White Spruce
Picea glauca
Pinaceae · coniferous tree · native
Last updated
Data Coverage 4 of 6 dimensions
Picea glauca (Pinaceae) is a large evergreen conifer native to North America from Alaska and Labrador south to New York and Minnesota. It grows to 80 feet tall with a dense, conical crown and glaucous (bluish-green) foliage. The species is one of the most adaptable and widely distributed North American conifers.
White spruce tolerates a broad range of conditions including cold, heat, drought, and urban environments. It grows in full sun on a range of soil types. Dwarf cultivars are widely used: 'Conica' (Alberta spruce, 6 to 8 feet, dense conical) is the most popular. Spider mites are the most common pest in warm conditions. Hardy in Zones 2a to 8b.
Quick Facts
Height
80 ft
Spread
16 ft
Growth Rate
Slow
Light
Sun to Part Shade
Soil
Adaptable
Water
Moderate
Hardiness
Zone Zones 2a–8b
Bloom Time
Non-flowering
Origin
from Alaska to Labrador, south into Montana
Phenological Calendar
| Stage | Typical Window |
|---|---|
| New growth flush BBCH 11 | May 15-Jun 15 |
| Bloom start BBCH 61 | May 1-May 31 |
| Bloom end / petal fall BBCH 69 | May 15-Jun 15 |
| Fruit/seed development BBCH 71 | Jun 1-Aug 31 |
Diseases (16)
Thekopsora minima and Naohidemyces vaccinii Rust Nothophaeocryptopus gaeumannii Rhizosphaera Needle Cast abiotic (spray oil residue) Oil Discoloration Of Foliage Botrytis cinerea Botrytis Blight Abiotic or viral Bud Failure Cylindrocarpon spp. (now Ilyonectria spp.) Cylindrocarpon Root Rot Cytospora canker Cytospora Canker Several soilborne Damping-off Many conifers Drought Injury Heterobasidion annosum Heterobasidion Root Disease [VERIFY] Needle Distortion Phytophthora spp. (P Phytophthora Root Rot Phaeolus schweinitzii Schweinitzii root and butt rot Sparassis crispa (syn. S Sparassis Root Rot Stem decay Stem Decay Diaporthe vaccinii or Diplodia tip blight agents Tip Blight
Pests (15)
Elatobium abietinum Spruce aphid Pissodes strobi White pine weevil Oligonychus ununguis Spruce spider mite Coleotechnites piceaella Spruce needleminer Choristoneura fumiferana Spruce budworm Physokermes piceae Spruce bud scale Chionaspis pinifoliae Pine needle scale Orgyia pseudotsugata Douglas-fir tussock moth Adelges cooleyi Cooley spruce gall adelgid Dioryctria spp. Coneworm Cacoecimorpha pronubana Carnation tortrix Hemiberlesia ithacae Hemlock scale Lophocampa argentata Silverspotted tiger moth Cephalcia spp. Western webspinning sawfly Webworm
Cultivars (4)
'Conica'
Common name: Dwarf Alberta Spruce Dwarf White Spruce; Mature height: 10–12 ft
Hardy to USDA Zone 2
'Densata'
Common name: Black Hills Spruce; Mature height: 20–40 ft
Hardy to USDA Zone 2
'Pendula'
Common name: Weeping White Spruce; Mature height: 40 ft
'Sanders Blue'
Common name: Sander's Blue Alberta Spruce; Mature height: 2 ft
Hardy to USDA Zone 3