Golden Acre Home & Garden Centre's Plant Library

Other Names:  Blue Colorado Spruce; Colorado Blue Spruce

Description:

This stunning, very slow growing miniature variety displays soft yellow-green new growth above fine textured, steel-blue mature needles; maintains its blue color year round on a tight, mounded form; an eye catching accent for small garden spaces

Ornamental Features

Christina Miniature Blue Spruce is a dwarf conifer which is primarily valued in the garden for its interestingly mounded form. It has attractive steel blue evergreen foliage which emerges chartreuse in spring. The small needles are highly ornamental and remain steel blue throughout the winter.

Landscape Attributes

Christina Miniature Blue Spruce is a dense multi-stemmed evergreen shrub with a mounded form. It lends an extremely fine and delicate texture to the landscape composition which should be used to full effect.

This is a relatively low maintenance shrub. When pruning is necessary, it is recommended to only trim back the new growth of the current season, other than to remove any dieback. Deer don't particularly care for this plant and will usually leave it alone in favor of tastier treats. It has no significant negative characteristics.

Christina Miniature Blue Spruce is recommended for the following landscape applications;

• Accent
• Hedges/Screening
• General Garden Use

Planting & Growing

Christina Miniature Blue Spruce will grow to be about 18 inches tall at maturity, with a spread of 18 inches. It has a low canopy. It grows at a slow rate, and under ideal conditions can be expected to live for 60 years or more.

This shrub should only be grown in full sunlight. It is very adaptable to both dry and moist growing conditions, but will not tolerate any standing water. It is considered to be drought-tolerant, and thus makes an ideal choice for a low-water garden or xeriscape application. It is not particular as to soil type or pH, and is able to handle environmental salt. It is highly tolerant of urban pollution and will even thrive in inner city environments. This is a selection of a native North American species.