The following was sent in via email: i have an dwarf alberta spruce tree. i would like to know if the tree will grow pine cones. and what at the little bud things that are growing on the branches. thx. andre
It will most definately not produce pine cones…and it should not produce spruce cones either. "It's a genetic mutant that doesn't produce cones as would be expected with most spruce," quoted from the University of Arkansas.
It is a permanent - or more correctly semi-permanent - juvenile mutation. Being juvenile, it doesn't produce cones. Occasionally it will however produce branches which 'revert' to normal adult growth (the usual advice is to prune these out if they appear). These adult branches can produce cones if allowed to grow on long enough.
