Upright Trees for Narrow Spaces
The solution to many landscaping problems is finding the right trees for narrow spaces.
If you have limited space for planting and are looking for some taller narrow growing upright trees for shade or a screen then columnar or fastigate types are what you are after.
These tall skinny or narrow trees are highly sought after in urban areas where space is limited, they have a small footprint but still provide the benefits of shade and screening.
Now the two terms used are columnar and fastigate and they mean different things. Fastigate trees have many trunks that grow close together in an upright fashion, while columnar trees often have short branches that stay close to the trunk.
Many of these are naturally occurring however many are new hybrids or select forms.
Landscapers and gardeners alike often ask what will be the height of a tree to be used in a narrow position, and this is perhaps more difficult to answer than you may think. It all depends on the soil, the aspect, the climate and the individual specimen itself, so usually a range of heights will be given.
List of Upright Trees to Consider
A few upright tree to consider.
- Cephalotaxus harringtonia ‘Fastigiata’ is the upright Japanese yew. An evergreen that will reach around 3 – 4 m in height. An interesting choice as it is wider at the top than it is at the base.
- Liquidambar styraciflua will reach around 15m and although broader than some is an excellent taller screening tree.
- Pencil pines – Full article Very commonly used and a number of varieties are used.
- Araucaria columnaris or Cook Island Pine will get to 30m, more suited to coastal plantings.
- Ginkgo biloba ‘Fastigiata’ is a deciduous tree with brilliant autumn foliage, a narrow growing form of the well known Ginkgo tree, will reach around 15m over time
- Juniperus communis compressa, slow growing but very tight foliage, reaching around 1- 2m over 10 years
- Picea Pungens ‘Iseli Fastigiate’ is slow growing and will reach around 5m in height over time.
- Pinus strobus ‘Fastigiata’ a narrow growing ‘white pine’
- Ilex crenata fastigiata, will reach around 3m in height, holly like foliage and evergreen
- Calocedrus decurrens ‘Aureavariegata’
- Chamaecyparis nootkatensis
- Pyrus calleryana species – Commonly called the ornamental pear.
- Buxus Graham Blandy – This is a tall growing box hedge, very narrow and strongly upright.