Fat Albert Blue Spruce Tree – Will It Endure Our Hot Summers?

Q: I am considering purchasing a Fat Albert blue spruce tree for my front yard. The tree will be planted under a canopy of hardwoods with morning sun. My concern is whether it will endure our hot summer weather. 

A: You may get a few years of life but I don’t think Fat Albert will survive a decade. Although spruces thrive in the mountains of Colorado, they can not abide prolonged heat. Spruce is rated heat-hardy only in the upper reaches of North Georgia. Although I occasionally see blue spruce trees in Atlanta that have grown to a reasonable size, they are the exception rather than the rule.

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