Blue Totem Colorado Spruce

Blue Totem Colorado Spruce (Picea pungens 'Blue Totem')

Blue Totem Colorado Spruce is built for tight spaces where you still want a strong evergreen statement. Its narrow, upright form adds height and structure without stealing valuable width from beds, walkways, or driveways. The blue to blue-green needles bring cool contrast that holds through winter, helping the landscape look finished year-round. It is a practical way to add privacy and vertical interest with a clean, low-drama silhouette.

Distinctive Features

This Colorado spruce selection maintains a distinctly columnar habit with ascending branching that stays tight to the trunk. Needles are typically blue to blue-green and create a crisp, composed look in all seasons, especially in full sun. It is slower growing than many standard blue spruce types, which helps it keep a slender footprint as it matures. Expect a mature size commonly around 15 to 20 feet tall and about 3 to 5 feet wide, depending on site conditions and age.

Growing Conditions

• Sun: Full sun is best for strongest color and dense growth.
• Soil: Plant in well-drained soil, and it tolerates many soil types if drainage is reliable.
• Water: Water regularly during establishment, then water deeply during extended drought.
• USDA Zones: Generally hardy in zones 3 to 7.
• Habit: Narrow, upright, columnar evergreen with ascending branches.
• Mature Size: Commonly about 15 to 20 feet tall and 3 to 5 feet wide over time.

Ideal Uses

• Focal Point: Use its tall, narrow silhouette as a vertical accent near an entry, patio, or prominent bed corner.
• Screening: Plant in a staggered row to create a slim privacy screen where space is limited.
• Foundation Planting: Place where a narrow evergreen can add structure without crowding windows or walkways.
• Under Utilities: Use where a compact, upright tree is needed under or near overhead lines.
• Conifer Groupings: Pair with mounding gold and blue conifers to build layered form and year-round contrast.

Low Maintenance Care

• Watering: Deep water weekly through the first growing season, then water as needed during dry stretches.
• Mulching: Apply mulch over the root zone to conserve moisture and moderate soil temperature, keeping mulch off the trunk.
• Pruning: Prune only to remove dead or damaged branches, since the natural columnar shape typically holds well.
• Fertilizing: Fertilize lightly in early spring only if needed, using a slow-release fertilizer for evergreens.
• Pest Monitoring: Watch for spider mites during hot, dry weather and address early if needles begin to dull or stipple.
• Winter Care: Water well in fall and avoid deicing salt splash to help prevent winter needle stress.

Why Choose Blue Totem Colorado Spruce?

• Columnar Form: Adds strong vertical structure while staying narrow, which is ideal for smaller landscapes.
• Blue Needles: Blue to blue-green foliage provides crisp contrast and four-season interest.
• Space Efficiency: Delivers privacy and presence without the wide footprint of many evergreens.
• Cold Toughness: Reliable hardiness supports performance in cold, windy settings.
• Design Versatility: Works as a specimen, screen component, or foundation accent with a clean, composed look.

If you need an evergreen that reads bold but stays slim, Blue Totem Colorado Spruce is an excellent solution. Plant it in full sun with good drainage, keep moisture consistent while it establishes, and let it mature into a long-lived structural element. It is a straightforward way to add privacy, height, and winter presence where every foot of space matters.