Season’s greetings from The Arboretum at Penn State! Our skilled horticulture team, staff, and volunteers have been hard at work creating holiday cheer. We encourage you to take a stroll through the gardens this winter season and view our festive seasonal displays, complete with planted containers, decorated trees, hand-made wreaths, and winter light displays! Holiday light displays will be on daily from 6:00 a.m. to 8:00 a.m. and nightly from 4:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. through early January. We hope you also join us for Winter Celebration on Friday, December 13, from 4:00 to 8:00 p.m. to enjoy festive programming and entertainment!
Visit our Seasonal Plantings page for a full list of what’s planted in our winter displays this season and learn more about a few of the species and varieties featured below:
What’s on Display?
Abies fraseri (Fraser fir)
The Fraser fir is one of the most popular commercial Christmas tree choices available with its fragrant scent and sturdy branches that are capable of supporting heavy ornaments. This fir can grow up to 50 feet tall and features a conical shape with yellow/dark green flat needles that are white-banded underneath, growing on branches that angle slightly upward. The common name and specific epithet of this tree are named after the Scottish botanist who discovered it and introduced it to England. This fir is closely related to and often mistaken for balsam fir (Abies balsamea), with the primary difference lying in the bracts of the cones scales.
Calocedrus decurrens (incense cedar)
This aromatic evergreen conifer is native primarily to the western United States and it is tolerant of heat and humidity. Incense cedar can grow to be anywhere from 30 to 150 feet depending on habitat, and wild specimens can live to be more than 1,000 years old! Medium-green foliage has an incense-like aroma when crushed, and the reddish-brown scaly bark is known to resist decay and insects. In fact, the pliable wood is often used as siding and window sashes, under construction, and to make pencils. Wildlife mainly use this species for cover, but small mammals also eat the seeds. We think it makes a great cut green to use as filler in our winter containers!
Chamaecyparis obtusa ‘Nana Lutea’ (hinoki false cypress)
This evergreen dwarf selection from Japan can reach an eventual height of 3–5 feet and forms a narrow pyramid as it matures. ‘Nana Lutea’ is a slow growing sport of Chamaecyparis obtusa ‘Nana Gracilis’ (also in the Arboretum’s collections) and is popularly used for containers, rock gardens, and screens. Golden, lime-green sweeping foliage with a darker green foliage beneath stands out against a winter backdrop. Crush the foliage for a pleasing, quintessential winter fragrance.
Chamaecyparis pisifera ‘Vintage Gold’ (Sawara cypress)
The Sawara cypress evergreen is native to Japan and can reach up to 70 feet in height. ‘Vintage Gold’ is a dwarf cultivar that only matures at 5–7 feet, featuring feathery golden foliage. The gold color provides year-round interest but is especially striking in the winter.
Cornus alba ‘Bailhalo’ Ivory Halo® (tatarian dogwood)
‘Ivory Halo’ is the cultivar of the tatarian dogwood shrub. The ‘Bailhalo’ is set apart by its compact size and ornamental features. In the winter, it displays bright red stems that stand out in a showy backdrop. The striking stem color contrasts well with its ovate to elliptic dark green leaves, edged in white.
Cornus sericea (red-osier dogwood)
A native dogwood shrub with many wonderful attributes, including its popularity with the native wildlife. However, its winter ornamental display is probably most appreciated by humans. The brilliant red stems are left bare by late November, offering both structure and vibrancy to the landscape. To keep the color fresh for each cold season, prune the oldest stems back in early spring! You will find various red-osier dogwood cultivars in our displays including ‘Baileyi’ and ‘Farrow’ Arctic Fire™.
Corylus avellana ‘Contorta’ (Harry Lauder’s walking stick)
These uniquely shaped deciduous shrubs, commonly called European hazelnut or filbert, were discovered in the mid-1800s by a Victorian gardener. Named after Scottish entertainer Harry Lauder, the contorted, spiraling branches resemble a walking stick. This specific cultivar ‘Contorta’, typically grows to be 8–10 feet tall and is especially pleasant to view in the winter, as the absence of foliage reveals the twisted and spiraling branches.
Cupressus arizonica var. glabra ‘Carolina Sapphire’ (Arizona cypress)
This medium-sized, broad and conical evergreen tree in the cypress family (Cupressaceae) can grow up to 60 feet tall and is native to the southwestern United States. It is drought-tolerant and grows best in full sun and well-drained or sandy soil. Lacy foliage is slightly fragrant and comes in shades of silver-blue to teal, with color staying bright all year round, providing seasonal interest in holiday displays as a cut green. It can also be used as a specimen tree, for screening, or for windbreaks.
