Colorado Blue Spruce
1909 Spadina Cres. East
The Colorado Blue Spruce Picea pungens var. glauca is a popular and distinct part of our urban forest. The Latin term pungens means sharp-pointed, in reference to this tree's extremely sharp needles. Native to a relatively small region in the Rockies, extending from Colorado to Wyoming, this spruce has been widely introduced far beyond its native range. It is a columnar or conical evergreen conifer with densely growing horizontal branches.
Seed-propagated Colorado Blue Spruce that is sold in the nursery trade as "blue" may range in color from bluish to greenish. In most respects the blueness is in the eye of the observer. The bluish color is due to the presence of epicuticular waxes on the needles that reflect specific wavelengths of light – the more wax, the more blue. This wax is produced during the needle expansion phase in spring and into early summer but may erode due to wind and exposure to other environmental factors with age, leading to a wide variation in blueness. Stands of young Blue Spruce can be found in the Richard St. Barbe Baker Afforestation Area off Valley Road.
Alternate location: 526 Wilson Cres.