About

An evergreen tree, to around 15m high at maturity, with a conical habit and horizontal branches. Needles are silvery blue, with new needles emerging shorter and softer than the mature ones, giving a fox tail appearance to the branches.

About the genus

Picea are evergreen trees with rigid, needle-like leaves arranged singly all round the shoots, and narrow, leathery-scaled cones borne near the ends of the shoots

Growing conditions

SunlightFull sun
Soil typeClay, Loam, Sand
Soil pHAcid, Neutral
Soil moistureMoist but well-drained
AspectSouth-facing, West-facing
ExposureExposed, Sheltered
UK hardinessH7

Plant details

Plant typeConifers, Trees
HabitColumnar upright
FoliageEvergreen
HeightHigher than 12 metres
Spread4-8 metres
Time to full height20-50 years
Suggested usesArchitectural

Care notes

CultivationGrow in any deep, moist but well-drained, neutral to acidic soil in full sun. See conifer cultivation for more advice
PruningNo pruning required
PropagationPropagate by grafting in winter
Pest resistanceMay be susceptible to adelgids, red spider mite and conifer aphid
Disease resistanceMay be susceptible to honey fungus