Conifers: Picea (Spruce)

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Picea abies 'Acrocona'

Acrocona is an interesting Norway Spruce found in Sweden in the late 19th century. Best known for bearing an abundance of immature purple reddish spring cones at an early age (within 5 years) at the tip ends of most of its pendulous branches ('acro' means 'at the end'). Note: Acroconas at Specimen Trees Nurseries tend to grow more as a spreading, broad, upright (somewhat irregular) shrub. Will grow up to be a tree of about 6m tall.

Picea abies

Norway Spruce has a rapid growth habit, with a stiff pyramidal form. When tree reaches maturity, branches sweep to the ground giving a pleasing skirt-like effect. Needles are short, tight, 4-sided and rigid, arranged all around the stem. Cylindrical cones are 10 to 15cm long (5cm wide) and hang down; light brown at maturity. Extremely hardy and wind resistant. Will grow in any soil if sufficient moisture is available. Numerous sports have been selected over many years.

Picea abies 'Cupressina'

Narrow, columnar Norway Spruce has a columnar form with dark green needles that are more attractive than those of the species because they are somewhat curved creating a denser, cupped look on the branches. Seems to tolerate snow load better than some other fastigiate varieties. Full sun. Cold hardy and drought tolerant (once established)

Picea abies 'Frohberg'

Frohberg or Frohburg Norway Spruce has a dwarf weeping form which will grow as high as staked from where all branches will cascade to the ground to form a wide, full skirt. Needles are thinner, shorter and closer to the stem than those of Picea abies 'Pendula' creating a more uniform look. ('Frohberg' has finer texture and is narrower than Picea abies 'Pendula')

Picea bicolor 'Howell's Tigertail'

Howell's (Dwarf ) Tigertail Alcock's Spruce (syn. P. alcoquiana) is flat-topped when young, with ascending branch tips. Will become pyramidal in form if not pruned. This colourful spruce has needles displaying an unusual colour combination with green tops, bright silver-blue undersides and some yellow on the most exposed upper needles! Spectacular violet-purple cones in spring. Full sun.

Picea abies 'Little Gem'

Little Gem is a very dwarf, dense growing sport of Picea abies 'Nidiformis' which eventually forms a flat topped globe of a maximum of 75cm (2') tall by 90cm (3') wide! Light green flushed needles mature glossy dark green.

Picea abies 'Mucronata'

Mucronata is a Norway Spruce selection growing upright with stout, horizontal branches, prominently displaying large brown buds. It slowly forms an irregular shaped mound.

Picea abies 'Nidiformis'

Bird Nest Spruce, a dwarf Norway Spruce, forms a dense, wide spreading plant. Layered branching form a flattened globe with a conspicuous depression in its centre hence the common name!

Picea abies 'Pendula'

Weeping Norway Spruce is an excellent choice as a narrow, irregular accent tree with its strongly weeping branches with dark green needles. The tree needs to be staked to desired height and will form a skirt. If left low, or with a short stake, it is an excellent choice for weeping over rocks and walls. Also grown as a 1m double headed weeping graft with a "YAK" appearance!

Picea abies 'Rubra Spicata'

Red Tipped Norway Spruce is a rare cultivar of irregular upright habit making an unexpected colour statement with its red new shoots which will turn red-brown, then green as the season progresses. A collector's plant!

Picea bicolor

(syn P. alcoquiana) Alcock Spruce, native to the sub-alpine forest of Japan. Originally named in honour of Sir Rutherford Alcock who accompanied Veitch, who discovered this splendid spruce when climbing Mt Fuji-yama! Becomes a broad pyramidal tree, with spreading branches with age. It is known for its unique two-toned needles, hence the name bicolour (two-toned); green on top and silver-blue underside. Masses of very attractive reddish-purple cones in spring.

Picea breweriana

Brewer's Weeping Spruce. Found in the wild on mountain slopes on the Pacific Coast (Siskiyou Mountains of Oregon & California). Slow growing at first, but will become an extraordinarily beautiful tree with age. Pyramidal in youth. The branches grow horizontally bearing blue-green foliage falling straight down on long (pendulous/vertical) branchlets, like a curtain. Amazing! Well worth the wait. Best in cool, wet winters and relatively dry summers.

Picea engelmannii 'Bush's Lace'

Bush's Lace Blue Spruce is a beautiful upright, weeping spruce with excellent soft blue "lacy" foliage. Its pendulous branches will, in time, create a beautiful broad skirt around the base of the tree. A vigorous grower, needing full sun.

Picea glauca 'Conica'

Dwarf AlbertaSpruce (aka Picea glauca var. albertiana conica) is a conical, slow growing White Spruce often used as an accent plant or standing guard on either side of an entrance way! New growth is soft and bright green, which turns grey-green as it matures. Needles on dense branching create a full shape from the ground up. Full sun. BENEFITS FROM AIR MOVEMENT/SUNSHINE AROUND BASE TO REMOVE MOISTURE (MITES)

Picea glauca 'Hudsonii'

Hudson is a rare White Spruce with a semi-open and upright habit. Very showy, short blue needles form the perfect background for the masses of pinky-red cones in spring! Quite a rare find!!

