Taxonomy
| Clade | gymnosperm |
|---|
| Family | Pinaceae |
|---|
| Genus | Picea |
|---|
| Species | pungens |
|---|
| Common Name | blue spruce, Colorado spruce |
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| iTree Code | PIPU |
|---|
Plant Form
| Form | A medium sized conifer growing between 30' and 60' tall. |
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| Height | 60 feet |
|---|
| Spread | 20 feet |
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| Deciduous | No |
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Identification Description
| Foliage | singly attached needles, very sharply points; green or bluish in color; pungent odor when crushed |
Leaf Type
 |
Needle |
|---|
| Needles | 1 |
|---|
| Bark | grayish-brown flaky or scaly; frequent bluish sap oozing from wounds |
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| Bud | conical, orange or brown, scales may appear as opening |
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| Twig | orange on current year’s growth; then gray in later years |
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| Pollen Cone | male (strobili) orange to red; female (strobili) green to purple, typically in the upper canopy |
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| Seed Cone | papery cone 3-5” long, with fringed scales; brown to golden in color, hanging down on branch |
|---|
| Fall Color | green, blue |
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Site Characteristics
| USDA Zones
|
pH Levels | Salt Tolerance |
| Min | 3a |
Min | 4.0 |
Soil | High |
| Max | 7a |
Max | 7.8 |
Spray | High |
| Shade Tolerance | Drought Tolerance | Allelopathy |
| Intermediate |
Intolerant |
Unknown |
