Description
Latin: Picea glauca densata
Zones: 2-6
Other common names: Black Hills Spruce
Mature Height/spread: 75 ft high/ 15-25 ft. spread.Grows into a pyramidal shape. Slow growth rate (less than 12″ per year).
Soil / Climate: Tolerates a wide variety of soil types.
Notes: Black Hills Spruce is a strain of white spruce originally found in the black hills of South Dakota. Needle color runs darker than standard white spruce. Excellent dense growth for windbreak or Christmas trees.
Wildlife: Winter shelter for wildlife. Squirrls will eat the buds. Spruce grouse eat the needles. The seed is eated by a variety of woodpeckers, pheasant, and many other varieties of birds.
Cold Stream Farm supplies Black Hills Spruce trees which are grown as bare root seedlings and transplants and sold both wholesale and retail with no minimum order
Additional information on Picea glauca densata can be found on the link: USDA / NRCS PLANTS Database
Vickie Eberth –
We planted 8 of these at our country home, which had clay soil and seemed to be in a wind vortex year round. Sold the home two years later, but when we drive by we are amazing how well this variety of tree has performed. Was not our first choice, but glad it was what we settled on.