Miniature Garden Plant Focus: The Pixie Dust Dwarf Spruce

It can’t be only me. Surely other people do it all the time, but I can’t help myself sometimes. It’s just that this wee tree inspires me to adapt songs and sing to it.

Weird, huh? Try this for fun:

[Sing this the tune of Hey Mickey by Toni Basil]

Oh Pixie, you’re so fine,
You’re so fine, you blow my mind, hey Pixie, hey Pixie…

(Chorus)
Oh Pixie, you’re so pretty, you don’t understand
You take me by the heart when I see you in my hand
Oh Pixie, you’re so pretty, can’t you understand
It’s plants like you, Pixie
Ooh what you do Pixie Dust, Pixie Dust…

It kind of works, you think? ;o)

The Pixie and the Pixie Dust Dwarf Spruce (Picea glauca) are quite possibly my favorite upright conifers for miniature gardening and they remain one of my best sellers to this day. The main difference between the two is the second flush of growth on the Pixie Dust in mid-summer. The buds burst in a lovely creamy yellow that is quite a treat in August, especially when you least expect it.

Oh Pixie, you’re so fine,
You’re so fine, you blow my mind, hey Pixie, hey Pixie…

The Pixie Dust is cold hardy to zone 4 or -30F, and that opens up a number of different placement options for mini gardening in colder regions as it loves living in containers or being planted right in the ground. If you can keep the roots damp (like wrung-sponge damp) it’ll be happy to grow for you in a sunny or part sun location.

Despite being naturally at home in the colder States, with the right combination of watering and shade, the Pixie Dust can be grown in the warmer climates too. Al, a railroad gardener in Florida, has a number of the Picea glaucas in his layout on the north side of his house, under some shade trees that he has been growing with success for a couple of years now. The summer shade is mandatory, as it keeps the soil from drying out too fast for too long. If the mini garden is placed on a timed irrigation system to avoid mishaps, you’ve got another plant option for that area right here.

Pruning is not really an issue as the Pixie Dust is a slow grower – although it can be “limbed up” to show a little trunk if you need to have more a forest tree look for your miniature garden.

The only caution is conifer dieback. When the little trees shed their needles it tends to hold the dead foliage in the middle of the shrub. This prevents light and air from getting in and will eventually kill the tree. Slough off this dead growth when you see it by getting some garden gloves on and gently wiggling your fingers into the center of the tree. Do this when the tree is dry and the dead needles will easily fall to the ground and you can clean them up with one scoop.

Check for conifer dieback throughout the spring and the fall. Note that when the tree gets a little bigger, it’ll start doing this naturally. It is just when it’s young that it will need a little help from you.

And on a final note: the Pixie Dust makes an incredibly cute tree for the winter holidays when it’s decorated in wee lights and ornaments. Start your mini garden today to have it in place before the busy holidays start and you’ll charm your guests to no end by your ingenuity and creativity.

Oh Pixie, you’re so fine,
You’re so fine, you blow my mind, hey Pixie, hey Pixie…

More details are in the store here.

Toni Basil’s ‘Hey Mickey’ Video is here.

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