Landscape Attributes Alberta Blue Dwarf Spruce is a dense multi-stemmed evergreen shrub with a distinctive and refined pyramidal form. Its relatively fine texture sets it apart from other landscape plants with less refined foliage. This is a relatively low maintenance shrub.
Is blue spruce native to Alberta?
“Blue spruce are really common Christmas trees, we have them here in Alberta but they’re not actually native species to our area. In fact, nowhere in Canada are Colorado blue spruce native trees,” said Carys Richards, the NCC’s communications co-ordinator for the Alberta region.
Is Alberta spruce a white spruce?
It is also known as Canadian spruce, skunk spruce, cat spruce, Black Hills spruce, western white spruce, Alberta white spruce, and Porsild spruce.
Picea glauca.
| White spruce | |
|---|---|
| Class: | Pinopsida |
| Order: | Pinales |
| Family: | Pinaceae |
| Genus: | Picea |
Is there a difference between Alberta spruce and dwarf Alberta spruce?
The dwarf Alberta spruce is an evergreen conifer with a classic pyramidal Christmas tree shape that rarely exceeds 13 feet. This spruce tree variety is related to trees that grow 100 feet or taller.
How to Grow and Care for the Dwarf Alberta Spruce.
| Common Names | Dwarf Alberta spruce, dwarf white spruce |
|---|---|
| Native Area | North America |
Why is it called blue spruce?
While blue spruce grows relatively slowly, it is long-lived and may reach ages of 600-800 years. This tree was first discovered in Colorado on top of Pikes Peak in 1862. It was named by botanist C.C. Parry because of its silver-blue color.
What kind of spruce trees are in Alberta?
- Abies balsamea – Balsam Fir.
- Juniperus scopulorum – Rocky Mountain Juniper.
- Picea abies – Norway Spruce.
- Picea abies ‘Cupressina’ – Columnar Norway Spruce.
- Picea abies ‘Pendula’ – Weeping Norway Spruce.
- Picea glauca – White Spruce.
- Picea glauca ‘Densata’ – Black Hills Spruce.
- Picea glauca ‘Pendula’ – Weeping White Spruce.
What is a blue spruce called?
Blue spruce (Picea pungens) is also called Colorado blue spruce, Colorado spruce, silver spruce, and pino real. It is a slow-growing, long-lived tree of medium size that, because of its symmetry and color, is planted extensively as an ornamental.
Which is the bluest spruce?
Picea pungens ‘Hoopsii
Outstanding evergreen tree, generally considered the bluest form. New growth is especially bright blue. Pyramidal form that holds stiff horizontal branches with dense silvery-blue needles.
What is the difference between white spruce and blue spruce?
Comparing White Spruce vs Blue Spruce
The needles of the blue spruce are more gray-blue in color compared to the white-green hue of the white spruce. Light green-blue needles covered in a powder-like substance, leading to the name white spruce. Narrow treetops, with flaky bark. Needles are long and flexible.
What is the prettiest spruce tree?
Of all the species of spruce trees, Serbian spruces are considered one of the best-looking in the landscape. They have dark green, flat needles with white bands on the underside that give them a gorgeous silvery cast when they blow in the wind.
How tall will an Alberta spruce get?
12 feet
OVERVIEW. Dwarf Alberta spruce trees may eventually reach 12 feet in height, but only over a long period of time (growing just 2-4 inches per year). They have a classic Christmas tree shape. The green needles have a tight, densely-packed growth habit that gives dwarf Alberta spruce trees a fuzzy look.
How long do Alberta spruce take to grow?
30 years
Because of its small size and Christmas-tree shape, the dwarf Alberta spruce is a favorite evergreen across many parts of the country. This cute little tree keeps its conical shape as it grows slowly (very slowly), taking 30 years to max out at 10 to 12 feet tall.
How fast does an Alberta spruce grow?
2 to 4 inches a year
Dwarf Alberta spruce (Picea glauca ‘Conica’) has a shape like a miniature Christmas tree. Bright green needles demand little care to look their best, and a slow growth rate makes this spruce a go-to evergreen for containers. Dwarf Alberta spruce grows just 2 to 4 inches a year.
Are there different types of blue spruce?
The Colorado blue spruce has blue needles in a range of shades. The Glauca variety is a light blue, and Glauca Pendula is a weeping cultivar. If you want a shorter one, available varieties include Fat Albert, Glauca Globosa, and Glauca Jean’s Dilly.
What happened to the blue spruce?
Unfortunately, blue spruce trees are subject to a wide range of insect and disease problems that can impact their growth and aesthetic appeal. The prevalence of diseases on blue spruce trees has intensified in recent years and trees are declining rapidly in many areas (Photo 1).
Are blue spruce always blue?
ANSWER: Not all Picea pungens (blue spruce), the state tree of Colorado and Utah, are blue. While some are quite blue in color, others have a silvery sheen to their coloration, and many native “blue” spruce are just plain fir-tree-green as you have observed.
Do Alberta spruce make good Christmas trees?
This is a slow growing conifer that will take 15 plus years to reach its mature height, this slow growth habit makes this plant great for topiaries and container garden specimens that can be decorated during the holidays as a miniature Christmas tree.
What grows well with Alberta spruce?
We recommend planting it with some other cold-hardy evergreens with great texture for a unique rock garden appeal. For instance, the Gold Mop False Cypress really shines alongside it. They both have a slow-growth habit, dynamite texture, and effortless elegance.
Do birds like Alberta spruce?
Spruces are very tall evergreen trees with seed-bearing cones that attract warblers in the spring as the birds search for insects. Crossbills and seed-eaters are attracted to spruces in fall and winter, when they also provide nesting and cover.
What is special about a blue spruce?
Displays its unique silvery blue-green color year-round. Withstands wind better than most spruces due to a wide-spreading and moderately deep root system. Is a long-lived specimen. Features needles that are stiff, prickly and roughly 1–1½” in length.
What can I substitute for a blue spruce?
Alternatives to Colorado Spruce
- concolor fir (Abies concolor)*
- eastern white pine (Pinus strobus)+
- Norway spruce, (Picea abies)
- baldcypress (Taxodium distichum)*
- Korean pine (Pinus koraiensis)
- Serbian spruce (Picea omorika)
- Korean fir (Abies koreana)
- European larch (Larix decidua)