Tsuga canadensis Nana - Eastern Hemlock

Tsuga canadensis Nana is a dwarf form of the Canadian Hemlock, with a unique, horizontal and slightly weeping habit. Creeping, dense and highly branched, it makes an excellent ground cover for shade. It spreads very slowly, gradually exposing its naked branches covered with a silvery white bark in the centre of the shrub. They create a beautiful contrast with the striking dark green and shiny needle-like foliage. Known for decades, this cultivar has proven itself to be a reliable choice among dwarf forms. This conifer is ideal to cover the base of a shaded slope, to fill gaps between rocks in a rockery, or to edge a low wall. It thrives in non-burning sunlight or partial shade, in moist and well-drained, neutral to acidic soil.

Tsuga canadensis, also known as Eastern Hemlock, is an evergreen conifer of the pine family, native to eastern Canada, where it always grows in shade, often in mixed forests and maple forests. This species slowly reaches a height of 30 m (98ft), with a diameter of 1 m (3ft), and can live up to 600 years. This very hardy conifer prefers fertile and moist soils, and does not tolerate drought or direct sunlight. Its roots are shallow and spreading widely. The Nana variety, derived from this species, is characterized by its very small size and creeping, prostrate habit, horizontal and almost weeping. Its growth is very slow, it will not exceed 30 cm (12in) in height after 5 years, reaching a total size of 70 cm (28in) at maturity. Its arched branches, starting from a very short trunk, gracefully hang down and spread on the ground. Its twigs are covered with flat, finely toothed, dark green and short needles, from 7 to 16 mm (1in). They are arranged in 2 rows on the twigs. The bark peels off in scales from a young age.

Tsuga canadensis Nana is suitable for all gardens, even the smallest ones. It looks good as a standalone plant and elegantly animates a rockery or a flowerbed. It goes well with large stones and low walls. It can be planted there as long as the soil is moist. It can also adorn the banks of a natural pond or water feature, in a non-scorching location. The real graphic qualities of this type of conifer naturally impose themselves in the design of contemporary gardens, inspired more by the aesthetics of shapes, silhouettes, and textures than by the flurry of blooms. These plants, with their reassuring permanence, structure pathways and border terraces, easily replacing trimmed boxwoods or hollies. The key is to play with volumes and colours.