Woody > Picea > Picea pungens > Picea pungens 'Iseli Fastigiate'
Picea pungens
'Iseli Fastigiate'
Columnar Blue Spruce, Colorado Spruce, Iseli Fastigiate Colorado Spruce
Origin: Horticultural origin.
Mike's
Opinion
"
With its attractive colour and dense foliage, this tree acts as a lovely specimen while not occupying too much space. With the needles at the shoot tips being shorter than those at the base; it gives the tree a pleasing, unique, aesthetic look. Its tolerance to drought, pollution, salt and warmer climates compared to other cultivars of this species makes P. pungens ‘Iseli Fastigiate’ an overall great tree to add to the landscape.
Michael Pascoe, NDP., ODH., CLT., MSc. (Plant Conservation)
"
| Family |
| Pinaceae |
| Genus |
| Picea |
| Species |
| pungens |
| Cultivar |
| 'Iseli Fastigiate' |
| Category |
| Woody |
| Type |
| Tree (evergreen) |
| Pronunciation |
| USDA Hardiness Zone |
| 3 - 7 |
| Canadian Hardiness Zone |
| 3b - 7a |
| RHS Hardiness Zone |
| H7 |
| Temperature (°C) |
| -37 - (-15) |
| Temperature (°F) |
| -35 - 5 |
| Height |
| 9 - 15 m |
| Spread |
| 3 - 6 m |
Photographs
Description and Growing Information
Flowering Period
| General Description |
| Upright-pyramidal conifer with dense, attractively coloured foliage. Synonymous with ‘Iseli Foxtail’. |
| Landscape |
| Typically used as a specimen tree and also serves as a suitable and attractive wind break. |
| Cultivation |
| This plant is best cultivated in full sun and prefers rich, moist soils but does have some tolerance of drought, air pollution and salt. It prefers colder climates but tends to grow better in warmer climates than most P. pungens cultivars. |
| Shape |
| A broad, fastigiate-pyramidal form with dense foliage. |
| Growth |
| Medium |
| ID Characteristic |
| Branches grow with the needles at the tips being smaller than those at the base. A look similar to that of a fox's tail. |
| Pests |
| Susceptible to spruce canker and rust, and be careful of spruce gall aphids, budworms, spider mites, and scales. |
| Habitat |
| Horticultural origin. |
| Bark/Stem Description |
| Rough and unattractive, grey in colour. |
| Flower/Leaf Bud Description |
| Approximately 50 mm long, broadly conical with blunt tips that are yellow-brown in colour, arranged in whorls. |
| Leaf Description |
| Blue-green needles that are 2–3 cm in length, with the needles at the shoot tips being shorter than those at the base. |
| Flower Description |
| Monoecious with separate male (orange in colour) and female (green-purple in colour) strobili. |
| Fruit Description |
| Ovoid, light yellow-brown or tan coloured cones approximately 6–12 cm in length with paper scales that have a truncated edge. |
| Colour Description |
| Attractive green-blue foliage with grey bark and tan coloured cones. |
| Texture Description |
| Rough bark with dense, medium textured needles. |
| Notable Specimens |
| The Gardens of Fanshawe College, London, Ontario, Canada, Royal Botanical Gardens, Burlington, Ontario, Canada, and Whistling Gardens, Wilsonville, Ontario, Canada. |
| Propagation |
| Graft onto the understock of either P. pungens or P. abies in early winter. |
References
Dirr, Michael A. Manual of Woody Landscape Plants. Champaign, IL: Stipes Publishing, 2009. Print.
Gilman, E. "Picea pungens ‘Iseli Foxtail’ ‘Iseli Foxtail’ Colorado Spruce." University of Florida. N.p., Oct 1994. Web. 6 Mar 2012.
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