As the colorful deciduous trees go bare, the evergreen trees get more attention. A weeping white spruce, Picea glauca ‘Pendula’, really stands out. It grows slowly to only about fifteen feet tall and maybe five feet wide, so does not need as much space as a typical spruce tree. What makes it so distinctive is the weirdly pendulous stems that hang limply from a strictly vertical trunk. It is hard to believe that it is only a different variety of the same species as the dwarf Alberta spruce, which is very short, dense and symmetrically conical, with stout little stems. The foliage of weeping white spruce is lighter green than that of most other spruces, but is not as blue as that of blue spruce. The short and stiff needles are rather prickly to handle.
The narrow and weirdly sculptural form of the weeping white spruce is no good as a shade tree, but is an excellent trophy tree for a prominent spot. Full sun is best. A bit of shade can cause the main trunk to lean toward sunlight. Young trees should only be staked if they need it, since they can become dependent on stakes. The lowest limbs can be allowed to creep over the ground.
Green vibrant trees offset the images of fire devastation. All who appreciate plants will be glad when this is resolved.
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Do you mean the fires? Fire actually benefits the natural ecosystem here. The problem with fires is not the native vegetation, but our homes that burn with the forests.
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It’s a beautiful tree. We currently have no evergreens in our garden, which seems wrong. Of course, I cut down the last one, a big Japanese Yew, so I don’t have the right to complain.
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That was unfortunate about the yew. It sort of looked slightly bad even in pictures, so I don’t doubt that it was undesirable. Does it regenerate from the stump, or is the stump gone too?
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It does regenerate, but I keep pulling off the green growth when it emerges and eventually it dies.
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So, it is still unwelcome, even if it cleans up its act.
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NICE!
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Thank you. It is not mine.
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