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Picea pungens 'Gebelle's' Golden Spring

laceyvail 6A, WV

15 years ago

I'm thinking of ordering this spruce from Klehm's, which has a mouthwatering picture of it in their catalog. The spot I'd place it in would be a distance focal point from my house, and would be a stand out in spring. Klehm's suggests full sun, but this would be afternoon shade.

I'd like to hear what the conifer experts have to say about the plant. And the spot I'm planning to put it.

Thanks.

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Comments (7)

ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5
15 years ago
all yellow tissued plants are aided by a LITTLE shade during the heat of the day .... or by some shade in the winter sun ...

whether or not your spot .. in your garden provides sufficient sun for proper vigor.. is unanswerable with words ...

there is deep shade.. high shade.. etc ...

shade does not equal shade ...

and frankly.. you wont really know until you try ...

is this a yellow pungens.. or one that buds out yellow and then goes solid????

ken
laceyvail 6A, WV
Original Author
15 years ago
Thanks for your quick response, Ken. This is one that buds out yellow and then turns solid. Or at least that's how it's described in the catalog. The shade is high afternoon shade, but open to the north. I think I'm going to give it a try.
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PlantMarker, I purchased 'Gebelle's Golden Spring' last year from Klehm's Songsparrow and was pleased with the size and health of the plant. They have it in their catalog again this year. I don't have 'Golden Feathers' yet, so I'll be curious to hear if anyone has seen it on any mail-order lists. I got 'Spring Ghost' at Collector's Nursery a couple of years ago when it was still open. Good luck with your hunt. Dan Here is a link that might be useful: Songsparrow
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Yep Ken, 'Tom Thumb' is correctly labeled as 'Tom Thumb Gold'. Also, from what I understand and the images I've seen, 'Gold Rush' grows at a rate of about 8" a year avg. They also tend to be closer to fastigate then wide spreading, so I expect it will be covering part of the bench there, but not overwhelming the entire patio for a long long time. Frankly, the rock garden behind it gets too much sun as is, even some of the 'full sun' specimens behind it get occasional burn these days. I also plan on doing some very careful yet creative pruning over the years to help everything co-exist as well as possible. I think a bit like Dave, I lean often towards the now, or 'soon', rather then twenty years. There's plenty of time to move things that apparently are going to be too big or broad down the road. Will
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trailer load???? from CK to a local seller.... boy that is fortuitous .... plus if so .. then you have more to choose from soon enough.. lol ... i am just interested in options... ignore such if there is some secret squirrel info that should not be made public ... lol ... or did you contact a trucking firm.. etc ... if you could site it with just a little shade.. in the heat of the say .. then you MIGHT prolong to show .... i have a bunch of the wild color pungens... some cool springs.. the color last a week to two ... they are simply in slow motion ... other years.. they flush out when its 80ish ... and the show might only last a few days .... its really hit an miss.. and you better be poised with the camera so as to not miss it ... but all that said... shade isnt going to change all that very much.. as it is air and soil temps that change the equation .. trigger growth ... more than sunshine hitting the tissue.. because one might suggest.... unless its hot anyway ... etc.. a vicious circle ... [in the extreme.. they should bud out in mid winter.. if sunshine is the trigger for lush growth.. and we know that isnt the case] ken
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All, thanks for the comments! Matt, thanks for the clarification. I pruned out a few appressive shoots last fall to help keep in check. Color combo is impressive. Alex, the blue globe is the infamous 'Globosa'. Common as grass but still one of my favorites as it maintains the blue on older needles.
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ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5
15 years ago
pungens is nearly bullet proof in my z5 ...

going all solid increases its ability to produce food [chlorophyll] .... and handle winter much easier ....

i dont know about mail order this time of year .... it might be to your advantage to pay for overnight .... or two day ...

i dont know if i would plant it in july/august .... presuming you are going to order it ... all depends on your level of ability to keep it properly watered.. either in the pot or in the ground... know how to do that?????

i have posted a couple hundred pix of these types of pungens a month or so back .. you should still be able to see the pix ... somewhere down the list ....

i have two blue pungens in absolute full shade .... on hosta irrigation ... pure mineral sand ... they do just fine in shade... growing 1/2 to 1/3 of normal growth rates ... which is just fine with me.. for where they are ...

GO FOR IT!!!!!!!

ken
picea
15 years ago
I have talked to 2 experts and both had very good things to say about that plant. Both said it looked great in the sping but was also a nice looking spruce the rest of the year.

David
gardener365
15 years ago
You should buy one. I'm treating myself to a replacement of a Larix kaempferi 'Blue Rabbit' I lost due to drought.

This is a new nursery who are a couple of guys with access to one or more of the Ohio arboreta. Check em out everybody.

I'm having trouble linking the site. Here's the info:
Yellowwood Rare Plants
https://www.yellowwoodrareplants.com/Home_Page.html

Dax
laceyvail 6A, WV
Original Author
15 years ago
Thanks everyone for your helpful comments. And, Ken, I'm requesting October delivery. I'd never attempt mail order this time of year.
bluespruce53
15 years ago
Dax, Rich Larson from Dawes is one of the owners of Yellowwood Rare Plants,he is starting to propagate and stock some very nice stuff.

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