Picea glauca Dendrofarma Gold - White Spruce

Picea glauca 'Dendrofarma Gold' forms a delightful dwarf bush with a distinctly globose habit, spreading and flattening into a dome shape over time. Its young golden foliage is composed of short, upright needles. Combined with its compact ball-like habit, its unique colour, and slightly "grainy" texture, it makes it a charming and bright small conifer. Its slow growth rate and small size allow it to fit well in rock gardens, borders, or even in pots. It thrives in sunny positions and fertile, well-drained soil.

Picea glauca, also known as White Spruce, Canadian Spruce, or Blue Spruce, is an evergreen conifer belonging to the Pinaceae family, native to Canada. In its natural environment, it grows slowly and can reach a height of 25m (82ft). This species is traditionally used for paper production. It can live for many years (200 years or more).

The 'Dendrofarma Gold' variety, derived from this species, is a dwarf and unique form. It has a compact rounded-conical habit, with slow growth; it grows 2 to 4cm (1 to 2in) per year and reaches 60 to 70cm (24 to 28in) after many long years; it will not exceed 30 to 40cm (12 to 16in). It produces short and tightly-packed branches, covered with quadrangular spines arranged in dense and slightly irregular brushes, which are very short, very sharp, and aromatic. Its young spring shoots are a bright and luminous golden yellow, then its foliage takes on a slightly more acidic green hue. Occasionally, longer branches covered with green foliage may appear; they should be removed to maintain the plant's habit and colour. The root system of white spruces is shallow, highly branched, and spreading, making them difficult to transplant when mature and particularly sensitive to wind.

'Dendrofarma Gold' is easy to grow and is perfect for rock gardens and terraces. It can be left to grow in a ball shape, or pruned to form a small tree on a stem with a rounded crown. It is well-suited to container gardening. This globular plant pairs well with large stones, geometric lines, and masonry works. It can be planted in groups of 3 or 5 plants, and paired with dwarf conifers with a columnar, upright, or prostrate habit (for example, Juniperus horizontalis 'Blue Chip'). Its golden colour blends well with red foliage (Photinia fraseri 'Little Red Robin') or purple foliage (Pittosporum tenuifolium 'Purpureum').