PLANT LIBRARY

Other Names:  Blue Teardrop Black Spruce

Description:

A cold hardy dwarf selection with striking blue-green foliage; very small needles and dense branching produces a tight, attractive form; an outstanding color accent in the garden or landscape

Ornamental Features

Blue Tear Drop Black Spruce is a dwarf conifer which is primarily valued in the landscape or garden for its distinctively pyramidal habit of growth. It has attractive bluish-green evergreen foliage which emerges powder blue in spring. The small needles are highly ornamental and remain bluish-green throughout the winter.

Landscape Attributes

Blue Tear Drop Black Spruce is a dense multi-stemmed evergreen shrub with a distinctive and refined pyramidal form. Its relatively fine texture sets it apart from other landscape plants with less refined foliage.

This is a relatively low maintenance shrub. When pruning is necessary, it is recommended to only trim back the new growth of the current season, other than to remove any dieback. It has no significant negative characteristics.

Blue Tear Drop Black Spruce is recommended for the following landscape applications;

• Accent
• General Garden Use

Planting & Growing

Blue Tear Drop Black Spruce will grow to be about 6 feet tall at maturity, with a spread of 6 feet. It tends to fill out right to the ground and therefore doesn't necessarily require facer plants in front, and is suitable for planting under power lines. It grows at a medium rate, and under ideal conditions can be expected to live for 50 years or more.

This shrub does best in full sun to partial shade. It prefers to grow in average to moist conditions, and shouldn't be allowed to dry out. It is not particular as to soil type or pH. It is somewhat tolerant of urban pollution, and will benefit from being planted in a relatively sheltered location. This is a selection of a native North American species.