The Black Hill Spruce is a first cousin of the White Spruce that developed in the Black Hills of South Dakota. It is a slow (6”-12” per year) growing very compact evergreen.
It will grow up to 40+ft tall and 20+ ft wide and as with the white spruce is very wind firm and is not damaged by heavy snow or ice storms. this tree can live 80 or more years in windbreaks and usually does. Deer will not normally eat this species unless nothing else is available.
It will grow well in hardiness zones from 3-6 and does well in a variety of soils. It will survive dry and hot areas better than other spruces and seems to get along fine with 15” of rain a year or more.
Fungal diseases in wet areas and times of excess rainfall can effect the Black Hills spruce. Putting them on an outside row and not in the middle of a windbreak will prevent or lessen this problem. They are rarely effected by insect pests and occur usually on older, newly planted, or stressed trees.
A 2’ tall potted tree should be over 5 ft tall in 5 years in good soil with adequate moisture and most of all, total grass and weed control with no mulch. Spacing--single row 10ft apart, double row 14 ft apart, multiple rows 18ft apart with trees staggered from the other row.
The Black Hills spruce is a recommended windbreak tree, but due to its slow growth it should be planted with other species and is best on the inside of the windbreak where its beauty and not its growth rate can be appreciated.
Black Hills Spruce Sizes
8"-17" bare-root - $1.25
18"-24" bare-root - $4.00
2'-3' bare-root - $6.00
18"-24" - Potted - $12.50
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