Picea glauca Zuckerhut

The Picea  glauca 'Zuckerhut' is a dwarf variety of white spruce that naturally forms a very graphic cone. Its foliage, which is very dense and composed of short, upright needles, evolves throughout the season, starting with a very tender green in spring and then adopting a darker colour in summer. With very slow growth, this conifer proves to be an excellent subject for rock gardens, provided that the soil is not too dry. It appreciates the sun and a soil that is neutral or slightly acidic.

The Picea glauca, which is also known as White Spruce, White Spruce or Glaucous Spruce, is an evergreen conifer belonging to the Pinaceae family, native to Canada. In its natural environment, it grows slowly, has a fairly variable habit depending on its habitat, but usually conical or pyramid-shaped with a broad base. This tree can reach a height of 25m (82 ft). This species is traditionally used for paper production. It can live for many years (200 years or more).

The variety 'Zuckerhut', derived from this species, is a relatively recent German selection (end of the 1980s) from a nursery in the Pinneberg region, in Schleswig-Holstein. This area north of Hamburg is home to one of the largest concentrations of nurseries in Europe, and the climate and soils there are particularly suitable for growing conifers. It is a dwarf form with particularly slow growth, about 5cm (2 in) per year. Its German name, which means "sugar loaf," aptly evokes its almost perfect cone-shaped design. In 10 years, it will only reach a height of 1m (3 ft 4 in) and will peak at 1.50m (4 ft 11 in) at maturity, with a width of 60 to 70cm (23.6 to 27.6 in). In spring, the emergence of its young tender green shoots is a charming sight. They then darken during the summer, with the shrub forming a very dense and aesthetically pleasing mass of vegetation.
The root system of white spruces is shallow, highly branched, and trailing, making them difficult to transplant when they are mature, and quite sensitive to wind. On the other hand, this species is absolutely not sensitive to cold, able to withstand temperatures as low as -35°C and below. 

The 'Zuckerhut' White Spruce, with its slow growth and limited development, is a perfect subject for rock gardens. This plant with a pronounced conical habit goes well with large stones, geometric lines, and masonry structures. It can be paired with dwarf globular or creeping conifers and/or colourful ones. The Pinus mugo mughus with its long needles and trailing habit will be a good companion, as well as the Pinus strobus Minima with its fine yellow-green needles, which are quite different from those of our dwarf White Spruce. The Thujopsis dolobrata Solar Flare, which forms a yellow cushion with foliage resembling certain ferns, will create a well-contrasted light spot when planted in front of 'Zuckerhut'. The true graphic qualities of conifers naturally emerge in the design of a contemporary garden, which prioritizes the aesthetics of shapes, silhouettes, and textures over the dance of flowering. These plants, with their reassuring permanence, structurally shape a bed, mark pathways, and border terraces. They go well with heathers or ground cover plants such as aubrietas, Cerastium, shrubby salvias, as well as flowering shrubs. The key is to play with volumes and colours.