Other Names:  Blue Colorado Spruce;Colorado Blue Spruce

Description:

A weeping and trailing spire-like tree, with dusty blue pointy needles held on sharply pendulous branches, almost skirted in appearance; will maintain a central leader; durable and very hardy, a truly outstanding accent tree

Ornamental Features

Ice Floe Weeping Blue Spruce is a dwarf conifer which is primarily valued in the landscape or garden for its highly ornamental weeping form. It has attractive silvery blue evergreen foliage. The needles are highly ornamental and remain silvery blue throughout the winter.

Landscape Attributes

Ice Floe Weeping Blue Spruce is a dense spreading evergreen shrub with a rounded form and gracefully weeping branches. Its relatively fine texture sets it apart from other landscape plants with less refined foliage.

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.

Ice Floe Weeping Blue Spruce is recommended for the following landscape applications;

• Accent
• Vertical Accent
• General Garden Use
• Container Planting

Planting & Growing

Ice Floe Weeping Blue Spruce will grow to be about 12 feet tall at maturity, with a spread of 6 feet. It has a low canopy with a typical clearance of 1 foot from the ground, and is suitable for planting under power lines. It grows at a slow rate, and under ideal conditions can be expected to live for 70 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 xeriscaping or the moisture-conserving landscape. 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.

Ice Floe Weeping Blue Spruce makes a fine choice for the outdoor landscape, but it is also well-suited for use in outdoor pots and containers. Because of its height, it is often used as a 'thriller' in the 'spiller-thriller-filler' container combination; plant it near the center of the pot, surrounded by smaller plants and those that spill over the edges. It is even sizeable enough that it can be grown alone in a suitable container. Note that when grown in a container, it may not perform exactly as indicated on the tag - this is to be expected. Also note that when growing plants in outdoor containers and baskets, they may require more frequent waterings than they would in the yard or garden.