Group names top conifers

The American Conifer Society named Picea pungens ‘The Blues’ and P. abies ‘Pusch’ as the Collectors Conifer of the Year. The society selects a standard size and a dwarf variety each year.

‘The Blues’ is a weeping Colorado blue spruce. It grows 6 feet tall and 4 feet wide in 10 years. It’s hardy to USDA Hardiness Zone 2 and grows best in full sun. It’s a sport of P. pungens ‘Glauca Pendula.’ The needles become smaller as they reach the end of the stem. ‘The Blues’ was discovered by Oregon grower Larry Stanley.

‘Pusch’ is a dwarf variety that grows 11 inches tall in as many years. It spreads to 16 inches with a flat, irregular shape. It’s hardy to Zone 3. It grows well in full sun or part shade. ‘Pusch’ is best known for bright-red cones in spring, which earned it the nickname “flowering spruce.”

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For more: American Conifer Society, (336) 945-0483; http://conifersociety.org.

May 2008