Picea abies 'Elegantissima' is a large, upright, strongly growing selection of Norway spruce with a a creamy flush of new foliage in spring that later fades to white dusting on the upper branch surfaces by summer. After 10 years of growth, a mature specimen will measure 7.5 feet (2.5 m) tall and 4 feet (1.3 m), an annual growth rate of 8 to 10 inches (20 - 25 cm).
This cultivar originated as a seedling selection in 1867 by C. de Vos Nursery, Hazerswoude, The Netherlands. Welch and Haddow in, The World Checklist of Conifers suggest that it is no longer in cultivation in Europe, but several growers in the U.S. are producing it. In the Latin language, "elegantissima" translates into "very elegant." Apparently, the de Vos family believed it to be more elegant than the spruce selected by Knight and Perry.
