Pseudotsuga menziesii Wycoff's Big Blue- source?

I see on the web, UBC has this somewhere in the gardens but I live 5 hours away in the Interior. Looks fabulous for our hot climate, a mod. tall windbreak and likely xeric once established. I need lots of these for the big ranch garden to add a change from the ubiquitous Ponderosas (under serious threat from pine beetle) and dark green Interior Douglas Firs. Any Vancouver or Canadian source?

Many thanks, Chris at Clapperton Ranch

 

If you're planting a large number, much better to use diverse seedling-grown plants than all the same cultivar - otherwise you'll just end up with disease problems again in the future.

 

Thanks, Michael. I mean approx 20 specimens of Wycoff's Blue....not enough for an outbreak I hope. Our ultra-dry climate does not foster any trouble to Pseudotsuga, so far. I would love seed grown, though, just to eliminate exact color duplication. Do any silvaculture nurseries provide special services? I know I can go south of the border to conifer specialty nurseries, but what a bother.

Too bad all Pinus are at risk now. I suspect my desire for types of Psuedotsuga will soon be everyone else's here, since Picea is not great in the arid belt.

Enjoying this forum, Chris

 

Botanical gardens have some named forms of plants that aren't in commerce. If you can't fnd that one there are other highly colored - if that's the feature of this one, I've never heard of it and don't know its characteristics - grafted cultivars on the market, maybe you would be just as happy with another one that is easier (or possible) to find.

Since you want a number of plants it might work better to look for seedlings from a Christmas tree seed strain.

 

Good idea about x-mas trees, Ron! I had not thought of that market. The epicurean tree purchasers these days must surely want glaucus varieties. Now I have hope:) I wish Abies balsamea were better here, but really, Pseudotsuga is the best.

Thanks, Chris at Clapperton Ranch

 

Any Pseudotsuga seed source from the southern part of the Rockies should give reasonably blue trees. I've seen mention of trees from Lincoln National Forest near Cloudcroft, NM, being a good blue and fairly widely sold for the christmas tree market, though that might be so far south as to have hardiness problems in interior BC.

White Fir (Abies concolor) is also worth investigating.

 

You guys are awesome for your considered opinions re this plant...when I am sure you are dreaming your own plant fantasies. Very Much appreciated.

Even if Abies could stand the searing 52C we get a few days in the summer (near Lytton) I could never bring myself to like the stiff symmetry/regularity of Concolor. Picky, picky you say....but things like that stand out so badly here in an informal wild place. I know Picea pungens is another with glaucus forms that looks like cotton candy to me....you should see the gorgeous natural fir and Ponderosa bonsais all over the cliffs...drool. I have Picea orientalis which looks appropriately tortured to fit right in.