Due to its endurance and adaptability to climate, slender silhouettes of fir trees are a delightful decoration of central parks, gardens and squares near administrative buildings of most regions. They can be found in every city. Popular blue spruce continues to actively buy today. Read more about what undersized varieties are used by modern designers, how to plant and grow them - read further in the material.

Varieties of dwarf blue spruce

Blue spruce (Picea pungens) belong to the genus Picea. In addition to them, this includes another 35 species of plants. Blue spruces differ from them in needles, which are attached to the branch with a slightly thickened part. The needles themselves grow very densely on the branch, making it look like a small brush. And this is the main difference between a tree and pines and other representatives of the genus.

Did you know? The first blue spruce was discovered and described by botanists only in 1862. And by 1969, in the directory of conifers of the Montreal Botanical Garden, it was named one of the five best species.

Picea pungens is called not only blue, but also prickly, white, silver, Colorado and Parry spruce. Its bluish color is due to a wax coating on the needles, which gives them such a shade. In some varieties, it appears from the fact that the stomata (respiratory openings) of the needles have walls of a lighter shade than the needles themselves.

Botanists divided Picea pungens into 3 main color groups:

Dwarf varieties of blue spruce were first discovered in 1862. Today, several hundred varieties of them have been bred. The most common among them is the Globose variety (Picea pungens Globosa). It is followed by Montgomery and Glauca Globosa. They have similar growth habits, colors, and this often causes confusion. In the material below you will find information about what are the differences between the main varieties of dwarf spruce.

Globosa

Globosa (Globosa) - the most famous of the blue dwarf spruce. Its short branches are slightly moon-shaped and have magnificent silver-blue needles. First introduced in 1937 in the Netherlands by Anthony Klus. A ten-year-old plant will have a height of not more than 70 cm and a width of not more than 90 cm. For a year, the growth of branches is 5–7.5 cm.

Main characteristics:

• description: compact, rounded, evergreen, tends to become wider with age;
• height: slow;
• the form: spherical;
• Colour: blue-silver; remains unchanged in the winter;
• frost resistance: from -34 ° C to -40 ° C;
• pruning: it is recommended to cut only the growth of the new season;
• adaptability: tolerates drought, ideal for moist soils, tolerant of polluted urban air;
• soil acidity: any;
• is intended to decorate the patio and is used as an accent element.

Glauca globosa

Glauca Globosa (Glauca Globosa) is another low-grade variety of blue spruce in the shape of a ball with blue needles with a characteristic flattened top. To maintain its spherical shape, gardeners recommend removing upright shoots.

Did you know? Blue spruce can live more than 200 years in natural conditions. But its service life in the form of a windproof or decorative tree is from 40 to 60 years.

Variety characteristic:

• a type: dwarf evergreen shrub;
• height: 60–90 cm;
• width: 60–90 cm;
• needles: silver blue or blue green;
• destination: freestanding plant or accent element;
• the soil: acidic, well-drained;
• irrigation: regular
• lighting: full sun;
• winter hardiness: 2-8th zones.

Video: pygmy spruce "Glauca Globosa"

Montgomery

The silver-blue Montgomery spruce (Montgomery) was originally part of the collection, assembled by a collector - Colonel R. H. Montgomery. Before selling his estate in Greenwich, Connecticut, he donated the entire collection to the New York Botanical Garden in 1949. And the descendants of these firs are now named after him.

Montgomery is a slowly growing little spruce. Its shape is described as "a regular hemisphere with one clearly defined central leader, from which branches depart, as in large spruces." At a young age, the form approaches the ball. Over time, it stretches and becomes vertical and quite wide.

Variety characteristic:

• a type: dwarf, evergreen, bushy;
• maximum height: up to 3 m;
• width: up to 2.5 m;
• needles: silver green;
• destination: single tree or accent element;
• the soil: any well-drained;
• irrigation: weekly;
• lighting: full sun or partial shade;
• winter hardiness: 3rd – 7th zones.

Nidiformis kalous

Nidiformis Kalus (Nidiformis Kalous) is a dwarf variety of blue spruce Czech selection. The shape of its crown is similar to a flattened uniform cube or ball. Such forms are also called "nest-shaped." The branches of Nidiformis Kalus are short, mostly horizontal. The needles are 2–3 cm long. After 10 years of growth, the bush reaches a height of 0.5–0.7 m and a width of approximately 0.8 m. The annual growth of shoots is 5–10 cm.

