Conifers
Black Hills spruce
Picea glauca 'Densata'
Black Hills spruce grows slowly into a dense, symmetrical pyramid with green to blue-green evergreen needles. Garden profiles commonly place mature trees at 20–40 feet tall and 10–20 feet wide, while older trees may grow taller and windbreak references allow greater width. Give it room as a specimen, screen, or windbreak where its branches can develop without crowding nearby plants. Full sun is preferred, though light shade is tolerated. Choose moist, well-drained soil and leave space for air movement around the crown. Small brown cones may appear among the needles, which provide color throughout the year.
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At a glance
- Mature height
- About 20–40 ft; older trees may grow taller
- Mature spread
- About 10–20 ft; potentially wider with age
- Light
- Full sun to light shade
- Hardiness
- Generally USDA zones 3–6; also listed to zone 2
The right plant, the right place
Make room for something good.
Its dense, pyramidal form suits a specimen planting or a screen with enough space for a large tree. It is also used in windbreaks.
Where to plant
Choose full sun when available; light shade is tolerated. Leave room around the crown for its mature width and air circulation.
Through the seasons
Green to blue-green needles remain on the tree year-round. Small brown cones may form, and winter or early spring is a useful time to check for spruce aphids.
Southwest Washington gardens
Give it a good start.
At a Southwest Washington site, check drainage and allow air movement around the tree. Watch for spruce aphids, needle cast, and Cooley spruce gall adelgid, which are documented on spruce hosts.
Soil, drainage & water
Plant in moist, well-drained soil. Avoid sites where water lingers around the roots.
A little care goes a long way
Growing well, season after season.
Let the slow-growing, symmetrical form develop with room around it. If galls appear, remove affected tips only when practical; repeated pruning can spoil the tree’s shape.
Know what to look for
Common growing concerns.
Symptoms can have more than one cause. These notes are a starting point for observing your plant and improving its growing conditions.
Cooley spruce gall adelgid
Green or purplish cone-shaped galls on new growth turn brown and woody; affected tips may die.
Help your plant thrive
Separate spruce from Douglas fir where practical to help reduce infestation. Remove galls if practical, but repeated pruning can spoil the tree’s form.
Rhizosphaera needle cast
Needles develop yellow mottling in late summer, then turn brown or purplish and may drop. Tiny black structures may appear underneath.
Help your plant thrive
Allow air circulation and avoid overhead irrigation, crowding, and heavy shade. Remove fallen needles and discard them rather than composting them.
Spruce aphid
Yellow blotches, sometimes with sticky honeydew, can progress to brown needles and needle drop.
Help your plant thrive
Check needles in winter and early spring. On small trees, a strong stream of water can remove aphids.
A little more inspiration
Keep exploring.
Weeping Norway Spruce
Picea abies 'Pendula'
A sculptural evergreen with hanging branches that can become an upright specimen or a low spreading feature, depending on its form and early training.
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Cupressina Norway Spruce
Picea abies 'Cupressina'
Dense, ascending branches create a slender evergreen column, offering substantial height and winter structure where a full-width spruce would demand too much horizontal space.
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2016.04.12 18.49.07 DSC03409 - Flickr - andrey zharkikh.jpg
Andrey Zharkikh from Salt Lake City, USA
CC BY 2.0 · Web-optimized
Weeping White Spruce
Picea glauca 'Pendula'
A narrow evergreen with an upright leader and dramatically hanging blue-green branches, suited to a cool, open planting space where its tall silhouette can develop.
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