Plant Encyclopedia

Other Names:  Picea densata

Description:

A spire-like evergreen, tall and stately with bluish-green needles, more densely branched and fuller than the species; very tough and adaptable, makes a wonderful vertical accent for the larger home landscape, ideal as a windbreak or in a shelterbelt

Ornamental Features

Black Hills Spruce is primarily valued in the landscape for its distinctively pyramidal habit of growth. It has bluish-green evergreen foliage which emerges light green in spring. The needles remain bluish-green throughout the winter. The smooth gray bark adds an interesting dimension to the landscape.

Landscape Attributes

Black Hills Spruce is a dense evergreen tree with a strong central leader and 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 tree. 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.

Black Hills Spruce is recommended for the following landscape applications;

• Vertical Accent
• Windbreaks and Shelterbelts

Planting & Growing

Black Hills Spruce will grow to be about 40 feet tall at maturity, with a spread of 15 feet. It has a low canopy, and should not be planted underneath power lines. It grows at a slow rate, and under ideal conditions can be expected to live for 90 years or more.

This tree should only be grown in full sunlight. It is very adaptable to both dry and moist locations, and should do just fine under average home landscape conditions. It is considered to be drought-tolerant, and thus makes an ideal choice for xeriscaping or the moisture-conserving landscape. It is not particular as to soil type or pH, and is able to handle environmental salt. It is highly tolerant of urban pollution and will even thrive in inner city environments. This species is native to parts of North America.