This is the 2nd plant

This is the 3rd plant

They look like Picea abies 'Reflexa' to me.
Even in shade the 'Gold Drift' will show some limegreen needles...at least here at my nursery.

Was this year growth grown under sunny circumstances?

This post was edited by coniferjoy on Sun, Aug 18, 13 at 15:11

The one still in the container is In partial shade . Another 2 are under full sun for 2 months since I recieved them . I am not sure in nursery how much sun they got

You've to ask the seller why they're so green and if they were growing in a shady location.

If I was that seller, I should have informed the buyer in advance by myself why they're green, instead of the opposite that you've to ask him.
This is what they call " client service"...

i a lot of the P abies are spring flush yellow... though this one should hold some semblence of said color...

but pots do weird things... as do recent transplants...

first.. do you have any pix of the spring flush??? .. was thjat yellow at all????

what if any fertilizer did you plant them with... or add to the pot ...

ken

Coniferjoy : The email reply I received from customer service said gold drift only have light color flush in spring time. Rest of year remains dark green

I checked description online for gold drift, it should remain some light color part of the year, esp summer time under full sun. That's why I am not sure those r gold drift or not.

Ken_ Adrian : It was already early summer when I received those plants. I never saw the spring flush or any light green or yellow since I received them.
I didn't use any special fertilizer on them so far.

Here is one in the Harper Collection last July. Not very dark green.

If their plants are dark green in the summer they do not have the right cultivar. If they grow it in shade, then the color will not show up very well but two months in full sun would bring it out.

Which nursery was it?

Bob

Here is one of the 3 original plants in 2006. Notice it is not dark green even though it is winter.

Bob

hey

i was just shopping for more facts...

i am with these guys ... it should show some semblance of the yellow... year around ...

whats weird.. is that it is not an understock issue ... since such would not be pendulous.. and the odds of you rec'g 3 such failures would be astronomical

ken

Mine is still pretty small but it is GOLD! More so on the newest growth but a distinct golden cast on all the needles. It is also growing in full sun. Mine is also not staked at all but allowed to sprawl unhindered so the light reaches all parts.

I am no expert like many of the rest of these guys but yours looks nothing like the 'Gold Drift's I am familiar with.

The nursery is Klehm's Song Sparrow Farm. It is very reputable nursery with lots of good reviews on daves garden . That's why I want to get your professional opinions before I ask them again.
Bob discovered "gold drift" , I am sure you r the most credible expert to talk about this type of picea. I'll contact them tomorrow again to see what they will say.

I really appreciate everyone's opinions and helps

They were sending out the wrong plant with Chief Joseph. It does happen.

They get alot of their conifers from Buchholz by the way.

I remember seeing a Gold Drift that ricksample posted from Song Sparrow that looked quite green last year. I wonder how his turned out?

I'd work it out with Song Sparrow to let them know its suspect but if it doesn't have a gold frosting to it next spring/summer, its the wrong plant and they should replace it.

I purchased one last year that was green but got its gold frosting within a couple weeks of planting it out. Mine flushed bright lime green. Then as it hardened off the gold highlights kicked in and remained all year.

This is a top 5 mainstream conifer with its flexibility in its growing habit and its rich gold highlights that do not appear chlorotic and do not burn in full zone in my area.

Picea abies 'Gold Drift'