Image – Wikimedia/Takkk
La Picea pungens, known by the common name blue spruce despite not being related to firs, is a slow-growing conifer of great beauty that likes a temperate climate.
That is why, if you intend to grow a specimen, you have to know that extreme heat can not only slow down its growth, but can also cause serious problems.
How is the Picea pungens?
Image – Wikimedia/Leopold Kropfreiter
It is an evergreen tree native to the United States, specifically the Rocky Mountains. Over the years it can reach a maximum height of 35 meters. It develops a straight trunk and a pyramidal crown composed of leaves in the form of sharp needles whose length is about 30 millimeters.
As its common name already tells us, its foliage is bluish in color (glaucous, rather), something that undoubtedly stands out among the greenery that the vast majority of plants have. Also, you have to know that they are aromatic when you rub them. And the cone is oblong-cylindrical in shape, green in color at first but then turns brown when finished ripening.
There are several cultivars such as 'Argentea', 'Pendula', 'Koster' or 'Aurea', among others. It is a conifer of great ornamental value, which looks great in any garden where the climate is temperate.
What do you need to live?
Apart from the climate being mild, you need other things, of course. Let's discuss them now so you have a chance to enjoy your blue spruce or blue spruce for as long as possible:
Sun light
This is something you can't miss. It is very important that it is exposed to the light of the star king, so that it can grow well. In addition, it is necessary that it be placed outside the home, in the open air.
When Christmas arrives, it is common for some shops to sell very young specimens, barely 20 centimeters tall in small pots. Well, no matter how young they are, we don't have to leave them inside the house, because otherwise they won't survive.
Fertile land
Image - Wikimedia / Lazaregagnidze
La Picea pungens It is a conifer that will not be able to grow on land where nutrients are very scarce. For this reason, regardless of whether it is going to be kept in a pot for a while or whether it is planted in the garden, you have to make sure the land is right for it. And which one is it?
Well, one rich in nutrients of course, one fertile, like the universal substrate of many brands that are sold in garden nurseries, both physical and on the Internet. If the soil in your garden is spongy and dark brown or even almost black, it will be good for blue spruce.
water in moderation
It is not a tree that can be in an area where it rains little, and less if the drought occurs in summer. For this reason, it is not a conifer for the Mediterranean, unless you have the garden at a high altitude, where the summers are milder than in places that are a few meters above sea level.
For this reason, If it is in a pot, you will have to ensure that the soil does not remain dry for too long.. So that there are no problems, you have to see how the earth is, if it is wet or dry, and based on that, proceed to water or, on the contrary, wait a little longer.
Compost (if potted)
Si tu Picea pungens is planted in a pot, you will have to pay it so that it can grow without any problem. To do it right, you first have to know when to fertilize it, since if it were fertilized in winter, for example, which is when it is at rest, it would be of no use. But if you pay it in spring and summer, then yes.
Use organic fertilizers whenever possible, since these are not harmful to the environment. But if you are going to use fertilizers, follow the instructions that you will find on the label of the same.
Do you have aggressive roots?
The root system of the blue spruce is not aggressive, but it does need a lot of space. Thus, we recommend that it be planted at least four meters away from walls and floors, so that it can not cause any problems in the future.
In this way, the tree will be able to grow well, and you will be able to enjoy it without having to worry about anything.
What is its resistance to cold?
Image - Wikimedia / Jebulon
The blue spruce withstands both frost and snowfall very well. In fact, withstands temperatures down to -20ºC. But another different topic would be the heat, because he doesn't like it too much. What's more, it only vegetates well (but really well) if the maximum annual temperature is around 30ºC, no more.
For this reason, in certain regions such as the Mediterranean, it can be considered a seasonal plant (Christmas), since as soon as summer arrives it is normal for it to begin to suffer and not survive in the end.
What do you think of blue spruce?