch that is dead, damaged or diseased. It is also possible to prune this plant into a neat hedge. To do so, you can carefully trim the exterior foliage to create the hedge shape that you desire.

Pests, diseases, and animals

Overall, the Fern Pine Columnar Tree has excellent pest and disease resistance, which means that you can expect this plant to remain healthy throughout its life in most cases. However, it remains possible for this tree to experience an occasional infestation or infection. For instance, the Fern Pine Columnar Tree can encounter root rot and other fungus-related problems. Additionally, common garden insects, like aphids, may arrive at this plant, but they rarely do significant damage and are relatively easy to remove.

Achieving maximum results

You should pay close attention to spacing when planting your Fern Pine Columnar Tree. Although this plant will be somewhat small at planting time, it will eventually develop into a large plant. At maturity, this tree can exceed 40 feet in height and 25 feet in width. Its large size makes it possible for this plant to overcrowd your garden if you don’t give it the room it needs to expand.

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