Blue Spruce

By Kyle Smith

One of the most beautiful trees, particularly in its youth, is a Blue Spruce. This member of the fir family is most noted for its distinctive two-tone color scheme. Its classic green of all fir trees is tipped by a bluish-green making the tree very spectacular.

As the Blue Spruce grows and ages, it loses much of its bluish tint and also begins to lift off the ground. Thus, after a few decades or so, the tree no longer "looks like a Christmas tree," but assumes the look of any fir, pine, or conifer with its branches and leaves appearing high above the ground.

While the tree is a "youngster" (and it remains so for 20-40 years) it makes a great ornamental tree. At its "peak" it is quite tall and still has its branches reaching the ground and it can be breathtaking in its beauty and elegance. Younger Blue Spruces have that "Christmas tree look" with the added cachet of the marvelous two-tone color pattern.

Most often, Blue Spruces are planted singularly because homeowners, or their landscapers, recognize its quality and looks and wish to display it. In some cases, a row of Blue Spruces are planted. Often when these rows mature, there needs to be some selective cutting since the trees do spread out.

Spruces do create an acidic soil, which is why grass rarely grows well underneath. This is especially so when the branches and needles, while the tree is young, also create substantial shade. Even when fully grown and the branches are high enough to allow light, pine forest floors are not noted for grass and other vegetation. The pine and spruce, while evergreen and not prone to dropping their needles like a semi-decidous tree drops its leaves, do lose their needles over time and these create an acidity effect to the soil.

While the pine or spruce loves this acidity, other plants do not. Pines and spruces also are sappy trees when fully grown. Campers often like pine or spruce forests since the soil makes for much easier camping (the ground is softer).

Spruce is a marvelous wood, especially supple and strong. The largest aircraft ever made used spruce throughout. It was Howard Hughes' Spruce Goose, a huge multi-engined seaplane that flew once, with Howard at its controls, in San Diego's Coronado Bay. It is currently in a museum there and is worth a visit when in California.

There are several Blue Spruce trees throughout the Village. I know my selection for the best example; what will yours be?