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lindsroc

I wonder what the growth rate was for this?

lindsroc
10 years ago

This tree is in our side yard. Can anyone identify it? Some form of pine?

Comments (7)

  • ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5
    10 years ago

    its too big for the space.. lol

    Picea abies comes to mind..

    google that.. and compare cones laying under.. and needles if you can find some old ones ...

    thats too boring for your frotn yard ...

    AND MY GOOD.. THEY ARENT ALL PINES... jeesh ... its a spruce.. lol.. [if i am right on the ID ... and thats questionable] ....

    and get this.. and note above.. i said some cones.. it wont have PINE cones .... lol ... it will have spruce cones ...

    google: picea abies growth rate

    but i will make it easy for you.. get comfy.. it might hurt... this tree has a leader that grows up.. and it puts out WHORLS of side branches.. look between any two sets of whorls.. and what do you see??? .. 2 to 3 feet?? ... and bingo.. bango.. thats its growth rate.. FOREVER ...

    if you count them down.. and look for pruning healed wounds.. and add a few at the bottom.. you can estimate its age.. and then go slap the guy who planted it there.. lol ...

    actually though.. this is not a bad large tree in a tight space .. not much short of a lightening bolt is going to damage it .... AND.. if you stare long enough.. you will start to see that the growth points at the ends of branches .... have a pattern.. that corresponds to the whorls.. this info.. a lawn chair.. and a few adult beverages.. and you can figure it all out .. go figure.. lol ...

    still too cold outside ... still bored..

    ken

  • lindsroc
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    2 of those beasts are enough....thats the LAST thing i want on my front lawn. And actually a couple of years ago lightning hit one up the street and it took out 1/2 of a neighbors house. Im not sure what the builder was thinking when he made this neighborhood. We have a Beech tree in our backyard that is ENORMOUS and is about 15 feet from the back of the house.

  • ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5
    10 years ago

    i doubt it was the builder ...

    more like the first owner saw this cute little xmas tree shaped PINE.. lol.. at bigboxstore.. and figured.. it would stay cute and little forever ..

    who knew they grew

    what are the odds.. on the neighborhood lightening strike.. lol ... you are making that up to entertain me..

    did you dig the hole yet.. or is it time to get dinner going????

    ken

  • lindsroc
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    It actually happened, they are now the only 2 story house on the street. lol. My immediate neighbors had a tree fall on their house also.....it didnt even wake them up- they were woken up by the fire dept who was letting them know that a tree was in their living room!

    No hole yet, but what do you think of this from a local nursery....

    PICEA PUNGENS 'BABY BLUE'
    BABY BLUE BLUE SPRUCE
    EVERGREEN TREE
    HEIGHT: 14-16' FOLIAGE: SILVERY BLUE TO BRIGHT
    SPREAD: 6-8' GROWTH RATE: SLOW
    EXPOSURE: FULL SUN EVERGREEN

    Picea-Baby Blue 4-5'
    10-7024
    $199.99

  • ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5
    10 years ago

    one thing that always mystified me.. if its potted.. is the 18 to 24 inches of pot..

    then all of a sudden you plant that 5 footer.. and its magically 3 feet tall ... keep that in mind ... you want a 4 foot tree.. AFTER planting ...

    your yard slopes away from the house.. yes??? .. and with the 6 inch growth rate .. well.. how many years till it fills the window???

    you are showing your learning curve.. cool ...

    but you either want that window filled sooner ...... or you want a slower growing tree so you dont have to worry about it in 30 years ... your choice ...

    i would look for a 12 inch growth rate.. but not 18 ...

    and we might have to think about a berm.. if the slope loses you a foot or two.. at the planting spot..

    cheap steak coma.. too lazy to go back to your picture ...

    link to conifer society database .... enter picea in the first box.. hit submit ... enter pungens in the species box.. hit submit ... cruise around for a while.. not the best source.. but not bad ... ..

    and i just taught you how to 'see' growth rate ... so when you go to visit real plants.. you can look for whorls.. and 'see' its growth rate .... no need to run anywhere and ask what it is.. potted stock can be hyperfertilized.. and BB stock can be shocked from digging.. but it gives you a ballpark answer..

    ken

    Here is a link that might be useful: link

  • bengz6westmd
    10 years ago

    Don't need a cone -- that's a Norway spruce. Nice form.

    This post was edited by beng on Sat, Apr 6, 13 at 10:12

  • ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5
    10 years ago

    jeez beng.. i am trying to get her to latin ... lol

    he confirms picea abies..

    link to what they do in the wild ...

    there a MANY dwarf and mini plants in the family ...

    ken

    Here is a link that might be useful: link