What is a blue spruce tree?
The blue spruce ( Picea pungens ), also commonly known as green spruce, white spruce, Colorado spruce, or Colorado blue spruce, is a species of spruce tree. It is native to North America, and is found in USDA growing zones 1 through 7.
What is wrong with my blue spruce tree?
Cytospora canker disease is most commonly seen on Colorado Blue Spruce. Large, mature trees are affected by this disease as they are prone to drought conditions. Lower branches die and turn brown.
What kind of bugs live in blue spruce trees?
What kinds of insects affect blue spruce trees? Numerous insect pests can impact spruces in Michigan’s landscape, but the two most common are gall adelgids and spruce spider mites. In both cases, the insect pests are tiny and you may need a hand lens to see them.
What does a blue spruce smell like?
Idaho Blue Spruce has a scent that is more rounded and less sharp than other evergreens; it has a mysterious quality. To me, it smells like a velvety black night sky full of stars. At the same time, it smells fresh and very much like the wilderness.
What does a spruce tree smell like?
Especially at this time of year, many say they enjoy the smell of a pine, spruce, or fir tree. Whether it's a holiday tree in your home, or a grove of conifers in the forest, these trees smell sharp, sweet, and refreshing.
Do spruce trees smell good?
Different types of tree produce different scents, plus some kinds of tree retain their fragrance after being cut better than others. Pine, cedar, and hemlock all retain a strong, pleasing smell after they have been cut. A fir or spruce tree may not have as strong a smell or may lose its scent more quickly.
Do spruce trees smell like pine?
Not only do spruces have strong branches, they have a strongly pyramidal shape. None of the spruces is as fragrant as firs or pines, though. Many field guides indicate white spruce buds smell like cat urine, but based on robust white spruce sales, plenty of folks don't think so.
What is the strongest smelling Christmas tree?
Balsam Fir The Balsam fir is the most fragrant of the trees, making it the most popular Christmas tree variety.
Is a blue spruce a good Christmas tree?
Blue spruce remains a popular Christmas tree because of its bright blue color. Branches are stiff and hold ornaments well. Blue spruce needles are quite sharp, so be sure to wear gloves and long-sleeves when handling.
What is the most fragrant tree?
Southern Magnolia Description: And for the number 1 fragrant flowering tree for your yard, the winner is...the Southern Magnolia! This beautiful evergreen tree has huge white blooms that smell wonderful. The scent is sweet and lemony.
How long will a blue spruce Christmas tree last?
This tree has blue-green leaves and reddish-orange bark. "It's priced much more reasonably" than other trees, Thomas said, though it lasts about three weeks. Spruce. This tree stays fresh for about two weeks, according to Thomas.
What tree makes the best Christmas tree?
The species of fir trees considered best for Christmas purposes include Nordmann Fir, Noble Fir, Fraser Fir, Douglas Fir, Spanish Fir, and Balsam Fir. These types of fir trees are suitable since they have aromatic foliage. They also do not shed many of their needles when they get dry.
Is blue spruce a pine tree?
The Colorado Blue Spruce (Picea pungens) is a member of the pine tree family that is native to the Rocky Mountain regions of North America. The tree has a mature height of around 70 to 80 feet. While blue spruce grows relatively slowly, it is long-lived and may reach ages of 600-800 years.
Why do I keep smelling pine?
Phantosmia may be caused by a head injury or upper respiratory infection. It can also be caused by aging, trauma, temporal lobe seizures, inflamed sinuses, brain tumors, certain medications and Parkinson's disease. Phantosmia can also result from COVID-19 infection.
What's the difference between a pine tree and a spruce tree?
This is an easy tip to remember: on pine trees, needles are attached and attached to the branches in clusters; on spruce trees, needles are attached individually. A longleaf pine – which you can tell is a pine because its needles are attached in bundles.
What do evergreen trees smell like?
Every type of conifer has its own mixture of sweet-smelling terpenols and esters that account for their “piney woods” perfume. Some people prefer the fragrance of a particular tree, possibly one they had as a child. A natural Christmas tree is, among other things, a giant holiday potpourri.
Do spruce needles smell?
Pines, Rick said, are practically unscented. Firs are more odorous. So are spruces, though their needles have an unpleasant aroma when crushed.
What is the Christmas tree smell?
If you've ever purchased and displayed a real Christmas tree during the holiday season, you've likely wondered why it smells so good. Unlike their artificial counterparts, real Christmas trees produce a sap-like substance called oleoresin to defend against certain pests and pathogens.
How would you describe the smell of a forest?
It may even feel like you're actually breathing for the first time in your life. The air in the forest smells good. It may smell like damp moss, rain, wet tree trunks, flowers, and needle-covered path. It may smell like a tree stump that is already creating new life, or even snow, frost, and softwood.
