Picea abies 'Spring Fire' / Spring Fire Norway spruce

Picea abies 'Spring Fire' is an irregular-globose, miniature selection of Norway spruce with tight branching and dense foliage that presents a special spring display. Depending on the spring temperatures, 'Spring Fire' flushes fiery red new foliage. If the spring is cool and wet, the display may last up to two weeks. It's also possible for the effect to last only a matter of hours before the fresh needles start darkening to muddy brown and finally green.

After 10 years of growth, a mature specimen will measure 4 inches (10 cm) tall and wide, an annual growth rate of 0.4 inch (1 cm).

This cultivar originated as witch's broom found in the early 2000s on a specimen of P. abies 'Cruenta' at Iseli Nursery, Boring, Oregon, USA. This conifer is one of the rarest and most desirable plants in the trade.

Picea abies 'Spring Fire' — the original witch's broom in the Jean Iseli Memorial Garden.
Photo by PinusLibrary.ru
Picea abies 'Spring Fire' — a closeup of foliage detail as it starts to mature in spring.
Photo by Iseli Nursery, Inc.
© Iseli Nursery
Picea abies 'Spring Fire' — a young specimen in "full bloom."
Photo by Henk van Kempen

Comments

Elizabeth

Does anyone know from where or whom I can purchase Picea abies 'Spring Fire'?

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Maxwell Cohn

Hi Elizabeth ... Conifer Kingdom may have it, but in such low numbers, you'd have to ask.

Iseli had it going for a while, but it really didn't sell well for them, so they dropped it. We were able to auction a few of these during conferences after our friends at Iseli donated them.

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