Introductory
SPECIES: Picea pungens | Blue Spruce 



ABBREVIATION : 
PICPUN

SYNONYMS : 
   Picea parryana Sarg.
   Picea commutata Horton


SCS PLANT CODE : 
   PIPU


COMMON NAMES : 
   blue spruce
   Colorado blue spruce
   Colorado spruce
   silver spruce
   pino real


TAXONOMY : 
The currently accepted scientific name of blue spruce is Picea pungens
Engelm. [68,125].  It is a member of the pine family (Pinaceae).  There
are no recognized subspecies, varieties, or forms.

Blue spruce does not readily hybridize with other conifers [105].
Throughout its range, it occurs with Engelmann spruce (Picea engelmannii
Parry), but few if any natural hybrids are ever produced [22,105].
Artificial crosses have produced small amounts of seed with low (0.3
percent) germination [34,46].  Blue spruce, Engelmann spruce, and white
spruce (Picea glauca) are sympatric in the Sweetgrass Hills of
north-central Montana.  Putative hybrids among all three spruce species
have been reported [113].

Approximately 38 horticultural varieties of blue spruce have been
developed [37,122].


LIFE FORM : 
Tree

FEDERAL LEGAL STATUS : 
No special status

OTHER STATUS : 
NO-ENTRY


COMPILED BY AND DATE : 
Diane S. Pavek, May 1993


LAST REVISED BY AND DATE : 
NO-ENTRY


AUTHORSHIP AND CITATION : 
Pavek, Diane S. 1993. Picea pungens. In: Remainder of Citation

Related categories for Species: Picea pungens | Blue Spruce