Alberta spruce hear tolerance

[Natty Bumppo]

Have seen many garden center Alberta spruces bonsaied up on YouTube & read some spruce threads here. But am still wondering how summer tolerant they are. I can get a ~15" potted spruce for about #12 at Lowes. But Lowes also sells a crap ton of white cedars ((Thuja occidentalis) that are planted a lot around here. Most die. They don't do well in our very hot and often dry summers in mid-Missouri. Will an Alberta spruce thrive if cared for or just whither and die in this summer climate?

 

[Underdog]

I've a couple in Ohio w/no special loving given. I'm zone 6

 

[James W.]

I am hotter than you are and I have not had one die from summer heat yet.
But watch out for spider mites, they love the hot/dry and DAS are like candy for them. I just hit the trees with a water hose periodically, sometimes daily.

 

[M. Frary]

I've found where I live they can't handle cold very well.
Even the ones planted for decoration in landscapes get winter burn.

 

[Colorado]

Have seen many garden center Alberta spruces bonsaied up on YouTube & read some spruce threads here. But am still wondering how summer tolerant they are. I can get a ~15" potted spruce for about #12 at Lowes. But Lowes also sells a crap ton of white cedars ((Thuja occidentalis) that are planted a lot around here. Most die. They don't do well in our very hot and often dry summers in mid-Missouri. Will an Alberta spruce thrive if cared for or just whither and die in this summer climate?

I have never heard anyone use the word “dry” to describe a mid-Missouri summer

Hell you can’t even step outside the air conditioning without becoming instantly “wet” from the humidity!

 

[Colorado]

I see no reason why Alberta Spruce would fail to thrive in mid MO. Shouldn’t be too hot or too cold for them in my experience.

 

[sorce]

winter burn.

I swear I've seen these come back to green.

@Natty Bumppo I'd buy 10 crap Black Hills or other White Spruce before one good Alberta.

I'm not on team F DAS, not by far, but these white spruce just have better growth habits, softer, prettier foliage, and probably slightly more gangster.

Sorce

 

[Natty Bumppo]

I have never heard anyone use the word “dry” to describe a mid-Missouri summer

Hell you can’t even step outside the air conditioning without becoming instantly “wet” from the humidity!

True, we are no strangers to humidity. And while it can be powerful humid in the summer, we may also go several weeks in July-September without much measurable rain some years.

 

[Frozentreehugger]

What’s DAS if it’s dwarf Alberta spruce . Generally considered not good for bonsai . Unsure why . Regular Alberta spruce are very cold tolerant if they are established . Small trees can get winter burn and death . Suspect they need roots below frost . Or wind protection often burn above the snow line . Not a huge Alberta fan most likely jaded as the blue ones ir over used as landscape plant . White spruce and it’s relatives are better as far as I’m concerned . White . Engemannil . Black hills . Rubens Mariana are all related or based on white spruce Norway or abies heavily used in landscape faster growth looks majestic when old but shaggy when young. Orientalis oriental spruce are very nice bonsai ( can’t find here ) Of them all Norway is the broadest most adaptable . Mariana has extreme cold hardiness Would think black hills or some white from southern range is most heat tolerant . Have read that. Heat and cold tolerance is very dependant on seed source .