Picea sitchensis Rom - Sitka Spruce

Forming a lovely rounded bush, the  Picea sitchensis 'Rom' is a dwarf form of the Sitka spruce, with very slow growth it is ideal for small spaces. In spring, it is covered with young blue-silver shoots that form a beautiful contrast with the older, green-blue foliage. Its branches are like small upright brushes with a fairly light appearance and regularly arranged, like in a big bouquet. Its silhouette fits well in small gardens, enlivens large rockeries,  and works wonders in pots on the terrace. It is a very hardy, undemanding small conifer that does not require pruning. It is content with well-drained but moist, ordinary soil, and a sunny exposure.

The Picea sitchensis, also called Sitka spruce, is a plant of the pinaceae family native to the west coast of the United States, named for Sitka, in Alaska. It is a very hardy species, accustomed to cold climates, humid in summer. In its natural, harsh environment, this fast-growing tree exceeds 40 m (131 ft 2 in) in height and shows a pyramidal habit with a widening crown and whorled branches. This spruce is one of the few that can be transplanted at a young age. It is very tolerant of soil pH.

The 'Rom' variety is rare in gardens and stands out for its very small size and dense, bushy habit. This bush forms a round cushion with regular and bushy vegetation. Its growth is very slow, about 5 cm (2 in) per year. A 10-year-old specimen will not exceed  50 cm (19.7 in) in all directions. Eventually, it will measure from 80 cm (31.5 in) to 1 m (3 ft 4 in) in all directions. It produces thin, stiff branches which are very tightly packed and directed upwards. They are covered with fine, flat and stiff needles, radially arranged around the branches. They are blue-grey-silver in spring, then become green-blue over the seasons.

The dwarf Sitka spruce 'Rom' deserves to be better known and planted in gardens, even the smallest ones. With its easy cultivation in cool climates, its personality, and its very reduced development, it is a perfect plant for rockeries, flower beds, and terraces. This plant goes well with large stones, geometric lines, and brickwork. It can be associated with dwarf conifers with a prostrate(Juniperus horizontalis Blue Chip), round or columnar habit. The architectural qualities of conifers naturally impose themselves in the design of a contemporary garden, which prefers the aesthetics of shapes, silhouettes, and textures to flowers. These plants structurally define a flower bed, mark the pathways and border the terrace, easily replacing the strong presence of trimmed boxwood or holly. They go well with heathers, shrubby salvias, complementary grasses, or ground cover plants such as aubrietas and cerastiums, as well as light-flowered shrubs like gauras. The key is to play with volumes and colours.