Habitat

• native to Asia Minor
• zone 4

Habit and Form

• evergreen tree with horizontal, pendulous branches
• narrow, compact, conical shape
• 50' to 60' tall , can reach 120'
• slow growth rate
• medium texture

Summer Foliage

• needles are 4-sided with a blunt tip
• 1 to 4 stomatal lines on each side
• needles are 0.25" to 0.50" long
• shortest needles of all spruces
• dark green color

Autumn Foliage

• no fall color, evergreen

Flowers

• monoecious
• not ornamentally important

Fruit

• cones are on short stalks found at the ends of branches
• mature cones are cylindrical; 2" to 4" long by 1" wide
• reddish purple color turning to a medium brown at maturity
• cone scales have smooth margins

Bark

• medium brown color
• peeling, thin scales

Culture

• adaptable to many soil types as long as they are moist
• can not tolerate harsh winters
• full sun

Landscape Use

• specimen
• screen
• large shade tree when an evergreen is desired

Liabilities

• browning of foliage in severe winters
• no disease or insect problems

ID Features

• large, narrow, evergreen tree
• long cones with entire scales
• needles leave petiole on stem when pulled off
• very short needles that are 4-sided
• dark green color

Propagation

• by seed, requires no treatments
• cultivars by grafting or some by cuttings

Cultivars/Varieties

'Aureospicata' (the same as 'Aurea') - A popular selection, this plant is notable for its bright yellow new growth. The needles mature to green on this broad tree.

'Gowdy' - This narrow selection features short, deep green needles and a fine branching habit. It is slow-growing and smaller, perhaps reaching 10' tall in time.

'Skylands' - Perhaps the most popular form, this cultivar bears golden needles all year. The color may be muted on shaded branches of this slow-growing, pyramidal tree.

Various dwarf and semi-weeping dwarf selections exist, including: 'Nana', a mounded grower to 3' tall; and 'Pendula' (also called 'Weeping Dwarf'), a slow-grower with drooping branchlets.