Picea pungens in the ground
Colorado blue fir in the ground
Blue needles Picea pungens
Pine cones Picea pungens
Picea pungens silver-blue foliage
Contents
Find all our tips in the Monstera application
Picea pungens, the blue fir tree
Contents
Find all our tips in the Monstera application
With its harmonious habit and bluish needles, Picea pungens is frequently used to decorate living rooms at Christmas. But the blue fir is above all a very hardy tree, made for the great outdoors and altitude. It grows naturally in the United States, from Wyoming to Arizona, where it can withstand temperatures as low as -44°C!
How to recognize the Colorado blue fir, Picea pungens?
Picea pungens is a tree with a conical, bushy habit. In its native mountains, it reaches 40 meters in height. In other parts of the world, its growth is more modest. It rarely exceeds ten meters in height in the ground, and no more than three meters if planted in a pot.
The straight trunk measures up to 1.5 meters in diameter. Its gray-brown bark is enhanced by a hint of red. Branches grow straight and low on the trunk, but older twigs tend to droop.
The blue fir owes its name to its evergreen foliage. The quadrangular, almost turquoise-blue needles are prickly and no more than three centimetres long. They can take on a deeper or even silvery hue in certain cultivars.
The same tree has two types of cone. The pollen-producing cones are no more than 1.5 centimetres long. Those containing the seeds can reach fifteen centimetres. Elongated, pine cones turn brown when mature.
Like picea omorika, Picea pungens is non-toxic to humans and animals alike. It is even said to have medicinal properties. In North America, Indians use its needles and resin to treat respiratory ailments and disinfect wounds. Elsewhere in the world, its silhouette and bluish needles make it a popular Christmas tree.
Our maintenance tips
Consider the growth of your Picea pungens before planting it. The largest specimens exceed several dozen meters in height and should therefore be installed where they won't get in anyone's way.
Watering
Touch the soil before watering. If it's two to three centimeters dry in summer and four centimeters dry in winter, it's time to give your Picea pungens a drink.
Water the substrate withrainwater at room temperature. If you don't have any, you can use non-calcareous water. Moisten the rootball until the water runs off through the drainage holes.
Don't forget to empty any stagnant water in the dish. Picea pungens hate to keep their roots in water. It makes them rot.
Spray
Your Picea pungens appreciates moisture on its foliage. Spray it regularly with non-calcareous water to improve humidity.
Repotting
Choose a pierced terracotta pot. This material ensures more uniform evaporation of water and prevents root rot. The container should be deep so as not to topple under the weight of the plant and allow your Picea pungens to grow. Gravel or clay balls can be placed at the bottom to improve drainage.
Pour in a layer of rich potting soil, such as potting soil for acid-loving plants. Plant your Picea pungens. The root ball should be three to five centimetres below the edge to form a watering trough. Add potting soil.
Press down and water until the water runs off through the drainage holes to encourage rooting.
Fertilization
You can stimulate the growth of your plant during its growth phase, in spring and summer, with fertilizer.
Fertilize your Picea pungens with a conifer fertilizer once a month. Follow the dosage and manufacturer's instructions to avoid damaging the foliage.
Prune
Your Picea pungens does not need pruning. On the contrary, pruning could be detrimental to its growth.
You can, however, remove dead branches in early summer using a clean, sharp tool, such as pruning shears.
Plantation
Soak your Picea pungens to rehydrate the root ball.
Meanwhile, dig a hole twice the size of the root ball. Plant your Picea pungens. The rootball should be level with the soil. Fill in with a mixture of garden soil and universal potting compost. You can add fertilizer if your soil is poor.
Press down and water thoroughly to help the plant take root.
Seedling
Your seeds are more likely to germinate if you stratify them cold.
Fill an airtight bag (e.g. A freezer bag) with potting soil for seedlings and plantations. Moisten the substrate. Bury your seeds in the potting soil, close the bag and place it in a place where the temperature is between 0 and 5°C for three weeks (refrigerator, garage).
Check your seeds regularly to make sure the potting soil stays moist and doesn't rot. As soon as a seed germinates, you can plant it.
Pour seedling and planting soil into cups. Plant your seed a centimetre deep. Spray the substrate to moisten it.
Place your seedlings in a bright spot where the temperature does not exceed 15°C.
Diseases / Threats
Information
| Family | Pinaceae - Pinaceae |
| Type | Picea - Picea |
| Species | Picea pungens - Picea pungens |
| Lifecycle | Perennial |
| Foliage | Evergreen |
| Exposure | |
| Substrats | |
| Planting methods |
Open ground In pots In tubs |
| Category | |
| Tags |
Beginner Rustic |
| Origin |
North America |
| Hardiness (USDA) | 2b |
| Leaf color |
|
| Flower color |
|
| Fruit color |
|
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