Blue Spruce Trees -Not a Good Choice in Milan Pa.

Blue spruce trees have been reported to be suffering from the Blue Spruce Rust in the Milan Pa. area. This Rust is difficult to control. For this reason alone I would suggest that you NOT plant the Blue Spruces. If my farm were run like a democracy and one man one vote applied for whether we should plant or sell Colorado Blue Spruce, the vote would 100% against the Blue Spruce Tree. The Blue Spruce also known as Picea pungens Engelm is noted for being majestic, stately, with its silver blue color and symetricle form. Its color can range from blue to green. The color variations are genetic traits of the tree. For uniform color from tree to tree one should use grafted cuttings, which command premium prices. The Blue Spruce is widely planted througout the US because it is tolerant to a variety of site conditions. It has good drought, wind, and cold tolerance. The Blue Spruce finds uses such as wind breaks and as an ornamental in landscape designs. Deer don't prefer to eat these trees unless they are very hungry. Now you would think that this tree would get our vote. But my boys hate to work with these trees because they can be brutal on transplanting. Like wrestling with a porkupine! You can see more of Bill's plant talk at his web site http://www.seedlingrus.com