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'''''Picea pungens''''' ('''Colorado Blue Spruce''' or '''Blue Spruce''') is a species of [[spruce]] native to western [[North America]], from southeast [[Idaho]] and southwest [[Wyoming]], south through [[Utah]] and [[Colorado]] to [[Arizona]] and [[New Mexico]]. It grows at high altitudes from {{convert|1750|-|3000|m|abbr=on}} altitude, though unlike [[Engelmann Spruce]] in the same area, it does not reach the [[tree-line|alpine tree-line]]. It is most commonly found growing along stream sides in mountain valleys, where moisture levels in the soil are greater than the often low rainfall in the area would suggest.<ref name="farjon">{{cite book |last = Farjon |first = Aljos |year = 1990 |title = Pinaceae: Drawings and Descriptions of the Genera |volume = 121 |series = Koeltz Scientific Books |location = [[Koenigstein]], [[Germany]] |isbn = 3-87429-298-3}}</ref><ref name="fna">{{cite web |url = http://www.efloras.org/florataxon.aspx?flora_id=1&taxon_id=233500912 |title = Flora of North America: Picea pungens |work = Efloras.org |publisher = [[Missouri Botanical Garden]] |accessdate = 2010-05-26}}</ref><ref name="iucn">{{IUCN2009.2|assessors=Conifer Specialist Group|year=1998|id=42333|title=Picea pungens|downloaded=26 May 2010}}</ref> Blue spruce is a medium-sized [[evergreen]] [[tree]] growing to {{convert|25|–|30|m|abbr=on}} tall, exceptionally to {{convert|46|m|abbr=on}} tall, and with a trunk diameter of up to {{convert|1.5|m|abbr=on}}. The [[bark]] is thin and gray, with narrow vertical furrows. The crown is conic in young trees, becoming cylindric in older trees. The shoots are stout, orange-brown, usually glabrous, and with prominent pulvini. The [[leaf|leaves]] are needle-like, {{convert|15|–|30|mm}} long, stout, rhombic in cross-section, dull gray-green to bright glaucous blue (very variable from tree to tree in wild populations), with several lines of [[stomata]]; the tip is viciously sharp.<ref name="farjon" /><ref name="fna" /><ref name="gd">{{cite web |url = http://www.conifers.org/pi/pic/pungens.htm |title = Picea pungens |editor = Christopher J. Earle |publisher = Gymnosperm Database |date = June 23, 2009 |accessdate = 2010-05-26}}</ref> The [[conifer cone|cones]] are pendulous, slender cylindrical, {{convert|6|–|11|cm|abbr=on}} long and {{convert|2|cm|abbr=on}} broad when closed, opening to {{convert|4|cm|abbr=on}} broad. They have thin, flexible scales {{convert|20|–|24|mm|abbr=on}} long, with a wavy margin. They are reddish to violet, maturing pale brown 5–7 months after pollination. The [[seed]]s are black, {{convert|3|–|4|mm|abbr=on}} long, with a slender, {{convert|10|–|13|mm|abbr=on}} long pale brown wing.<ref name="farjon" /><ref name="fna" /> {{Inc| Picea pungens, Engelm. (P. Parryana, Sarg. Abies Menziesii, Engelm., not Lindl.). Colorado Spruce. Tree, 80-100, or occasionally to 150 ft., with horizontal stout branches in rather remote whorls, forming a broad, regular pyramid: winter buds with brownish yellow usually reflexed scales: young branches glabrous, bright yellowish brown: lvs. rigid, incurved, spiny -acuminate, bluish green to silvery white or rarely dull green, 3/4 - 1 1/5 in long with 2 resin canals: cones cylindric oblong, light brown and glossy, 2 1/2 - 4 in. long; scales rhomboidal, narrowed and erose at the apex. Wyo. to Colo, and Utah. A very handsome and very hardy tree of symmetrical habit, with light, sometimes almost silvery white foliage. According to the different shades of color of the foliage, the following varieties are distinguished: Var. glauca, Beissn. With bluish green lvs. Var. caerulea, Beissn. With bluish white foliage. Var. argentea, Beissn. With silvery white foliage. Var. Kosteri, Beissn. With silvery white foliage and of very regular pyramidal habit. Var. glauca pendula, Beissn. With bluish foliage and pendulous branches. Var. viridis, Regel (P. commutata, Hort.). is the form with green lvs. Var. compacta, Rehd. A dwarf compact form; originated at the Arnold Arboretum. Var. aurea, Niemetz. With golden yellow foliage. Var. flavescens, Niemetz. With whitish yellow foliage. Var. Moerheimii, Rujis. Grows more compact and foliage deeper blue. {{SCH}} }} ==Cultivation== {{edit-cult}}<!--- Type cultivation info below this line, then delete this entire line --> ===Propagation=== {{edit-prop}}<!--- Type propagation info below this line, then delete this entire line --> ===Pests and diseases=== {{edit-pests}}<!--- Type pest/disease info below this line, then delete this entire line --> ==Species== <!-- This section should be renamed Cultivars if it appears on a page for a species (rather than genus), or perhaps Varieties if there is a mix of cultivars, species, hybrids, etc --> ==Gallery== {{photo-sources}}<!-- remove this line if there are already 3 or more photos in the gallery --> <gallery perrow=5> File:Picea pungens2.jpg|Mature cone File:Picea Pungens Young Cones.jpg|Immature cone Image:Upload.png| photo 1 Image:Upload.png| photo 2 Image:Upload.png| photo 3 </gallery> ==References== *[[Standard Cyclopedia of Horticulture]], by L. H. Bailey, MacMillan Co., 1963 <!--- xxxxx *Flora: The Gardener's Bible, by Sean Hogan. Global Book Publishing, 2003. ISBN 0881925381 --> <!--- xxxxx *American Horticultural Society: A-Z Encyclopedia of Garden Plants, by Christopher Brickell, Judith D. Zuk. 1996. ISBN 0789419432 --> <!--- xxxxx *Sunset National Garden Book. Sunset Books, Inc., 1997. ISBN 0376038608 --> ==External links== *{{wplink}} {{stub}} __NOTOC__
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