Woody > Picea > Picea sitchensis > Picea sitchensis 'Papoose'
Picea sitchensis
'Papoose'
Origin: This cultivar first originated on Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada in a forest by a researcher named Gordon Bentham during 1964. Bentham later handed the plant over to the parks department of the capital city of British Columbia, being Victoria. Later, William Goddard introduced it to the nursery industry via the floravista nursery in Victoria.
Mike's
Opinion
"
The Picea sitchensis ‘Papoose’ (part of the Pinaceae family) is a slow growing woody evergreen shrub. This plant has sharp ornamentally appealing foliage. Its foliage is silvery-blue on the topside and green (lime in spring) on the underside. The plant is also multi-stemmed with a rounded shape that doesn’t need much pruning. I find plants with a rounded shape to be visually appealing, which is one thing I like about this plant.
Michael Pascoe, NDP., ODH., CLT., MSc. (Plant Conservation)
"
| Genus |
| Picea |
| Species |
| sitchensis |
| Cultivar |
| 'Papoose' |
| Category |
| Woody |
| Type |
| Shrub (evergreen) |
| USDA Hardiness Zone |
| 7 |
| Canadian Hardiness Zone |
| 5b |
| RHS Hardiness Zone |
| H1 - H5 |
| Temperature (°C) |
| (-28) |
| Temperature (°F) |
| (-20) |
| Height |
| 1.5 m |
| Spread |
| 1.5 m |
Photographs
Description and Growing Information
Flowering Period
| General Description |
| The cultivar ‘Papoose’ is a multi-stemmed, slow-growing, evergreen shrub. It has a round growth with silvery blue foliage, and is suited best for general garden use. |
| Landscape |
| Today, landscape uses of this plant include: mass plantings, accent planting, hedge/screen, and to add ornamental value to a garden. |
| Cultivation |
| If one was to cultivate this plant, they would need to plant it in average or evenly moist soils (will not tolerate standing water). It is necessary for the plant to be fully exposed in full sunlight. This plant prefers neutral to acidic soils, and is somewhat urban tolerate, but will benefit the most from being planted in a sheltered location (with a layer of mulch around it during winter). |
| Shape |
| The ‘Papoose’ (when in early stages of growth), grows somewhat upright and as the plant matures it spreads out and forms a round growth shape. |
| Growth |
| Slow |
| ID Characteristic |
| Three key identification characteristics of the ‘Papoose’ are: silvery blue foliage, stiff/sharp needles, and the puffy form of the needles. |
| Pests |
| No major pests or diseases. |
| Habitat |
| Horticultural origin. |
| Bark/Stem Description |
| When young, the bark is light brown with smooth with narrow light brown stems. When mature, the bark and stems turn darker brown and are coarse. |
| Flower/Leaf Bud Description |
| The buds on the plant are reddish-brown, apex rounded and 0.5-1 cm in length. |
| Leaf Description |
| The needles on the ‘Papoose’ are rigid, stiff, and sharp, and are green while being silvery blue on the bottoms. |
| Flower Description |
| Light green clusters of small needles scattered around plant. Rounded in shape. |
| Fruit Description |
| This plant features cylindrical-oblong light green Cones, 6-10 cm long. |
| Colour Description |
| The colour scheme of this plant is: blue-green needles (all year), light grey bark, light green/pale brown cones, and light green blossom like foliage. |
| Texture Description |
| The texture of the needles/foliage on this plant is very fine, setting it apart from most evergreens with coarse textures. |
| Notable Specimens |
| One public garden to view this plant is at the Oregon state university in Corvallis, OR, USA |
| Propagation |
| When it comes to propagation, it is done through seeds. The germination of the seeds is slow. The seeds will benefit from 1-3 months of stratification. The seeds do not need much treatment, but prefer to be planted in moist, well-drained soils with full sun exposure. |
| Ethnobotanical Uses (Disclaimer) |
| The horticultural uses of this plant include: accent plantings, mass plantings, hedges/screens, and general garden ornamental use. |
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