Which blue spruce- baby blue or baby blue eyes?
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5 years agolast modified: 5 years agoIve had 2 baby blue eyes and 10 or so baby blue in the ground about 4 years(one year the local nursery got waaaaaaaay tooo many baby blue(blue is cool blue is cool blue is cool blue is cool blue is cool, and in case you forget blue is cool!)), pulled out the worst looking/greenest ones and sold them for cheap). Baby blue eyes is noticeably denser, at least in these smaller specimens. Baby blue is seed grown and thus there will be some variation bw specimens (Ive observed this is color with some noticeably more green or blue than others). According to the grower in Ontario, Canada, baby blue is a “slightly narrower” version of a basic P. Pungens. Only have one close pic of baby blue eyes and none of baby blue. If it was me, Id get one or two of each. If I had to pic just one, I would pick the baby blue eyes. It seems like one of the older tried and true varieties that has been largely been overlooked in more recent years. The baby blue eyes specimen I planted in the front yard, which is largely shade, has been doing quite well. In time though, who knows as I also like the idea that baby blue will probably be narrower in the long term.
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5 years agolast modified: 5 years agoHere is my best pic of a baby blue (May 29). Note density difference. Hot mess, I know.
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baby blue eyes spruce
Comments (8)There is I believe a huge difference between baby blue and baby blue eyes. The latter I have NEVER been able to see let alone purchase. Baby blue seem a lot more common. But when one goes to Google or "Ask.com" or even tree websites I will bet big money the wrong answers come up for the description of the different type. So there is a lot of confusion out there between the two even amongst so called "experts". As a result I have no clue about the difference. I have planted baby blue which are much bluer and much denser and more uniform in presentation than regular blue spruce. How different they will be in a few years - compared to the baby blue eyes - who knows....See MoreAnyone growing Swallowtail Kite, Baby Blue Eyes, or another blue?
Comments (10)Lynxe, I'm not willing to go overboard becaues I've found that the prices always go down with availability. I'm just looking around right now, and really wanting a blue=ish daylily. I really like the lighter shades shown in the photo above of "buyorsell888." I'm finding it on the 'net for $12, but wondering if I should wait and see if I can find a better one. I'm drooling over "Another Day in Paradise" and "Master of Disguise" (see Blue Ridge Daylilies 2011) -- neither of which is a real blue, but with gorgeous blue markings. I'm thinking I might be able to afford them after about ten years, LOL....See MoreBaby Blue Eyes vs Hoopsii vs Fat Albert
Comments (13)There are also some nice large-ish trees a bit further south in Buckhead. Again, it can be done, but the odds are not good. Many of the trees further north in the southwest mountains of North Carolina, where summer temperatures almost never rise above 85 F (and are usually in the mid to upper 70s) and steep slopes ensure good drainage - even those look ratty. Having said all of that, I have three P. pungens in my own garden. One has been in the ground for four years old and is beginning to show signs of stress, one is three years old and looks great, and one is less than a year old (I only have the latter because it was one of the ACS Conifers of the Year this year). I have lost three other blue spruce, and became a skeptic about this species in our region a while ago. I'm hopeful but not very optimistic (surprise, surprise) about the long-term survival of ones still alive. There is certainly nothing wrong with giving it a shot - I'm a huge fan of experimentation. But experimenting can be expensive and lead to disappointment if expectations aren't tempered. I agree with Sara (in addition to what everyone else has said in this thread) that 'Landscaping with Conifers and Ginkgo for the Southeast' is a great book. in my opinion, if you're going to be serious about conifer gardening in the southeast, you should own a copy....See MoreBaby blue? Baby blue eyes? Which blue spruce is it?
Comments (5)Difficult to tell for sure. Ive got about 12 baby blue and 2 baby blue eyes, all about that size at present. Of my trees (ymmv), the baby blue are definitely more blue while the baby blue eyes are more silvery (like yours). Ignoring the color, my BBE appear to have that form/branching style. .The best way to tell, however, may be how much you paid. The baby blue tend to be about half the price (or less) of the baby blue eyes, at least here in Ohio (where conifers seem to be noticeably cheaper compared to whenever I see prices mentioned from other parts of country on here). Id say if you paid (full price) $70 or more it is prob BBE. $60 or less, probably BB. I got most of my BB on special (they just picked the worst looking ones and marked em down to 10). I like em both and looking forward to seeing variations in the seed grown BB. The BB are also supposed to be narrower which I like....See Morestuartlawrence (7b L.I. NY)
5 years agolast modified: 5 years agoI've had a Baby Blue Eyes for about 5 years. It has really picked up in speed the last few years. It may be a dwarf but my tree has been growing pretty fast the last few years.
Callie thanked stuartlawrence (7b L.I. NY)mazerolm_3a
5 years agoSometimes tags can be very confusing. I bought 2 baby blue last year, and there were two tags on both plants. Here’s a pic. Notice the difference in hardiness zone listed (3b vs 2) and size (6 feet width vs 4 meters). And the one to the left says it’s a semi-dwarf, contrary to what I’ve read on the internet.
I probably planted too close. Doh!
Nancy JP
2 years agolast modified: 2 years ago
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