Blue Spruce – Colorado Blue Spruce (Picea pungens)

Title:
Blue Spruce – Colorado Blue Spruce (Picea pungens)

Description:
The Colorado Blue Spruce is a striking evergreen conifer known for its silvery blue-green needles and classic pyramidal form. Native to the Rocky Mountains, this tree is prized for its ornamental beauty, making it a popular choice for landscapes, privacy screens, and as a living Christmas tree. Blue Spruce trees are long-lived, with some specimens surviving for hundreds of years, and can reach mature heights of 30–80 feet with a spread of 10–20 feet28.

The stiff, sharp needles are arranged spirally on the branches and have a unique bluish hue due to a white powder on young growth. The tree produces oblong, brown cones and provides year-round interest in the garden. Blue Spruce is adaptable to a range of soils, prefers full sun, and is drought tolerant once established. Its deep root system helps it withstand wind better than most other spruces68.

Key Features:

• Silvery blue-green, sharp needles

• Classic pyramidal, upright shape

• Mature height: 30–80 ft; width: 10–20 ft28

• Slow to medium growth rate

• Long-lived (can reach 600–800 years)2

• Drought and wind tolerant

• Hardy in USDA zones 2–7

• Excellent for privacy screens, windbreaks, and specimen planting

Care Instructions:
Plant in full sun and well-drained, slightly acidic to neutral soil. Water regularly when young; established trees are drought tolerant. Mulch to retain moisture and protect roots. Fertilize in early spring if needed. Prune only to remove dead or damaged branches.

Light: Full sun
Water: Moderate; keep moist when young
Soil: Well-drained, slightly acidic to neutral
Growth Rate: Slow to medium
Landscape Uses: Privacy screen, windbreak, specimen tree, ornamental, living Christmas tree
Companion Plants: White Pine, Red Maple, Mountain Laurel, Rhododendron
Toxicity: Non-toxic

Botanical Name: Picea pungens

Suggested Shopify Product Tags: