{"slug":"picea-pungens","scientific_name":"Picea pungens","common_names":["Colorado blue spruce","Blue spruce","Colorado spruce"],"family":"Pinaceae","type":"conifer","mature_height_m":15,"mature_spread_m":5,"growth_rate":"slow","lifespan_years":300,"hardiness_zones":[2,7],"sun":"full","water":"medium","soil":"Average, well-drained soil; prefers rich, moist ground when young and tolerates drought once mature","native_range":"Central and southern Rocky Mountains of Colorado, Utah, Wyoming, Idaho, New Mexico and Arizona, mostly along mountain streams.","description":"A stiff, formal, pyramidal spruce with sharp four-sided needles in shades from green to striking silver-blue, cones with papery scales and purplish-gray scaly bark. It is Colorado's state tree and one of the most planted ornamental conifers in North America, used as a specimen, screen and windbreak. Outside the cool, dry West it suffers: in humid regions Rhizosphaera needle cast and Cytospora canker strip the lower branches of older trees.","care":"Plant in full sun with good drainage and consistent moisture for the first few years; mature trees are fairly drought tolerant. Give it room and air circulation and avoid overhead irrigation. Needle cast, Cytospora canker, spruce spider mite, gall adelgids and bagworms are the usual problems, worst in hot humid climates.","benefits":["windbreak","wildlife","birds","drought_tolerant","long_lived"],"uses":["windbreak","screening","yard_shade","parks"],"cautions":["pest_prone"],"image_url":"https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/ad/Blue_Spruce_%2815905530369%29.jpg","image_credit":"Chris M Morris, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons","sources":["https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/picea-pungens/","https://plants.usda.gov/plant-profile/PIPU","https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Picea_pungens"],"data_note":null,"updated_at":"2026-11-08T01:00:46.205Z","page_url":"https://treerm.org/trees/picea-pungens","markdown_url":"https://treerm.org/trees/picea-pungens.md","regions":[{"country":"US","region":"AZ","locality":null,"status":"native","note":null,"source_url":"https://plants.usda.gov/plant-profile/PIPU"},{"country":"US","region":"CO","locality":null,"status":"native","note":null,"source_url":"https://plants.usda.gov/plant-profile/PIPU"},{"country":"US","region":"ID","locality":null,"status":"native","note":null,"source_url":"https://plants.usda.gov/plant-profile/PIPU"},{"country":"US","region":"NM","locality":null,"status":"native","note":null,"source_url":"https://plants.usda.gov/plant-profile/PIPU"},{"country":"US","region":"UT","locality":null,"status":"native","note":null,"source_url":"https://plants.usda.gov/plant-profile/PIPU"},{"country":"US","region":"WY","locality":null,"status":"native","note":null,"source_url":"https://plants.usda.gov/plant-profile/PIPU"},{"country":"CA","region":"AB","locality":"Calgary","status":"recommended","note":"On the City of Calgary Top Tree Species for Calgary list","source_url":"https://www.calgary.ca/parks/trees/top-species-for-calgary.html"},{"country":"US","region":"DC","locality":"Washington","status":"recommended","note":"On the Casey Trees Tree Rebate eligible species list","source_url":"https://caseytrees.org/rebate"},{"country":"CA","region":null,"locality":null,"status":"adapted","note":"Planted throughout southern Canada; USDA PLANTS lists it as introduced in Canada.","source_url":"https://plants.usda.gov/plant-profile/PIPU"},{"country":"US","region":null,"locality":null,"status":"adapted","note":"Widely planted as an ornamental across the northern and central US outside its Rocky Mountain range; declines in hot, humid regions.","source_url":"https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/picea-pungens/"}],"license":"CC-BY-4.0"}