Canadian spruce 'Sanders Blue'

Synonyms: Canadian spruce Sanders Blue, glaucous spruce Sanders Blue, white spruce Sanders Blue, Picea сanadensis Sanders Blue, Picea alba Sanders Blue, Sander's Blue Dwarf Spruce

Spruce canadensis Sanders Blue – a decorative dwarf blue form of Canadian spruce. The cultivar was obtained in 1986. Lifespan – over 50 years.

It is a slow-growing tree with a compact, regular conical crown. Annual growth up to 4 cm per year. At 10 years reaches 0.7 m in height. Reaches 1–3 m in height, with a crown diameter of 1.5 m. Shoots numerous, short, light brown. Bark gray, smooth. Buds nearly spherical, light brown.

Needles acicular, very soft, short, 6-10 mm long, bright blue, do not change color in winter. Young growth is silvery-blue.

Fruits – small cones light brown in color. Appear rarely.

Hardiness zone: 3a.

Location: Light-demanding, but tolerates light partial shade. Prefers moist and fertile soil, light or medium loam. The topsoil layer should be well permeable so that roots receive sufficient air. Poorly tolerates waterlogging and soil compaction. Not demanding to moisture. Smoke and gas tolerance is average. Wind-resistant.

Planting: when planted tightly it loses decorative value, as part of the crown may dry out. Soil mix: turf soil, leaf mold, sand, peat in ratio 2:2:1:1.

Care: the trunk circle should be periodically weeded and loosened, but not dug. It is also advisable to mulch the trunk circle with peat or loose compost with subsequent incorporation. During dry periods regular watering is recommended, avoiding complete drying of the root-inhabited soil layer, as well as evening sprinkling of the crown. Manure or compost fertilization in early summer can also be applied.

Pruning: Has a beautiful even and symmetrical crown, therefore does not require pruning.

Diseases: shutte, snow shutte, fusariosis, stem and root rot, bark necrosis, ulcerous (wound) canker, cone rust, spruce vertun. Less affected by spring burns than other Canadian spruce cultivars.

Pests: red spider mite, spruce sawfly.

Propagation: propagated by cuttings, which are best taken in early June. Winter cuttings without rooting hormone do not take. For cuttings, take matured lower twigs from the parent plant that do not exceed 10-12 cm in size. The cutting detached from the mother plant must have a "heel"; otherwise the plant will quickly die. The lower part of the prepared cuttings should be treated with root stimulants. Plant cuttings to a depth of 2-2.5 cm. The substrate should not dry out during rooting, but overwatering the soil is not recommended.

Uses: used for solitary and group plantings, for forming architectural shapes and rock gardens. Suitable for growing in containers, on terraces, balconies and roofs.