This tree is undoubtedly a spruce…but which kind? While trees of the Picea genus are easy to distinguish from other conifers, specific spruce species seem to vary only subtly. Fear not. Equipped with a few identification tricks, you can impress holiday guests — or at least call the devilishly spiky tree by its proper name when you direct expletives at it for assaulting you as you ski or snowshoe past.
You may want to start by eliminating the two most visibly distinct varieties found in the Northeast: the blue and Norway spruces, both benignly nonnative and often planted as ornamentals. The unique gray-blue coloring and symmetry of Colorado blue spruce make for easy identification. Norway spruce sets itself apart in several ways; its remarkably elongated cones can reach 8 inches, and its branchlets often droop downwards rather than bending upwards, as most spruce branchlets do.
The average homeowner should focus on the dwarf and miniature selections that fit better into the home landscape. The Picea orientalis 'Early Gold' pictured above, for example, is about 6 feet 2 m tall after 10 years, has orderly, delicate needles and attractive, slightly weeping branches. And those seed cones! Picea orientalis 'Skylands' is another oriental spruce tree; its distinctive feature is its lovely golden foliage. If 'Skylands' gets too big for your garden, there is a select "Skylands seedling" called 'Firefly' that displays the same golden foliage, but grows more slowly and stays smaller.
The Colorado blue spruce Picea pungens is probably responsible for more conifer distaste if not downright hatred than any other conifer. That's because the wild trees that grow in nature get enormous! Unfortunately, too many developers and landscapers unwittingly planted small, young specimens right in front of houses.
In just a few years the trees towered over the dwellings and covered the windows. However, there are many, many dwarf varieties and their color is stunning in the landscape. Look at how Picea pungens 'Lucretia' , pictured above, contrasts with the purple leaves of the smoke bush Cotinus in the background. If you want a more traditional spruce tree shape, consider a cultivar like Picea pungens 'Fat Albert' , which has the cone-shape that most people associate with conifers, albeit in a much smaller size than the native behemoths.
Albert gets to be about 10 to 15 feet 3 to 5m tall after 10 years in the landscape, and true to its name, is wide at the base. There are other Colorado spruces that grow in quirky fashion, which pruning can enhance, such as Picea pungens 'Pendula'.
Loch Ness Monster, anyone? And 'Pendula' produces some pretty special seed cones, rivaling those Picea orientalis 'Early Gold':. There are also Colorado spruces that have golden or creamy new needles, like Picea pungens 'Gebelle's Golden Spring'. These are typically slower growing than the species trees. Their new growth is as showy as any of the spring flowers! Another very common spruce is the Norway spruce, or Picea abies.
In nature, these trees are very large, with very dark green needles on gracefully weeping branches. But cultivars for the garden abound; this may be the most prolific spruce there is! Some also have golden needles, such as Picea abies 'Aurea Magnifica'.
Picea abies 'Pusch' is a small plant that grows in a globe shape at the rate of about 2 inches 5 cm per year. Those springtime seed cones are as decorative as flowers. Its size and shape make it an extremely attractive landscaping evergreen.
They provide shelter and food to crossbills, nuthatches, and numerous other wild animals. Even though they prefer acidic, sandy soil, they can still be grown in almost all regions, which makes them an ideal choice for yards in temperate regions.
With its flexibility and excellent durability, blue spruce makes an excellent addition to almost any landscaping project.
Blue spruces, when planted in a row, also do a great job of offering privacy, owing to their structure.
They also withstand harsh winds due to their deep root system. White spruce Picea glauca is regarded as one of the most widely grown coniferous trees. It is hardy and easy to grow. White spruce can mostly be seen near streams or in well-drained, moist areas. White spruce trees achieve a height of up to feet with a diameter of nearly 3 feet or more.
They can be efficiently grown in drained and acidic soils and usually survive for nearly to years. After all, planting a tree is investing in the future, and it takes time to see the outcome of your choices, so it must be a decision worth putting some thought into.
Botanists recognize about 35 different species of spruce, which they call Picea , growing all around the northern half of the world. They are all big forest trees, with branches in layers around a central trunk, and needles growing singly out of the stems not in bunches like pine trees.
But for gardeners there are no more than 6 species that are of interest , most of which come in many garden varieties, from tall to tiny. We can leave the others to specialist conifer gardeners, who love to collect the rare and exotic. Among those six, though, gardeners have developed hundreds of special forms, grown for their foliage color, size and form. Some may be tiny mounds of foliage, other have weeping branches, and may need a stake to stand up at all, while others are small tight cones, or compact versions of the big forest original.
This tree, as the name tells us, comes from northern Europe, and it is a fast-growing tree, with green needles. Old trees are very recognizable by the long, weeping branches hanging from the main horizontal limbs.
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