Jaro: I just got three of the 'Pruhoniceanas' from Iseli through my local nursery--I think they said they were about 3 feet tall or a bit more, and not cheap. I was told they were the last they had. I think Gee has a few about the same size, and Gee and Arrowhead have small grafts available. I may also try the 'Aarburg' and the 'Rothenhausii'. You are right when you suggest that the 'Pruhoniceana' is somewhat like one end of the range of the variation one sees in the species, but to me it is somewhat beyond the end of that range. In any case, I think many of the regular species NS are outstanding in themselves. Another cultivar of this general type I would like to find is 'Pendula Bohenica." Krussmann has a photo that makes it look something like the 'Pruhoniceana,' but the description makes it sound a bit more irregular. I have been growing for a few years three of the 'Pendula Major.' They look promising but it is too early to tell what they realy are. They are, I think, more like the regular species than the 'Prunoniceana,' but worth a try. Iseli has a photo, but I have my doubts, all due respect to Iseli, that their picture is of a true 'Pendula Major'. If it is, then it is really just like some of the more weeping individuals of the regular species, and worth trying only if you want a specimen NS that has good weeping branchlets. But I suspect it is just a bit more interesting than that. Another P. abies cultivar I am curious about is the 'Pendula Monstrosa.' Krussmann says "similar to 'Pendula Major', but the main branches more pendulous, twigs less luxuriant, needles radially arranged." And one other one that has caught my interest is 'Plumosa'. Krussmann describes it as similar to 'Viminalis', but the long pendulous branches denser. Well, if any of you out there know anything about any of these, and/or know any sources, let me know. --Spruce

For what it's worth, I wanted to share our recent experiences in transplanting a couple of very large conifers. Late September 2006 a friend gave us a very large, old Tsuga canadensis 'Pendula' or similar cultivar, that is probably 7-8' tall, 5-6" caliper, that had to be removed from a property he bought. We dug it out with a backhoe, hauled it about 10 miles on a flatbed trailer, and transplanted it in our yard. The rootball was very shallow, so we dug a very shallow but very large (5-6' wide) bowl-shaped hole to spread out and accomodate all the roots, hand-packed loose soil under, around and over the rootball, created a nice large berm around it, doused it heavily with root stimulator, mulched, and kept well-watered. The transplant was done in early September out of necessity, and the tree has done tremendously. We have been amazed, especially since Hemlock are very hard to get established in our area. About a month ago, we were at our local nursery when we overheard the owner tell several employees to "cut down" a huge Picea pungens 'Globosa', because it had outgrown its space next to their office. The owner told us he personally planted it over 30 years ago. My husband expressed his disbelief to the employees that they would cut down such a specimen, the employees were also hesitant to destroy it, so they hopped on their Bobcat with a forklift attachment, stuck the forklift into the rootball, lifted it out of the soil, and sat it in the backend of our pickup, nearly barerooted. This tree was planted in a foundation bed that had been heavily amended over the years, and the soil was extremely loose. Again, the roots were all very shallow, but widespreading. We brought it home and spent half a day planting it, similar to the Hemlock. It's too soon to tell how this blue spruce will do. By contrast, we have bought quite a few species conifers, all B&B and dug with a tree spade. Huge root balls, but all of the lateral roots were severely cut in the spading process. The bottom 1/2 of the root ball never contains roots. What we have observed in these experiences is that conifer roots tend to spread much more laterally and shallowly, and it would seem to me more important to dig at least to the drip line or a bit beyond, but not necessarily as deep, to make the size of the rootball more manageable and cut fewer roots. I've also come to believe the root stimulator is an important ingredient when transplanting a tree with cut or disturbed roots. As Dave stated, the conventional wisdom is that trees should grow their roots deeply, thus slow deep watering, but this is certainly not what we have been observing over the last several years in conifers. It would have been nearly impossible to move either of these trees without heavy equipment. If you're a strong do-it-yourselfer and have someone strong to help, I would think you could carefully hand-dig the trees, then rent a Bobcat to shallow out your new planting holes and move the trees, provided you have room to maneuver equipment on your property. I agree with Ken that early Fall would be the preferred timing to give the trees more time to establish before the heat and dryness of summer. Go for it!!

