Conifers
Colorado blue spruce
Picea pungens
Colorado blue spruce has the scale and structure of a substantial tree, with stiff horizontal branches and blue-green to silvery needles. Typical landscape dimensions reach 30 to 60 feet tall and 10 to 20 feet wide, with larger specimens possible. Use it as a specimen, windbreak, or spacious screen where the lower branches can remain visible. Full sun, airflow, and moist, well-drained soil are important. Cold hardiness does not prevent drought stress or needle disease in Southwest Washington. Water during establishment, avoid repeatedly wetting the canopy, and monitor thinning foliage. Minimal pruning preserves its natural pyramidal shape.
Ask about this plant
Picea pungens showing conical form
USDA-NRCS PLANTS Database / Herman, D.E. et al. 1996.
CC0 1.0 · Web-optimized
At a glance
- Mature height
- 30–60 ft; potentially larger with age
- Mature spread
- 10–20 ft or more
- Light
- Full sun
- Hardiness
- Generally USDA Zones 3–7
The right plant, the right place
Make room for something good.
Use as a specimen, windbreak, or part of a spacious evergreen screen. Its horizontal branches need room to develop, especially at the base of the tree.
Where to plant
Choose full sun and allow at least 10–20 feet for the crown to spread, with more room for older trees. Keep lower branches clear of buildings and regularly used paths.
Through the seasons
Stiff needles range from blue-green to silvery blue and remain through winter. Cones add interest as the tree matures.
Southwest Washington gardens
Give it a good start.
Wet foliage and crowded planting increase needle-disease pressure in maritime gardens. Leave space for air circulation and check soil moisture during summer, particularly while the tree is establishing.
Soil, drainage & water
Prefers moist, well-drained soil. Water young trees during dry periods and check drainage before planting; prolonged saturation and compacted ground can damage roots even when the canopy receives full sun.
A little care goes a long way
Growing well, season after season.
Keep pruning light, removing damaged branches or making necessary clearance cuts. Mulch the root area to moderate moisture and direct irrigation toward the soil rather than repeatedly wetting the needles.
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.
Needle cast
Yellow mottling may precede brown or purplish needles and needle drop. Affected needles can also show small dark spots.
Help your plant thrive
Remove infected fallen needles, allow air circulation, and avoid prolonged foliage wetting. Check persistent needle loss before choosing treatment.
Spruce aphids
Yellow needle patches, sticky deposits, and needle drop can follow feeding in winter or early spring.
Help your plant thrive
Inspect susceptible trees during cool weather. Dislodge small colonies with water where practical and preserve beneficial insects that feed on 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.
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
Let’s find the right plant
for your place.
Ask our team about plant selection and current availability.