Picea glauca 'Jean's Dilly'

A dwarf Alberta Spruce selection that is slower growing (1/2-2/3 slower rate) than P. glauca 'Conica' and flushes out 3-4 weeks later in spring with thinner needles that are slightly twisted at the ends. A beautiful pyramidal accent, very fine texture and compact needles creating a full shape from the ground up! Named after Jean Iseli from Iseli's Nursery. BENEFITS FROM AIR MOVEMENT/SUNSHINE AROUND BASE TO REMOVE MOISTURE (MITES)

Picea glauca

White Spuce is native to Interior (where it interbreeds with Engelman Spruce) and Northern B.C.- it is the Northern most tree species in North America! It often has a shallow root system and can easily be blown over creating a favorable habitat for spruce beetles. A pyramidal tree in youth becoming fairly narrow and compact with age. Trunk can become 1m in diameter

Picea glauca 'Pendula'

Weeping White Spruce discovered near Guelph, Ontario. A very narrow, formal to irregular (multiple leaders) habit with an upright leader and stiff, tightly downward weeping branches covered with soft, light grey-green/bluish-grey needles. Does not require staking to grow straight.

Picea glauca 'Rainbow's End'

Rainbow's End is another Iseli Alberta Spruce introduction with a light green flush, followed by a creamy to lemon-yellow mid-summer second flush creating some stunning contrasts within the plant! Otherwise similar in size and shape to the dwarf Alberta Spruce. BENEFITS FROM AIR MOVEMENT/SUNSHINE AROUND BASE TO REMOVE MOISTURE (MITES)

Picea x 'Hurstii'

Hurst Spruce is a crossing of Picea engelmannii (Engelmann Spruce)and Picea pungens(Colorado Spruce) with slender blue needles. Nice upright tree with a strong central leader.

Picea likiangensis 'Purpurea'

Purple Likiang or Chinese Spruce has spectacular, violet-purple cones contrasting with the green to bluish-green needles (glaucous below-4 white lines). The cones stand upright on the stems before turning, to hang like a 'normal spruce'. Horizontal branches are slightly ascending on this broad, conical tree. GRAFTED

Picea mariana 'Aureovariegata'

Variegated Black Spruce. The new growth of this spruce emerges yellow-gold in a striking contrast with the mature blue-green needles showing a golden variegation on the top half of each needle. The horizontal branches are emphasized by this colour show and have a distinct layered look! It can tolerate full sun, but in very hot areas it prefers partial shade.

Picea mariana 'Wellspire'

Wellspire Fastigiate is a narrow Black Spruce. Needles are some of the darkest of the green-needled conifers. Ideal for small spaces.

Picea orientalis 'Aurea'

Golden Oriental Spruce, a slow growing pyramidal Oriental Spruce with creamy-yellow new growth which turns green by fall, occasionally keeping a yellow "glow". Purple-red cones in spring. Needles are short and lie flat on the stem. Part shade/sun.

Picea orientalis 'Bergman's Gem'

Bergman's Gem Oriental Spruce is a dwarf, globular bun form which will become conical with age. Dark green needles are tightly arranged closely on the stem. Beautiful grafted on a standard. Can be easily sheared to maintain desired shape and size.

Picea omorika 'Bruns Pendula'

A weeping form of Serbian spruce selected at Bruns Nursery in Germany. (aka P. omorika 'Pendula Bruns'). The strong weeping habit of this tree is much more accentuated compared with P. omorika 'Pendula' and narrower than P. omorika 'Bruns'. Probably the narrowest of the upright Serbian Spruce cultivars available. Free form unless staked.

Picea omorika 'Bruns'

Bruns is an outstanding cultivar from the German Bruns Nursery with a strong, upright branching habit and the same bi-colour appearance of the species. A magnificent tree with graceful up-curved branches and heavy weeping branchlets. Overall, one of the nicest, skirted spruces! Deer resistant.

Picea omorika 'Berliner's Weeper'

Berliner's Weeper is a weeping Serbian Spruce which does not require staking of the leader. Attractive upright, narrow , more open form with branches becoming weeping at an early age. Foliage is blue and green.

Picea omorika 'Karel'

Karel is a rounded, dwarf Serbian Spruce with forest-green, very short needles. Very dense, branching creating a uniform globe.

Picea omorika

Serbian Spruce is an elegant spruce with a narrow upright habit. Short, glossy, dark green needles with 2 silvery lines beneath, creating a two-tone effect. Short, horizontal, dense branches are ascending at the tips. Violet-purple cones mature to a cinnamony-brown colour. Tolerant of heat, humidity and air pollutants and considered a good choice for industrial areas and alkaline soils. One of the most adaptable spruces around. May benefit from some wind protection.

