My personal pick for most aesthetically attractive spruce, possibly largely based on the magnificent specimen at the Frelinghuysen Arboretum. Shortest needles of any spruce.
Taprooted. Not for dry winter climates. Drought tolerance is only after establishment.
'Skylands' is yellow all year round, at least in the new growth, and therefore appreciates afternoon shade in hot climates; it is full-sized but a bit looser than the species. And yes, it was named after the botanical garden whence it originated, right here in New Jersey, thank you very much.
'Firefly' is a more compact 'Skylands', classed as a dwarf. 'Aureospicata' is full-sized like 'Skylands', but its yellow new growth turns dark green by summer. 'Nigra Compacta' is slow and very dense to the ground.
Sources: UFL, Sunset, Cal Poly, Stoecklein, Missouri BG, UConn, AHS, Dirr/Warren.
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