blue spruce

American  

noun

1. a spruce, Picea pungens, of western North America, having bluish-green leaves, grown as an ornamental: the state tree of Colorado and Utah.

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blue spruce British  

noun

1. Also called: balsam spruce.  a spruce tree, Picea pungens glauca , native to the Rocky Mountains of North America, having blue-green needle-like leaves

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Etymology

Origin of blue spruce

An Americanism dating back to 1880–85

Compare meaning

How does blue-spruce compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

• white spruce vs. blue spruce

Example Sentences

In 18,47, Imgard reportedly celebrated Christmas by decorating blue spruce with candy canes and ornaments and his neighbors in Wooster, Ohio, took notice.

From Fox News • Dec. 19, 2021

Whether it’s a towering noble fir, a medium-sized Colorado blue spruce or even a fake plastic evergreen, expect to pay more for your Christmas tree this season.

From Washington Times • Nov. 30, 2021

Now his 10-acre tree farm is packed with 10,000 trees, including concolor fir, blue spruce, Norway spruce, Douglas fir and his best-selling Canaan fir, which has sturdy branches and soft needles.

From Washington Post • Nov. 19, 2021

The wildly colorful blue spruce was adorned with popcorn strings, daisy strands and cranberry garland.

From Salon • Dec. 12, 2020

The train takes a swift swirl round an escarpment of the mountain; and you are in the Forests proper, serried rank upon rank of the blue spruce and the lodgepole pine.

From Through Our Unknown Southwest by Laut, Agnes C. (Agnes Christina)