As a committed gardener, I baby my plants and try to learn as much as I can about them. But one group of plants, evergreen trees, was an area I had little knowledge about. My range is the Pacific Northwest, home to some of the most giant conifers and evergreens in the world.

In fact, many are world record setters and they are just a brief drive from my front door. I visited eight of the biggest Pacific Northwest conifers and they didn't just teach me about themselves, they taught me about life.

Redwood trees are colossal. It is hard to truly understand how large they are until you are standing under one. Some of these giant creatures have been around for over 1,000 years. But they aren't the only big trees in the Pacific Northwest. Follow along with me as I recount my journey to meet the largest trees in the PNW and what they taught me.

The Giant Trees of the Pacific Northwest

The Pacific Northwest is composed of coast, forest, and plains. The coastal forests are the home of some impressively sized trees that are an important source of food and habitat for its wildlife. These range along California, Washington, and Oregon. As a child I visited the great redwood forest in California. The sight of those monstrous trees left an indelible impression on my young mind. Along the nature trails there were educational plaques that told of the harmful logging of these trees and the impact on the environment. I was awed that some of those trees were up to 3,000 years old. Their impressive size was due to the climate and their longevity. By logging the forest extensively, the delicate ecosystem was permanently damaged and many animals and plants faced loss of habitat.

In this region, the temperatures are mild, and there is plenty of snow runoff from the Cascades and other mountains. The temperate climate means the growing season is long. Along the coast, the trees are not exposed to harsh weather events like tornados and hurricanes that could damage or kill the trees before maturity. The soils are rich from ancient lava flows and a deep carpet of forest humus. All of this combines to create a perfect environment for long lived trees to reach their potential heights.

The trees I have seen are the largest western red cedar, Sitka spruce, western and mountain hemlocks, grand fir, Engelmann spruce, Douglas fir, and yellow cedar. Many of these required a pleasant hike to visit their forest home, but that is part of the fun. As you stand and gaze upwards to try to see their tops, you can’t help but be reminded of the awesomeness of Mother Nature and our connection to the land. The fact that these trees have lived hundreds if not thousands of years lets you know how important they are. My life is but a blip in their long lives and my insignificance in the greater scheme of things couldn’t be clearer as I stare at these beautiful giants.

What I Learned From These Giants

I had a house in Seattle that had numerous mountain ash trees. It was a large property and there were eight of these trees in various stages of health. I had to have two taken down by an arborist but he helped me save the others. The hole in my landscape left by the removed trees mimics, in a way, the hole left in an entire ecosystem when a tree is felled in a forest. Everything in nature is connected. Without one component other factions of the whole have to adapt and adjust. But what if the tree was a pivotal feature of the area that sustained most life? Its removal would be catastrophic to the other life forms in the forest.

As keystone plants, trees give sustenance, shelter, and nesting sites. They control the temperature and moisture that exists below them. Changing one piece of this well engineered natural machinery can have detrimental effects on the entire system of life. It gives me a new understanding of the importance of trees.

What You Can Learn From the Trees

When you go see these record holding trees they are in their natural state. You have the opportunity to observe the many birds, squirrels, chipmunks, and other animals that make the trees their home. Any nooks or holes are harboring racoons or other nighttime foragers. Their shade sustains countless fungi and organisms like lichen thrive on their bark. Trees clean the air and filter water. Their roots stabilize the soil and prevent erosion. Even in death trees support life. Their snags are homes to many birds and animals. Their decomposition enriches the soil and feeds beneficial organisms and fungi. They reduce the greenhouse effect, absorb excess carbon from the air, cool the forest, and much much more.

In our polluted world, trees are more important than ever. The acres upon acres of land that have been clear cut for modern building and other reasons have had a critical impact on the way nature is supposed to work. An unhealthy ecosystem in one area tends to bleed out into other ecosystems. Planting trees in our yards is one way to help combat environmental instability. By planting just one tree, it can provide enough clean air for two to four people for a year. And it does all this while looking beautiful, providing resources for other organisms, and regulating your yard’s temperature.

I’d suggest a visit to these huge trees. It is daunting to be in the presence of such giants both in stature and in importance. When you gaze up to try to see their tops, just remember, trees are one of our most important resources. Take care of them.

Big Trees for Your Ecosystem

• 'Black Hills' ponderosa pine is suitable for USDA Zones 3-7 and it will reach 80 feet (24.4 m) at maturity. This tall beauty is resilient and known for its pest and disease resistance. Ponderosa pines can live 300-600 years! Find the 'Black Hills' ponderosa pine at Fast Growing Trees.
• Loblolly pine trees reach up to 100 feet (30.5 m) at maturity and are suited for USDA Zones 6-9. Loblolly pines provide important habitat for animals native to the Southeastern U.S. and they can tolerate heat, flooding, and poor soil. Find your loblolly pine at Fast Growing Trees.
• Eastern hemlock trees are great trees that tolerate shady locations and top out at 70 feet (21.3 m). They grow well in USDA Zones 3-7 and have lacy needles that provide privacy and sound-dampening in your landscape. Hemlocks are being killed by the hemlock wooly adelgid insects so it is more important the ever to keep planting and preserving them. Find Eastern hemlocks at Fast Growing Trees.

In nature, you’ll see several types of spruce trees (Picea spp.) that are beautiful, rugged evergreens capable of lasting several centuries and withstanding extreme winter cold. They are amongst the most popular conifers for landscape planting. This is because spruce tree types adapt to a wider range of sites and soil conditions than other evergreen tree varieties you might come across.

You may know a few of the more common spruce types, but did you know that there are hundreds of spruce tree varieties out there? Many of the most popular spruces grow too large for the average residential backyard, but dwarf cultivars are out there. Here’s our shortlist of favorite spruce tree types for home landscapes.

Which Types of Spruce Trees are Best to Grow?

Growing spruce in your yard can often seem like a big commitment – with the emphasis on ‘big’, as several varieties are capable of reaching upwards of 50-70 feet (15-20m). However, that doesn’t mean they are beyond the scope of a more modest sized yard. Many spruce cultivars now cater for lovers of compact and dwarf varieties, as the selection below proves. Perhaps you are looking for interesting holiday evergreen trees and shrubs, or are looking for a spruce that is manageable and low maintenance? Here are some of the more impactful kinds of spruce trees that can be worked into a variety of landscaping schemes.