Why are my blue spruce needles turning yellow?
The blue spruce is susceptible to several needle casting diseases which cause the needles to turn yellow, mottled or brown before they fall off. Various rust diseases also affect the tree causing yellowing of the needles as well as needle fall.
Where does the blue spruce tree grow?
The blue spruce ( Picea pungens ), also commonly known as green spruce, white spruce, Colorado spruce, or Colorado blue spruce, is a species of spruce tree. It is native to North America, and is found in USDA growing zones 1 through 7. Its natural range extends from northern New Mexico through Colorado and Utah to Wyoming and into Alberta ...
How tall is Picea Pungens?
Description. In the wild, Picea pungens grows to about 23 m (75 ft), but when planted in parks and gardens it seldom exceeds 15 m (49 ft) tall by 5 m (16 ft) wide. It is a columnar or conical evergreen conifer with densely growing horizontal branches. It has scaly grey bark on the trunk with yellowish-brown branches.
What is the average temperature of blue spruce in Colorado?
Blue spruce is most common in Colorado and the Southwest. The annual average temperature ranges from 3.9 to 6.1 degrees C (39 to 43 degrees F). And ranges from - 3.9 to - 2.8 degrees C (25 to 27 degrees F) in January. In July, the average temperature ranges from 13.9 to 15.0 degrees C (57 to 59 degrees F).
What insect is under the bark of a tree?
Another insect pest is the spruce beetle ( Dendroctonus rufipennis) which bores under the bark. It often first attacks trees which have blown over by the wind and when the larvae mature two years afterwards, a major outbreak occurs and vast numbers of beetles attack nearby standing trees.
How deep do blue spruce roots grow?
Blue spruce seedlings are shallow roots that penetrate only 6.4 cm (2.5 inches) of soil during the first year. Although freezing can't damage much in blue spruce, frost will cause seedling loss. Shadows in late spring and early autumn minimize this frost heaving loss.
What causes galls on blue spruce?
Pests and diseases. The blue spruce is attacked by two species of Adelges, an aphid-like insect that causes galls to form. Nymphs of the pineapple gall adelgid form galls at the base of twigs which resemble miniature pineapples and those of the Cooley's spruce gall adelgid cause cone-shaped galls at the tips of branches.
Why do Spruce trees turn brown?
If the Spruce tree turns brown, it is an indication of some disease suffered by the tree. The following are some of the common reasons.
How to identify a spruce tree?
You can visually identify the Spruce tree by just looking at the tree and its parts. 1. Needles: These are the leaves of the Spruce tree. In the case of a Spruce tree, individual needles come out of the stem. A woody peg called the pulvinus, connects needles to the branch.
What is the difference between Spruce and Pine trees?
Both Spruce and pine are conifers, and there are some general similarities between them. But there are perceptible differences between them in the needles, cones, branches, and the bark. These differences make it possible to differentiate the two.
How long does a Spruce tree take to grow?
On average, the Spruce tree shows a growth of 6 to 12 inches in a year.
What is the lifespan of a Spruce tree?
In the native environment, the Spruce tree can live from 150 years to about 600 years, depending upon the species. However, the cultivated variety of Spruce trees have a shorter life of about 60 – 150 years.
How deep are Spruce tree roots?
Depending upon the species, the roots of the Spruce tree go down in the ground to a depth of 12 – 18 inches.
Will a Spruce tree regrow needles?
The Spruce tree can regrow needles if it has lost them because of natural cause, and the parent branch is not diseased or damaged.
What causes blue spruce to die?
By far the most common complaint of cultivated blue spruces is needle cast disease, mostly that caused by the fungus Rhizospaera kalkhoffii. It infects young needles and overwinters on living or recently killed foliage. During the growing season, the spores spread to other branches, or other trees, by splashing water. Warm temperatures (high 70's) exacerbate the needle infection. The disease generally presents as it does in the above photo, with the older needles dropping off first. There are other pathogens that can cause needles to die and drop off, but Rhizospaera is the most common, followed by Stigmina/Mycosphaerella.
Why are blue spruce trees so popular?
It is also likely responsible for most dislike of conifers! Why? Because species Colorado spruce trees were heavily planted in new residential communities in the early to mid-20th Century, and most, if not all, were planted with no regard for their ultimate size or whether they were climate-appropriate. While it may be an urban legend, it is said that a blue spruce in the 1930s and 1940s was a status symbol, widely proclaiming that the homeowner had 'arrived'! Even a 'slow growing' tree can outgrow its garden location!
How long does a Picea pungens tree live?
