13 Evergreen Trees Under 20 Feet Tall

Dwarf evergreen trees are small, compact trees that are ideal for growing in containers or in small gardens.

The benefits of planting little trees include their low care needs, year-round greenery, and compact size. Nevertheless, if you’re seeking evergreen trees that maintain their petite stature naturally, require only watering, and remain green all winter, you’ve come to the perfect spot!

It might seem too good to be true to find all of these features in a single tree, but it isn’t.

In actuality, small-space gardeners have access to a wide variety of dwarf evergreen trees that provide all of these advantages and more.

Also, they’re excellent options for someone who dislikes spending their weekends trimming. Little dwarf evergreen trees can be planted to create lovely garden landscape features, even in big gardens.

13 Evergreen Trees Under 20 Feet Tall

Although there are many compact evergreens for tiny gardens, Nonetheless, the plants on this list are among the best small-statured kinds that may be grown at home.

Here are 13 of my favorite tiny evergreen trees, to start.

• The Blues Weeping Colorado Spruce
• Hinoki Cypress
• Blue Wonder Blue Spruce
• Dwarf Balsam Fir
• Chalet Swiss Stone Pine
• Tip Top Dwarf Swiss Stone Pine
• Dwarf Serbian Spruce
• Green Spire Euonymus
• Green Penguin Dwarf Scotch Pine
• Dwarf Japanese Black Pine
• Dwarf Pencil Point Juniper
• North Star Dwarf White Spruce
• Upright Japanese Plum Yew

1. The Blues Weeping Colorado Spruce (Picea pungens ‘The Blues’)

In the Blues, The beautiful species of “silvery” little evergreen tree known as the weeping Colorado spruce (Picea pungens “The Blues”) is perfect for a small garden. This tiny spruce tree can easily be grown in a pot to adorn any entrance.

A true show-stopper is this superb and resilient type of weeping blue spruce. Despite its rapid growth, it only reaches a height of 10 feet and a width of between 5 and 10 feet. On branches that are hanging downward, the blue-green needles are densely arranged.

Among the most deer resistant of the miniature evergreen trees, “The Blues” is hardy to -50 degrees Fahrenheit. Although it prefers full light, it can take little shade.

To control its development, you can cultivate it in a container. With silver-blue foliage that lowers to the ground, this dwarf weeping evergreen tree offers a compact appearance.

Every tree grows in a different way, which is one of the reasons why gardeners select this kind of dwarf evergreen for landscaping. The foliage’s bright blue needles also have an oriental appearance. Of course, you can shape the tree’s growth however you like.

Full sun and moist soil are ideal for the Blues Weeping Colorado Spruce’s growth. It is a resilient tree that thrives in USDA zones 2 to 8.

2. Hinoki Cypress (Chamaecyparis obtusa)

The Hinoki cypress is a dense, incredibly slow-growing, soft-needled evergreen with a somewhat pyramidal appearance. Its foliage is luxuriant, dark green, and fashioned like a fan.

These lovely miniature varieties of this type of little cypress tree are native to Japan. Hinoki cypress trees are evergreens that are often planted in small gardens for their decorative appearance and lush foliage.

When Hinoki cypress is twenty years old, they are 10 to 12 feet tall and 3 to 4 feet wide and are winter hardy down to -30 degrees Fahrenheit. As little as 12″ (30 cm) tall, some of the tiniest varieties of Hinoki cypress trees exist!

Not all of these “mini” trees, though, are that tiny. Some dwarf varieties can reach heights of 3 to 6 feet (1-2 m). Hence, all you need to do to fulfill your landscaping objectives is pick the appropriate variety of Hinoki dwarf evergreen.

This small cypress tree is evergreen and features dark green foliage with soft fluffy needles. The little hardy trees thrive in full to partial sun and well-drained soil.

This evergreen needs well-drained soils and full to partial light. Look for the cultivar “Nana Gracilis” if you’d prefer an even smaller form of this plant that grows to a maximum height of just 5 feet.

3. Blue Wonder Blue Spruce (Picea glauca ‘Blue Wonder’)

This cute tiny spruce can survive winters as cold as -40 degrees Fahrenheit. It has a wonderful compact form and blue-gray foliage.

In addition to looking fantastic in winter container plantings, this tiny evergreen is a superb substitute for dwarf Alberta spruce.

‘Blue Wonder’ matures at only 3 feet wide and slowly grows to a height of 6 feet. It has a naturally thick conical structure.

4. Dwarf Balsam Fir (Abies balsamea ‘Nana’)

One of the most well-liked compact dwarf fir trees is the dwarf balsam (scientific name: Abies balsamea ‘Nana’). This little tree is perfect for small yards because it has the traditional conical shape of a fir tree.

