Engelmann Spruce

PeaceLoveBonsai

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I bought this tree today from a local nursery. It was brought into St Louis from a company called Hopper Brothers Nursery, which I understand is in the Pacific NW.

It was sold to me as an Englemann Spruce. The price was pretty cheap, IMO, at just over $200.

Is anyone familiar with that nursery? Is this an Englemann Spruce?

This nursery was selling some other trees from Hopper Bros that looked like Tanuki, so I keep doubling checking that this isn’t one as well...but best I can tell it is not.

Thoughts?
88844ADB-A1BE-4387-ABE4-2989162DAC81.jpeg15F38E82-5746-4161-AABA-7FBDF6E0C8E9.jpeg
 

PeaceLoveBonsai

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Looks like it could be. Can you post some close-up photos showing the needles and buds?

Hard to do on my phone. Can get some better ones tomorrow.
 

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River's Edge

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Hard to do on my phone. Can get some better ones tomorrow.
The engleman native to this area have a bluer cast to the needle color and appear to have shorter thinner needles than the one pictured above. However there are bound to be differences in locale.
 

barrosinc

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What's so special about engelmann spruce?
I think the tree es cool without knowing the species
 

River's Edge

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The engleman native to this area have a bluer cast to the needle color and appear to have shorter thinner needles than the one pictured above. However there are bound to be differences in locale.
Here is a quick snap of the engleman in our area. See what you think. Might just be the lighting. This is a close up of the needles and buds just pushing!IMG_1366.JPG
 

River's Edge

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What's so special about engelmann spruce?
I think the tree es cool without knowing the species
They are very close to the Ezo spruce, showing very similar characteristics for Bonsai purposes. A native species that can substitute for an imported one.
 

Leo in N E Illinois

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Color of the needles is not a "conservative trait", in that it won't definitely separate one species from another. And like P. pungens, Colorado blue spruce, color varies from medium green to bright gray-ish blue. The blue is from waxy coating of the needles. You can see some variation just walking around a mountainside.
 

Wilson

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Great looking material! You will have some fun designing this one. It has lots of character already, now you just need to bring it to the next level.
 

River's Edge

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Color of the needles is not a "conservative trait", in that it won't definitely separate one species from another. And like P. pungens, Colorado blue spruce, color varies from medium green to bright gray-ish blue. The blue is from waxy coating of the needles. You can see some variation just walking around a mountainside.
Agreed, can often simply be the bi product of copper spray for example. Needle size and shape, is a better indicator, along with pattern of emergence.
 

PiñonJ

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How do we feel about Englemann in zone 6? I feel we’ll get cold enough, but is the heat too high? Mid 90s for weeks on end. Shade in the summer?
I’m in zone 6b and my spruces do great. We get into the 90’s, but it’s dry, so I water a lot and all the transpiration provides cooling. I know they do well in Portland, even when they have very hot summers. If you’re concerned, provide afternoon shade, but they like full sun.
 

mcpesq817

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How do we feel about Englemann in zone 6? I feel we’ll get cold enough, but is the heat too high? Mid 90s for weeks on end. Shade in the summer?

For what it's worth, Engelmann have a rough time in the DC area. We have high heat and humidity which extends into the evenings. I lost two nice ones a couple years ago and asked a knowledgeable person in my club who has collected in Colorado for decades, and his advice was that they do not do well here. Sounds like they have similar issues to larch - too hot and humid, with evenings not cooling down enough.

Not sure if St. Louis is like that, but just wanted to pass it along. I think the DC area is 7b.
 

GGB

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I have a couple northern trees in my sunny, hot, zone 6b backyard that are still doing very well despite being so far south. I do move them in heavy shade if I see a couple days above 95 in the forecast. last year we had a week around 100 degrees and nothing blinked
 

Carol 83

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I bought this tree today from a local nursery
Regular nursery, or bonsai nursery? Just wondered if there were other ones around here, besides Cass.
 

amatbrewer

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I bought this tree today from a local nursery. It was brought into St Louis from a company called Hopper Brothers Nursery, which I understand is in the Pacific NW.

Nice tree!

Hopper Brothers Nursery is in Wilsonville, OR. Have you considered asking them? They have an e-mail link on their home page.
 

PeaceLoveBonsai

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Regular nursery, or bonsai nursery? Just wondered if there were other ones around here, besides Cass.

Timberwinds

https://www.timberwindsnursery.com/

They stock a bunch of specialty conifers and bunch of grafted pre-bonsai. Somewhat unusual that they would have this type of quality material. I'm hoping they get more since Cass is going out of biz.
 
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