White Spruce
Picea glauca
Best in full sun. Tolerant of clay soil but good drainage is a must. The shallow, spreading root system benefits from a 3-4” layer of organic mulch. Low maintenance.
The white spruce usually grows to be 24 metres tall, but under ideal conditions can grow to more than 30 metres tall. It usually lives between 250 and 350 years, but trees up to 1,000 years have been seen. Its needles are about 2 centimetres long and bluish green or green in colour, with a whitish powdery, waxy layer. Cones from the white spruce are 5 to 7 centimetres long and are light brown. They are also grown as Christmas trees. White spruce is extremely hardy to low temperatures, provided the plant is in a state of winter dormancy. Throughout the greater part of its range, white spruce routinely survives and is undamaged by winter temperatures of −50 °C (−58 °F).