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InsightHorizon Digest

How fast does a Fat Albert spruce grow

Author

Joseph Russell

Updated on April 08, 2026

‘Fat Albert’ is noted for its (a) dense, broad, upright pyramidal shape (a perfect cone), (b) closely-spaced, ascending branches and (c) steel blue needle color. Grows slowly (12″+ per year) to 10-15′ tall (typically 10′ by 7′ in 10 years).

How big does a Fat Albert spruce tree get?

Botanical PronunciationPY-see-a PUN-jenz GLAW-kaAverage Size at MaturityGrows 10 to 15 ft. tall and wide in 10 years; 40 ft. tall, 20 ft. wide in time.Bloom TimeConifer; prized for foliage.

How can I make my spruce tree grow faster?

Sprinkle a fertilizer around the base of the tree. Use a 10-8-6 quick-release formulation during April, May, June or early July. Between July 15 and October 15, choose a slow-release 10-8-6 fertilizer instead, so that you do not encourage too much growth before winter.

How far apart do you plant Fat Albert trees?

  1. 10-15 Feet.
  2. 10-12 Feet.
  3. Spacing: 10-12′

How many inches does a spruce tree grow per year?

While the majority of these coniferous tree species have a fairly unremarkable average growth rate (between 6 inches and 11 inches per year), the Sitka spruce (Picea sitchensis), Norway spruce (Picea abies) and Colorado blue spruce (Picea pungens glauca) are renowned for their extraordinarily fast rates of growth.

How do you prune a Fat Albert Spruce?

Pruning not needed until the tree reaches the size you’ve given it. Then wait until the season’s new shoots have grown by late spring and trim off nearly all of that growth to maintain the size.

How much water does a Fat Albert Spruce need?

Fat Albert is a hardy evergreen tree of more compact size, making it ideal for smaller gardens and container plantings. Watering Needs: Needs regular watering – weekly, or more often in extreme heat. Average landscape size: Reaches 10-12 ft. tall in a few years; 40′ ft.

Do Fat Albert Spruce have pine cones?

Its cones are oblong in shape, usually between 2 and 4 feet long, and begin green but grow to become brown. The tree, native to North America, can grow only in full sun, though it can handle dry and moist growing conditions.

How do you plant a Fat Albert Spruce tree?

Fat Albert Blue Spruce will grow just fine in silt loam and clay soils as long as the soil does not stay soggy for extended periods. Be sure to plant Fat Albert Blue Spruce in an area with lots of sunshine and air movement.

What is a Fat Albert blue spruce?

A variety of Colorado Blue Spruce, Fat Albert is a popular tree for colder regions, thriving in zones 2-8. It grows upright, with full branches radiating horizontally from the ground for a striking shape. Its branches feature dense needles in a rich silver-blue, making the tree stand out in your lawn or garden.

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Which spruce trees grow the fastest?

The fastest-growing spruce tree, according to the Arbor Day Foundation, is the triangular-shaped Norway spruce (Picea abies), which is part of many suburban home and rural farm landscapes throughout Europe, the United States and Canada.

Can you speed up tree growth?

Boosting tree growth involves pruning young shade trees only once every two years to avoid the potentially stunting effects of removing too many leaves from the canopy. Remove dead, damaged and diseased limbs when pruning as well as any that crowd each other, rub against each other or grow back towards the trunk.

What is the fastest-growing evergreen tree for privacy?

Which evergreens grow the fastest? Eastern white pine and green giant arborvitae are some of the fastest-growing evergreens. Each add on about 2 feet every year!

How long does it take a spruce tree to grow to maturity?

The Colorado blue spruce grows at a slow to medium rate, according to the Arbor Day Foundation, although it picks up a bit as it gets older. This blue spruce grows from 12 to 24 inches a year. So it will require 30 to 60 years for a Colorado blue spruce to grow from seed to 60 feet tall.

What Tree Grows Fastest?

  • Quaking Aspen. …
  • October Glory Red Maple. …
  • Arborvitae Green Giant. …
  • River Birch. …
  • Dawn Redwood. …
  • Leyland Cypress. …
  • Paper Birch. …
  • Pin Oak. A large shade tree that quickly reaches its 70 foot height with an average growth rate of 2.5 feet per year.