It is a relatively slow-growing tree, as wild trees go, but it is long-lived (many reach 600-800 years). Picea pungens does best in cool climates with regular, short bursts of summer rainfall, conditions that are difficult to duplicate outside its native, mountainous, range.
What is the name of the plant that has a clear, powder blue needle?
In the background, Picea pungens 'Fat Albert' draws the eye and provides soft, elegant contrast to the green foliage around it. In front, the cultivar 'Lucretia', has clear, powder-blue needles and a more random growth habit.
How tall is a blue spruce tree?
The trees in nature can reach impressive heights; it is not uncommon to find individuals that are over 100' tall, with trunks 5' or so in diameter.
Why are spruces blue?
The blue coloring is due to a waxy substance on the leaf surface that protects the tree from desiccation and harmful UV light.The more wax, the bluer the needles.
What is the bluest cypress?
Arizona cypress is native to the American and Mexican Southwest. Some of the bluest cultivars are 'Carolina Sapphire', 'Blue Spire' and ' Blue Ice '. Most of these become fairly good-sized trees, and are not as formal and regular as blue spruce, but the colors are dramatic.
What causes needle casts on Colorado blue spruce?
Purdue Landscape Report: Colorado blue spruce is not native to Indiana (no spruce is!), and it often suffers from environmental stresses such as drought, excessive heat, humidity, and compacted or heavy clay soils—making it an already poor choice for our landscape. If that weren’t enough, it also suffers from needle cast diseases. Needle cast is a generic term that refers to foliar diseases of coniferous plants that result in the defoliation (“casting off”) of needles. Needle casts vary by host, and severity is dependent upon the age of infected needles. Of all the foliar diseases affecting woody landscape plants and shrubs, needle casts are the most serious for the simple reason that coniferous plants do not have the ability to refoliate, or produce a second flush of needles from defoliated stems. Rhizosphaera needle cast is a fungal disease, caused by Rhizosphaera kalkhoffii that attacks the needles of Colorado blue spruce in the spring, as new needles emerge. However, infected needles often don’t show symptoms right away, and may take one to three years to develop. Infected needles later turn purple to brown and fall from the tree prematurely (Fig. 1), leaving the inner portion of the branch bare.
What happens to a tree when it gets infected?
The disease usually starts near the base of the tree where humidity levels are the highest, but continues to spread upward. As the disease continues, trees become unsightly and lose their value as a visual screen or privacy fence.
Blue Spruce Tree Basics
As mentioned, to know how to keep your blue spruce small, you first need to know the wants and needs of your tree, so that you can provide and alter them to affect the tree.
Picking The Right Blue Spruce Variety To Keep It Small
Another thing to keep in mind when wanting small blue spruce is picking out a specific variety. As with most things, each blue spruce variety has its own characteristics, including size and shape, meaning you can pick one for your very specific needs.
6 Steps To Keep Your Blue Spruce Tree Small
Now that we know the tendencies of blue spruce trees and what they need, we can learn some simple steps and tips on how to keep them small.
How To Take Care Of Baby Blue Spruces
One of the most challenging things of raising and maintaining a small blue spruce is raising it from the seedling to the adult stage.
Why is my Blue Spruce yellowing?
Blue Spruce turns yellow when it gets more water than needed. The roots get stressed when the Blue Spruce is overwatered. Blue Spruce also turns yellow in the initial stages of needle cast disease.
Why does my blue spruce tree die?
The Blue Spruce tree dies from the bottom up when it’s infected by Cytospera canker disease. This is a fungal disease.
Why do Blue Spruce needles turn brown?
Blue Spruce needles turn brown due to Cytospora canker disease. Blue Spruce needles also turn brown when the tree is infected by Rhizosphaera needle cast. Stigmina needle cast disease also causes the same damage to the victim plant.
What is the disease that can be found on a blue spruce tree?
Rhizosphaera and Stigmina are both different types of fungi that can infect the Blue Spruce tree. Microscopic diagnosis is the only way to differentiate these diseases.
How long does it take for a blue spruce to recover from needle cast disease?
Infected Blue Spruce takes up to 2 years to recover from needle cast disease. Severely infected trees take even more time to recover.
Why are blue spruce trees prone to needle cast diseases?
Blue Spruce trees that are stressed from drought, poor planting practices, or other improper care practices are more prone to needle cast diseases.
What zone do blue spruce trees grow in?
These trees, if planted in a row offer perfect privacy. The tree can grow from USDA zones 1 to 7. Let’s see what’s bothering your Blue spruce and how to fix it!
Why are blue spruce trees so popular?
Blue spruce trees are widely planted due to their good growth rate, stately form and, of course, their blue foliage. 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 ...
Why are we seeing increased decline in blue spruce trees?