Did you know? The resin secreted by the tree was taken by the American Indians on the road to quench their thirst.

Characteristics of varietal features:

• description: small, compact, soft, very slowly growing evergreen shrub;
• feature: depending on the stock, it can grow in a bush or in the form of a tree up to 1 m high;
• Colour: from light gray-blue to blue-green;
• fruit: cones 6–10 cm long, elongated, light brown;
• frost resistance: high, 2nd zone;
• the soil: light, rich in nutrients;
• lighting: sunny section or partial shade;
• city ​​conditions: tolerates well;
• disease prevention: in the fall it is treated with 1% solution of copper sulfate or other copper-containing fungicides;
• fertilizers: undemanding.

Blaukissen

The name of the variety Blaukissen in German means “blue pillow”. This small spruce with a pleasant bluish needles looks exactly like her. The annual growth of its branches does not exceed 3.5 cm. And after 10 years it reaches a height of 45 cm. It is perfect for a rock garden. When planting, prefers nutrient-rich, well-drained soil and sunlight.

Grade Features:

• description: small, compact, slow-growing, cushion-shaped stump bush;
• crown: flattened;
• branches: short, horizontal, densely branched;
• needles: 2-3 cm long, quadrangular in cross section, rigid, curved, pointed, light gray-blue;
• frost resistance: high, 2nd zone;
• the soil: rich in nutrients;
• lighting: sunny section or partial shade;
• city ​​conditions: tolerates well.

Blue trinket

The Blue Trinket variety is a compact cone-shaped blue spruce with moderate growth power. After 10 years, its height will reach 2 m. The maximum possible height is 6 m. The annual growth of branches is 5–8 cm. The variety is resistant to low temperatures.

Important! Fir trees should be planted in the ground along with the soil with which they arrived from the nursery. It contains a fungus, mycorrhiza, which is a symbiont of conifers and necessary for the development of their root system.

It grows well in a sunny area. It needs fertile, moist, well-drained soil, but can also cope with poorer soils. Blue Trinket is an ideal variety for medium to large garden plots. The tree will be an accent element of a colorful floral arrangement.

Grade Features:

• crown: conical, expanded;
• needles: blue
• root system: small, wide;
• lighting: sun, partial shade, shadow;
• the soil: moderately rich in nutrients, moist enough;
• acidity: pH 5.0-6.5;
• top dressing: 2 times per year; at the end of April and mid-July with a balanced fertilizer composition;
• irrigation: need to be carried out to the very frosts in order to avoid drying of short needles;
• features: branches can break under the weight of snow, so it needs to be swept; in February, close the seedling with spruce branches to avoid sunburn.

Brynek

The Brynek variety is an extremely compact, spherical bush with extremely spiky, thick blue-steel needles and thick shoots. The variety was obtained in Warsaw (Poland) in 1983 by Slavomir Marmot from the seeds of the blue spruce Glauka. The breeder believes that the resulting seedlings are a genetic mutation of the parent plant.

After 10 years of growth, it will reach a height of 35–40 cm, since its annual growth is only 2.5–3.5 cm per year. The maximum possible height and width will be 1 m and 0.8 m, respectively. The unique color and small size make Brinek a worthy candidate for growing conifers in your collection.

Plant Features:

• Colour: blue;
• growth form: ball;
• the size: dwarf;
• frost resistance: 3rd zone, temperatures from -34.4 ° C to -40 ° C;
• lighting: the sun;
• the soil: moderately rich in nutrients, medium humidity;
• irrigation: regular.

Ruby Teardrops

The Ruby Teardrops variety is one of the brightest modern blue spruce trees. Her many newborn cones have a bright red or purple color, creating a contrast with blue needles. And you can enjoy this shade for as long as 4 weeks, and even longer in cold weather. As they age, they become khaki and then become traditionally brown.

The general form of the bush is squat and irregular. At the age of 3 years - spherical. The annual growth of the branches of Rabi Tidrops is 5–10 cm. By the time of full ripening, the spruce will reach a height of 1 m. The variety was obtained in 2000 by Fisher Farms nursery from Oregon (USA). Published in catalogs since 2010. In 2013–2016, it was presented to US collectors in the Coniferous Tree of the Year program.

