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Hybrid Alberta-Norway?

3 years ago

The good part is that I think it looks cool, the bad part is that I am anticipating this specimen to quickly outgrow its location because of its mixture. Never seen this before in any Alberta Spruce I have bought in the past. Anyone else come across this before? I suppose I could trim it down?

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whaas_5a

3 years ago

This is just the plant sick of looking ugly!

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Comments (16)

PRO
David Olszyk, President, American Conifer Society
3 years ago
that's a mother of a reversion! This happens all the time. Nothing but adult foliage of Picea glauca expressing itself.
thetman
Original Author
3 years ago
white spruce? new species for my yard then. Either way its gonna get bigger than I want. But still very interesting
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White pine would have soft needles in groups of 5. The plant in the picture looks like a spruce (with each needle arising singly from a peg-like structure). Would guess Norway Spruce but since you have White Spruce (Alberta) that is a possibility as well.
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Here's that picture of a rooted Spruce branch. I will have to explain the picture. I bought what was sold to me as a 'Birdnest Spruce'. Right away it developed a leader and then I noticed it had been trimmed to look like a Birdnest Spruce when it was actually a seedling. A rip off to be sure! I let it grow for a number of years, but when it grew large enough to obstruct the view over the bluff, I cut it down. That's when I noticed one of the lowest branches had rooted in the soil. I let it grow, and it is now about a meter tall. Part of the branch closest to the original tree suffered some dieback from injury. (Sun or foot traffic) You can see the original trunk in the foreground and the rooted branch in the background Mike
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You might find some bargins in the 50% off lot sale at Minors. Otherwise things are looking pretty thin. Johnson's would be the next best choice for availability...they are expensive but not as expensive as Hawks. This is what I have... Picea pungens 'Gebelle's Golden Spring' - 18" Acer palmatum 'Sango Kaku' - 6' tall (~7 gallons) Aesculus glabra 'Fallred' - 12" (seedling) Aesculus turbinata - 18" (seedling) Aesculus turbinata pubescens - 18" (seedling) Cornus kousa 'Samzam' - 5' tall (~7 gallons) Cladrastis kentukea - 18" tall (seedling) Halesia carolina - 12" tall (seedling) Maackia amurensis - 6" tall (seedling) Maackia chinenis - 6" tall (seedling) Taxodium distichum - 2' tall (~5 gallons)
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PRO
David Olszyk, President, American Conifer Society
3 years ago
it was also a white spruce before it reverted.
thetman thanked David Olszyk, President, American Conifer Society
conifer50
3 years ago
At this late date the surprise is long over! I used to photograph this occurrence but it's

now to commonplace.

Johnny
ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5
3 years ago
i see this quite often around town on older plants ... very common ...

Picea glauca .. the telephone pole tree ... just look at that annual growth rate ...

ken

https://www.coniferousforest.com/white-spruce.htm
thetman thanked ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5
gardengal48 (PNW Z8/9)
3 years ago
This has always been one of my favorite examples of an Alberta spruce reversion.

Did they not notice what was happening?? LOL!!
thetman thanked gardengal48 (PNW Z8/9)
maackia
3 years ago
Is it more problematic to remove conifer reversion than something like variegated Norway maple?
thetman
Original Author
3 years ago
funny I never heard of this occurrence before. But now that I have, I have been reading up on it. Interesting reading for sure. So yeah, I think I'll give it a good trimming before it gets out of hand. I only wish I had planted it in a more spacious location. I would have loved to see how it turned out. It would have made for a great conversation piece.
plantkiller_il_5
3 years ago
last modified: 3 years ago
Yah , you could tell everyone , look what a piece of junk my plant turned into

ron
thetman
Original Author
3 years ago
last modified: 3 years ago
Art is subjective I guess. Most people are not schooled in depth about conifers. I think some would have found it interesting. It was a $20 plant from Home depot. I'm not upset by it.
Sherry8aNorthAL
3 years ago
last modified: 3 years ago
The drought got mine last year. I need to get another, but will wait until fall. I had it out front and put miniature lights on at Christmas. Yours just made it's own star at the top of the tree!

ETA: Yes, I know they don't really do well here, but nothing else fits in the corner I had it in.
steve duggins(Z6a) - Central Ohio
3 years ago
One man's junk . . . I think it looks cool. I'd definitely prune it to keep it in bounds for as long as possible. I'm not fond of DAS so that may be why I like it.
thetman
Original Author
3 years ago
trimmed it up. back to looking normal. I think it will survive just fine. Now just a plain-Jane Alberta
plantkiller_il_5
3 years ago
it had a virus
indianagardengirl
3 years ago
I think you could certainly call that a crown...

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