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Photo of Picea glauca 'Conica' foliage by Maples N More Nursery

Photo by Maples N More Nursery View Original Photo

Picea glauca 'Conica'

Also Known As

Picea glauca 'Albertiana Conica'
Picea glauca var. albertiana 'Conica'
Conica Dwarf Alberta Spruce
Dwarf Alberta Spruce
Spiral Alberta Spruce

Plant type

shrub, conifer

size

H: 6'-8'
W: 5'-7'

planting zones

2a-8b

More Options

Picea glauca 'Conica' plant details

Picea glauca 'Conica' is a slow-growing evergreen conifer shrub with blue and green foliage. Features glaucous texture. Attracts birds. Grows well with sun and even moisture - regular water. Adapts to various soil conditions. Does well in acidic, average, rich and well-drained soil. A good option if you're seeking something verticillium wilt resistant and wind tolerant.

CHARACTERISTICS OF Picea glauca 'Conica'

Plant type: conifer shrub
Plant family: pinaceae
Foliage: evergreen blue and green
Mature size: 5 FT - 7 FT - wide, 6 FT - 8 FT - tall
Uses: border plant, container plant, dense, dwarf, mass-planting, rock garden, year round interest

GROWING CONDITIONS for Picea glauca 'Conica'

USDA Zones: 2a - 8b
Sun exposure: sun
Watering frequency: even moisture - regular
Resistant to: deer and rabbit, verticillium wilt and wind
Soil needs: acidic, average, rich and well-drained

About Picea

Spruce trees, in the genus Picea are evergreen conifers in the Pinaceae, or pine family.

Why grow Picea?

The sharp, tough needles of spruce trees are an effective deterrent against deer and rabbits.

How to care for Picea

Spruce require little care beyond occasionally pruning them to remove unwanted or damaged branches.

Nursery contributed plant descriptions

Alberta spruce is a perfect cone shaped dwarf conifer displaying soft green needles in a dense form. It won't overgrow tight spaces. Excellent as a miniature Christmas tree, or pruned into topiary or spiral forms. The Alberta spruce can handle high winds, cold temperatures, heat and/or drought periods. Use as an accent tree or in a container planting.

By: Maples N More Nursery

A charming dwarf conifer with heaps of character, this forms a dense, upright cone of close-packed stiff, short, deep green needles. In late spring, the new growth at the tips of the shoots is bright, almost lime green. Although this is not a suitable plant for dry soil, as the needles turn brown and drop off in this situation, it is often grown in a rock garden because of its size and shape. Beautiful, blue-green, needle-like leaves and oval, green summer cones mature to brown. This slow-growing, broadly conical, evergreen conifer is an excellent specimen plant.

By: Garden World

Picea glauca conica DWARF ALBERTA SPRUCE Zones: 2-8. A natural dwarf Christmas tree which forms a perfect inverted cone shape. This was the standard woodland forest tree for Garden RR until the much slower growing Gnome, Pixie, Jean's Dilly and other miniatures came along. It still has great appeal as it trims easily into open branched high mountain (small) trees of 2-3 feet. Untrimmed these will mature to perfect cones about 5' tall at 10 years and slightly taller with age. At this size they make great Sentinels to the entrance of a driveway, pathway or a garden gate. Shipping size: 18-24" trees in gallon containers. Limited numbers.

By: Mini Forest By Sky

Extra dwarf/very slow growing.

By: Jockey Hill Nursery

Picea glauca 'Conica' - The classic Dwarf Alberta Spruce may well be the most popular, familiar, dwarf conifer in cultivation. It grows slowly into a perfectly conical, small tree with a thick coating of fine, green needles. Its perfect form, compact growth and dense foliage make it ideal for entry, container and landscape. It responds well to shearing and shaping for topiary too. Found at Lake Leggan, Alberta, Canada, by Prof. J.G. Jack and Alfred Rehder of the Arnold Arboretum in 1904, it appreciates consistent moisture, good nutrition and an occasional blast from the garden hose during summer to increase pest resistance.

By: Kigi Nursery

Dwarf Alberta Spruce is one of the most widely used conifers. It makes an excellent foundation plant and also is great in containers. Resembles a small christmas tree.

By: Accents for Home and Garden

Tight growing blue cone that maintains its formal appearence without pruning. 5-6' in ten years. Awards: Award of Merit & Award of Garden Merit from the Royal Horticultural Society.

By: Fantastic Plants

Dwarf Alberta spruce grow into a neat, formal cone and make the perfect miniature Christmas tree. Their rich-green densely packed growth hold its shape well without pruning. They lend themselves well to containers and are perfect to mark the beginning of paths or anchor corners in the garden. 'Alberta's are a favorite with rock garden and bonsai enthusiasts.

By: Bloom River Gardens

Dense conical shape, evergreen, good in containers . Deer resistant, Prune annually to maintain spiral. Zones 2-8.

By: Lael's Moon Garden

We have two long rows of these planted many years ago bordering a walk. People comment about them, saying how beautiful they are and asking how often we have to trim them to keep the conical shape. The answer is that they aren't trimmed but naturally grow to a tight conical shape. The needles are short and the plant is very dense-growing.