It has an overall conical shape with branches extending out horizontally from the trunk. These limbs are adorned with pendulous branchlets which hang down in an elegant curtain-like fashion. Common names include Himalayan spruce and morinda from the Nepali name.
In 1985 David and Noeline Sampson of Cedar Lodge in New Plymouth discovered an odd variant in a batch of Picea smithiana seedlings growing in their nursery. Curious as to how it might evolve, they nurtured it and found that it had valuable ornamental features. They propagated it by grafting and continued to grow it on, eventually naming it, Picea smithiana ‘Skardu'.
Rather than the single leader of its giant parent, ‘Skardu' has multiple upright shoots combined with weeping branchlets giving it a slightly surprised and shaggy appearance reminiscent of a muppet.
‘Skardu' is slow growing remaining small, and the bright green foliage is reliably charming in every season. It is not unusual for dwarf conifer cultivars not to bear seed and true to that our ‘Skardu' specimen has never produced any of the typical pendulous spruce cones.
A very handsome specimen of Picea smithiana ‘Skardu' can be seen on the lower path near the southwest end of the rock garden. At about 15 years old, it has grown to 1.5m wide and 1m high.
Garden Life is produced by Dunedin Botanic Garden. For further information contact Robyn Abernethy.