There are a number of factors contributing to the decline we see in blue spruce trees, including environmental changes, poor site conditions and new pathogens. Colorado blue spruce is native to arid regions in the Rocky Mountains. Michigan’s climate is generally more humid, especially in the summer, which is ideal for fungal pathogens to thrive. In landscapes, Colorado blue spruces have been planted on some sites that are marginal for their success. As a result, they are stressed and more susceptible to fungal pathogens.
What kind of diseases affect blue spruce trees?
There are three principle types of diseases that affect blue spruce trees: needlecasts, tip blights and canker diseases. All of these diseases are caused by fungal pathogens and each produce specific symptoms that can be useful in diagnosing the problem.
Should we continue to plant blue spruce trees?
Blue spruce does best on exposed sites with good soil drainage. Photo credit: Bert Cregg, MSU
What are the pests that live on spruce trees in Michigan?
Numerous insect pests can impact spruces in Michigan’s landscape, but the two most common are gall adelgids and spruce spider mites. In both cases, the insect pests are tiny and you may need a hand lens to see them. Often times, people are more likely to see the damage as opposed to the insect pests themselves.
Why are spruce trees declining in Michigan?
The rapid decline of many spruce trees in Michigan and surrounding states appears to be related to an increase of canker diseases coupled with other disease and insect problems that plague the species . Photo 2.
What causes tip blight on pine trees?
Tip blights are most common on pines, especially Austrian pines, but can also occur on spruces. 3. Canker diseases. Canker diseases are caused by fungi that infect branches or the main stem of trees. Typical symptoms of cankers are sunken areas along a stem that may ooze resin (Photo 5).
Overview
The blue spruce (Picea pungens), also commonly known as green spruce, white spruce, Colorado spruce, or Colorado blue spruce, is a species of spruce tree. It is native to North America, and is found in USDA growing zones 1 through 7. It is found naturally in Arizona, Colorado, Idaho, New Mexico, Utah and Wyoming. It has been widely introduced elsewhere and is used as an ornamental tree in m…
Description
In the wild, Picea pungens grows to about 23 m (75 ft), but when planted in parks and gardens it seldom exceeds 15 m (49 ft) tall by 5 m (16 ft) wide. The tree can grow larger if the tip is cut when it is at least 3 years old. It is a columnar or conical evergreen conifer with densely growing horizontal branches. It has scaly grey bark on the trunk with yellowish-brown branches.
Waxy gray-green leaves, up to 3 cm (1 in) long, are arranged radially on the shoots which curve u…
Cultivation
Picea pungens and its many cultivars are often grown as ornamental trees in gardens and parks. It is also grown for the Christmas tree industry.
The blue spruce is attacked by two species of Adelges, an aphid-like insect that causes galls to form. Nymphs of the pineapple gall adelgid form galls at the base of twigs which resemble miniature pineapples and those of the Cooley's spruc…
Rooting habits
Blue spruce seedlings are shallow roots that penetrate only 6.4 cm (2.5 inches) of soil during the first year. Although freezing can't damage much in blue spruce, frost will cause seedling loss. Shadows in late spring and early autumn minimize this frost heaving loss. Despite the shallow roots, blue spruce is able to resist strong winds. Five years before transplanting, the total root surface area of 2-meter-high trees was doubled by pruning the roots of blue spruce. It also incre…
Cultivars
Common cultivars (those marked agm have gained the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit):
• 'Glauca Globosa' agm – shrub from 3–5 feet (0.91–1.52 m) in height
• 'Fat Albert' – compact perfect cone to 10 feet (3.0 m) of a silver blue color
Uses
The Navajo and Keres Native Americans use this tree as a traditional medicinal plant and a ceremonial item, and twigs are given as gifts to bring good fortune. In traditional medicine, an infusion of the needles is used to treat colds and settle the stomach. This liquid is also used externally for rheumatic pains. Early people used their wood for building.
Distributed soil types and topography
Blue spruce generally exists on gentle uplands and sub irrigated slopes, in well-watered tributary drainage, extending down intermittent streams, and on lower northerly slopes.
Blue spruce always grow naturally in the soils which are in the order Mollisols, and the soil will also be in the orders histosols and inceptisols in a lesser extent.
Blue spruce is considered as a pioneer tree species in moist soil in Utah.
Climate
Blue spruce usually grows in cool and humid climatic zones where the annual precipitation mainly occurs in the summer.
Blue spruce is most common in Colorado and the Southwest. The annual average temperature ranges from 3.9 to 6.1 degrees C (39 to 43 degrees F). And ranges from - 3.9 to - 2.8 degrees C (25 to 27 degrees F) in January. In July, the average temperature ranges from 13.9 to 15.0 degre…