1. Norway Spruce

Norway spruce – as the name suggests - is native to northern Europe but also grows in the wild in central and eastern Europe. This species (Picea abies) adapts easily to different climates and has become naturalized in some states, like Michigan.

Growing to 70 feet (20m) tall and half that wide, this species tree is a bit big for most backyards. but there are lots of great dwarf cultivars that would fit in the smaller gardens. Bird’s Nest Spruce is named for a depression in the center of the shrub that looks like a nest, and it will stay at three feet (1m) or less. For an even shorter Norway spruce cultivar, consider Little Gem, staying under 24 inches (0.6m). Prickles, anyone? Take a look at Hedgehog Spruce, which can reach five feet (1.5m) tall with a neat cushion of dense dark green foliage on small branchlets.

2. White Spruce

Another of the most common types of spruce trees is white spruce, a tree that grows in the wild throughout much of the northern United States. These trees (Picea glauca) grow well in protected sites and require well-draining soil. The Black Hills Spruce variety (P. glauca var. densata) offers blue foliage.

These trees grow to 50 feet (16m) by 20 feet (3.5m) wide. Cultivars include Densata which is more compact and grows more slowly, and the very popular dwarf cultivar Conica. It is a dense tree presenting in a cone shape that tops out at six feet (2m). Or if you want some unusual color, try Conica Twin Rainbows End with its bright yellow new growth in spring.

3. Oriental Spruce

If you live in a cold winter area (below USDA zone 5) then this spruce (Picea orientalis) may not be for you. Otherwise, check out dazzling cultivars Skylands and Nigra Compacta. The former has show-stopping foliage, a canary yellow on the upper surface and forest green underneath. For gardeners who are dedicated to growing small trees in front yards or back gardens, Nigra Compacta offers shiny dark needles and truly stays compact, topping out at eight feet (2.5m) tall.

4. Serbian Spruce

Here's the new kid on the block, a spruce tree type that is not native to this country but is gaining popularity with landscapers and homeowners. This tree (Picea omorika) grows fairly fast and adapts well to new environments. For those interested in more fast growing trees, this one can grow several feet a year. It also has a growth habit that’s extremely pleasing and is slightly weeping in all species.

Want an even more weeping cultivar? Look at Weeping Serbian Spruce (Picea omorika Pendula). This lovely tree is dramatic in the landscape, with a spire with cascading branches. Nana is a dwarf variety.

5. Colorado Spruce

Colorado spruce are very common conifers for home landscapes. These trees (Picea pungens) are native to the mountainous areas of Colorado, Utah and Wyoming and grow slowly into large trees – to 60 feet (20m) tall in cultivation, and twice that tall in the wild.

Colorado spruce is a bit picky about soil, requiring moist, mildly acidic soils. Planted appropriately, they are drought tolerant. They are attractive trees, often sporting silvery-blue needles and pendulous cones.

Frequently Asked Questions

In my book, every tree is a treasure, and I tend to love the ones I grew from seeds or transplants more than the rarest and most expensive alternatives. However, if you are making careful tree selections for a limited landscape, uncommon and unique trees add a fascinating focal element to your backyard.

Unique Ornamental Trees

There are more than a few unique trees that make a real statement in the landscape. We’ve selected a handful of decorative tree options that are especially appealing for specimen trees. They range from a soaring deciduous redwood to a white-flowering small tree perfect for smaller gardens.

1. Dawn Redwood

• Botanical name: Metasequoia glyptostroboides
• USDA zones: 4-8
• Height: to 80 feet (28 m)

This redwood “came back from the dead” in an amazing part of botanical history. Dawn redwood was considered extinct for decades, and the tree was only known through fossil records. But in 1945, a botanist discovered some of this species in a remote area in China. Seeds were gathered and distributed, and now these fast-growing, deciduous redwoods are found in botanical gardens around the globe. This pyramidal tree has feathery needles as foliage. It leafs out early and holds onto its foliage well into fall.

2. Paperbark Maple

• Botanical name: Acer griseum
• USDA zones: 4-7
• Height: to 25 feet (8.3 m)

I love maples, with their peeling bark and pretty fall color. But the paperbark maple is exceptional in both categories. This small tree has open branching that allows you to admire the trunk as its bark exfoliates in paperlike strips. Beneath is penny-colored bark that lights up the landscape in winter.

3. Amur maackia

• Botanical name: Maackia amurensis
• USDA zones: 3-7
• Height: to 30 feet (10 m)

Small but showy, this garden-size deciduous tree has dark green leaves, but it really shines when covered with an abundance of white blossoms in summer. This makes amur maakia a special ornamental tree since few other trees are flowering at that time. Tolerant and easy-care, it has few pest or disease issues.

4. Japanese snowball

• Botanical name: Styrax japonicus
• USDA zones: 5-7
• Height: to 20 feet (6.6 m)

In stark contrast to the redwood described above, the Japanese snowball stays small and often spreads farther than its height. The forest green leaves appear first on curving, horizontal branches, and they are followed by dangling white flowers, graceful and plentiful. Mother Nature designed this tree nicely, since the fully developed leaves grow on the upper side of each branch, while the dropping flowers hang below. This ultimate specimen tree grows in full sun or light shade.

5. Weeping mulberry

• Botanical name: Morus alba "pendula"
• USDA zones: 4-8
• Height: to 30 feet (10 m)

This is not your grandmother’s white mulberry plant! Mulberries are a dime a dozen but the weeping mulberry isn’t very common. Fast-growing and fruitless, these landscape plants have canopies lush with dark green leaves that cascade down in weeping growth. The trees are vigorous and resilient.

6. Cedar of Lebanon

• Botanical name: Cedrus libani var. stenocoma
• USDA zones: 5-7
• Height: to 50 feet (16.6 m)

True cedars warm the cockles of any tree-lover’s heart – and are impressive in a garden setting. The Cedar of Lebanon takes the prize as the most cold-hardy of the true cedars, and the attractive pyramidal form it has during its youth evolves in wide, spreading branches as it matures. Slow-growing and majestic, these cedars are truly decorative trees.

