hey

gees has a 10 acres arboretum, where they get most of their grafting material ....

one of the greatest day trips in lower mid MI ....

forget about the web... go see them with your own eyes...

besides pungens... there are some nice abies lasiocarpa that seem to fit your requirements.. and do well for me in my z5

ken

Here is a link that might be useful: link

For more on this topic...

Here is a link that might be useful: Coenosium - Picea pungens

A few others I really like:
Picea pungens Wendy
Picea omorika Elisabeth

Dax

The perfect tree for you is P p 'Sester's Dwarf'.

It's the perfect tight full Christmas tree conical shape. It's a great steel blue color. It grows extremely slow, and you can buy them all day long in 2-3' sizes from anyone that deals with Iseli.

It's a little touchy to grow...I know it definately doesn't like our zone 7 heat. But you should be OK in Z5.

mark

Thanks everyone. I think I will need to look at these in person as suggested.

there are also some dwarf ... slow growing blue abies concolor...

when you squeeze a needle.. the fresh scent of grapefruit...

plus blue cones some day ....

ken

Ken, where is Gees?

That is by far the worst bringing back an old topic I've seen.

I forget exactly which small town it is but it took me maybe 45 minutes to get there from Ann Arbor. The link is below.
Cher

Here is a link that might be useful: Gee Farms

get on 94.. head west... get off on cooper street.. which is the state prison exit .. head north to bunkerhill road... which is a tricky bend in the road.. head a few more miles north ...

mapquest that tricky corner for sure ..

its technically in stockbridge.. but you wont ever see that .. lol ...

there is also a route out north territorial ... if you wish the fall color tour route ...

ken