Colorado spruce (Picea pungens ‘Glauca Prostrata’)

Features and Characteristics

Picea pungens, commonly called Colorado spruce (also blue spruce), is a medium to large, narrow, pyramidal conifer with horizontal branching to the ground. It typically grows 30-60’ tall in cultivation, but may reach 100’ or more where it grows naturally. It is native to the central Rocky Mountains from southern Montana and eastern Idaho south to New Mexico where it is typically found growing in moist locations from 6000 to 11000 feet in elevation. Stiff, bristly, four-angled, green to blue-green to silver-blue needles (to 5” long) point outward from the branches in all directions. Cylindrical light brown cones (to 4” long) have flexible scales. Dark gray bark furrows on mature trees. From a horticultural standpoint, trees with blue or silver blue foliage are generally more coveted than trees with green foliage.

Genus name is reportedly derived from the Latin word pix meaning pitch in reference to the sticky resin typically found in spruce bark.

Specific epithet means sharp-pointed in reference to the needles.

‘Glauca Prostrata’ is a prostrate form that grows to 1-2′ tall but spreads along the ground to 6-10′ wide on rigid horizontal branching. Silver-blue needles are attractive year round.