7. Cryptomeria

• Botanical name: Cryptomeria japonica
• USDA zones: 6-8
• Height: to 60 feet (20 m)

Also called Japanese cedar. If you are interested in inviting this unusual tree into your landscape, you’ll need to be willing to protect it. If winter is severe in your region, this appealing evergreen with short, bright green needles on drooping branches can suffer from winter damage. The young tree is conical, but its branches spread wide as it matures. Where to plant a cryptomeria? In a protected site that gets full sun, out of the path of winter winds.

You may have heard that pruning spruce trees in the landscape is an important way of maintaining their health, size, shape, and vigor. But this is more applicable to deciduous trees than evergreens. Generally, evergreen trees need little pruning, and that is certainly the case for spruce trees (Picea spp.) Spruce trees grow naturally in a pyramidal shape, broad with low branches, and they look best when left alone.

But there are a few times when trimming spruce trees is appropriate. Read on to learn when spruce pruning makes sense.

Why You Need to Prune Spruce

The general rule is that spruce trees require little pruning to stay healthy and vigorous. Neither spruce shrubs nor spruce trees require annual pruning to maintain their vitality. And some slow growing spice varieties like dwarf Alberta spruce (Picea glauca var. albertiana ‘Conica’) - won’t tolerate spruce pruning at all. But you can prune most spruce species while the trees are young to make them bushier.

What about spruce trees that are getting too big for the site in which they are planted? While pruning is often used to reduce tree size in deciduous trees, pruning spruce shrubs or trees to reduce size can only be done occasionally. If you repeat the pruning too often, the needles can turn yellow and die back.

Removing lower branches of spruce trees is a bad idea, since the trees look best in their natural shape. They don’t get much growth in the lower branches and those removed rarely grow back. Removing the central leader on a spruce is always a bad idea.

But if your spruce has dead, diseased or damaged branches, it is termed corrective pruning and should be accomplished as soon as possible.

When to Prune Spruce Trees

Tree pruning timing can be a very important matter. But for spruce trees, pruning is largely done to take off dead, diseased or damaged branches. This type of corrective pruning - as well as pruning necessitated by winter storms - should be accomplished as quickly as possible after you notice it.

If you are pruning for other than corrective reasons, plan pruning spruce shrubs or trees in early summer. Avoid any pruning in late summer or early autumn since pruning can produce new growth that may die in the winter cold.

Pruning for Different Spruce Varieties

As mentioned above, some slow growing spruce species like dwarf Alberta spruce (Picea glauca var. albertiana ‘Conica’), blue nest spruce, aka dwarf black spruce (Picea mariana ‘Nana’) and bird’s nest spruce (Picea abies ‘Nidiformis’) won’t tolerate spruce pruning at all.

How to Prune Spruce Trees

If you find your spruce in need of correctional pruning, you’ll want to use the right tools to undertake this important task. And you’ll want to know how to prune spruce trees.

Most gardeners do well with handheld pruning tools. The tool to use depends on the thickness of the branch to be cut. Use hand pruners for branches up to ½ inch in diameter. If the branch is between ½ and 1 ½ inches (1 and 2.5 cm) in diameter, use loppers, or lopping shears. For even larger branches, you’ll be best using a pruning saw.

If you are cutting out damaged or diseased branches, use a thinning cut. Thinning cuts are a type of pruning cut that takes out a branch at their points of origin. Contrast thinning cuts with heading cuts that take out branch tips back to lateral buds. Heading cuts can be used in spring to shape the spruce by cutting branch tips back. You can also make the tree fuller by taking out half of an unbranched tip.

Do not prune spruce in late summer or early fall. This can encourage growth that won’t have time to harden off before winter.

Frequently Asked Questions

If you haven’t visited your shed in a while, then it’s important to take some time to check it hasn’t suffered any winter damage.

When the weather is cold and wet, all that moisture can create serious issues for your shed and its contents – especially if you are storing items that shouldn’t be kept in the shed. It can also create the ideal conditions for pests to set up home.

Yet, just a bit of time spent sprucing up your shed each week will help to keep it in optimum condition, enabling you to put your growing plans into action as soon as possible.

‘Maintaining a shed might seem like a small task, but it plays a vital role in ensuring the longevity and functionality of the structure,’ says Peter Mortin, a gardening expert at Crane Garden Buildings.

‘A well-cared-for garden building not only lasts longer but also provides a comfortable and secure space for your belongings and activities.’

Performing a few simple maintenance tasks offers a great opportunity to secure your garden shed against thieves.

So, make some time to give your shed a health check and awaken it from its seasonal slumber.

1. Let in the fresh air

‘After the last bit of gardening towards the end of fall, many of us are guilty of putting our tools away and closing the shed up until we need it again in spring,’ says Peter. ‘In the wrong conditions, it can create a breeding ground for fungus and mold spores.’

Not only does this create an issue for the shed’s wooden frame, but it can have a harmful effect on tools and any other items stored in the shed.

‘Open up your shed or garden building during the drier spells of weather to allow fresh air to fill the space,’ advises Peter.

Doing this will allow moisture to dry out, helping to keep mold and fungus at bay.

‘However, always ensure it is closed up in the evening. Otherwise, you'll get the dew coming down into the building and be left with a build-up of condensation, which will not only damage the building but the tools you leave in there, too.’

2. Remove moss and debris

It’s important to regularly check for garden debris that may be piling up around the door or base of the shed, as well as on the roof, as it could potentially cause damage to the structure.

‘Winter's reduced garden activity can lead to debris accumulation on roofs, moss growth, and leaves piling against the building's sides,’ says Peter.

‘Despite the cold weather, plants can thrive, brushing against roofing felt and causing damage.’

At least once a week, check over the building and remove any debris that has built up. 

Cleaning moss off the roof should only need to be tackled once per year. If the roof is north facing, or located underneath trees, you are more likely to find a build-up of moss on the roof.

‘When cleaning roofs, a gentle approach is best to avoid damaging the roofing material,’ says Peter. ‘Using a soft-bristle brush or a leaf blower can help remove debris without causing harm. If moss has already developed, a mixture of water and mild detergent can be applied with a soft brush to scrub it away. 

‘Avoid pressure washing, as it can damage the roofing material and worsen the situation. The key is to be thorough yet gentle to preserve the integrity of the roof.’