How much is a 6 foot blue spruce?

Colorado Blue Spruce – InstalledHeight in feetPrice eachMinimum order5 – 6$159.95 each10 trees6 – 7$179.95 each10 trees7 – 8$199.95 each10 trees

How often should I water a newly planted spruce tree?

When to water Newly planted trees or shrubs require more frequent watering than established trees and shrubs. They should be watered at planting time and at these intervals: 1-2 weeks after planting, water daily. 3-12 weeks after planting, water every 2 to 3 days.

Why are my newly planted evergreens turning brown?

If you have brown evergreens, the most likely culprit is drought from late last summer compounded by drought stress from previous dry summers, say two plant specialists at Montana State University. … The first symptoms of drought injury, especially in spruce, is a bronzing or purpling of the foliage.

How fast do Norway spruce grow?

The Norway Spruce is a fast growing (2-3′ per year) evergreen that has dark green needles that are 1 inch long, and can grow up to 5 ft a year in a good weather year. It never drops its needles but keeps them on for up to 10 years.

Is spruce in the pine family?

Spruce belongs to the genus of coniferous evergreen trees of the pine family. There are about 40 species.

Are there miniature blue spruce trees?

Blue Wonder Blue Spruce (Picea glauca ‘Blue Wonder’): This sweet little spruce is winter hardy down to -40 degrees F. It has beautiful blue-gray foliage and a lovely compact form. This dwarf evergreen is an excellent alternative to dwarf Alberta spruce and it looks great in winter container plantings, too.

What is the smallest blue spruce?

Our favorite small evergreen tree is the Baby Blue Eyes Spruce. While not a true dwarf ornamental, the Baby Blue Eyes Spruce tree is the closest thing to a dwarf evergreen tree on the market today. A typical Colorado Blue Spruce will grow 50-75 feet tall and 20 feet wide.

How fast does a Colorado blue spruce grow?

Growth Rate This tree grows at a slow to medium rate, with height increases of anywhere from less than 12″ to 24″ per year.

Is Bakeri blue spruce the same as Baker?

Bakeri is a semi-dwarf cultivar of the Colorado Blue Spruce. Silvery-blue needles are larger and have more consistent color than other blue spruce cultivars. Bakeri is a slow-grower that is ideal for an accent tree or where space is limited.

How deep are blue spruce tree roots?

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.

When should I fertilize my Fat Albert blue spruce?

Wait until early spring to fertilize. Apply 1 cup of a turf fertilizer with about 15% nitrogen in an 8 foot diameter circular area around the tree. Repeat in mid to late spring and again in early to mid summer. Each time water the fertilizer in after planting.

How fast does a Colorado green spruce grow?

The Colorado Spruce is a slow growing (6-12 inches per year) evergreen that has a needle that can be green, bluish, or bluish silver that are about 1 inch long. Color can be very variable and the needles are very sharp and can really “poke” when mowing around larger plants.

How big do baby blue spruce trees get?

Baby Blue is a mid-sized spruce that reaches heights of between 15 and 20 feet, and usually spans anywhere from six to ten feet across. If left to grow naturally it takes on the typical pyramid shape seen in many conifers; its branches are horizontal and grow right down to the ground.

What is the life expectancy of a blue spruce tree?

Growth and Yield- Blue spruce is apparently a long-lived tree, surviving up to 600 years or more. Diameter growth is slow; trees 10 to 13 cm (4 to 5 in) in d.b.h. may be 125 to 135 years old; at 46 to 56 cm (18 to 22 in), they may be 275 to 350 years of age (84).

What is the difference between a blue spruce and a Colorado blue spruce?

Blue spruce belongs to the species Picea pungens and is common in North America. It is also called Colorado spruce. Norway spruce belongs to the species Picea abies. It is native to Northern Europe and can also be found in the central and eastern parts of the continent.

How big does a blue diamond spruce get?

Botanical NamePicea pungens ‘Blue Diamond’Size RangeMedium Tree (25-40 feet)Mature Height25′Mature Spread20′ShapePyramidal