Are there different types of Colorado blue spruce?

The Colorado blue spruce has blue needles in a range of shades. The Glauca variety is a light blue, and Glauca Pendula is a weeping cultivar. If you want a shorter one, available varieties include Fat Albert, Glauca Globosa, and Glauca Jean’s Dilly.

What is the difference between a blue spruce and a Colorado blue spruce?

Blue spruce belongs to the species Picea pungens and is common in North America. It is also called Colorado spruce. Norway spruce belongs to the species Picea abies. It is native to Northern Europe and can also be found in the central and eastern parts of the continent.

How many varieties of blue spruce are there?

There are nearly 100 named selections of Colorado spruce (not all are ‘blue’ spruce), which can range from under 1 m (3 feet) to towering giants. Most are much too large for the average garden lot so care must be taken to select a smaller form if you do not want to risk the tree outgrowing its allotted space.

Which blue spruce is the bluest?

Picea pungens ‘Hoopsii’ Outstanding evergreen tree, generally considered the bluest form. New growth is especially bright blue. Pyramidal form that holds stiff horizontal branches with dense silvery-blue needles.

How can I tell what kind of spruce tree I have?

Spruce trees can be identified by their needles which have four sides. Each needle is individually attached to the branch and can be rolled easily between your fingers. Another way to identify spruce trees is by their cones that are covered with smooth thin scales. It is quite easy to bend the cones of spruce trees.

How do I identify a blue spruce?

blue spruce Pinaceae Picea pungens Engelm. Leaf: Evergreen needles, 3/4 to 1 1/4 inches long, stiff and very sharp (spine-like), displayed nearly straight out from twig, silvery blue to dark green. Strong acidic taste. Each needle borne on a raised, woody peg (sterigma).

What is the fastest growing blue spruce?

The fastest-growing spruce tree, according to the Arbor Day Foundation, is the triangular-shaped Norway spruce (Picea abies), which is part of many suburban home and rural farm landscapes throughout Europe, the United States and Canada.

Is there a dwarf blue spruce?

One of the most common cultivars is the dwarf blue spruce (Picea pungens ‘Globosa’). This attractive, slow-growing conifer has many attributes that make it an outstanding addition to any landscape or garden.

What does Blue Spruce look like?

Blue spruce, also known as Colorado spruce, is a conical-shaped evergreen tree with stiff horizontal branches and short stiff needles. It is a commonly used tree in Midwest landscapes. In nature the needles are often green, but many specimens produce blue-green needles.

When to plant blue spruce?

Potted Colorado blue spruces are either spruces dug up and potted for sale, or spruces that have been entirely container grown. Plant potted spruces in late spring through early fall. Spruces potted in field soil need early spring planting. Planting in spring through early fall is best for spruces grown in containers.

What makes your Colorado blue spruce tree blue?

Planting blue spruce seeds often results in an unreliable blue color. The best bet is to choose Colorado blue spruce trees that are propagated vegetatively and taken from the most blue specimens. This ensures that it was taken from parent stock with a distinct blue color.

Why is my Blue Spruce dying?

Bare or dying branches on a Colorado blue spruce tree are commonly caused by a few different insect pests or one or more diseases. All of these problems can be exacerbated by drought stress, poor soil conditions, mechanical damage, and climatic conditions such as high humidity.

How do you plant a blue spruce tree?

Keep blue spruce seedlings sheltered and watered until transplanting. The ideal time to plant or transplant blue spruce tree seedling is in the spring before active growth begins. Dig a hole as deep as the root ball and twice the diameter of either the pot it came in or the root ball (if wrapped in burlap).