Golden Oriental Spruce

A striking conifer, 'Aureospicata' is a slow-growing evergreen that eventually matures into a stately, narrow pyramid. Its most captivating feature is the spectacular Spring display: the new growth emerges in a brilliant, luminous creamy-yellow, creating a "shimmering" effect against the dark, glossy green of the older needles. These tiny, blunt needles are much shorter and softer than those of most spruces, giving the tree a refined, "neat" appearance. As the season progresses, the gold matures into a deep, lustrous green. It is a highly ornamental specimen tree that offers a dramatic "second spring" of color and provides excellent structure for the larger garden.

Site: Relatively sheltered
Soil: Well-drained, acid to neutral soil, tolerant of poor soil
Position: Full sun
Season of interest: Evergreen; new Spring growth
Hardiness: Fully hardy
Height: 25–35ft (8–10m) Spread: 12–15ft (4–5m)

Images by Mark Bolin cropped, and licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0