× Cuprocyparis leylandii (Leyland cypress)
The Leyland cypress is a fast-growing evergreen hybrid. Its habit, foliage, and hardiness come from its Nootka cypress (Chamaecyparis nootkatensis) parent, while its rapid growth rate and branching come from its Monterey cypress (Cupressus macrocarpa) parent. Its flattened feathery sprays of leaves are grayish-green in color and grow upwards, creating a pyramidal shape. If you’re specifically looking for a Christmas tree or cut greenery without a fragrance, then this cypress may be for you!
Ilex crenata (Japanese holly)
Ilex crenata is a dense evergreen shrub, which usually grows just as wide as it does tall. For this reason, it has been referred to as the “box-leaved holly.” Native to the forests and mountains of East Asia, its deep green leaves retain their color year-round. You may notice it looks remarkably similar to certain species of boxwood (Buxus spp.), although Japanese holly displays an alternate leaf pattern while the leaves of boxwood are opposite. While the Japanese holly typically grows horizontally, one cultivar, the ‘Sky Pencil’ (pictured), grows vertically in a pencil-like column and can be viewed in our displays.
Ilex × meserveae (Meserve holly)
This evergreen holly hybrid was created in the 1950s by Kathleen K. Meserve, who desired to create a plant that would be capable of surviving the cold winters of the northwestern United States. The Meserve holly and its cultivars are known for their green spiny leaves and vibrant red berries that last into the winter, creating an iconic snow-covered look.
Ilex × meserveae ‘Hachfee’ Castle Spire® is a female clone of the Meserve holly, while the ‘Heckenstar’ Castle Wall ® is the male clone. ‘Castle Wall’ (pictured) does not produce fruit, instead serving as a pollinator for the female clones. The ‘Honey Maid’ Meserve holly (pictured) features creamy, white-variegated dark green foliage that warms up a winter display. You can find all of these cultivars featured in our seasonal containers!
Ilex verticillata (winterberry)
This eastern North American–native holly, known as winterberry, is a deciduous shrub with toothed, dark-green leaves that often grows in swampy areas and thickets, and along ponds and streams. These plants are dioecious, meaning there are separate male and female plants. Thus, only females that have been fertilized properly will produce flowers in the spring that will result in the famous bright red berries you may see in our Pollinator and Bird Garden and in our winter displays. It is estimated that only one male is necessary to fertilize 6–10 female plants. Berries will persist through the winter season into early spring. We have a few I. verticillata cultivars included in our displays including ‘FarrowBPop’ Berry Poppins®, ‘Kolmasho’ Magical® Showtime, and ‘Red Sprite’.
Juniperus chinensis (Chinese juniper)
Commonly called the Chinese juniper, Juniperus chinensis is an evergreen native to China. It can stand up to 50 feet in height in the wild, but can take on shorter forms. They are distinguished for their needled leaves and seed-bearing cones. Its green color will last into the winter and be especially eye-catching with contrasting dustings of snow resting on the branches. The ‘Bakaurea’ Gold Star® is a dwarf cultivar known for its cascading growth form and lime-green color. ‘Blue Point’ (pictured) is another cultivar that sports a taller pyramidal shape with blue-green foliage.
Juniperus procumbens ‘Nana’ (Japanese garden juniper)
With a unique, mat-forming and prostrate growing habit, this slow-growing juniper is a perfect “spiller” container component. ‘Nana’ is also a smart groundcover choice for dry soil landscapes, cascading beautifully over low walls and rocks. You may have also seen this variety as a bonsai; its compact form and branching habit are favorable traits for the artform.
Juniperus virginiana (eastern red cedar)
Juniperus virginiana is commonly called eastern red cedar or Virginia cedar and is an evergreen conifer native to much of North America with reddish-brown exfoliating bark and blue-green scale-like foliage that may fade into brown as winter progresses, although many cultivars tend to retain color in varying shades. One such cultivar is ‘Grey Owl,’ which will spread to about 6 feet wide, doubling its height when planted in the landscape. The cool hue of its silvery-blue foliage is further enhanced when paired with warmer plant tones. When not growing in a container, this eastern red cedar enjoys blanketing slopes and serving as a strong foundation plant.
