Plant Image Data Base                                         

      Picea pungens

                                        Blue Spruce, Colorado Blue Spruce, or Green Spruce

• Form
  • large evergreen tree
  • maturing at 50' tall by 20' wide as a general rule, but cultivars are often smaller, and the species form in the wild will grow much larger
  • upright pyramidal growth habit in youth and often maintaining this form through maturity, but sometimes with age becoming conical with the lower branches drooping
  • slow growth rate
• Culture
  • full sun to partial sun
  • prefers a moist, acidic, well-drained soil but can tolerate many adverse conditions, including dry soils, soils of various pH, and Winter salt spray
  • Blue Spruce is somewhat tolerant of Winter salt spray, with green-foliaged forms being less tolerant (since they have less coating of needle wax) than blue or blue-silver forms
• Foliage
  • variants almost always have intense blue or silvery-blue foliage that is especially vibrant on new growth

• Function
  • blue-foliaged cultivars are commonly utilized as a specimen or focal point evergreen tree in lawn centerpieces, at the maximum curvature of large foundation beds, and at entranceways
• Assets
  • evergreen tree with a formal symmetrical pyramidal shape that branches to the ground, usually with stunning blue, blue-green, or silver-blue foliage
  • very drought tolerant, Winter salt-spray tolerant, and cold-hardy (once established in the landscape for two or three years after transplanting)
• Purpose
  • Blue Spruce is the most common blue-foliaged evergreen tree in landscapes, with many cultivars that differ in size, growth habit, and foliage color intensity.
• Summary
  • Picea pungens is a stately pyramidal evergreen tree that serves as a bold focal point in the landscape, especially with the numerous silvery-blue, blue-green, or sky-blue foliaged cultivars.

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