Hi Stuart, sorry to see this. My amateur eye says it's canker. The oozing sap is the sign of a wound that could be caused by insects or thaw and freeze damage for an example. On top of that the wounds are easily susceptible to canker infection. It could heal over itself but if it's infected it will probably get worse. I don't know how to treat this unfortunately. I'm just a collector like yourself so perhaps there is an expert here with better knowledge. =(

A little off the subject, but I am curious, does your 'Aureovariegata' color up for you with the gold color overlaying the blue green? I ask because it seams that this cultivar only gets it's great coloring in some climates. If it doesn't show off it's stuff for you then it wouldn't be so bad to cut it down to make room for some of the other great plants you have in pots. Just trying to look on the bright side. =)

I thought the same about canker. Everything I looked up about oozing sap on a spruce points to this. Happens usually to a tree that is under stress for some other reason. Not much to be done once into the main trunk. I have no expertise on this so just my thoughts.

yep time for some new blood!

Thanks, I think you guys are correct about the disease.

Is this disease deadly? I think it got the disease last year because I missed a watering and it had a nice amount of die back on the branches.

Regarding the coloration it doesn't really have the golden color like when I first bought it. When I first bought the tree it had stunning color. The tree gets full sun but it's mostly blue. I'll post a photo of the healthy branches tomorrow and you can see the color.

I’ve owned multiple specimens on two different lots without any gold to it. It’s a dud cultivar to me as it just ends up being a dull grey blue color.

In my zone dragon eye

pines are more pronounced than other areas. You get a win every once in awhile!

Ooh, that looks fantastic Ken.

" Is this disease deadly? "

Yes, and un-treatable not to mention the tree is now a 'host' to the fungi.

Why wait? I'd replace it. Be different if the tree looked good and had a chance of coming back.

Just my humble opinion.

Can the disease spread from tree to tree? Would it be an issue for the future spruce I plant there?

You can read THIS ARTICLE and under "Disease Management Strategies" on the last line about tree removal, then tell me what you're thoughts are.

Thanks for the article. Very informative!

no problem.

sorry you lost one. :-(

You can see that there's no gold on this tree.

You can see that the dwarf Oriental Spruce is gold (as a reference) but not the Mariana Aureovariegata.

Colorful Conifers (2017, Coenosium Press, Puyallup) says the blue-and-yellow Picea mariana needs to be called 'Aurea' (and not 'Aureovariegata') - and explains why this is the case. Bob also mentions the golden coloring may tone down as the specimen ages.

Ken’s specimen looks of a decent age. Mine start out with no yellow.

Perhaps there is incorrect distribution of the plant OR its coloration is sensitive to soil ph/type.

My first three older specimens are from western evergreen - no yellow ever.

this one was planted from a 4” pot from Stanley. No yellow ever. Decent blue though!