Small, upright, broad, slow growing, often multi-stemmed evergreen tree, conifer (H 6-8 m, W 3-4 m). Crown broadly conical, dense. Needles densely arranged, scalelike, broad-lanceolate (0,3-0,5 cm), leathery, glossy, bright to dark green in with white spots or entirely white, with two prominent, longitudinal white bands beneath. Flowers and fruits not remarkable. Undemanding, long-lived plant. Grows best in deep, always moderately moist, well-drained soils, in half shady places with higher air-humidity. Easily withstands winter cold.
Plants for partial shade need a few hours of direct sun per day to grow and blossom properly, thus could suffer harm from direct sun heat or overlong sun exposure. It is important for the plant not to be exposed to afternoon heat and in early afternoon hours, but must be exposed to morning, forenoon and evening sun. Partial shadow position can mean a site that is sunny one part of the day, or a site with sun and shade in patches, as it is the case under broadlived trees or behind a picket fence - wooden boards with spaces in between.
Conifers have woody stems (i. e. tree trunk and branches) and are also called woody plants or trees. Their leaves are transformed into needles or scales, usually being hard and leathery.
Leaves or needles remain on the plant for several consecutive years, usually 2 to 5 years. Our descriptions contain the word evergreen.
Plant can in otherwise appropriate environment survive cold down to - 23 °C.
Porous or dry soils are normally light and loose, there is no stagnant water but relatively quickly flows in deeper layers; such ground are more airy and warmer, yet drier and usually contain less humus and for such undergrowth it is often to for drought to appear (e. g. rockgardens, walls, by paths and roads, on gravel, also on gravel surface in towns and close to buildings ...), plants of such undergrowth need well-drained soil, they tolerate drought but cannot tolerate constant moisture or even flooding.
Woody plant, normally with a remarkable tree trunk and a tree top. May have several stems - multistemmed tree. The tree top may be of different shapes, dense or thin, symetric or uneven. Most trees reach a height of more than 3 metres.
Variegated leaves show patterns of different colours, mostly white or yellow pattern on green base. Patterns can appear in forms of stripes, dots, patches, trims, uneven shapes, or colour is splashed over leaf surface; different colour patterns may have sharp borderlines or change softly one to another. Colour intensivity and needle/leaves patterns formation on certain plant may vary greatly according to general plant health and condition, age, maintanance (trimming and care); other factors such as weather, microclimate, sun or shade, presence of plant nutrients and water may also affect greatly on leaf colour. Colouring and patterns on leaves may be affected - changed - by the age of certain leaf or twig and through seasons.
Among described plants in this category we marked those, which are particulary resistant (to various environmental conditions), do not require much maintanance and thereby suitable fot planting in public areas.
