mine took snow load damage.. and in about 10 years it was about `15 feet tall ... and 5 to 8 wide ... it splayed ... and didnt spring all the way back up

but it was still thinner than a regular PP

what are you working with ...

ken

Well....I think keeping it within 12'in 25 years would be ideal. Im also eyeballing PP 'Avatar' as a possibility....but I cant find any older specimens online to know for sure.

If it gotta be narrow, another one thats nice is Pp 'Blue Totem'.

I'm not sure what you mean by "perfect conditions". Do you live in Colorado? In my part of Zone 5, conifers grow shorter and wider. I suspect that this is due to the strong winds. You could call Iseli Nursery and ask them. I have heard that they are quite receptive to questions like this.

Would 'Koster' work? Does anyone have any photos of an adult Koster?

Ugh i'm so confused. I'm purchasing my plants here:

https://www.connonnurseries.com/plant/Picea-pungens-Koster

...but Iseli Nursery describes them so differently!

http://www.iselinursery.com/colorful-conifers/picea-spruce/picea-pungens/picea-pungens-kosteri/

can you post a photo of your planting site?

I think 'Kosteri' is one of those spruces that will grow multiple leaders if you don't keep pruning them off when the tree is young. The Iseli page seems to describe what will happen if the tree is left to do whatever it wants.

It will also depend on where you are in zone 5. If you are in a drier area like their native habitat in the dry mountain west, they will likely be fine and grow to their potential, but even in my cool eastern zone, most Picea pungens will be either dead or so infected with fungal diseases that you will wish they were. Our area is just too humid for them to be healthy.

The area in question is between the baby white oak and the rain garden (armor stone). My landscape designer wanted 3 pp columnar planted together in that space. I'm not sure....

I'm trying to post photos and it's not working.

How about these...in no particular oreder? Southern Toronto. Clay/Full Sun.

https://www.connonnurseries.com/plant/Abies-concolor-Blue-Cloak

https://www.connonnurseries.com/plant/Picea-pungens-Avatar

https://www.connonnurseries.com/plant/Picea-engelmannii-Bushs-Lace

https://www.connonnurseries.com/plant/Pinus-flexilis-Vanderwolfs-Pyramid

https://www.connonnurseries.com/plant/Picea-pungens-Iseli-Fastigiate

photos for reference

Sorry, but I meant what part of the country.

Toronto, Intario Canada M1M 1A5

If you're looking for a narrow P. pungens that can grow well in snow country, consider P.pungens Shilo Weeping

I would expect Toronto to be too humid for Picea pungens to be really happy. Before planting any, I would look at older plants in the area. Have they lost needles, leaving some bare branches? Or can you find no older trees at all? Or are there healthy, well needled blue spruces easily found in parks and large yards?

PP are very happy in our area.

Ok...I've narrowed it down to 3....and I'm only going to put 1 in that area.

https://www.connonnurseries.com/plant/Pinus-flexilis-Vanderwolfs-Pyramid

I do like it's openess as it gets older. I wish it was more blue.

https://www.connonnurseries.com/plant/Picea-engelmannii-Bushs-Lace

What a cool tree !!

https://www.connonnurseries.com/plant/Abies-concolor-Blue-Cloak

Most resembling a blue spruce to my eye.

Blue Cloak is awesome and very blue and stays blue. Slow growing compared to the other two

Picea pungens - Colorado blue spruce - seldom do well anywhere outside their native range. Very few areas can offer the ideal growing conditions for them to thrive: dry summers with very low humidity and adequate winter cold/snow cover. The stress of dealing with less than optimal climate conditions across much of North America makes them overly prone to various ailments including needle cast, cankers, tip blights and adelgids and mites.

There are countless online articles addressing this issue....it is extremely widespread!

I saw a narrow Picea pungens today and thought of this thread. It was likely more than20 years old and had at least as many needleless, bare twigs as ones with needles. It gave the tree a clumpy appearance with areas with no needles and others with very congested regrowth.

Blue Cloak for the win!