Baby Blue Spruce

History and Culture

The blue spruce (picea pungens glauca) which we have named BABY BLUE is grown from seed harvested from a blue spruce orchard at West Montrose Farms Ltd., R. R. 2, Breslau, Ontario, Canada.

After sixteen years of experimentation we now have a seed source with three very significant characteristics that we feel set it above all others:

1.  To Date, after having seeded and grown over three hundred thousand trees -- we have never had to cull out any green trees. They have all been blue. At one year plug size there is minimal color, however as they grow older their blue color intensifies. The accompanying photos show this progression.
   
   
2.  The growth rate ie: the rate of extension of the leader, is slower in the first two to three years and increases every year until at approx. three feet tall growth becomes similar to other blue spruce types. The bud formation on the leader is heavier than other types. As a result growth is very compact and virtually no shearing is required. We have never sheared any of the plants shown in the photos.
   
   
3.  The needles grow out evenly around the wood of the candle and give the branches a very full appearance which gives a full looking tree at all ages.
   

Seeding for plug growing takes place around the first of February. Two to three weeks of stratification prior to this are required.

Plugs are normally ready for fall shipment around the first week of September.