When cleaning the roof, safety is paramount, as moss-covered surfaces can be slippy. Use a safety harness, and if you're unsure about your safety, hire a professional to do the work for you.

3. Check for pests

Rodent and insect infestations are bad news for sheds and their contents, impacting their condition and lifespan. Pests also tend to attract more pests, so it’s important to deal with them as soon as you notice their presence.

To minimize the risk of pests gaining entry, do not store food, such as bird seed, in your shed. Check over the structure for any cracks, gaps or holes, and where present, seal them with caulk.

Have a good look around the shed for any nests, and remove where present. For rodents, traps can be employed, while insecticides can help to keep bugs at bay. For larger infestations, call in the experts.

Spiders are common residents in sheds, but in small numbers are not always undesirable. ‘Spiders can serve as helpful allies in your shed, keeping flies and midges in check,’ says Peter. ‘To manage their presence, routinely remove cobwebs with a feather duster.’

If you would prefer not to have so many spiders in your shed, then you can take steps to minimize them. Spiders prefer a dusty environment, so vacuum away any dust.

They dislike the smell of strong essential oils, so try putting a few drops of peppermint oil around your shed to deter them.

4. Clean the deck

If you have a deck surrounding your shed, then it’s important to keep it well maintained to ensure it’s clear and safe to access your shed.

Wooden decks can develop algae, which creates a slippery surface. Composite decks are usually non-slip, but the presence of green algae growth does affect their appearance.

‘To combat this, spray the deck with a dedicated cleaner, making dirt removal easier,’ says Peter. ‘Follow this with a pressure wash or scrubbing brush to clean the material thoroughly. Rinse it off with a hose, eliminating algae effectively.

‘Once dried, apply a deck timber preservative to restore its natural look. Sometimes, the wood might appear lighter; to address this, add a deck stain or protection product to maintain its appearance and enhance its durability.’

5. Add a gravel strip

Installing a small gravel strip around the perimeter of your shed can offer significant benefits. ‘When rainwater runs down, it can splash mud against the building's sides,’ explains Peter. ‘This clinging mud, especially on the lower sections of the building, retains moisture longer, increasing the risk of wood rot due to prolonged dampness.’

A gravel strip can intercept the rain runoff, minimizing the amount of muddy water. ‘While some splashback might occur, it results in clean water hitting the building's sides,’ adds Peter. ‘When this clean water dries, it leaves no residue, ensuring a cleaner and drier environment for the building.’

Where do Engelmann spruce grow? The highest, coldest forest ecosystems in the west, those with long, cold winters and short, cool summers -- these are Engelmann spruce (Picea engelmannii) territory. These tall, long lived trees also grow in lower elevations in localized frost pockets along river bottoms. If you live in a cold zone, these trees might just be your neighbors. Read on for more Engelmann spruce information. 

Where do Engelmann Spruce Grow?

Engelmann spruce trees are large, narrowly pyramidal evergreen trees that can reach heights of over 100 feet (35 m.) tall. They have gray brown or russet bark, ascending or horizontal branches and bluish green four-sided needles. 

Here are facts about Engelmann spruce’s native range: The trees grow in the wild from central British Columbia and southwest Alberta, south through the Cascade Mountains of Washington and Oregon and eastward to the Rocky Mountains. They are hardy to USDA plant hardiness zones 2 or 3. 

Engelmann spruce trees prefer well-draining loam soil that is slightly acidic. The seeds require at least 40 percent shade to germinate and mature trees do better in shade as well. 

Engelmann Spruce Tree Uses

Engelmann spruce tree uses include producing lumber. The wood of this spruce is fairly soft and low in resin. Much of it contains knots, which makes it more appropriate for pulp than for high-grade lumber. However, lumber from Engelmann spruce trees has been used for construction, pre-fabricated wood products, and plywood.

Have you ever had an Engelmann spruce as a Christmas tree? They are widely used for holiday trees. Left in place, they also serve to stabilize vegetation in the Rocky Mountains. 

Engelmann Spruce Information 

The facts about Engelmann spruce longevity are amazing. These trees are exceedingly long lived, continuing to grow steadily for hundreds of years. Dominant spruce trees are often up to 450 years old and it is not unusual for Engelmann spruce to live for 600 or even 800 years! 

You might think that the soaring trees of Engelmann spruce have deep roots, but that isn’t the case. Their root systems are shallow, making the trees vulnerable to falling in high winds. The risk increases when the stand is opened up by cutting trees. 

Trees that topple in the wind can be attacked by the spruce borer, which can lead to a borer attack in living trees as well. The western spruce budwood is another pest that attacks these trees.

DIY Christmas wreaths give you something to beautify your front door while interacting with nature. Best of all, most of the items you need will be right outside that door. If you lack a garden, seek evergreen wreath ideas and inspiration on a hike in the forest.

Foraging for Wreath Making

A quick tour around your yard, the local park, or other green spaces should provide you with all you need. Pine cones, evergreen boughs, willow or hazel for the form, holly, berries, rose hips, ivy, privet, pyracantha, and the list goes on. You might even want seed heads to add interest. Whatever interests you is suitable. Try combining your outdoor elements with fresh or dried fruits, nuts, and even Christmas tree balls. Ribbon or other décor items can finish off the foraged Christmas wreath. 

Download 13 of Our Favorite Fall & Winter DIY Projects

Tips for Foraged Material

Harvest evergreens after a hard frost when plants aren't actively growing. Other plants such as boxwoods should be harvested before a frost or they will turn color. Do not cut more than 25 % of a plant. When taking stems, leave live greenery behind the cut to support the limb. Make proper pruning cuts that will allow moisture to drip away from the cut site. For plants like holly, make the cut just above a bud node. Keep greenery in a cool place until ready to use, misting it occasionally. 

Decorating an Evergreen Wreath

Before you indulge in your DIY Christmas wreath ideas, you will need a form. If you got lucky and harvested some willow or hazel, the branches are flexible enough to curve into the necessary round shape. Grape vines will also provide an effective form. If you do not have such items available, there you can purchase a wreath form in a variety of materials. For decorating you will need:

• scissors
• pruners
• floral or light gauge wire ( or green twist ties)
• twine or raffia
• hot glue gun

Start with a base of evergreen stems. Use the wire to attach them to the form. Then use the glue gun, wire, or twine, depending upon the weight of your items. Attaching bundles of varying plant matter makes a nice appearance. Cut each stem so it is the same length and then tie on securely. Work around until you have a nice base of greenery. Then begin to attach the rest of the decor. Attach a wire loop to hang the wreath and add ribbon or other non-natural items as desired. 

