White Spruce

White spruce is the tough, cold-hardy conifer of the northern boreal forests, native from Alaska to Labrador and south into the northern tier of the United States. The species form is a narrow, dense pyramid of blue-green needles growing forty to sixty feet. In Western Washington landscapes, the species itself is less common than its dwarf cultivar, 'Conica', the ubiquitous Alberta spruce, a tight, conical miniature that grows slowly to ten or twelve feet and has been a fixture of foundation plantings for decades.

In Western Washington, the dwarf Alberta spruce is the form you encounter. It needs full sun and well-drained soil. The dense, regular cone shape requires no pruning, which is its primary appeal. The primary pest concern is spider mites, which cause needles to turn gray-green and thin from the inside out. Scout for mites in summer by tapping a branch over white paper and looking for tiny moving specks. Horticultural oil or miticide applications during active infestation control the problem. For a formal, dense, low-maintenance evergreen accent in a foundation planting or flanking an entry, Alberta spruce remains popular, just watch for mites.