Picea orientalis Barnes

Growing in our garden for over 12 years, this dwarf form of Oriental spruce develops into a globose plant with many leaders sending out offshoots in all directions, creating a dense-nest habit.  The dark green needles are very short and densly packed on the branches.  This spruce grows only about 3 inches a year, and will eventually grow to 4 ft. tall.  The plant originated as a witches'-broom at Barnes Arboretum, Merion Station, Pennsylvania. It was discovered and introduced about 1970 by Layne Ziegenfuss and Greg Williams.