This golden colour in new growth of picea abies is caused by infection of fungus Chrysomyxa ledi. In early stage it sometimes looks wery much like shoots in golden spruces.

Fir broom rust is another one - Melampsorella caryophyllacearum.

This sylvestris looks like it might have wintergold quoalities, but underdeveloped latest shoots tell us about some traumatic event that causes the colour and most likely kills this plant in near future

Severe lack of calium causes last years needles to go bright yellow on picea abies, they will later drop. Common problem on peatland.

Severe lack of boron causes picea abies incapability to form leader, this sometimes results forms like brooms and dwarfs or like ground covering conifers. In Finland this is typical problem with conifers growing on old agricultural fields

here yellow colour in new growth is caused by partial frost damage

Cause of this strange form remains a mystery to me. Increased tendensy to push long sidebranches from one point. But even if it was a real mutation it doesnôt seem to be very stable. Couple of branches have since turned into new leaders. This makes it much less interesting for grafting.

Here is better picture, taken from below, that shows how thick the branches are situated.

another narrow caused by insects

another yellow caused by fungus

Thanks, Jarpe. Always good to get an idea of cause and effect.

Interesting about the lack of boron, I hadn't heard that before. And before anyone reaches for their 20 Mule Team Borax, be aware boron toxicity occurs at very low levels. It is a micronutriant and a level as little as 100 ppm is plenty.

tj

Tsugajunkie, Yes, you shouldnôt go over what doctor ofrdered with that stuff. Maby this thing is one of characteristiks of Finnish soils. Fertilizer with boron is needed in most cases when old fields are taken over by forestry.

Nice Jarpe!

Here, we have to look for dwarf mistletoe.

Arceuthobium on P. ponderosa

Arceuthobium on P. ponderosa

Arceuthobium on P. flexilis

Arceuthobium on P. flexilis

Gnarly.

Intriguing stuff. Thanks!

I do not know why?