Picea pungens 'Bakeri' / Baker's Colorado blue spruce

Picea pungens 'Bakeri' is a large, broadly conical selection of Colorado spruce with long, dark, silvery blue needles. Needles are longer and darker blue than other cultivars within this species. After 10 years of growth, a mature specimen will measure 7.5 feet (2.6 m) tall and 4.5 feet (1.5 m) wide, an annual growth rate of

This cultivar originated as a seedling selected in the late 1920s in Massachusetts and introduced to the nursery trade in 1933 by R. Ellery Baker, manager at Hiti Nurseries, Pomfret, Connecticut, USA.

Picea pungens 'Bakeri' — a large plant seen during the ACS 2004 tour of the Dawes Arboretum in Ohio.
Photo by Ken Church

Comments

Charlie Lapham

We live in the mountains of Southern California. 7,000 ft. 54" of snow a year. Temps in the teens at night. What size Bakers blue spruce should we start with? Also, where can we buy one?

Reply

Maxwell Cohn

I've always found 3 to 5-gallon size plants to have the best value versus quality quotient. I have no idea where to buy one. It's a very common plant ... best bet is to go to your favorite garden center and have them special order one for you.

Reply

Thomas LeKaunas

We are currently looking to purchase a few of these. You can purchase at "The Tree Center" or "Nature Hills" online. Nature Hills currently has them in sock in a # 5 container but they can not say how tall it actually will be. It's growth rate is 6-12" annually and a #5 container according to Nature Hills is 3-5 years old.

Reply