Picea pungens 'Wisconsin Cream' (Wisconsin Cream Colorado Spruce)


Michael's Opinion

A rare cultivar that produces unique creamy white spring growth changing to a dark green colour as it matures. An excellent focal point for the landscape it works well as an accent plant in both winter and summer and is very much a collector’s conifer.

Botanical Information

FamilyPinaceae
GenusPicea
Speciespungens
Cultivar'Wisconsin Cream'
CategoryWoody
TypeShrub (evergreen)
OriginDiscovered by Rich Eyre at Rich's Foxwillow Pines Nursery in Woodstock, Illinois, United States of America.
Pronunciation

Details

USDA Hardiness Zone3
USDA Hardiness Ref.
Canadian Hardiness Zone1a
Canada Hardiness Ref.
RHS Hardiness Ref.
Temperature (°C)(-37)
Temperature (°F)(-35)
Height1.2 m
Spread1 m
GrowthMedium
Flowering PeriodJune

Description and Growing Information

General DescriptionAn upright, broad spreading, dwarf cultivar with new growth a creamy white colour progressing to a dark green as it ages.
ShapeThis dwarf shrub is upright, broad spreading and pyramidal in shape.
LandscapeThis cultivar has attractive creamy white tips in spring, making it stand out against the greenery of the garden. It works well as an accent plant in both winter and summer and is very much a collector’s conifer.
CultivationPrefers rich, fertile, loamy soils that are free-draining in full sun to partial shade. Tolerant of a wide range of soils types and pH levels.
PestsSusceptible to cankers, eastern spruce gall, pine needle scale, aphids, mites, and spruce needle miner.
Notable SpecimensWhistling Gardens, Wilsonville, Ontario, Canada.
HabitatHorticultural origin.
Bark/Stem DescriptionGrey-brown in colour, young plants have small thin scales which thicken and form shallow furrows with maturity.
Flower/Leaf Bud DescriptionThe buds are small approximately 6 mm long, broadly conical and non-resinous. They have a whorled arrangement and are a yellow-brown colour.
Leaf DescriptionSimple, prickly or spine-like evergreen needles that are alternately arranged perpendicular to the stem and approximately 2-3.5 cm long. New growth is a creamy white turning green with maturity.
Fruit DescriptionCones of the species are cylindrical and narrowed at the ends and 6-10 cm long, they emerge green turning to light brown with maturity. Scales are wavy and long with varied toothing.
Colour DescriptionFoliage of new growth is creamy white turning dark green with age and holds its colour throughout the seasons. It has a grey-brown scaly bark and small yellow-brown buds.
Texture DescriptionMedium texture with no change throughout the seasons.

Photographs