Dwarf Alberta Spruce Picea glauca 'Conica'

This cultivar of the white spruce (Pica glauca) is a dense, compact, cone-shaped, evergreen gymnosperm dwarf shrub with soft bright green foliage that grows 10-12' in 30 years.  Grown for its foliage, the Dwarf Alberta White Spruce does best in a cool environment.  Cold winters, cool summers, and good air circulation are the optimum setting.  Will not perform at its best in areas of high heat and humidity, and is intolerant of air pollutants and salt spray.  It prefers moist loam or alluvial soils in the full sun. It is tolerant of wet sites, wind, heat, cold, drought, and partial shade. This plant needs to be protected from strong winds.

The needles, which are fragrant when crushed, have a white waxy coating.  This cultivar rarely produces cones. 

This cultivar can be grown as a container plant, pruned to form an artistic topiary.  Also makes an excellent Christmas tree. It can also be utilized in planters, in pairs by a porch entrance, along driveways or walk intersections, and in the center of beds. It has a distinctive form with its conical shape and has a formal look. It is slow growing.

Although there are no serious problems with this plant, needle and stem rust, canker, trunk and root rot may occur.  Some areas may experience yellow-headed spruce sawfly, European sawfly, mites, spruce bagworm, spruce budworm, and eastern spruce beetle. 

When planted in an area or location where airflow does not dry the plant, repeated infestations of mites can occur and will damage the plant.  These repeated infestations will lead to stem and needle death, making the plant unsightly.

Quick ID Hints:

• Small cone-shaped gymnosperm shrub
• Leaves are short, sword-shaped, and light green

More information on Picea laxa.