Conifers
White spruce
Picea glauca 'North Pole'
North Pole white spruce grows slowly into a densely branched, columnar evergreen with green needles throughout the year. Its upright shape offers a vertical accent where there is room for a tree that may eventually reach about 23–26 feet tall and 7–10 feet wide. Grow it in full to partial sun and moist to average, well-drained soil. The cultivar carries a USDA zone 3 cold-hardiness rating, but its performance in Southwest Washington has not been established. Give it space from paths and structures, and keep air moving around the branches; crowding can favor needle cast in spruce.
Ask about this plantAt a glance
- Mature height
- May reach about 23–26 ft
- Mature spread
- May reach about 7–10 ft
- Light
- Full to partial sun
- Hardiness
- USDA zone 3
The right plant, the right place
Make room for something good.
Its dense, narrow habit can provide a year-round vertical accent among lower plantings. Allow for its possible eventual height.
Where to plant
Site in full to partial sun with room for a tree that may reach about 23–26 feet tall. Leave space around the branches for air circulation.
Through the seasons
Green needles persist through winter. From late summer onward, check for mottling or browning that may signal needle cast.
Southwest Washington gardens
Give it a good start.
The zone 3 rating addresses cold hardiness, while local performance remains uncertain. In Southwest Washington, prioritize drainage and watch for spruce pests.
Soil, drainage & water
Grow in moist to average, well-drained soil. Avoid overhead irrigation, which can favor needle cast in spruce.
A little care goes a long way
Growing well, season after season.
Inspect new growth for galls and check needles for discoloration. Remove and destroy fallen diseased needles rather than composting them.
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; branch tips may die.
Help your plant thrive
Keep spruce and Douglas fir as far apart as practical; separation may reduce infestation.
Rhizosphaera needle cast
Yellow mottling in late summer progresses to brown or purplish needles and needle drop.
Help your plant thrive
Avoid overhead irrigation and crowding. Remove and destroy fallen diseased needles rather than composting them.
Spruce aphid
Yellow blotches and sometimes honeydew appear on needles, which may brown and drop.
Help your plant thrive
Check needles during winter and early spring. On small trees, a strong stream of water can wash aphids off.
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.
Explore this plant
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.
Explore this plant
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.
Explore this plantGood gardens start with a conversation
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