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Key characteristics

Family: Pinaceae
Height: 2 ft to 3 ft
Width: 3 ft to 5 ft
Flower color: Purplish red immature cones maturing to dark brown
Foliage color: Fine blue green needles with a dense nest like habit
Bloom time: Spring
Light: Full sun
Water: Moderate
Maintenance: Low; prune selectively only as needed to maintain shape and remove damaged branches
Growing zone: USDA zones 2 to 7
Wildlife: Songbirds and small mammals feed on seeds with dense branches providing shelter

Shrubs

Picea mariana 'Ericoides'

Blue Nest Spruce

Picea mariana 'Ericoides' features fine, needle-like foliage densely arranged along slender branches, creating a soft, heather-like texture and a feathery evergreen canopy that provides year-round interest. The blue-green needles form intricate layers that lend depth and movement to the plant, while fresh spring growth emerges with brighter tones that enhance its delicate appearance. Small purplish-red female cones and yellow pollen cones appear in spring, adding subtle seasonal color among the foliage.

Light

Full sun

Water

Moderate

Bloom time

Spring

Find this plant

Works well in

Sun Gardens
Foundation Plantings
Rock Gardens
Bird Gardens

Companion plants

Thyme · Switch grasses · Catmint · Penstemons · Coreopsis · Blanket flower

Design tip

Let the fine, heather-like foliage of ‘Ericoides’ provide textural contrast within the garden. Its intricate layers of blue-green needles create a softer, more feathery effect than many conifers, while the dense nest-like form maintains a strong evergreen presence throughout the year.