Browse Even More Fall and Winter DIY Projects

Yellow is not one of my favorite colors. As a gardener, I should love it – after all, it is the color of the sun. However, on the dark side of gardening, it signifies trouble when a beloved plant is turning shades of yellow and struggling to survive. It is often difficult to course correct this issue once it starts and it now can go one of two ways. The plant lives on with a little or perhaps no course correcting, or it dies regardless of our best efforts. I was at this crossroads recently with the spruce trees in my wood lot. The needles on the ends of the branches were turning yellow, with the bottom branches most severely affected. I agonized over what it could be and what to do about it. I concluded that these were spruce needle rust symptoms. What is spruce needle rust, you ask? Well, let’s read on to learn more and discover how to treat spruce needle rust.

Identifying Spruce Needle Rust

So, how do you go about identifying spruce needle rust? Forgive the visual, but from a distance, a tree afflicted with spruce needle rust reminds me of a person with frosted hair tips. This image of Guy Fieri from Food Network pops in my head or even Mark McGrath when Sugar Ray was in its heyday in the 90’s. But you probably need more descriptive spruce needle rust symptoms than that in order to make a positive identification. What is spruce needle rust? There are two fungi responsible for spruce needle rust: Chrysomyxa weirii and Chrysomyxa ledicola. While both of these fungi foster spruce needle rust symptoms in trees, they do so in slightly different ways. Most spruce species are susceptible to the disease but it is most prominent in white, black, and blue spruce. Chrysomyxa weirii: The spruce needle rust caused by this fungus is also known as Weir’s Cushion. The rust caused by Chrysomyxa weirii is referred to as “autoecious.” What this means is that the life cycle of the needle rust is completed without an additional host. So, it starts with spruce and ends with spruce, there is no intermediary host. One year old needles display pale yellow spots or bands in late winter or early spring, which intensify in color and later develop waxy looking yellow-orange blisters swelling with rust-colored spores. These blisters eventually rupture and release the spores, which infect the newly emerging growth, which in turn, will exhibit spruce needle rust symptoms the following year. The one year old diseased needles will drop from the tree prematurely shortly after releasing the spores. Chrysomyxa ledicola/Chrysomyxa ledi: The spruce needle rust wrought by these fungi is “heteroecious” in nature. This means that its life cycle is dependent on more than one host. You may wonder why you are being schooled on the life cycle of a fungi. The answer is: It’s very important for effective disease management. The alternate hosts for the rust produced by Chrysomyxa ledicola are Labrador tea (Ledum groenlandicum) and leatherleaf (Chamaedaphne calyculata). The fungus overwinters on Labrador tea and leatherleaf and spores are produced and released from these alternate hosts in early summer. The spores travel by wind and come in contact with spruce trees, infecting the current year’s needles. In July and August, the current year needles turn yellow and develop whitish waxy blisters filled with yellow-orange spores. The spores released from these pustules travel by wind and rain to, you guessed it, the alternate hosts, where the spores germinate and infect the evergreen leaves they overwinter on. The diseased spruce tree needles drop from the tree in late summer or fall.

Spruce Needle Rust Control

How to treat spruce needle rust is probably first and foremost on your mind if you’ve ever been confronted with it. Even though spruce needle rust is caused by fungi, a fungicide treatment is not recommended for spruce needle rust control. Why you ask; because once the tree displays symptoms, it’s already too late. The needles are already infected and can’t be cured. If you’re thinking about annual fungicide sprays in order to be pro-active against spruce needle rust, I would advise against that as well because spruce needle rust infections are hard to predict and don’t happen every year. It may linger for a year or two but is not known to excessively overstay its welcome. Spruce needle rust also does not kill trees; the damage is primarily cosmetic. It also does not prevent the formation of healthy buds on the ends of branches nor the production of new needles the next year. If you identify your rust as being caused by Chrysomyxa ledicola, you could remove any Labrador tea and leatherleaf plants (the alternate hosts) that are found within 1,000 feet (304 m.) of your spruce trees in order to stem the spread.

Blue Wonder spruce trees are great additions to formal gardens, but they also make striking container plants, and can be used to anchor a trimmed hedge.

The smaller variety of blue spruce, these conical-shaped evergreens are prized for their shape and for the beautiful, blue-gray color of their needles.

Blue Wonder Spruce Info

The Blue Wonder cultivar of spruce is special in many ways, but mostly because its color persists. Other types of blue spruce will also produce the striking bluish gray needles, but the color tends to revert back to green as they grow.

Blue Wonder was developed to maintain that special color as the tree ages.

Blue Wonder is a cultivar of Picea glauca, a dwarf spruce that grows slowly and tops out around 6 feet (2 m) tall. It is known for its color but also the shape, which is nearly a perfect cone, even without trimming. For this reason, Blue Wonder is prized for formal gardening, framing doorways or other garden elements, for screening, and for adding color and textural interest to a border or formal hedge.

How to Grow a Blue Wonder Spruce

Blue Wonder spruce care is not difficult because this tree that will tolerate road salt and poor soil. When you plant a Blue Wonder spruce, find a space that will work for it considering that it grows slowly and compactly, maintaining its conical shape.

A spruce prefers full sun but will grow well in partial shade too. Water your new spruce regularly during its first growing season to help it establish a good root system. You can drop the watering frequency significantly once it is established.

You can also grow this tree in a container, but if you do, it will need more frequent watering.

Fertilizer in late winter or early spring before new growth begins each year will keep your tree healthy and growing.

Growing Blue Wonder spruce is pretty easy and comes with great rewards. It looks nice in formal gardens, but this tree is suited to any garden. Grow it with other ornamental and formal shrubs or use it with more informal plants for a diverse look and visual interest.

