Picea pungens Iseli Fastigiate - Blue Spruce

Picea pungens 'Iseli Fastigiate' is a reduced form of the Colorado blue spruce that grows in a slender and regular cone shape, forming a small tree full of elegance and character over time. Its very dense foliage is blue in spring, then takes on a softer grey-blue-silvery shade, while remaining very bright. Its needles are shorter at the end of the fastigiate branches, giving its growth a unique and archirtectural appearance. Its slow growth and modest size allow it to fit into a small garden, either as a standalone or in a mass. It is a magnificent conifer that is undemanding, tolerating pollution, heat, and occasional drought once well established.

Originating from the west coast of the United States, and the Rocky Mountains of North America, up to Canada, the Picea pungens, also known as the Colorado blue spruce or blue spruce, is a hardy evergreen conifer belonging to the pine family. In its natural environment, it grows slowly, presenting an elegant and regular conical habit with very layered horizontal branches. This tree can reach a height of 25 to 40 m (82 to 131 ft 2 in) and tolerates limestone soils and some drought.

The 'Iseli Fastigiate' variety, derived from this species, stands out with its unique habit and very refined appearance. It is a medium-sized conifer, with a conical and fastigiate habit that is very slender in its youth, widening somewhat over time. Its growth is slow, so that at 20 years old, it reaches about 7 m (23 ft) in height, and 2.5 m (0 and 8 ft 2 in) in width at the base. It produces short and thick, upward-growing branches, covered at their ends with very short needles, longer at the base. They are prickly and arranged in dense brushes around the branches. Its young spring shoots are of a very intense light blue colour. For the rest of the year, its colour is intermediate between grey-blue and silver. Its rough, scaly, grey bark is quite decorative.
 

With its exceptional foliage, impeccable habit, and ease of cultivation, the 'Iseli Fastigiate' blue spruce will become the focal point of the garden. It thrives in many situations, under various climates, as long as the soil is well-drained and not too chalky, and the exposure is sunny. This plant pairs well with stone walls, geometric lines of swimming pools, and brickwork. It can be associated with bushy conifers such as Microbiota decussata, with its bronze winter foliage, or with more rounded varieties like Picea glauca Echiniformis. The architectural qualities of conifers naturally impose themselves in the design of a contemporary garden, which prefers the aesthetics of shapes, silhouettes, and textures over flowers. These plants structurally define a flower bed, mark pathways and border the terrace, replacing the strong presence of trimmed boxwood or holly. The key is to play with volumes and colours.