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Does a Colorado Blue Spruce Have a Tap Root?
Does a Colorado Blue Spruce Have a Tap Root?. Native to the central and southern Rocky Mountains, the Colorado blue spruce (Picea pungens var. glauca) attains an upright, cone-like shape. The attractive blue-green to silvery blue needles make it a popular specimen tree or dwarf conifer choice for cold winter areas.
Native to the central and southern Rocky Mountains, the Colorado blue spruce (Picea pungens var. glauca) attains an upright, cone-like shape. The attractive blue-green to silvery blue needles make it a popular specimen tree or dwarf conifer choice for cold winter areas.
Early Development
According to the U.S. Forest Service, blue spruce trees develop shallow roots after seed germinate, perhaps only 2 to 3 inches deep. This reveals that this tree species grows with a spreading, shallow root system.
Root Types
Many cultivars of Colorado blue spruce exist today, ranging in mature height from over 50 feet to a dwarf, shrub-like 3 to 8 feet. In all cases, mainly horizontal roots occur, although some mature roots may become larger and grow more deeply to anchor the plant. Do not expect a singular, carrot-like root.
Considerations
If the garden soil is fertile and deep, such as 3 feet, expect Colorado blue spruce roots to still grow more horizontally and broadly across the soil profile, but some deeper roots may penetrate downward. In contrast, a shallow topsoil, only 18 inches atop bedrock such as on a mountain slope, leads to far fewer deeply occurring roots.