Dwarf spruce trees, despite their name, do not stay especially small. They don’t reach heights of several stories like their cousins, but they will easily reach 8 feet (2 m.), which is more than some homeowners and gardeners bargain for when they plant them. Whether you’re looking to cut back a large dwarf spruce or just keep one nicely shaped, you need to do a little bit of dwarf spruce pruning. Keep reading to learn more about how to prune dwarf spruce trees.

Cutting Back Dwarf Spruce Trees

Can dwarf spruce trees be pruned? That really depends upon what you’re trying to do. If you just want to do some shaping and encouraging bushier growth, then pruning should be easy and successful. If you’re looking to cut back a large or overgrown tree to a more manageable size, however, then you might be out of luck.

Vigorous Dwarf Spruce Pruning

If your dwarf spruce tree is larger than you’d hoped, and you’re trying to cut it down to size, you will probably run into some problems. This is because dwarf spruces only have green needles at the ends of their branches. Much of the interior of the tree is what’s called a dead zone, a space of brown or nonexistent needles. This is perfectly natural and healthy, but it’s bad news for pruning. If you prune a branch into this dead zone, it will not grow new needles, and you’ll be left with a hole in your tree. If you want to prune your dwarf spruce tree back smaller than this dead zone, the best thing you can do is remove the tree and simply replace it with a smaller tree.

How to Prune Dwarf Spruce Trees

If you just want to shape your dwarf spruce, or if your tree is young and you want to trim it to keep it small, then you can prune with a good amount of success. Taking care not to cut into the dead zone, cut back any branches that extend beyond the tree’s conical shape. Remove ½ to 1 inch (1-2.5 cm.) of growth at the tips of the lateral branches (branches that grow out of the trunk). Remove 2 to 3 inches (5-8 cm.) of growth from the ends of side branches (the ones that grow out of the lateral branches). This will encourage thicker, lush growth. If you have any bare spots, lightly trim every branch around it to encourage new growth to fill it in.

The birds do it, the bees do it, and spruce trees do it too. Spruce tree propagation refers to the different ways that spruce trees reproduce. How to propagate a spruce tree? The methods include growing spruce tree seeds and cuttings. If you are interested in learning about propagation methods for spruce trees, and how to start growing new spruce trees, read on.

Propagation Methods for Spruce Trees

In the wild, spruce tree propagation involves spruce seeds falling from the parent tree and beginning to grow in the soil. If you want to start growing new spruce trees, planting seeds is a common method of propagation. Other propagation methods for spruce include rooting cuttings. Propagating spruce tree seeds and cuttings both produce viable plants.

How to Propagate a Spruce Tree with Seeds

How to propagate a spruce tree from seeds? The first thing you need to do is to buy the seeds or harvest them at the appropriate time. Harvesting seeds takes more time but less money than purchasing spruce seeds. Collect seeds in midfall from a tree in your own yard or in a neighboring location with permission. Spruce seeds grow in cones, and it is these you want to collect. Pick them while they are young and before they are ripe. You’ll need to extract the seeds from the cones. Let the cones dry out until they open and spill out the seeds. Count on this taking about two weeks. You may, but do not need to, treat the seeds in some way to help them to germinate, like scarification. Plant the trees outdoors in late autumn or early spring. The trees will need water and light. Depending on your climate, rain can take care of the need for irrigation.

Spruce Tree Propagation from Cuttings

Take cuttings in late summer or early fall. Choose healthy shoots and clip off each about as long as your palm. Recut the base of the cutting at an angle and strip all needles from the lower two-thirds of each one. Plant the cuttings deep into sandy loam. You can dip each cut end in rooting hormone before planting if desired, although it’s not required. Keep the soil moist and watch for roots to form.

If you love Colorado spruce but don’t have the space in your garden, Montgomery spruce trees might be just the ticket. Montgomery (Picea pungens 'Montgomery') is a dwarf cultivar of Colorado blue spruce and won’t get much taller than you are. For more Montgomery spruce information, including tips on how to grow Montgomery spruce, read on.

Montgomery Spruce Information

Colorado blue spruce can shoot up to 100 feet (30.5 m.) in the wild, and that’s way too tall for small gardens. However, you can get the same effect in a miniature size with Montgomery spruce trees. According to Montgomery spruce information, these dwarf cultivars have the same blue-hued needles as the taller varieties. Yet, the cultivar only grows to 3 feet (1 m.) tall and wide over its first eight years. It can rise as tall as 8 feet (2 m.) over its lifetime if you never prune it. Montgomery spruce trees are attractive accent plants with their silvery blue foliage. They are particularly well suited to rock gardens. Montgomery spruce can also work well in hedges.

How to Grow Montgomery Spruce

If you are wondering how to grow Montgomery spruce, this cultivar only thrives in cooler regions. Don’t hesitate to plant Montgomery spruce trees if you live in USDA plant hardiness zones 3 through 7. You’ll need to site your Montgomery spruce in a location that gets full sun. The trees also require well-draining, acidic soil. This tree will not grow in shade or in wet soil. One important aspect of Montgomery spruce care is water. These trees require irrigation to grow well, especially during the years following transplant. Montgomery spruce trees can become drought-tolerant once roots are established, but they do best with regular water when young. These cultivars are not plagued by many pests but keep an eye out for aphids and spider mites. You won’t have to worry about deer, since they do not seem to enjoy nibbling it. Does Montgomery spruce care include pruning? You don’t have to prune these trees at all. Although, they accept pruning if you wish to impact the tree’s height or shape.

You are the proud owner of a beautiful Colorado blue spruce (Picea pungens glauca). Suddenly you notice that the blue spruce is turning green. Naturally you are perplexed. To understand why blue spruce turns green, read on. We’ll also give you tips for keeping a blue spruce tree blue.

About Green Needles on a Blue Spruce

Don’t be surprised if you see green needles on a blue spruce tree. They may be perfectly natural. The blue color of blue spruce needles is caused by epicuticular waxes on the needles that reflect specific wavelengths of light. The more wax on a needle, the bluer it is. Neither the amount of wax nor the blue color is uniform across the species. Some trees can grow decisively blue needles, but others of the same type have green or blue-green needles. In fact, another common name for the tree is silver spruce. When it comes to blue-green needles, some people identify the color as blue and some call it green. What you call greening in blue spruce may actually be the tree’s natural blue-green hue.

