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The Daily Insight

How far apart should you plant Black Hills spruce?

Author

Christopher Pierce

Published May 23, 2026

How far apart should you plant Black Hills spruce?

Spacing–single row 16 ft apart, double row 18 ft apart, multiple rows 20 ft apart with trees staggered from the other row. The Black Hills spruce is a recommended windbreak tree west of Iowa.

How do you plant a Black Hills spruce tree?

1. Planting: Plant your Black Hills Spruce in a spot in your yard that gets at least 4 hours of sun each day, and choose an area with well-drained soil. To plant, spread 2 inches of organic fertilizer on the ground in an area that is two times as large as the root ball. Till the fertilizer into the ground.

How wide does a Black Hills spruce get?

The Black Hills spruce grows to a height of 30–60′ and a spread of 15–25′ at maturity.

Is Black Hills spruce the same as black spruce?

Black Hills spruce has another name – Picea glauca var. densata. This spruce is a form of Picea glauca….Black Hills Spruce vs Norway Spruce: What is the difference between them?

Black Hills SpruceNorway Spruce
NamePicea glauca var. densataPicea abies
Hardiness zone2-63-7
Mature height40-60 ft (12-18 m)50-100 ft (15-30m)
Mature width15-25 ft (4.5-7.5 m)15-20 ft (4.5-6 m)

Is Black Hills spruce a good tree?

Black Hills spruce is a small to medium height tree with a dense habit and a broad, pyramidal form. It is a good addition to residential landscapes, or for use in windbreaks.

How long does it take for a Black Hills Spruce to mature?

Black Hills Spruce grows steadily into a dense, symmetrical cone-shaped tree. In 10 years it will be close to 10 feet tall, and it will reach 20 to 25 feet in height, with a spread of around 10 feet. Over time it may reach as much as 40 feet, and 15 feet across.

How long do Black Hills spruce trees live?

250-300 years
tall with a 10-20 ft. spread, it has a pyramidal habit and a slow growth rate. Black Hills Spruce trees commonly live 250-300 years. Grows best when planted in moist, well-drained soil in full sun.

What is the difference between white spruce and Black Hills spruce?

What is the difference between white spruce and Black Hills spruce? Black Hills spruce is a variety, or subspecies, of the widely distributed white spruce. White spruce has bluish-green foliage while the Black Hills spruce has typically denser and bright bluish-green foliage.

How long does it take for Black Hills spruce to mature?

Is Black Hills spruce disease resistant?

The Black Hills Spruce is a very tough tree that is drought tolerant and disease resistant. This conifer is shaped like a church steeple and has beautiful, short, blue-green needles. A little more naturally bushy than some spruces, this evergreen shears very well and makes a great Christmas tree or ornamental specimen.

Why is my Black Hills spruce dying?

A fungal disease, lirula needle blight overwinters on the tree’s needles and becomes progressively worse over the course of three years. This disease first occurs in the tree’s second year, in late summer. The needles turn brown and appear dead.

What’s the best tree to replace a Colorado spruce?

Concolor fir ( Abies concolor) and some white spruce are good large tree alternatives with blue-green foliage to Colorado spruce. There are also some blue spruce dwarf cultivars that are on the market as well, such as ‘Fat Albert’ (15 feet tall by 3 feet wide).

Which is the best rule for spacing trees?

So a better rule would be two-thirds of the listed width. That is also a good rule for spacing trees apart, if you want them to retain their individual identity. Trees planted close together make a nice forest, but that may not be the garden style you had in mind!

What to consider when choosing an evergreen tree?

When choosing evergreens consider: Foliage, bark, cones, berries. Sunlight is important to maintaining foliage color. Age of the growth may affect color.