Picea pungens, commonly called blue spruce, is an evergreen tree native to the Rocky Mountains. It holds a special place in Colorado, where it was named the official state tree by the Colorado Horticultural Society and state Legislature.  While its hard, knotty wood makes it difficult to use as lumber, its cold hardiness cements it as a gorgeous garden centerpiece.

• Botanical background:
  • Blue spruce belongs to the family Pinaceae, the pine family
  • Its native range spans across the central and southern Rocky Mountains
• Historic significance:
  • The Keres and Navajo people used blue spruce twigs as a ceremonial item to bring good fortune
  • Charles Christopher Parry — surgeon, botanist, and namesake of multiple peaks in the Colorado Rocky Mountains — first documented the tree in 1862
  • When the Colorado Horticultural Society held a vote for the state tree, blue spruce won by an overwhelming landslide
  • Blue spruce has become a popular choice for traditional Christmas trees
• Medicinal uses:
  • Native American tribes used the pine needles to cure colds and stomach aches
  • It’s high in vitamins A, B, C, and iron
• Horticultural delight:
  • Blue spruce adds a wintery blue or spring green to the garden color palette, with a seasonal maroon accent from its young pine cones
  • It provides year-round beauty as a cold-hardy evergreen
• Landscape design:
  • It has a natural conical growth habit
  • The striking color makes it a perfect centerpiece or accent tree
• Cultivation and care:
  • Blue spruce tolerates some shade, but thrives in full sun conditions
  • It can be susceptible to heat damage in warmer climates
  • One to two feet of growth per year is expected
• Environmental benefits:
• • Blue spruce is a preferred tree for many of its native critters
  • The tree provides essential nesting space and shelter for birds