Why Blue Spruce Turns Green

Let’s assume that your blue spruce truly had blue needles when you bought it, but then those needles turned green. Greening in blue spruce like this can result from several different causes. The tree produces the wax on its needles (that creates the blue color) in spring and early summer. The wax can wear off over a rough winter or erode by wind, hot sun, pouring rain, and other types of exposure. Air pollutants can cause the wax to deteriorate quickly. This is especially true of nitrogen oxides, sulphur dioxide, particulate carbon and other hydrocarbons. Poor nutrition can also be one of the reasons wax diminishes and blue spruce turn green. Application of pesticides can cause greening in blue spruce needles. This includes not just toxic pesticides but horticultural oils or insecticidal soaps. Greening in blue spruce can also occur naturally over time as the tree ages.

What to Do When Blue Spruce is Turning Green

When your blue spruce is turning green, you can try to stop the process. Keeping a blue spruce blue is not a matter of flipping a magic switch. Instead, giving the tree the best care possible will give you the edge on keeping a blue spruce blue. First, be sure to give your tree a full sun location with good drainage in an appropriate hardiness zone. Next, give it sufficient water to keep the soil moist, plus an extra inch (2.5 cm.) per week during spring and summer. Finally, feed the tree 12-12-1 fertilizer in spring, and repeat this in mid to late summer.

The white spruce (Picea glauca) is one of the most widely growing coniferous trees in North America, with a range all across the eastern United States and Canada, all the way to South Dakota where it is the state tree.

It is one of the most popular Christmas tree choices too. It’s very hardy and easy to grow. Learn more white spruce information, including tips on growing white spruce trees and white spruce tree uses.

White Spruce Information

The most common white spruce tree use is that of Christmas tree farming. Due to their short, stiff needles and evenly spaced branches, they are perfect for ornament hanging.

Beyond that, white spruce trees in landscapes are great as natural windbreaks, or in stands of mixed trees. If not cut down for Christmas, the trees will naturally reach a height of 40 to 60 feet (12-18 m) with a spread of 10 to 20 feet (3-6 m).

These trees are striking, keeping their needles all year long and naturally forming a pyramidal shape all the way down to the ground. They are also an important shelter and food source for native North American wildlife.

Growing White Spruce Trees

Growing white spruce trees in the landscape is very easy and forgiving, as long as your climate is right.

The trees are hardy in USDA zones 2 through 6 and are very tough against cold winter weather and wind.

They prefer full sun and do best with at least six hours of direct sunlight per day, but they are also very tolerant of shade.

They like soil that is slightly acidic and moist but well-draining. Spruce trees grow best in loam but will do well in sand and even well-drained clay.

They can be started both from seeds and cuttings, and saplings transplant very easily.

Native to Mexico, poinsettia varieties are often used as decor during the holiday season. At one time, there was only one variety of poinsettia plants available, a solid brilliant red, but today there are many different types of poinsettia plants of varying colors and sizes.

These various types of poinsettias have been created due to demand and fashion fluxes resulting in spotted, pink, dwarf, bush and even tree poinsettia plant varieties. Keep reading to learn about the basics of poinsettia care and the many poinsettia varieties you can use to decorate your home during the holidays.

Beautiful Poinsettia Varieties

Their Latin name Euphorbia pulcherrima means ‘most beautiful,’ and they are beautiful indeed! The newer cultivars come in various hues of orange, rose, pink, yellow and ecru and may be mottled or solid in color. Their form may be dwarf, bush or even tree.

As to the varieties, well, poinsettias come in over 100 varieties. ‘Orange Spice’ is a poinsettia with long orange bracts, ‘Ice Punch’ has red and white lightening banding, ‘Cinnamon Star’ has both orange and peach bracts accented with rosy hued edges, and ‘Plum Pudding’ is the first poinsettia with purple bracts!

‘Prestige Red’ is the classic red poinsettia most of us are familiar with. ‘Winter Rose Early Red’ is a poinsettia with bracts clustered together reminiscent of a rose in bloom and ‘Jingle Bells’ bracts have light pink and white splashes of color.

Not only is there a wide variety of poinsettia colors and sizes, but they are also categorized by their bloom time. For instance, early season plants begin flowering during the first week of September, mid-season during the second and third week of September and late season by the last week of September or first week of October.

This information is not likely to influence your selection unless you’re a poinsettia cultivator but it may explain why some varieties are finished “blooming” earlier than others.

About Poinsettias

Poinsettias are members of the family Euphorbia prized for their colorful bracts or modified leaves. Used by the Aztecs both medicinally and as dye plants, Franciscan priests were said to have used the colorful plants in the seventeenth century during Advent to decorate their Nativity scene. Their popularity spread throughout Mexico where it became a yule tradition. The plants were brought to the USA by the U.S. ambassador to Mexico around 1825.

In the wild, poinsettias can reach heights of up to 12-15 feet (3.5-4.5 m)! Over the course of many years, plants were hybridized by selecting shorter, stockier specimens that fit the confines of a house and which would retain their colorful bracts for longer. Thus it wasn’t until 1920 that poinsettias were developed to the extent that they would thrive as houseplants.

Frequently Asked Questions

Norway spruce (Picea abies) is a tough conifer that makes for an easy-care landscape tree in USDA plant hardiness zones 3 through 7. It is also planted extensively for forest restoration and windbreaks. Planting a Norway spruce is easy because it competes well with grass and weeds and requires no site preparation. Read on for more information about care of Norway spruce trees.

Norway Spruce Tree Info

The Norway spruce tree is native to Europe. However, for over a century it has been planted in this country for both ornamental and utilitarian purposes. The tree roots are strong and the trees can withstand high winds, making them excellent windbreaks. The trees bear stiff evergreen needles up to an inch (2.5 cm.) long, colored a shiny forest green. The bark is a red-brown and furrowed. The seed cones are large and can grow 6 inches (15 cm.) long. They mature in the fall.

Norway Spruce Growth

Norway spruce growth is exceptional. The trees grow relatively fast – up to 2 feet (61 cm.) a year – and their crowns develop a pyramid shape. The branches may drupe slightly at the tips, giving the trees a graceful allure. If you are thinking of planting a Norway spruce tree, it is important to understand that the tree can reach 100 feet (30.5 m.) or more in the wild and live for centuries. Although the tree stays shorter when cultivated, homeowners often underestimate the space the tree takes when mature.

