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May 6, 2009

Original spruce trees - Picea abies Cranstonii or Cranston Spruce or Picea abies Virgata

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This original spruce tree grows up to 15 m. When I saw for the first time in the local nursery a young specimen, it looked little odd to me. Sometimes it can look really weird when it's young.

It grows slowly, so seeing it in full grandeur is rare possibility. Specimen on the picture grows in Powsin (Poland) in Botanical Garden. I think it is about 30 years old - that's approximate age of the garden.


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It stems are long (up to 60 cm) and do not produce side stems. Interesting solitaire tree for really big gardens, otherwise brings too much oddity and chaos to the general impression.


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I know there are many great landscape designers among readers of "Ewa in the Garden" , maybe you could share your thoughts and feelings about this tree?

8 comments:

  1. garden girl06 May, 2009 15:09

    very interesting-looking specimen Ewa! I like how full it is - much better than our scrawny, leggy 30-year-old spruces.

    I'm not sure what cultivar ours are, but they certainly don't get better with age. The bottom branches die out, and we have to lop off more of them every year. They used to provide a lot of privacy in our yard, but not anymore.

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  2. Frances06 May, 2009 23:36

    Hi Ewa, what a beauty. It is a treat to see mature trees given the room to grow and become what nature intended. It looks wonderful amongst the other evergreens too. A good siting for it. IMHO.
    Frances

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  3. Maggie07 May, 2009 05:24

    Wow, Ewa! I haven't seen a spruce that looks quite like that. It's fascinating. Looks almost primordial.

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  4. Garden Wise Guy07 May, 2009 07:23

    Definitely a distinctive tree. We don't grow too many conifers here in Santa Barbara - junipers and a few pines - but that Picea would be a great form to put in the right garden. Looks like something from a Dr. Seuss book!

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  5. Pat07 May, 2009 16:56

    That's one wild tree!
    Adds much interest to the garden.
    Variety is great !

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  6. Anonymous08 May, 2009 10:03

    Arboretums are great places for seeing mature specimens. Thanks for featuring a tree new to me.

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  7. Gail08 May, 2009 19:52

    EWA, It is a beautiful specimen tree...most of us haven't the space for trees like this one! I love visiting arboretums and botanical gardens to see how grand they can be. Gail

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  8. Anonymous13 September, 2014 23:25

    Just bought a new cranstonii and am keen to watch it grow. As I am 67, I guess I am planting for the next generations.

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