Grade Features:

• crown: up to 1 m;
• needles color: blue;
• the size: dwarf;
• frost resistance: 4th – 8th zone;
• lighting: the sun;
• the soil: moderately fertile, medium humidity;
• irrigation: regular.

Niemetz

The Niemetz variety is another modern variety of blue spruce. Her steel needles are perfectly shaded by the growth of the new season in a bright creamy white color. You can admire this magnificence for about three weeks. Then the hue will begin to change, gradually merging with the blue needles of the previous year.

The tree has a conical shape. It is characterized by an average growth rate. In 10 years it will reach a height of about 1 m and a width of 70 cm. It looks ideal in single compositions in sunny areas.

Main characteristics:

• growth form: cone;
• size: dwarf;
• frost resistance: 3rd – 7th zone;
• lighting: sunny area;
• the soil: fertile with moderate moisture and good drainage;
• irrigation: weekly.

Landing

In areas with a mild climate, blue spruce can be planted almost all year round. But if winter temperatures drop below -30 ° C, then they plan to land in September or March. It is necessary that by this moment the air remains warm enough (+ 10 ° С) and no frosts are foreseen for at least another 6 weeks. The tree must be at rest so that the spruce can form roots without being distracted by the development and maintenance of the crown.

Important! Late planting is fraught with injury due to the fact that the roots are not sufficiently developed. This can lead to the loss of part of the needles.

Also note that some varieties come from the nursery in a container. These are either plants that grew in the soil and were installed in a container for transfer, or those that originally grow in a pot. The first need to be planted in the ground as quickly as possible together with all the soil that is on the roots. And the second can simply be brought into the room before the formation of optimal conditions for planting on the street.

For landing you will need:

• shovel;
• bucket;
• wet peat or burlap;
• Garden shears with sterile cutting edges.

Planting ate:

1. Choose a cool cloudy day and get off early in the morning.
2. Remove the packaging from the roots. Put the tree in water for 10 minutes or wrap it in a wet burlap. If the roots are too dry, immerse them in plain water overnight. You can also add “Kornevin” to it to stimulate the development of roots.
3. Dig a hole twice the width of the root system of the seedling. It should be deep enough so that the roots do not need to be bent.
4. Form a cone of soil in the center of the pit. He must be tall.
5. Remove the tree from water or burlap. Remove damaged roots.
6. Install a spruce on the earthen cone so that the roots evenly descend along its faces.
7. Start filling up the hole, while compacting the soil to ensure good contact with the root system.
8. When 3/4 fill, water the spruce plentifully.
9. Add soil so that the root neck of the tree is at the same level as in the nursery.
10. From the soil residues, pour a low earthen rampart around the root zone, forming a pool for irrigation.

At a distance of 1–1.2 m from the tree, set two stakes and tie them with a rope so that the spruce is between them. She needs support until she takes root. But you can’t knit the mounts on the tree itself, since you can break the trunk.

Important! Water the seedling only when the top 6 cm of soil is dry. Waterlogged roots cannot absorb nutrients from the soil.

Care Features

Blue spruce grows actively in the sunny garden, but some varieties can grow in partial shade. After you have planted a tree, you need to water it about once a week. It is better if watering occurs 1 time, but deep than watering a tree 2 times a week, but not too deep. Although fir trees like moist soil, they are also tolerant of drought, therefore, to prevent the rapid evaporation of moisture, simply sprinkle the root zone with mulch. This can be wood chips, sawdust, needles, other materials.This layer will protect the soil from compaction, provide it with oxygen, protect the roots from overheating, and prevent the growth of weeds. Spruce is unpretentious to food. But once a year in the spring it needs to be fed. Make small holes in the soil and pour in granulated fertilizer balanced in composition (nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium in it should be taken in equal parts). Add water. You can also replace them with 5 kg of compost brought under each tree. As for pests, the most serious for spruce is a spider mite.

If you notice yellow needles or cobwebs, treat the tree with an insecticidal spray. The remaining insects cause minimal damage. The popularity of blue spruces not only does not decrease, but also grows every year, therefore, choosing a tree for planting, focus on the shape of its crown and the needs of your landscape. With a little care, the spruce will surely delight you with its beautiful appearance, not only in winter but also in summer.