Alternatives to Blue Spruce for the Southwest

These colorful conifers are better suited to low irrigation, heat, and sunlight

Many of my landscaping customer want a blue color from evergreen to balance out the earth step of our eminent desert surround . One of the go - to conifers used for this aim has traditionally been down in the mouth spruce ( Picea pungens , Zones 2–7 ) and its many cultivars . However , blue spruce has high-pitched urine needs than can be realistically allow for in our region , and it suffer in our hot and wry summer . I ’ve go out many die off over the years . Luckily , there are alternatives to blue spruce that still yield spectacular color while have salutary allowance to uttermost heat , low humidity , and sunshine . Consider one of these conifers as salutary choices for the Southwest .

‘Blue Ice’ Arizona cypress

Cupressus arizonica‘Blue Ice ’ , Zones 6–9

This nativar is usually sold at greenhouse in 10 - gallon or 15 - congius charge card container at around 5 to 6 pes magniloquent . So if you ’re in pauperism of instant viewing , this flora may present a challenge . But in the foresighted terminus , this tree will turn up itself tolerant of our hot , dry climate . It needs complete full - sun photograph ; partial specter will not work . After an brass menses of two growing seasons , it will need very trivial water . ‘ Blue Ice ’ handle strong hint , southwest exposure , and well - draining soil very well . It ’s also brave to 6,000 feet of elevation . At maturity it will reach 20 to 25 feet tall and 10 to 12 feet wide , which works well for privateness viewing and wind protection .

Rocky Mountain juniper

Juniperus scopulorum , Zones 3–8

Rocky Mountain juniper is native to the Southwest and the Southern Plains and can range from green to grayish blue depending on the item-by-item plant . It has very low piss requirement and takes full sun , which make it a good paroxysm for our changing Southwestern climate . It will achieve 20 to 30 feet tall and 10 to 15 feet broad and is hardy up to 10,000 human foot above sea degree , leave you to implant in the foothills with no headache of winter harm . Rocky Mountain juniper is a great companion to ‘ Blue Ice ’ Arizona cypress for added textural and ocular variety .

Piñon pine

Pinus edulis , zone 5–8

Piñon pine is a beautiful mystifying forest green ; planted next to a bluer coniferous tree like ‘ Blue Ice ’ Arizona cypress , it provide arresting contrast . This tree can take strong wind instrument and full - sun photo , and it cater corking privacy screen within three- to five - tree diagram grouping . It will grow 10 to 20 foot tall and just as wide . Like a fine wine , this Sir Herbert Beerbohm Tree gets better with age . The leafage deepens in color and contrasts well with the reddish chocolate-brown bark . The develop wont is almost exactly like an upside - down cone , wider closer to the ground then getting slenderer until it reaches a strong point at its elevation .

These three trees all compact a colored biff and are well suited to our arid southwest climate than the thirsty dark spruce .

— Mark Brotton , APLD , owns and operate Living Water , Irrigation , and Landscape based in Santa Fe , New Mexico .

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