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Gardener News
October 2024
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Serving the Agricultural, Environmental, Horticultural & Landscaping Communities Re a d th e G ar dener N ew s O nl i ne at G ar dener N ew s . com
No. 258
A Tree Growing Out of a Tree By Tom Castronovo Executive Editor/Publisher Gardener News
Tom Castronovo/Photo
This is an awesome picture of a very unusual botanical occurrence. Alberta spruce, Picea glauca ‘Conica’, is genetically reverting back to its parent, a white spruce, Picea glauca var. glauca.
Many ornamental tree cultivars, especially dwarf varieties, are derived from naturally occurring genetic mutations. In the case of the Alberta spruce, Picea glauca ‘Conica’, two Arnold Arboretum botanists found the dwarf in 1904 as a naturally occurring mutation of a white spruce, Picea glauca var. glauca. At the time, they were waiting for a train at a railroad station in Alberta, Canada – hence the name Alberta spruce. As the genetic mutation occurred to produce the cultivar in the wild, a reverse mutation can occur and portions of the tree can “revert” back to the parent. It often looks like there is a tree growing out of a tree. If this mutation occurs to your spruce, a quick pruning cut below the odd-looking limb can often remedy the problem. However, some individual plants may keep reverting and must be removed if you aren’t interested in the “normal” growth habit. If it has grown quite large, removing it will likely leave a large gap that will disfigure the tree and/or take years to fill in. If left unpruned, one branch that reverted back to the parent white spruce tree can establish itself as the main leader of the tree. Biologists, botanists, and nursery growers constantly look for abnormal growth patterns. They then use that mutation to help develop new cultivars or sub-species
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through techniques like cross breeding or grafting. The resulting tree often looks very different from the original parent tree. Today, dwarf Alberta Spruce is one of the most common dwarf conifers in cultivation. It is an evergreen conifer with a dense classic pyramidal form. This spruce grows best in welldrained acidic soil and does not like soggy soil. It is best suited for a climate with cold winters, and cool to warm summers. This popular cultivar is both versatile and adaptable. It’s easy to care for and can fit almost anywhere – on a small property, or at least temporarily, in a deck pot. Genetics plays an important role with all living things. This phenomenon occurs not only in humans, but also in animals and plants. If you see an Alberta spruce with funky growth, most likely it will be fine. Editor’s Note: Tom Castronovo is executive editor and publisher of Gardener News. Tom’s lifelong interest in gardening and passion for agriculture, environmental stewardship, gardening, and landscaping, led to the founding of the Gardener News, which germinated in April 2003 and continues to bloom today. He is also dedicated to providing inspiration and education to the agricultural, gardening, landscaping, nursery, and outdoor living communities through this newspaper and GardenerNews.com.