Plant, Tree & Shrub Library

Other Names:  Dwarf Golden Hemlock, Eastern Hemlock

Description:

A compact garden shrub with bright golden foliage which fades to yellow over the summer, fine textured appearance, grows into a loose pyramid, excellent for a rock garden; needs organic, acidic soil, adequate moisture and shelter from drying winds

Ornamental Features

Aurea Compacta Hemlock is a dwarf conifer which is primarily valued in the landscape or garden for its distinctively pyramidal habit of growth. It has attractive yellow evergreen foliage which emerges gold in spring. The needles are highly ornamental and turn chartreuse in the fall, which persists throughout the winter.

Landscape Attributes

Aurea Compacta Hemlock is an open multi-stemmed evergreen shrub with a distinctive and refined pyramidal 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

Aurea Compacta Hemlock is recommended for the following landscape applications;

• Accent
• Mass Planting
• Hedges/Screening
• General Garden Use

Planting & Growing

Aurea Compacta Hemlock will grow to be about 5 feet tall at maturity, with a spread of 4 feet. It has a low canopy, and is suitable for planting under power lines. It grows at a slow rate, and under ideal conditions can be expected to live for 40 years or more.

This shrub performs well in both full sun and full 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.