Northwest Blooms · Shrubs
Picea orientalis 'Ferny Creek Prostrate'
Ferny Creek Prostrate Oriental Spruce
- Family
- Pinaceae
- Height
- 6 to 24 inches
- Width
- 3 to 5 feet (spreading mat form)
- Flower color
- None; produces cones rather than flowers
- Foliage color
- Short, shiny very dark-green needles
- Bloom time
- Early spring for pollen release; seed cones develop afterward (inconspicuous)
- Light
- Full sun to light / partial shade
- Water
- Moderate
- Maintenance
- Low; requires little or no pruning
- Growing zone
- USDA zones 4 to 9
- Wildlife
- Provides ground-level shelter for small wildlife; cones may offer seeds for birds or small mammals; also deer and rabbit resistant
About this plant
Picea orientalis 'Ferny Creek Prostrate' is a dwarf evergreen conifer with a flat, ground-hugging habit and layered, spreading branches. Short, shiny, very dark green needles line the stems, forming a dense, low mat that slowly expands over time. In spring, small reddish pollen cones and developing seed cones appear among the foliage, adding quiet seasonal interest.
'Ferny Creek Prostrate' originated at Ferny Creek Nursery in Victoria, Australia, in the 1990s and has been promoted through the American Conifer Society's Collectors' Conifer of the Year program. Its slow growth, tight branching, and rich evergreen color suit rock gardens, slopes, and foreground plantings, where it provides durable groundcover and a textured backdrop for companion shrubs and perennials.
Works well in
Sun Gardens · Slopes & Banks · Rock Gardens · Deer Prone Areas
Companion plants
Abelias · Tufted hair grass · Stonecrop · Coneflower · Agastache · Blazing star
Design tip
Let ‘Ferny Creek Prostrate’ spread naturally into a broad evergreen carpet, using its layered branches to soften transitions between rocks, changes in grade, or other hard landscape edges. Its very dark green foliage creates a strong, consistent visual base throughout the year.
Where to see it
This plant can be seen at Vista Gardens.