David, unfortunately my recent checks about a month ago weren't helpful in identifying this fungal pathogen, so it continues to devastate trees and shrubs. Not just blue spruce trees are affected, but so are maple trees and oaks, and people around here are having many of them cut down. Just last month my two neighbors had 5 of these large trees cut down. Mountain ash trees are dying too. And I'd say that 50% of the white pines in this area (southern New Hampshire) are either dead or in decline from this disease. I don't spray mine since I consider them somewhat of a weed, and mine are slowly and continuously losing needles. I expect them to die within a few years. The good news is that this year I've kept up spraying with Mancozeb every two weeks since May 1st. Every tree and shrub I've sprayed (where my spray can reach the foliage) is very healthy. I'm now also working on my grown son's 4 dying spruce trees to see if I can restart growth on the now bare trunk and on other branches. But don't try a "ground drench" with Propiconazole - I tried that last year and it killed off beneficial ground bacteria, harming the trees & shrubs. Fortunately, they're recovering this year with fertilizer and spraying. Norway spruce and linden trees seem to resist this disease best.

When it comes to Picea abies, most varietals I have had fall more into the "exotics" category - unusual two-tone colors, etc. Anything in the solid yellow or two-tone yellow and green category will definately burn in our direct summer sun. More specifically on Picea abies, I have had good luck in full sun with Pendula as I mentioned before, Acrocona although it did get some sunburn last year, and Pusch. Aurea, Aurea Jacobsen, Gold Drift, and Little Gem all burned badly for me even in part sun. I currently have a Perry's Gold in a mixed shady spot and it is doing well. Engelmanni was mentioned above and Blue Lace seems to do well for me in pretty full sun. Mostly what I'd say about glauca is again avoid anything that pushes color in spring or even fall for that matter since our summer temps go so deep into the fall season. I have had Conica, Daisy White, Jean's Dilly and Rainbow's End all burn badly or die in summer full sun. But Rainbow's End, Blue Wonder, Daisy's White, and Jean's Dilly do pretty well with some protection. I'm also having pretty good luck with my Dent. Omorika - I've done well with Nana as I said above, Pendula Bruns, and Pimoko. I have a young Peve Tjin I added this year that is in part shade. So I'll have to see how it goes. Most all of the orientalis will burn up here if they don't have major protection. And finally Pungens - here's what I have grown and how well they did...... Picea pungens 'Bakeri' - part shade and doing well Picea pungens 'Bizon Blue' - full sun and doing well Picea pungens 'Glauca Procumbens' - part to full sun and doing well Picea pungens 'Glauca Slenderina Pendula' - burned up in full sun Picea pungens 'Globosa' - grown on standard & doing well in full sun Picea pungens 'Hermann Naue' - part sun and doing well Picea pungens 'Hoopsi' - full sun - burned a little on the tips but holding on Picea pungens 'Iseli Snowkiss' - burned up in full sun Picea pungens 'Lutea' - in part shade and doing well Picea pungens 'Maigold' - in part sun and doing well Picea pungens 'Montgomery' - in full sun and doing well Picea pungens 'Rovelli's Monument' - infancy - too early to tell Picea pungens 'Sester's Dwarf' - burned up in full sun Picea pungens 'Spring Blast' - burned up in full sun - trying again in part sun and doing well Picea pungens varietal Glauca - burned up in full sun - but it was also a fairly mature specimen that was in part shade before I transplanted it into full sun Picea pungens 'Walnut Glen' - in part sun and doing well Picea pungens 'Wendy' - in part sun and doing well Hope that helps some....mark