This small tree, a squat, rounded fir with thick needles, belongs on every list of dwarf evergreen trees. This variety’s moderate growth rate and hardiness to -40 degrees Fahrenheit make it ideal for people who don’t have the time or desire to frequently prune their shrubs.

This small balsam fir has tightly packed branches and dark green needles like other balsam firs. After several years of development, it reaches a width of 5 to 6 feet.

Due to its sluggish growth, the dwarf balsam fir is one of the compact evergreen species that requires the least amount of maintenance.

Flat, year-round, needle-like leaves are produced by this evergreen fir. The tree takes on the distinctive cone-like shape of many evergreen firs as it matures and grows.

You may also grow this tiny dwarf tree in containers on your balcony, porch, or deck. You take use of the tree’s beauty and fragrance because the leaves emit a lovely pine scent.

With enough sun and well-drained soil, the compact evergreen thrives in USDA zones 3-6.

5. Chalet Swiss Stone Pine (Pinus cembra ‘Chalet’)

The Cabin Swiss Stone Pine (Pinus cembra ‘Chalet’), a lovely evergreen dwarf tree, grows slowly.

I’ve always loved Swiss Stone pines, and this dwarf species is no exception. ‘Chalet’ has so much to offer in terms of tiny evergreen trees! This diminutive evergreen tree is columnar in appearance, thickly branching, and slow-growing.

This small evergreen has long, blue-green needles that give it a delicate appearance. The remarkable option “Chalet” only grows to a height of 8 feet and a width of 4 feet, but it is hardy down to a temperature of -40 degrees F.

The long, green pine needles of this tiny pine tree make it a good choice for landscaping. The densely packed pine needle leaves of the Swiss pine dwarf variants have a columnar form. The Chalet Swiss Stone pine is a lovely accent tree for your yard.

In fact, according to some landscape designers, Swiss Stone Pine trees are among the most exquisite dwarf pine trees available.

In full sun and loamy, well-drained soil, this tree thrives. This tiny Swiss pine cultivar endures harsh winters like the majority of pine cultivars do.

The small pine evergreen trees “Nana,” “Pygmaea,” and “Tip Top” are further dwarf varieties of Swiss Stone pines.

6. Tip Top Dwarf Swiss Stone Pine (Pinus cembra ‘Tip Top’)

Hence, here is another variation of these tiny evergreen trees that are suitable for planting in small gardens to show that I wasn’t joking about how much I love Swiss Stone pines. Tip Top is both incredibly sturdy (-40 degrees Fahrenheit) and adorably cute.

It only grows to be 6 feet tall and 3 feet wide in ten years. The long shape and soft texture of the needles, along with their white undersides, give this evergreen the appearance of a shaggy green Muppet.

Like all of the other dwarf evergreen trees on our list, “Tip Top” has a conical growth habit and requires no trimming to stay small.

7. Dwarf Serbian Spruce (Picea omorika ‘Nana’)

When landscaping any size garden, the dwarf Serbian Spruce (Picea omorika ‘Nana’) is a great evergreen tree to plant.

This little evergreen tree’s dense growth makes it a fantastic choice for foundation plantings and small garden beds. This miniature type of Serbian spruce has green needles with white striping on the undersides, giving the tree a velvety appearance similar to other varieties.

Dwarf Serbian spruce, which grows slowly and only reaches a maximum height and width of 3 to 5 feet, survives in garden zones with winter temperatures as low as -30 degrees Fahrenheit.

It has a loose pyramidal shape and doesn’t need to be pruned. The dwarf Serbian spruce has dense foliage and leaves with green and silver needles, similar to many other large and tiny spruce evergreens.

The tiny tree’s maximum expected height and spread are both 5 feet (1.5 meters). There is no need to prune this tiny evergreen species to keep it in form.

The “Pendula” is another variety of Serbian spruce that falls under the category of weeping evergreens. This particular variety of spruce trees can resist cold temperatures of -40 °F (-40 °C).

8. Green Spire Euonymus (Euonymus japonicus ‘Green Spire’)

Originally from the Far East, the Green Spire Euonymus (Euonymus japonicus) is a little evergreen tree. The Japanese Spindle or Evergreen Spindle, a tiny tree, is the source of the dwarf cultivar.

The Green Spire is a dwarf evergreen tree, not a pine, conifer, or spruce like the other dwarf evergreen trees on this list. The compact, bushy tree boasts lush, year-round green leaves.

There are numerous varieties of the tree/shrub that produce dark green, glossy leaves, as well as variegated cultivars that grow in upright columns.

This little tree can be used as a small ornamental tree for flower beds or to create privacy hedges in your yard.

