All three have patches of dead foliage which look rather unsightly . . . is this not likely to be a problem that will continue in cultivation?

Resin

Hi Resin,
as to patches..., raw nature is not so much clean, nobody cleaning witch´s brooms. Most of wb I´v collected last 30 years was very dirty, some creature exkrements etc. Dead foliage is normal, because witches I´v collected are very dense. By the way I mean that trees are fighting with their witches /cancer ???/ Do all to stop air and sun to destroy this strange thing. But for grafting I am looking for only good and absolutly healthy scions. Look on gallery, the new derived trees from witch´s brooms are absolutly perfect.
Jan wbgarden
My friend Libor gave me few month ago this dead picea witch´s broom. Only six scions was good. All are pushing now.
Picea abies Libor
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Here is a link that might be useful: New dwarf conifers.