Picea abies ‘Nidiformis’ (Norway spruce)
These evergreens may look familiar. That is because the species is considered the traditional Christmas tree! Native to the mountains of northern and central Europe, its shape and height are perfect to light up your home or building with Christmas spirit. ‘Nidiformis’ is a slow-growing dwarf cultivar featured in our displays, only reaching 8 feet in height as opposed to the usual 40–60 foot range. As these plants mature, a small depression or “nest-like” appearance forms in the center of the flattened top, hence the common name.
Picea pungens ‘Glauca Globosa’ (Colorado blue spruce)
The blue spruce, also known as the Colorado blue spruce, is the state tree of Colorado and is another popular and recognizable Christmas tree with its traditional pyramidal shape and four-sided silver-blue needles, which are sharper than fir tree needles. Spruce trees grow up to 75 feet tall in the mountainous regions of western and northern North America and feature downward-hanging cones that contrast their upward branches and needles. We have the cultivar ‘Glauca Globosa’ on display in our containers, which is commonly referred to as dwarf globe blue spruce with its more compact and rounded form.
Pinus heldreichii (Bosnian pine)
Bosnian pine is naturally illuminated with the glistening white fascicles (clusters) that bind each needle bundle together. This is an attractive, ornamental pine native to the Balkans, Italy, and Greece that prefers cooler summer climates and dryer soils. Pine trees may not be the most popular choice for Christmas trees but some pines such as the Scotch pine and Eastern white pine are the species most commonly used. Unlike spruce and fir trees, pine trees have needles that grow in clusters and they are usually sparser, which allows for more space when decorating with larger ornaments.
Pinus mugo (mugo pine)
Mugo pine, also sometimes referred to as Swiss mountain pine, hails from the mountains of central and southern Europe. You may see a few varieties featured in our winter displays. The cultivar ‘Slowmound’ is just what you may imagine — an extremely slow grower that provides a cushion-y effect to the landscape. Tolerant of various soil types as well as salt, it is a great plant for coastal areas. Its slow growth rate and fine textured foliage make it a festive, container-friendly plant! P. mugo ‘Enci’ is also an upright dwarf variety and more compact than the species featuring coarser textured needles.
Sciadopitys verticillata (Japanese umbrella pine)
This needled evergreen gets its name from the spiraling form its needles take, resembling an open umbrella. They are slow growers but can reach heights of 90 feet in the wild, while only 25–30 feet in cultivation. The ‘Variegata’ cultivar (pictured) on display features a color variation in its leaves, appearing both green and yellow. ‘Moonlight’ is a dwarf cultivar appearing almost entirely yellow.
Thuja occidentalis (eastern white cedar)
Thuja occidentalis is native to North America and typically stands in a pyramidal form reaching about 20–30 feet in cultivation. Yellow-green to darker green scale-like foliage is arranged in flattened sprays. Exfoliated bark generally appears reddish-brown in color as the tree matures. However, the eastern white cedar has several cultivars that range in a variety of shapes and sizes and can be seen throughout our displays.
Thuja occidentalis ‘Bobozam’ Mr. Bowling Ball® (pictured) is a dwarf cultivar that only reaches 2–3 feet in height and width. It’s unique round shape earned it the nickname “Mr. Bowling Ball.” Another cultivar, ‘SMNTOBAB’ Tater Tot®, also appears in a tiny round form but has foliage with a deeper green color. The cultivars ‘Smaragd’ and ‘Jantar’ (pictured) retain the upright growth form of the parent but max out at 15 feet tall and come in emerald green and golden green shades.
Thuja plicata (western red cedar)
We have a few varieties of western red cedar featured in our displays this year! To brighten a dark garden corner or for use in xeriscaping (landscaping with reduced irrigation in mind), Thuja plicata ‘4EVER’ Forever Goldy® is a great choice. This western red cedar cultivar’s golden foliage goes well with a wide variety of companion plants, and its tolerance to drought makes it favorable for low-maintenance and water-wise gardens. T. plicata ‘Grovepli’ Spring Grove® is a popular go-to for those wanting a fast-growing and tall privacy screen. It boasts exceptional winter color (it maintains a bright green in extremely cold temperatures), and its high resistance to deer browsing is just the star on the top. You may spot it throughout our winter displays or observe it planted as a large hedge near our front entrance.
Xanthocyparis nootkatensis (Nootka cypress)
Also known as Alaska-cedar or yellow cypress, the Nootka cypress originate from the Pacific Coast of the United States. Not only can they reach 90 feet in height in the wild, but they can live for more than 1,000 years. ‘Pendula’ and ‘Glauca’ are two slender sweeping forms you may see in our displays in containers before they outgrow them. Dramatic arching branches feature drooping blue-green sprays of needles.