Knowledgebase
Baby blue spruce fraud? #874678
Asked June 25, 2024, 4:58 PM EDT
Hello. I am very distressed. I ordered 3 baby blue spruces from an online nursery as I needed a very small size. They have arrived and they look nothing like the baby blue spruces I have ordered in the past. I ran my plant scanner on it and it confirmed it was a white spruce. I called the nursery and they weee very rude telling me that a baby blue doesn’t turn blue until it gets cold which I know not to be the case as I have planted 3 in July last year and they were all blue. I feel that I have been scammed. Is there a way I can tell what this tree is definitely? I’d like to have something in writing like a DNA test or documentation from an expert. Any suggestions on where I could go to get this done? Thank you so much.
Grand Traverse County Michigan
Expert Response
Hello,
I understand your concern about the spruce trees you received. It’s important to correctly identify the species, especially when you have specific landscaping needs. Here are some steps you can take to definitively identify the trees:
Expert Consultation: Contact a local certified arborist. They can provide expert identification and possibly documentation to confirm the species of your spruce trees. The certified arborist may know of a lab that does plant DNA testing services. To find an arborist in your Zip Code go to this link: Find an Arborist (treesaregood.org)
DNA Testing: While DNA testing for plants is not as common as it is for animals, there are laboratories that offer this service. You can search for “plant DNA testing services” to find a lab that can perform a genetic analysis of your spruces.
Detailed Comparison: Use the identifying features of both the Baby Blue and White Spruce to compare with your trees. For instance, the Baby Blue Spruce (Picea pungens) typically has sharper and shorter needles that are a gray-blue color, while the White Spruce (Picea glauca) has light green-blue needles that are longer and more flexible.
Photographic Evidence: Take clear, close-up photos of the needles, bark, and overall shape of the trees and send them to an online plant identification service or forum for assistance.
By following these steps, you should be able to get a definitive identification of your spruce trees. If it turns out that the nursery did send you a different species, you may have grounds for a refund or replacement, especially if you have documentation from an expert. Remember to keep all correspondence with the nursery in case you need to refer to it later.
I hope this helps!
