Picea pungens 'Baby Blue Eyes' (Baby Blue Eyes Colorado Spruce)


Michael's Opinion

A stunning, attractive and uniquely coloured semi-dwarf evergreen with sharp blue-silver needles.

Botanical Information

FamilyPinaceae
GenusPicea
Speciespungens
Cultivar'Baby Blue Eyes'
CategoryWoody
TypeTree (evergreen)
Pronunciation

Details

USDA Hardiness Zone3 - 7
USDA Hardiness Ref.
Canadian Hardiness Zone1a - 7a
Canada Hardiness Ref.
RHS Hardiness ZoneH5 - H7
RHS Hardiness Ref.
Temperature (°C)-40 -(-12)
Temperature (°F)-40 -(12)
Height4.5 - 6 m
Spread2 - 3 m
GrowthSlow
Flowering PeriodMay, June

Description and Growing Information

General DescriptionA semi-dwarf cultivar that is almost sky-blue in colour with a broadly pyramidal form.
ID CharacteristicA semi-dwarf broadly pyramidal evergreen with intense blue foliage, stiff 4-sided prickly needles arranged radially on orange-brown shoots.
ShapeA broadly pyramidal tree.
LandscapeA versatile tree for many landscapes; as an accent, in groups or for screening. Its intense blue colour makes for an attractive appearance in the landscape, especially during the winter months.
PropagationThe cultivar ‘Baby Blue Eyes’ is generally grafted on to Picea abies the Norway Spruce because of its ability to establish a larger root mass quicker.
CultivationEasily grown in acidic, medium moisture, well drained soils with full sun. Will tolerate some light shade. It prefers rich moist soils, although established plantings have some drought tolerance.
PestsSusceptible to needle cast, canker and rust. Watch for aphids (particularly spruce gall aphids), scale, budworms and bagworms. Spider mite can cause significant problems with new growth and overall health of the tree.
Notable SpecimensWhistling Gardens, Wilsonville, Ontario, Canada.
HabitatHorticultural origin.
Bark/Stem DescriptionLight grey to orange-brown bark with a very crude surface, giving it a unique coarse texture.
Flower/Leaf Bud DescriptionBuds are small orangey-brown in colour, overlying or layered, and overlapped.
Leaf DescriptionLeaves feature stiff dense 4-sided intense blue, prickly needles arranged radially on orange-brown shoots.
Fruit DescriptionOval cylindrical cones that hang down and are a pale shining brown at maturity reaching 10-15 cm in length.
Colour DescriptionThe foliage usually maintains a lovely intense blue-green to blue-silver colour year round.
Texture DescriptionA broadly pyramidal semi-dwarf spruce with prickly coarse needles.

Photographs