Picea pungens 'Fat Albert'

RHS Plant Profile
Colorado spruce 'Fat Albert'

Save a plant

Where do you want to save Picea pungens 'Fat Albert'?

Plants I own
Wishlist
Go to My Plants
Colorado spruce 'Fat Albert' visionspictures.com
Award of Garden Merit
Conifers Trees
Buy this from Plant Nurseries
7 Suppliers

A slow-growing, conical evergreen tree to 3.5m high, with scaly, grey bark and dense, ascending branches bearing stiff, pointed, bluish needles. Cylindrical cones are green in summer, ripening to pale brown, and up to 12cm long

Position

Full sun

Soil Types

Chalk, Clay, Loam, Sand

Max Height

2.5-4 metres

Max Spread

1.5-2.5 metres

Size

Time to Maturity
10–20 years
Max Spread
1.5-2.5 metres
Max Height
2.5-4 metres

Growing Conditions

Chalk Clay Loam Sand
Moisture
Moist but well–drained
pH
Neutral or Acid

Position

Full sun
Aspect
South–facing or West–facing
Exposure
Exposed or Sheltered
Hardiness

Hardiness Ratings

All ratings refer to the UK growing conditions unless otherwise stated. Minimum temperature ranges (in degrees C) are shown in brackets

  • H1A: under glass all year (>15C)
  • H1B: can be grown outside in the summer (10 - 15)
  • H1C: can be grown outside in the summer (5 - 10)
  • H2: tolerant of low temperatures, but not surviving being frozen (1 to 5)
  • H3: hardy in coastal and relatively mild parts of the UK (-5 to 1)
  • H4: hardy through most of the UK (-10 to -5)
  • H5: hardy in most places throughout the UK even in severe winters (-15 to -10)
  • H6: hardy in all of UK and northern Europe (-20 to -15)
  • H7: hardy in the severest European continental climates (< -20)
H7

Colour & Scent

Season Stem Flower Foliage Fruit
Spring
Summer
Autumn
Winter

Botanical Details

Family
Pinaceae
Native to GB/Ireland
No
Foliage
Evergreen
Habit
Columnar upright
Genus
Picea are evergreen trees with rigid, needle-like leaves arranged singly all round the shoots, and narrow, leathery-scaled cones borne near the ends of the shoots
Name Status
Accepted

How to Grow

Cultivation

Grow in any deep, moist but well-drained, neutral to acidic soil in full sun. See conifer cultivation for more advice

Propagation

Propagate by grafting in winter

Suggested planting locations and garden types

  • Architectural
  • City and courtyard gardens
  • Coastal
  • Low Maintenance

Pruning

No pruning required. New growth may be trimmed if necessary but it is best not to cut back into older wood

Pests

May be susceptible to adelgids, red spider mite and conifer aphid

Diseases

May be susceptible to honey fungus