Planting a Norway Spruce Tree

The more Norway spruce tree info you have, the more you will see that planting a Norway spruce tree is a good idea. The tree has many good attributes. First, you won’t need to clear out grasses or work the land to prepare a site for planting a Norway spruce tree. This spruce competes against grasses and weeds, and wins. In addition, the tree is drought tolerant. As a conifer, it can go into shut-down mode when irrigation is lacking. At the same time, it is one evergreen that tolerates wet soil. Plant it in marshy soil and it will thrive. You can plant Norway spruce in sun, shade, or partial shade and it grows just the same. It is tolerant of poor soil but also grows in rich, fertile soils. Pest resistant, the trees hardly ever fall victim to insect damage or disease. Deer and rodents leave Norway spruce alone.

Care of Norway Spruce Trees

Required Norway spruce care is minimal. If you plant the tree with sufficient elbow room, you may not have to lift a finger other than providing an occasional drink during dry periods. Unlike many trees, the Norway spruce does not produce suckers. It is because of this, the tree is not invasive. Digging out suckers is not part of Norway spruce care.

Dwarf Norway spruce is one of the best small evergreen shrubs for the landscape. It produces a perfect small mounding form that compliments any bed, foundation planting, container, or pathway edge. The plant is also known as bird's nest spruce (Picea abies "Nidiformis"). What is a bird's nest spruce? This is a marvelous foliage plant well suited for USDA plant hardiness zones 3 to 7. Learn how to grow bird's nest spruce for a spectacular year-round display of greenery.

What is a Bird's Nest Spruce?

The small depression in the center of the shrub is the genesis of the name, bird's nest spruce. It is a Norwegian shrub that gets only 2 feet (0.5 m.) tall and about 4 feet (1 m.) wide. The evergreen needles are short and grayish-green except when young. The new growth is a brilliant greenish-yellow and suspended in clusters at the tips of the stems, adding interest to the plant. Bird's nest spruce's form is flat on top with a concave center and densely needled stems. Dwarf Norway spruce branches are produced in horizontal layers, which grow thickly on the shrub. This little guy is slow-growing and may take 10 years or more to reach its mature size.

How to Grow Bird's Nest Spruce

The little shrub prefers a sunny location but it can tolerate partial shade. The soil must be well-draining and acidic to moderately alkaline. It will thrive in rocky soil, clay, or even sand. Bird's nest spruce has the best growth when it is kept moist, but once the mature plant is established it can handle periods of drought. Bird's nest spruce care is average with very little maintenance. The spruce is not bothered by rabbits or deer and has few pest or disease problems.

Bird's Nest Spruce Care

Remove any diseased, broken, or damaged limbs any time of the year. If you wish to keep the plant in a diminutive habit, trimming bird's nest spruce is best done in late winter to early spring in the second year. The shrub is extremely slow-growing, however, and trimming bird's nest spruce is not generally required. Container plants need to be re-potted every two to three years in a good potting soil. Feed the plant in spring with an all-purpose fertilizer applied just as new green growth appears. Water the plant weekly in summer for both in-ground and potted plants. Try planting this shrub in a rockery, along a path, or in a container with annual plants. The shrub is fragrant when needles are crushed and also useful on sloping ground and exposed, windy hillsides.

The names Colorado spruce, blue spruce and Colorado blue spruce tree all refer to the same magnificent tree—Pica pungens.

Large specimens are imposing in the landscape because of their strong, architectural shape in the form of a pyramid and stiff, horizontal branches that form a dense canopy.

The species grows up to 60 feet (18 m.) tall and looks best in open, arid landscapes, while smaller cultivars that grow 5 to 15 feet (1.5 to 5.5 m.) tall are right at home in lush gardens.

Colorado Spruce Info

Colorado blue spruce is a Native American tree that originated on stream banks and crags in the western United States. This sturdy tree is grown in farmlands, pastures and large landscapes as a windbreak and doubles as a nesting site for birds.

Dwarf species are attractive in home landscapes where they look great in shrub borders, as backdrops for borders and as specimen trees.

Short, sharp needles that are square in shape and very stiff and sharp attach to the tree singly rather than in bunches, like pine needles.

The tree produces 2 to 4 inch (5 to 10 cm) brown cones that fall to the ground in autumn. They are distinguished from other spruce trees by the bluish color of the needles, which can be quite striking on a sunny day.

Colorado Blue Spruce Planting Guide

Colorado blue spruce grows best in a sunny location with moist, well-drained, fertile soil. It tolerates dry wind and can adapt to dry soil.

The tree is hardy in USDA plant hardiness zones 3 through 7.

Plant Colorado blue spruce in a hole that is as deep as the root ball and two or three times as wide. When you set the tree in the hole, the top of the root ball should be even with the surrounding soil. You can check this by placing a yardstick or flat tool handle across the hole. After adjusting the depth, firm the bottom of the hole with your foot.

It's best not to amend the soil at planting time, but if it is poor in organic matter, you can mix a little compost with the dirt that you removed from the hole before backfilling. Compost should make up no more than 15 percent of the fill dirt. Fill the hole half full with the fill dirt and then flood the hole with water. This removes air pockets and settles the soil. After the water has drained through, finish filling the hole and water thoroughly. If the soil settles, top it off with more dirt.

Do not mound soil around the trunk.

Caring for Colorado Spruce

Once the tree is established, caring for Colorado spruce is simple. Water it regularly to keep the soil moist through the first season and only during dry spells thereafter.

The tree benefits from a 2-inch (5 cm) layer of organic mulch that extends just beyond the tips of the branches. Pull the mulch back a few inches (11 cm.) from the base of the tree to prevent rot.

Colorado blue spruce is susceptible to cankers and white pine weevils. The weevils cause the leaders to die back. Cut off dying leaders before the damage reaches the first ring of branches and choose another branch to train as a leader. Stake the new leader into an upright position.

Some insecticides remove the wax coating on the needles. Since the wax is what gives the tree its blue color, you want to avoid this if at all possible. Test insecticides on a small, inconspicuous part of the tree before spraying the entire tree.