Images of the Blue Spruce (Picea pungens)

Blue Spruce

Picea pungens

Also called Colorado Blue Spruce or Colorado Spruce, this evergreen tree is native to the US and introduced into Canada. The gray-green to glaucous, or slightly waxy, blue coloration of the needles of this species is caused by surface waxes and intensifies with the age of the tree.

Habitat:Streambanks, moist canyon bottoms, and mid-montane forests in its native U.S. range.

Growth Habit:Evergreen tree, growing 9-18 m tall or higher.

Bloom Time:Late spring.

Longevity:Long-lived.

Presence in US:AZ CO ID MA MD ME NM NY PA UT WY

Presence in Canada:NS ON

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This project was supported in part by NSF Grant IIS-03-25867 (ITR: An Electronic Field Guide: Plant Exploration and Discovery in the 21st Century) and by the Washington Biologists' Field Club.

Any opinions, findings, conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the official views, opinions, or policy of the National Science Foundation (NSF).