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Plant Family Collection: Conifers
Nearby the ferns are the conifers—pines, junipers, cypresses, and their kin—the most familiar of the seed-bearing plants called gymnosperms. In most conifers, the seeds are found in woody structures called cones, which range in size from the gigantic two-foot cones of the monkey puzzle tree to the tiny cones of some junipers.
Unlike the protected seeds of flowering plants, the seeds of gymnosperms, upon ripening, become exposed as the cone matures. Conifers, which have very efficient vascular systems, include some of the largest trees in the world—among them the sequoias, redwoods, and Douglas firs native to the American West. The waxy cuticle covering the leaves of conifers enables these plants to grow in drier habitats than the earliest plants could tolerate.
The conifers in the Plant Family Collection range from towering blue Atlas cedar and sequoia, to a magnificent weeping form of the Canadian hemlock (Tsuga canadensis 'Pendula') to dwarf varieties such as hinoki false cypress (Chamaecyparis obtusa 'Nana'), suitable for small gardens.
Map of the Garden
The Plant Family Collection is indicated by the orange box. Click on the map to visit other locations in the Garden, or click here to view a larger map.
