Picea glauca var. densata
Black Hills Spruce

Picea glauca var. densata - Trunk
 Plant Type:
 Growth Forms:
 Hardiness:
 Deciduous / Evergreen:
 Foliage Notes:
Green (Bright green to bluish-green evergreen foliage)
 Fruit Notes:
Brown (Cone)
 Ultimate Height:
20-40 feet
 Ultimate Spread:
10-15 feet
 Light Requirements:
 Soil Notes:
Adaptable to different soils
 Range:
Black Hills of South Dakota
 Diagnostic Characteristics:
Needles smaller (0.2-0.75" long) and lighter blue-green than Picea abies. Needles are quadrangular in cross-section, with 2-5 prominent waxy bands on each surface. Unpleasant odor when crushed. Rounded chestnut-colored buds (0.25" long) with blunt apex. Var. densata cones are less than 2" long (shorter than the species type) and 0.75" wide (smaller than Picea abies).
 Purdue Plant Doctor

Additional Information

Widely considered a superior form, this variety is denser and more compact with brighter foliage, when compared to the straight species . Best in full sun, but tolerates some shade. Withstands heat, cold, drought, wind, and crowding. Slight susceptibility to trunk and root rots, bagworms, sawflies, and mites.

The Purdue Arboretum is a collaboration between the Department of Horticulture and Landscape Architecture and Administrative Operations

Purdue Arboretum, 625 Agriculture Mall Dr, West Lafayette, IN, 47907
© 2026 Purdue UniversityAn equal access/equal opportunity universityCopyright ComplaintsMaintained by Purdue Arboretum Explorer
Contact Purdue Arboretum at arboretum@purdue.edu for accessibility issues with this page | Accessibility Resources | Contact Us