The Woodlands of Missouri

The Woodlands of Missouri
...a stroll through the forest, a beautiful diverse biome.

Tuesday, July 7, 2020




About the Colorado Blue Spruce


One of the most popular trees to plant as a specimen or a fence line is the
blue spruce. For obvious reasons, it is rare to have a blue-ish color
tree. A tree that helps to increase property value probably more than any
other single tree, is the blue spruce.

The Colorado Blue Spruce (Picea pungens) is a member of the Pine Family
(Pinaceae), and the natural range is in the Colorado Rocky Mountains. They
are found at the higher elevations from 6,000 to over 10,000 feet, either
in dense stands or as scattered individuals. In the past, it was used as a
timber tree, especially as the mountain area was being developed, but
since then, it is a minor timber species. The tree is slow growing, from a
few inches a year, to maybe a foot or more if the conditions are good.

Since the introduction into the ornamental landscaping market, the blue
spruce has become very popular. They are expensive trees to buy, related
to the slow growth, but also to the uniqueness of the tree. There are now
about twenty varieties of this tree, but basically its still a blue spruce.

Use this tree to highlight a key area in the yard, where the tree is the
focal point of that area. You can also plant a line of spruces, along a
fence, driveway, as a screen or other border. As they get bigger, the
visual impact is stunning, and the value of the property is greatly
enhanced.

They grow tall, but slowly, and not wide spreading like a hardwood, so for
general planning, use one foot of growth per year. If you start with a one
foot tall seedlings, then generally, in ten years, that tree will be about
ten feet tall. A five foot tall tree, in another five years, would be
about ten feet tall. This is just a general rule, varies of course, but in
making landscaping decisions, this is worthwhile.

They can be planted almost nationwide, the hotter the climate, the less
well they grow, but you can find blue spruce in Florida. Certainly, if it
grows naturally at 10,000 feet, they can do very well throughout the
northern half of the country, and they do. The Colorado Blue Spruce is a
magnificent tree, drive around town and see how many there are. 

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And Get the Book! Go to Amazon - Kindle and do a search for Our book:


How-to Plant and Grow Colorado Blue Spruce Trees
By William A. Jack
ASIN: B07HHHF6YS 

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Written by Empire National Nursery, Your Southwest Missouri Source for Fast Growing Trees.


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