About the Alberta Spruce

Varieties, Features and Growth Needs

• Alberta spruce trees (Picea glauca) grow in a variety of cultivars including white Alberta spruce, Black Hills spruce, Canadian spruce, cat spruce, western white spruce, porsild spruce and skunk spruce. Some cultivars, such as the white spruce, can grow up to 100 feet tall. They have thin trunk bark, produce needlelike foliage and have scaled cones that grow to nearly 3 inches long. An Alberta spruce tree grows best in full sun, well-drained soil and with ample space from other plants or structures. The trees also thrive in partial shade, but they need air circulation and sunshine to keep their thick foliage and roots from getting too wet.

Alberta Dwarf

• Dwarf Alberta spruce trees (Picea glauca "Conica") are small- to medium-sized ornamental shrubs that may get as tall as 10 or 15 feet and 3 or 4 feet wide, but many are in the 4- to 6-foot-tall range. The trees grow about 3 inches per year, depending on their locations. Dwarf Alberta can stand up against cold weather; the trees survive in temperatures as cold as minus 40 degrees Fahrenheit.

Alberta Dwarf Varieties

• Jean's Dilly is a shorter cultivar of dwarf Alberta spruce. It grows about 2 to 4 inches per year to about 2 to 5 feet tall and up to 2 feet wide. The tree's conical shape produces short, green needles that form in a tight "twisting" position. Jean's Dilly, pronounced "John's Dilly," needs only occasional pruning. Rainbow's End grows up to 10 feet tall and 4 feet wide. New growth in the midsummer brings a creamy yellow-gold color to the shrub, which thrives in full sun with a moderate amount of moisture. Pixie Dust, with its pyramid shape, has small dark-green needles that grow tightly on protruding branches. The tree can grow to 8 feet tall and is sold commercially for Christmas.

Insect Problems

• Alberta spruce trees attract spider mites -- tiny red bugs that feed on the vegetation during spring and summer. Spruce trees planted next to a building are mostly prone to infestation, which may lead to brown foliage and falling needles. Pesticides and insecticidal soap may control the mites; active ingredients include dicofol, fentabutatin-oxide, bifenthrin, petroleum oils and cottonseed.