Picea omorika 'Nana'

A dwarf Serbian Spruce with a globose to broadly conical form. The picturesque irregular pyramidal shape is created by the irregular lengths of its branches. Annual growth is no more than 5cm, sometimes less. The flattened needles are glossy green, paler at the tips when starting to grow with two whitish-blue stomatic bands on the underside, just like the species. Also grown as a grafted standard.

Picea pungens 'Baby Blue Eyes'

Baby Blue Eyes is a slow growing, compact upright, pyramidal Blue Spruce. Needles have the colour of baby-blue eyes. One of the bluest 'blue' spruces, selected by Verl Holdens of Silverton, OR. Full sun. Fuller than Hoopsii, excelent blue colour

Picea pungens glauca 'Blue Mist'

Blue Mist has an irregular habit and will often grow wider than tall during its first 10 years, until a leader takes over. Good blue colour.

Picea pungens 'Blue Totem'

Blue Totem is a fastigiate Blue Spruce with a good narrow form. Marginally slower growing than, and some say with a tighter form than P. pungens 'Iseli Fastigiata'. FASTIGIATE FORM OF COLORADO BLUE SPRUCE

Picea pungens 'Fat Albert'

Fat Albert Blue Spruce is slow growing when young. In its youth it can appear very wide and rounded, but it will become a very compact pyramidal tree. It needs no pruning to maintain shape. Introduced by Iseli Nurseries. Good blue colour.

Picea pungens glauca 'Bakeri'

A rather slow growing compact variety with greyish-blue foliage. Has a very symmetrical growth habit. Full sun.

Picea pungens 'Glauca Foxtail'

Foxtail's blue needles at the tips of new branches are much shorter than those at the base, resembling a foxes tail. Irregular, upright branching, becoming broadly upright. This Iseli's Nursery selection may adapt better to hot summers than other forms.

Picea pungens glauca 'Globosa'

A beautiful, dwarf, flat topped Globe Blue Spruce with a very good blue colour. Full sun. Can be grown as both a low form or a top graft. Pruning helps maintain the globe-shape. Full sun.

Picea pungens glauca 'Hoopsii'

One of the bluest Blue Spruces available with an outstanding silvery-blue needle colour. Growth habit is slightly open and somewhat irregular, giving it an informal look. However, staking will give a more uniform look if desired.

Picea pungens 'Kosteri'

Koster is an older blue-needled selection with an 'unpredictable' growth habit and lack of uniformity between plants. Every tree has a unique individual upright sweeping character. Shape and size can be controlled with cultural practices.

Picea pungens 'Glauca Procumbens'

Glauca Procumbens is an unusual Blue Spruce. It has a nice powder blue colour on a very prostrate form. Can be grown as an irregular, prostrate standard or as a sprawling groundcover. Size and height of plant depends on how or where it is allowed to grow.

Picea pungens 'Sester's Dwarf'

Dwarf Colorado Blue Spruce discovered by Gordon Sester from Sester Farms, Gresham, Oregon. Densely branched, slow growing conical spruce with striking blue needles. Perfect for the smaller garden.

Picea pungens 'Iseli Fastigiata'

Fastigiate Blue Spruce is a narrow, columnar shaped Blue Spruce. All the colour of a Blue Spruce, but in only a fraction of the space. It's a good idea to tie in the branches before the winter snow and ice storms. Can be pruned to keep tight shape.

Picea pungens 'R. H. Montgomery'

R. H. Montgomery is a very popular dwarf, compact pyramidal blue spruce. Originally named P. pungens 'Glauca Compacta Globosa', but was renamed in honor of colonel R. H. Montgomery when he donated his tree collection to the New York Botanical Garden. Slow growing. Will eventually become more upright (broad pyramid) with age, usually wider than tall, once it develops a leader.

Picea pungens 'Nana'

Green Globe Colorado Spruce has greenish-blue needles (more green than blue). Branching gives a distinctive layered appearance to this globe-like Colorado Spruce. Can also be grown as a standard.

Picea pungens 'The Blues'

The Blues is a blue Colorado Spruce that weeps like a weeping Norway Spruce and needs to be staked to remain upright. It is usually staked at 1.5-1.75m and can spread to twice the height. Striking silvery-blue needles. Spectacular! (Stanley and Sons introduction)

Picea pungens 'Thomseni'

Thomsen Spruce is quite similar to Hoopsii. Similar conical shape, but the needles are thicker and longer but more silvery-blue, almost white-silver.

Picea abies 'Pyramidalis'

Pyramidal Norway Spruce is a spruce with compact, upright habit and strictly ascending branches. Foliage is bright green. Perfect for confined areas in full sun.

Picea sitchensis 'Papoose'

Papoose Sitka Spruce is a dwarf selection found as a seedling by Gordon Bentham on Vancouver Island, British Columbia. A compact, dense globe when young, but will form an upright, broad shape with age. Appears to be two-toned because the sharp pointed needles are dark green on the top and whitish underneath. DEER RESISTANT