Volunteer spruce (identification???)

[Cruiser]

Skinny needles says ERC. Young Picea pungens are thicker by a lot, and have a heavy waxy coating. ERC seedlings are a dime a dozen in their range verses few P. p.

Juvenile ERC does have different, more needle like foliage that looks like this. However, it will not have raised leaf scars, like Picea.
A quick needle pluck or close inspection of the needle base can confirm what we have here.

Lorax, if there is a short stalk at the base of each needle you have a picea.

 

[Lorax7]

Juvenile ERC does have different, more needle like foliage that looks like this. However, it will not have raised leaf scars, like Picea.
A quick needle pluck or close inspection of the needle base can confirm what we have here.

Lorax, if there is a short stalk at the base of each needle you have a picea.

I pulled a couple needles and I do not see the short stalk remnant that you show in your photo. Instead, there was a little chunk of stuff from the branch that came off with the needle.

 

[Cruiser]

Did a stalk come off with the bark from the twig? That sometimes happens with newer growth when you pull it off. You should still be able to see a short woody attachment, if there is one.

Another hint to see if it’s picea…Try rolling one of the needles in between your fingers. Does it roll at all? Blue spruce needles have a 4-sided profile so you should be able to roll them.

 

[Potawatomi13]

Skinny needles says ERC. Young Picea pungens are thicker by a lot, and have a heavy waxy coating. ERC seedlings are a dime a dozen in their range verses few P. p.

Do ERC have Spruce buds? Or any buds at all?

 

[PA_Penjing]

Do ERC have Spruce buds? Or any buds at all?

Yeah that's the dead give away. the spruce buds on the end of the branches, besides the fact that it looks nothing like a young erc. If it were ERC the branches would just end in needles

 

[Lorax7]

Here it is with the new spring shoots on it:

 

[Mike Westervelt]

Yep, still a Colorado Blue spruce

 

[Lorax7]

Here it is this spring. I suppose I could start a progression thread for it, but its past photos are already here, so…

 

[Lorax7]

Wired it today:

 

[Lorax7]

Spring 2024, removed the wire a couple weeks ago: