Picea glauca'Mac Gold' is a very distinctive pyramidal tree that has bright, yellow-gold needle color on the new growth as it emerges in the spring. Later in the season the bright gold color turns to green with just a hint of yellow in the needles. This plant is very spectacular in the early spring landscape.
After 10 years of growth, a mature specimen will measure 4 feet (1.5 m) tall, an annual growth rate of 1.5 to 3 inches (4 - 8 cm).
Joe Stupka of Pulaski, Pennsylvania selected and named this tree. He discovered it growing in a Christmas Tree Farm owned by Dick McConnell, near Edenburg, Pennsylvania in 1985. The entire tree was dug and moved to Pine Glenn Nursery, near Pulaski, Pennsylvania where the tree still existed in 2009.
This conifer is often seen listed under many names, all permutations on 'Mac Gold.' 'Mac's Gold,' 'Mac's Golden' and 'Mac Golden' are commonly seen. Another "AKA" IS Picea glauca 'McConnell's Gold' which is an attempt to name the plant for Dick McConnell.
Picea glauca 'Mac Gold'
— Green Industry Images; copyrighted photograph; permission granted.
Photo by Ernie Wiegand
Picea glauca 'Mac Gold' — a closeup of foliage detail in early spring.
Photo by Sara Malone
Picea glauca 'Mac Gold' — a stunning mature specimen in a private garden in Petaluma, California. Photo from late April, 2019.
Photo by Sara Malone
Picea glauca 'Mac Gold'
— Green Industry Images; copyrighted photograph; permission granted.
Photo by Ernie Wiegand
Comments
Jimmy Nault
Hi, Iseli says this spruce grows 12 - 15 inches per year and here we say 1.5 - 3 inches, so I'm wondering if this is a dwarf or a large spruce!?
Sara Malone
Hi Jimmy, in my garden this grows about 4" a year. I'm in Mediterranean zone 9b, the tree gets shaded for a few hours in the morning and is in full sun the rest of the day. It's been a very good performer; it produces glorious pale yellow new foliage, which greens up as summer progresses, and the new cones are yellow, too!
Larry H
We live in zone 4 MN. Will the full size Mac's gold be sensitive to winter burn?
Comments
Hi, Iseli says this spruce grows 12 - 15 inches per year and here we say 1.5 - 3 inches, so I'm wondering if this is a dwarf or a large spruce!?
Hi Jimmy, in my garden this grows about 4" a year. I'm in Mediterranean zone 9b, the tree gets shaded for a few hours in the morning and is in full sun the rest of the day. It's been a very good performer; it produces glorious pale yellow new foliage, which greens up as summer progresses, and the new cones are yellow, too!
We live in zone 4 MN. Will the full size Mac's gold be sensitive to winter burn?