The draping foliage of Picea breweriana
Brewer spruce or weeping spruce is native to the montane and subalpine forests of the Klamath Mountains of southwest Oregon and northwest California.
Listed as vulnerable on the IUCN Red List, it is also considered one of the rarest spruce species in North America with approximately 8 populations covering an extent of about 775 km2. The species is named after American botanist William Henry Brewer.
The Gymnosperm Database has an extensive write-up on Picea breweriana, in part because this is a species much coveted in horticulture. Additional photos are available from CalPhotos: Picea breweriana. Local readers can visit this species bordering the Trough Courtyard in UBC Botanical Garden’s E.H. Lohbrunner Alpine Garden.
Since I first saw these on a cross country bike trip I wondered if they would survive PEI winters with their multiple freeze thaw cycles. There are some redwoods which were planted in the 70’s.
Any idea?
It should be just hardy enough–stated to be hardy to zone 6, and I see parts of PEI are either zone 5b or 6a.
What is the summer humidity like?
Such a lovely limpid form. Does anyone offer seeds?
It looks like there are seed sources–but I am not sure how reliable these sources are. There are potted plants available (or out of stock this year) from nurseries I am more familiar with.
I used to live in the North East of the Province of British Columbia and we had the odd Spruce tree
up there, but nothing to the beauty of this tree. It is magnificent and it is so important for all of
us to save our beautiful trees. I have done a fair amount of travelling to the British Isles in the
last 10 years of my life and there are hardly any trees at all. I am not saying that their countryside
does not have its own beauty, but there are very few trees, even in the beautiful area of North
West Wales. Wendy Burke, Campbell River, B.C.
What distinguishes this species from the Norway Spruce, which I see in the Northeastern US where I live?
Chris Denton
Well, I have an answer to that question! See this thread on the UBC Forums:
Brewer’s Spruce vs Norway Spruce