Spruce - The Fat Albert Is A Great Member Of Picea Family
The
Fat Albert Spruce is a great
accent tree for a variety of landscapes and
garden settings. The Fat Albert is also known
as
Royal Blue or Picea pungens.
This specie grows well in zones three through
eight in the United States. This is one of my
favorite trees to accent in a
garden project.
The Fat Albert thrives in full sun but can survive
in a few hours of shade. This specie will mature
ten to fifteen feet high, and eight to twelve feet
wide. It is considered a moderately slow grower,
and likes well drained soil. Once the tree is
established, it is a low maintenance specimen.
The needle like leaves are a teal color. In spring,
new growth appears and the needles appearance
changes to a rich two tone teal and lime green.
The Fat Albert is considered a dwarf
of the large 30 to 40 member Spruce family.
They are native to Scandinavia, Canada,
and the United States. Canada grows many of
these varieties commercially. Some of the largest
species of this family can mature up to 200 feet tall.
Some of my clients have a berm or bank, and
I will make a suggestion to plant the Fat Albert Spruce as an accent tree.
This specie also looks striking near rocks.
There are many trees and shrubs that will compliment
the Fat Albert. Incorporating a few other evergreens
in a straight row or staggered planting will create a
color back drop or privacy area.
This Spruce specimen is cold hardy and one of the
reasons it does so well in northern climates. This
is also a great specimen in a
theme colored garden.
The Carolina Sapphire, Blue or Gray Owl Juniper,
as well as the Blue Star Juniper will create a
teal haven for your specific area. Accent your
blue tone outdoor features such as stone, brick,
or furniture with any of these plants.
You can also create a mass of color using the Fat Albert
with some Loropetalums, Rheingold Arborvitaes,
and some variegated Cypress.
The Fat Albert is a sure winner in many
different outdoor settings and will create a
wonderful colorful addition to your outdoor
property.