Colorado Spruce — Picea pungens

Picea is Latin for pitch pine, now used for spruce; pungens means piercing or sharp-pointed. High altitude and bright light give members of this species the gray-blue cost in ks leaves. The blue is actually a deposit or bloom which rubs off. Despite the common name, Colorado cannot claim this species as its own for it is native to the Rocky Mountains from Wyoming south into New Mexico. It is, however, the State tree of Colorado and much desired for residential and commercial landscapes.

In Colorado, it will be found along streams and moist, shadedgullies up to 9,500’ elevation where it intermingles with another native, Englemann spruce (Picea engelrnanni). From seed it can be quite variable in color from bright green to silvery blue. Grafted selections such as ‘Koster’ blue, maintain a constant foliage hue. Note, however, that the blue color is less prominent on older needles. This is because the color comes from a “bloomy” wax that weathers away with age. Note also that the branching habit may vary from weeping to upright — another seedling variation controlled by genetical differences.

The needles of Colorado spruce are stiff, sharply- pointed and almost at right angles to the stem. Needles usually stay on for about 12 years. The buds appear in winter to be dried and dead because the outer scales reflex backward, giving them a jagged appearance. The cones are normally present only at the top of the tree. They vary from 21,4” to 4” long and have thin, ragged edges (termed erose).

Other locations in Denver

Everywhere.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Colorado_Spruce