Google gave me inconsistent, non descrip results about its leader tendency. It appears its quite variable so I'll have to go with worst case on the placement (vs a tight spot where I need more of an arrow with pendulous branches) You're decription (like the image below) makes more sense if its a side sport of 'Glauca Pendula'. Image courteous of Iseli

Will(right?), these questions are difficult to answer because they vary wildly based on climate. I had a specimen of gold-flushing picea orientalis last season that stayed gold all year after flushing gold(and is still gold), whereas I know of specimens in the Midwest that turned green in 3-4 weeks after flushing gold. Many of my gold-flushing conifers are muted here compared to the Midwest, but they stay that color longer - sometimes 2-3X's as long. My 'Taylor's Sunburst' still had gold-hues near the 4th of July last year. As for the blueness of the needles, I personally don't find too much difference between 'Spring Blast' and 'Gebelle's Golden Spring', as illustrated in the first set of photos. They both seem perhaps a little less blue then blue-flushing picea pungens, but indistinguishable between themselves. For me it would be simple - price and availability. A local nursery here had a huge 'Gebelle's Golden Spring', something like 10 years old, and if I was buying today, I might be tempted to get that instead of a small two year graft. -Will

Dax, your right! It was some of your old posts that got me trying to track down this cultivar. I searched high and low to find it, but it had a typo on Bob's website, so I only ever found a few international examples of it. Basically gave up hope of acquiring it until recently David Resavage posted this insane photo of his 8yr old 'Blue Angel' and let me know Bob had it for sale this fall... Needless to say, I re-arranged my ordering plans and send Bob a request for one! Full credit on this photo goes to David Resavage (originally posted on facebook), but I wanted to share this image will everyone to show how exceptional this cultivar is. Anyone have any additional details on growth rates? At 8 years, it seems to be much slower growth than 'Bush's Lace'.

If I remember well,the original plant was spotted by Mr. Bush in a X-Mas tree plantation. He took some cuttings and when he returned the next day to get some more, the tree had been cut and was no longer there. If these P. engelmannii were seed-grown by the thousands, could it not have been a mutant or odd-ball in the same way as were at one time the pendulous Cedars ( libani sp and ssp and also deodara ) or the incredible Picea glauca 'Conica'(this one as a naturally sown tree) - to name just a few . All it takes is the right person(s) at the right time at the right place! It may be interesting to note that the 'Glauca' forms of P. engelmannii sold in this country also often display a pendulous habit. Check 'em out on google ! T.