Colorado blue spruce

Colorado blue spruce, or Picea pungens, is one of the most popular evergreens throughout our area. But is its natural habitat in Colorado? Blue spruce is found in Colorado and in the range of southwest Colorado, Arizona and New Mexico. It is found at elevations that can range up to 12,000 feet. In its northern range, it is in Idaho, Wyoming and Montana at elevations of 6,000-9,000 feet. In Colorado, we find many blue spruce at altitudes of 1,800-3,400 feet.

Our beloved Colorado blue spruce is a long-lived tree and can reach 600-800 years old. It produces seeds readily, usually every two to three years. Compared to Douglas fir or ponderosa pine, the blue spruce has a relatively shallow root system, but it penetrates deeply enough to still withstand some high wind speeds.

Naturally, Colorado blue spruce is acclimated to humid and cool weather. They are found close to or alongside streams, gentle upland slopes or sub-irrigated slopes. It grows in soils with 6.8-7.2 pH. This tree originates at a place in nature where it receives precipitation during the summer months. This is important for the future care of Colorado blue spruce during our summer droughts and our low snow precipitation on the plains.

The full article is available in our e-Edition. Click here to subscribe.