How to Care for a Fat Albert Colorado Blue Spruce

In the late 1970s the Iseli Nursery introduced its newest creation: "Fat Albert" (Picea pungens "Fat Albert"). The Colorado blue spruce cultivar gained its name from comedian Bill Cosby's Fat Albert cartoon character, and like the real Fat Albert, has shown enduring popularity. "Fat Albert" is a slow-growing, evergreen conifer that showcases a stout, Christmas tree-like pryamidal habit and bluish-green needles. The tree typically grows to about 10 to 15 feet tall and wide, though with excellent cultural care the shrub may grow up to 40 feet tall with a spread of 20 feet. "Fat Albert" is low maintenance and durable, easily tolerating wind, drought, air pollution and frost.

Garden hose
Organic mulch
Pruning shears (optional)
10-6-4 or 10-10-10 fertilizer (optional)

Instructions

- 1
  Choose a bright, full sun location with well-draining soil in U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 3 to 7 for your "Fat Albert" tree. If planting multiple trees, space them 10 to 15 feet apart.
- 2
  Water regularly with a garden hose throughout the growing season to keep the soil moist but not waterlogged or flooded.
- 3
  Apply a 2- to 3-inch layer of an organic mulch such as shredded tree bark or leaf mold over the root zone and just beyond the branches to retain moisture in the soil and suppress potential weeds.
- 4
  Check new twigs occasionally for galls, cone-like or pineapple-shaped growths made by aphid-like insects that can weaken the tree and cause branches to break. Remove galls by hand if the infestation is light or remove heavily infested branches with pruning shears.
- 5
  Fertilize if you want to increase growth by applying one-half to 1 pound per 100 square feet of a 10-6-4 or 10-10-10 fertilizer. Spread fertilizer evenly over the root zone and water well afterward.

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