Plant Encyclopedia

Other Names:  Canadian Hemlock, Eastern Hemlock

Brand:  Monrovia

Description:

A superb dwarf variety that nearly glows with golden yellow foliage on graceful, arching branches; a low mounding form with improved sun tolerance; needs adequate moisture, rich, acidic and organic soils and shelter from drying winds

Ornamental Features

Golden Duchess® Hemlock is a dwarf conifer which is primarily valued in the landscape or garden for its interestingly mounded form. It has attractive gold evergreen foliage. The needles are highly ornamental and remain gold throughout the winter.

Landscape Attributes

Golden Duchess® Hemlock is a multi-stemmed evergreen shrub with a mounded form. It lends an extremely fine and delicate texture to the landscape composition which can make it a great accent feature on this basis alone.

This shrub will require occasional maintenance and upkeep, and is best pruned in late winter once the threat of extreme cold has passed. Gardeners should be aware of the following characteristic(s) that may warrant special consideration;

• Insects

Golden Duchess® Hemlock is recommended for the following landscape applications;

• Accent
• Mass Planting
• Hedges/Screening
• Rock/Alpine Gardens
• General Garden Use
• Container Planting

Planting & Growing

Golden Duchess® Hemlock will grow to be about 4 feet tall at maturity, with a spread of 5 feet. It has a low canopy. It grows at a slow rate, and under ideal conditions can be expected to live for 70 years or more.

This shrub does best in full sun to partial shade. It does best in average to evenly moist conditions, but will not tolerate standing water. It is not particular as to soil type, but has a definite preference for acidic soils. It is quite intolerant of urban pollution, therefore inner city or urban streetside plantings are best avoided, and will benefit from being planted in a relatively sheltered location. Consider applying a thick mulch around the root zone in winter to protect it in exposed locations or colder microclimates. This is a selection of a native North American species.

Golden Duchess® Hemlock makes a fine choice for the outdoor landscape, but it is also well-suited for use in outdoor pots and containers. Because of its height, it is often used as a 'thriller' in the 'spiller-thriller-filler' container combination; plant it near the center of the pot, surrounded by smaller plants and those that spill over the edges. It is even sizeable enough that it can be grown alone in a suitable container. Note that when grown in a container, it may not perform exactly as indicated on the tag - this is to be expected. Also note that when growing plants in outdoor containers and baskets, they may require more frequent waterings than they would in the yard or garden.