I've got a handful of dwarf Colorado blue spruce - are they the same thing you're talking about? They don't have any more cones than usual. Neither do the two big white pines out front. But my sister mentioned something about more cones than usual, some sort of sign we're in a drought -- I have no clue if that's a reliable indicator.

Interesting question... It set me off on a Google search! Apparently cones on most conifers are only produced every two or three years. I found some stuff from MSU saying spruces stressed in one year could produce more abundant cones in the next year. So was there unusual heat or drought there last year?

Colorado spruces produce cones in a two-year cycle. Cone buds are produced in the first year and then cones develop and mature in the second year. In addition to the influence of tree stress on coning, many conifers also exhibit a pattern of biennial bearing that may also contribute to this year’s over abundance. I downsized most of my big conifers over the last 4 yrs. I have one Picea pungens Early Cones about 3 ft. that has more cones since I planted it 7 yrs. ago. Check out my new website at rossfordgarden.com just scroll down the home page till you line up the thumbnails with the bottom of your screen and it's automatic for about 10 minutes. This website from godaddy is still new to me so be patient.

as noted.. the cones where there last fall ... sorta... so this years drought is not an issue at all ....

i cant tell above if john is adding something .... or just commenting to drive his own website ... i hope it the former.. and not the latter ... because i dont hit random links ...

ken

WHERE ARE THE PICS. ?

ken , at the park where I walk the dog , are planted multiple pungens . the top 3 ft. are loaded with cones,,,looks strange

need to get pic

ron

Hope that I’m not the only one who had to look up the meaning of “mast year”. Though the deifinition mentions only acorns & other nuts it does say forest trees “over producing“ & “excessive quantities of fruits and seeds…” This caught my interest because this year in early spring the long row of older & close to 100’ tall Douglas fir trees on the property behind my yard, & also behind all of my neighbors up & down my street, dropped massive quantities of fir cones & the buds from those exploded cones. We’re very aware of this because of the patio & yard cleanup required when the winds come from the east. Here in PNW we’re behind in rainfall so far this year & last winter’s snow pack that feeds our rivers as snow melt was also low.

who had to look up the meaning of “mast year”.

==>>> that was intentional .... make you work to learn.. lol ...

better chance you might retain it ....

i would like to see hundred foot doug firs ...

ken

I don’t know if its because this post made me more aware, but I’m seeing large amounts of cones not only on P p but also on P abies.

tj

hmmm... i looked at p abies.. nothing.. relatively speaking ... go figure ...

@ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5 Here on Long Island I witnessed the same thing. I thought all the Blue Spruce's in my neighborhood had die back on the very top portion of the tree, but they're actually coning profusely this year.

"i would like to see hundred foot doug firs ..."

Then take a trip out west. The are all over the place here.....and in some cases even taller. I can see several in the 80-100' range from my entry!

btw, I see very few DF cones considering the number of trees that surround me. They produce cones in a 5-7 year cycle. What you do see a lot of in late spring are pollen (male) cones that are tiny and fall as soon as their work is done. Any decent wind and there will be thousands of the little beggars everywhere!