Spruce (picea pungens)
Rating: 5
Size: 50-75 ft tall
Lifespan: 40-60 years
Shade: Medium to dense shade in a Christmas tree shape.
Type: Evergreen conifer. Fast growing softwood.
Known simultaneously as the Colorado or Blue Spruce, there seems to be at least one of these extremely popular “oversize Christmas trees” in every Ogden/Layton Utah yard that we visit. These majestic trees are planted for their blue color and their beauty. They are very pleasant to look at and are often planted in landscaping.
For those wanting a smaller version, the Fat Albert spruce tree is a 15-20 ft high version of the Colorado blue spruce.
Cons: Susceptible to Rhizosphaera disease, a fungus that causes needles to turn brown, die and fall off of the tree. Diseased trees can be treated with a fungicide.