Colorado Blue Spruce has a horizontal branching habit and grows taller than 75 feet in its native habitat, but is normally seen at 30 to 50 feet in landscapes. The tree grows about twelve inches per year once established but may grow slower for several years following transplanting. Needles emerge as a soft clump, changing to a stiff, pointed needle sharp to the touch. The crown form varies from columnar to pyramidal, ranging from 10 to 20 feet in diameter.
Scientific name: Picea pungens
Pronunciation: PIE-see-uh PUN-jenz
Common name(s): Colorado Spruce, Colorado Blue Spruce, Blue Spruce
Family: Pinaceae
USDA hardiness zones: 4 through 7
Origin: native to North America
Uses: screen; specimen; Christmas tree; no proven urban tolerance
Availability: generally available in many areas within its hardiness range
Colorado Blue Spruce Description: Height: 30 to 50 feet
Spread: 10 to 20 feet
Crown uniformity: symmetrical canopy with a regular (or smooth) outline, and individuals have more or less identical crown forms
Crown shape: columnar; pyramidal
Crown density: dense
Growth rate: slow
Texture: fine (Info courtesy of www.forestry.about.com)
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Blue Spruce
