Birds Nest vs Blue Nest Spruce

13 years ago

Do either work in full sun or full shade or do they require part sun? Have some full sun, part sun, full shade areas that I would like to use these. The websites vary greatly - looking for people that have tried these.

Any preferences in appearance between the two?

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Comments (2)

gardener365
13 years ago
You're gonna need mostly sun to grow these. Any period of 4 hours of direct sun, equals "full sun." If grown in dappled light all day - that won't be enough sunlight, either. They'll become very ratty, probably within three or four years. For dappled light, you might grow Picea engelmanii cultivars or certain cultivars of Picea, such as:
Picea orientalis Silver Seedling
Picea abies Tom Thumb (Gold)
Picea glauca 'Conica' cultivars... 'Rainbow's End' 'Sander's Blue', all of these.

Hemlock
Yew
Podocarpus
Thuja occidentalis and Platycladus orientalis

full shade:
yew
hemlock

Dax
ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5
13 years ago
shade is impossible to describe by words .... some shade will make your glasses dark .. other shade is like a grotto ...

every conifer has an annual growth rate ... e.g. a juniper that will grow 6 inches per year ... which would be in full sun ....

as you decrease the intensity of the sunlight thru shade... you will reduce vigor .. which means the growth rate ... you will also.. most likely end up with a sparser plant.. rather than full and robust ...

nothing will really die in shade [leaving out the dark grotto] .. it just might not perform to your expectations ..

sooooo .... find something you like.. that fits the spot.. and give it a try .... and if it works it works.. and if it doesnt.. move it ...you will know within a few years ...

ken
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Well I've partly figured out my own question though I would still value input. I googled that Mugo Pine is very hard to determine how big its going to get unless you know a lot about the source. The plant tag I have is very generic. So I guess I would rather not risk it on the south side even though it might not be as hardy for the north side (where there is more room) but thats where one of them is going to go. Not sure where to put the other. Birds nest spruce does not seem open enough for bird use and size can also be pretty variable even when you have a tag that gives a latin name. Hopefully its not too sunny, hot and windy/exposed on the south for it. Unfortunately yew's are great for that, birds love to hide inside yews, but I don't want one.
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well??? others might argue.. but frankly.. in my experience.. and dad has had them around forever.... if it wasnt bald in the middle... it wouldnt be called a nest ... lol and its a function of maturity .. as it expands out.. its natural inclination ... it leaves the middle bare ... wait until lit fully flushes out .. snip out any totally dead nubs .... and try to convince yourself.. it looks cool that way ... and if you cant deal with it.. time for them to go ... i wonder if they are in full sun.. that close to the house .. and if not.. that might be a complicating factor ... i do NOT believe it is bug nor disease ...and besides the cleanup.. there is nothing you can do about it ... other than divest.... ken
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Birds Nest vs Blue Nest Spruce

Comments (2)

gardener365

ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5

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