Picea glauca var. albertiana 'Conica,' the ubiquitous dwarf Alberta spruce, is arguably the most commonly planted conifer in the nursery trade. It is a slow, conical growing plant with tight uniform branching holding light-green juvenile foliage. After 10 years of growth, a mature specimen will measure 4 feet (1.3 m) tall and two-thirds as wide, an annual growth rate of around 4 inches (10 cm).
Alfred Rehder and J.G. Jack found the original plant in 1904, growing in the wild in the mountains above Lake Laggan, Alberta, Canada. Occasionally one sees plants tagged as Picea glauca 'Albertiana Conica' which is simply a case of sloppy nomenclature.
