Picea pungens - Colorado Spruce

Picea pungens As the name might imply, the Colorado Spruce (sometimes called Colorado Blue Spruce) is native to Colorado and surrounding areas of the United States. This evergreen is well known for it's bluish needles, and indeed many of the cultivars of this tree strive to improve on the blue hue of the needles and the consistency of color, as tree-to-tree variations in tone can be surprising.

Conjuring images of the deep snow and high mountains from it's native land, the Colorado Spruce stands 40' to 60' tall at maturity with a spread of 12'-20' at the base of the tree. It's a slow grower with a narrow, dense growth habit. This density makes it a popular choice among wildlife, as it provides protection from the elements. Needles are approx. 1" long and tend to be stiff.

In the landscape this species and it's many cultivars have played an important role; as a specimen it can stand out among the dark green of other evergreen trees, and with it's size and dense branching habit, a cluster of Colorado Spruce can serve as an excellent wind break along a property line. It prefers acidic, well-drained loamy soils and full sun exposure, but has performed well in clays and sands. It is moderately drought tolerant.

Two of the more popular cultivars of this species include:

'Fat Albert' - Known for it's bright blue needles and as the name implies, is shorter and wider than the species. Usually reaches a maximum height of 15'.

'Hoopsii' - One of the most popular selections because of it's steely-blue color and excellent pyramidal form.

Other ornamentally valuable Spruce include:

Picea abies 'Cupressina' - Columnar Norway Spruce - Dark green needles on densely branched, narrow tree provides an excellent screen where height is needed but there's little room for horizontal spread.'.
Picea glauca 'Densata' - Black Hills Spruce - Cultivar of the White Spruce, will grow 25-40' in height and spread to 10-15'.

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