The ‘Green Spire’ euonymus is well-behaved and winter hardy down to -10 degrees, giving it a more formal appearance than some other alternatives. The glossy, green foliage makes an excellent screen or narrow hedge.

This naturally slender shrub grows quickly and reaches a height of 6 to 8 feet at its tallest with a spread of approximately 1 to 2 feet.

9. Green Penguin Dwarf Scotch Pine (Pinus sylvestris ‘Green Penguin ‘)

Once you see “Green Penguin,” a hefty but well-kept dwarf evergreen, you’ll understand how it gained its name. This miniature scotch pine is highly distinctive, with new growth that is feathery and older foliage that has long needles.

‘Green Penguin’ is hardy to -40 degrees F and has a thick, pyramidal structure that will never have you reaching for your pruning shears. 6 feet is the maximum height allowed, and the width should be half that.

10. Dwarf Japanese Black Pine (Pinus thunbergii ‘Kotobuki’)

Due to its exquisite appearance, the Dwarf Japanese Black Pine (Pinus thunbergii ‘Kotobuki’) makes a lovely tiny tree for any little garden.

This needled evergreen only grows to a height and width of 4 feet and is fully winter hardy to -20 degrees Fahrenheit.

‘Kotobuki’ is a great option for pots and compact gardens due to its narrow growth habit and its erecting candles of new growth in the spring.

This deer-resistant evergreen is slow-growing, has a solid structure, and has needles that are roughly half as long as typical Japanese black pines.

This small tree looks like a dwarf, narrow pyramid because of the vertical growth of its tiny branches. In order to give your garden an oriental feel, you may also prune the tree to make it into a beautiful ornamental tree.

This tiny Japanese Black Pine tree can weather harsh winters and thrives in full sunlight.

11. Dwarf Pencil Point Juniper (Juniperus communis ‘Compressa’)

Smaller than the height of the ordinary person, the Dwarf Pencil Point Juniper (Juniperus communis ‘Compressa’) is a species of the slender evergreen tree.

The slow-growing dwarf pencil point juniper is an unusual evergreen shrub with a columnar shape. This sun-loving evergreen grows typically 5 feet tall and only 1 foot wide, with blue-green needles.

A dwarf pencil point is planted. If you need a towering yet compact tree for your yard, garden, or container, juniper is a fantastic option. Blue “berries” may also be produced by female plants in the autumn.

For smaller landscapes, its tapering form makes it a fantastic “exclamation point” accent plant. -40 degrees Fahrenheit winter resistant.

12. North Star Dwarf White Spruce (Picea glauca ‘North Star’)

This small, pyramid-shaped evergreen tree is incredibly durable and has green needles all over it. ‘North Star’ grows to a maximum height and width of 5 to 10 feet and is deer-resistant and hardy to -50 degrees F.

It requires little to no pruning to keep a tidy shape and enjoys full to partial sun. North Star is one of the best plants since it is simple to grow and tolerates all but the wettest soils.

A stunning, compact evergreen with a lot of branches, “North Star” white spruce.

13. Upright Japanese Plum Yew (Cephaloxatus harringtoniia ‘Fastigiata’)

The Upright Japanese Plum Yew (Cephalotaxus harringtonia ‘Fastigiata’) is another type of compact evergreen tree. This little, bushy conifer has lovely, needle-covered vertical branches.

Hardy to -10 degrees Fahrenheit, this broad-needled evergreen. It grows to a maximum of 8 feet tall and 3 feet broad in an upright, slender manner. Japanese plum yews are non-flowering, although they feature densely spaced, dark green needles on tall, bottlebrush-like branches.

Around two inches is the length of each needle. Although it prefers midday shade in the hot southern parts during the summer, it does well in full to partial sun.

This dwarf yew tree species develop a V-shaped canopy of lush, dark green leaves. The little Japanese plum yew blossom is not present in all cultivars. They do offer year-round privacy and wind shelter, though, making them a good miniature plant.

These columnar trees’ fastigiate branches are one of their distinguishing characteristics. Fastigiate trees have vertically upward-growing branches.

The slim Japanese Plum Yew tree appears upright, straight, and thin due to its growth pattern. This columnar tree is a great option for planting in confined spaces like small gardens.

This small evergreen can be grown in well-drained soil that receives both full sun and shade.

The female types of this Japanese yew bear tiny fruits that resemble plums. This miniature cultivar can be used to accent a particular region of your property or to create a barrier by planting them together.

Conclusion

It’s difficult to argue against these miniature evergreen trees’ simplicity, attractiveness, and diversity. Making a home for one or more of them in your garden will undoubtedly pay off greatly during the entire year.

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