Everyone knows the spectacular blue spruce, but a new kid is on the block, the baby blue spruce. So, what makes this species different compared to the Colorado blue spruce? Well, the needles have a uniform blue color. The astonishing thing is the baby blue spruce trees look fabulous in groupings or even growing as a single specimen.
I. Appearance and Characteristics
The Baby Blue spruce reaches a height of 15 to 20 feet, and it usually spreads out to 10 feet. If you allow this spruce to grow naturally, it develops into a pyramid shape. The Baby Blue spruce’s branches are horizontal and reach down to the ground. Thick silvery-blue needles cover the branches, and many of these stiff needles measure up to 1 inch.
While the Baby Blue spruce does not flower, it produces cones in the late summer and early fall. The cones of mature trees are often gray-brown in color. However, younger trees feature red arils at the tips of the branches.
II. How to Grow and Care
Sunlight
These trees thrive in bright sunlight but can tolerate part shade. Choose a location that receives at least 6 hours of direct sunlight daily, away from power lines and with ample space for its mature size to avoid future pruning challenges.
Temperature and Humidity
The baby blue spruce is tolerant to dry and harsh winters. It can also tolerate humidity to heat better than most other spruce trees. Still, the needles can turn brown and fall in very hot regions.
So, if you live in extreme heat, we recommend providing your tree some shade in the afternoon. Then, to overwinter in the landscape, you can spread some mulch around the tree’s base in the fall.
Then wrap the trunk with burlap to prevent hungry animals from feeding on the trunk. Also, stake the branches after a wet to heavy snowfall to help prevent them from snapping under the weight of the snow.
Watering
Initially, provide a good soaking everyday during summer months when first planted to help establish roots, tapering off to less water as the tree becomes established.
Once fully grown, Baby Blue Spruces are drought tolerant, though they appreciate occasional watering during prolonged dry spells. Once a week watering is always a good idea until your trees reach heights of around 20′.
Soil
The baby blue spruce thrives in a sunny spot in small to large landscapes in well-drained soil. You can amend the soil with organic matter when planting it. Hence, it can grow in loamy, clay, or sandy soil. But it needs to drain well and be slightly acidic soil.
Fertilizing
When you plant your tree and amend the soil with some compost, you need not feed it often. You can give a slow-release granular 10-10-10 feed over the root zone in spring. Then water well allows the fertilizer to drain into the soil and prevent root burn.
Planting Instructions
For planting your baby blue spruce trees as a privacy hedge, we recommend spacing them up to 20 feet apart.
- Dig a hole that is the same depth as the root ball in the container and make it 1 1/2 times the width.
- Take your sharp spade to remove the outer circling roots.
- Place the root ball in the hole and backfill it with soil and water once you reach halfway, allowing the soil to settle in. Continue until the holes fill up with soil.
- Moisten around the planting area and keep the ground moist for the first few years as your tree grows.
Pruning
The growth rate of your plant is slow, from 12 to 24 inches annually, and needs no pruning. But if you want denser foliage, it helps to trim the foliage. You can prune half of the new growth on each candle. The candle is the section where the tip and development of branches occur each year. You can do this in spring.
Propagation
The baby blue spruce tree can propagate through cuttings taken in mid-summer to plant in fall. Nonetheless, the cuttings take a while to root, about three months, and you need to use a rooting hormone. Also, grow cuttings in a humid and cool environment for success.
- Sterilize your garden shears with some alcohol wipe.
- Take a pot and combine a 50:50 ratio of sand and peat, cover it with water, and leave it to sit for a while.
- Take your shears and cut about five inches from the tip with two sets of needles on a side branch.
- Remove the bottom needles and peel off some bark at the cut end. Then, take a brush and place some rooting hormone on that end.
- Poke a hole in the potting mix, place half of the cutting into the hole, and backfill with the mixture.
- Place the container plant in a cool spot with dappled light and prevent direct sun.
- Keep the soil moist and mist the air above the cutting for the water to fall onto the needles.
- After two months, check to see if the root ball has been established, move your container outside into the full sun to help it acclimatize for a week, and bring it indoors every night.
- You can transplant your seedling into the landscaping in early fall and place all the contents with your tree into the hole.
To grow your baby blue spruce from seed, you will need to collect and dry the cones. Then, when spring arrives, you can soak the seed for 24 hours in water and wrap it in a moist paper towel. Then, store them in the refrigerator for about six weeks.
Place some moist starter mix in a pot with your seeds and cover it about 1/4 inch. Place some plastic wrap over the container and keep it in a sunny place. Keep the soil moist until you notice new growth of about one inch.
You can then transplant your seedling to the landscape once acclimatized. Then add some mulch around your young tree and water it well for the first three years.
Pests and Diseases
As with most other trees, the baby blue spruce can become susceptible to pests and diseases. Watch for aphids forming galls or spider mites. When you see the needles turning yellow, it is a problem, and you may have insects bothering the tree.
The most common disease is Cytospora canker which causes the needles to turn brown, dropping from the branches.
III. Uses and Benefits
If you want a great hedge, a few of these Baby Blue spruces will fill in those spaces. This tree’s denseness helps reduce the impact of wind gusts as it protects delicate plants. These small spruces also act as a visual screen for privacy borders or marking off boundaries. Along with the extra privacy, you cannot beat the crisp appearance and cool color of these Baby Blue spruces.
This Baby Blue spruce is a dense evergreen that features a distinctive pyramidal form. It does have average texture, but you can balance out the landscape with finer shrubs for a contrasted look. With their beautiful silvery-blue appearance, these trees allow you to use them as focal points in your yard. The color can break up those areas with solid green plants or trees. You might want to plant the Baby Blue spruce near an entryway or a walkway as an accent plant. The rigid appearance gives any space a more formal look. Since it does grow tall, this is not the ideal tree to plant under power lines.
If you want that perfect outdoor Christmas tree, this spruce has the rich foliage and a classic shape to make your holiday decorating dreams come true. You might want to add some outdoor lights to transform it into a seasonal delight. With its small size, this spruce is a great way to boost your yard’s look without taking up too much space.
