Where the species towers over boreal bogs, this dwarf cultivar stays between one and two feet, forming a dense, rounded mound with a characteristic hollow at its crown. The half-inch needles are a genuine blue-green, fine in texture and tightly packed, making it a useful foliage plant for the rock garden or the front of a mixed border where something evergreen and undemanding is needed.

In its early years it needs consistent moisture and should never be allowed to dry out completely; once established, the demands ease considerably. Zones 5 through 7 work well, though it performs best where summers remain cool. Eastern dwarf mistletoe and occasional aphid pressure are worth watching for, though neither tends to be severe on well-sited plants.