This dwarf conifer was one of those accumulated by a dedicated conifer collector named Colonel R.H. Montgomery. When he sold his estate he donated his conifer collection to the New York Botanic Garden. When his collection was named the Montgomery Conifer Collection in May, 1949 this particular dwarf conifer was named in his honor. The original plant can still be seen in the NY Botanic Garden's Montgomery Conifer Collection.
'R.H. Montgomery' is a slow growing conifer... usually globe shaped when young... but eventually developing a central leader. At maturity [usually at about 8 feet] it assumes a pyramidal shape that is broader than it is tall.
Colorado Blue Spruce [Picea pungens] and its cultivars are normally not recommended for gardens south of zone 6. But Picea pungens 'R.H. Montgomery', and a few other cultivars, have clearly demonstrated significantly better heat resistance than others. This conifer has been successfully grown in gardens in Oklahoma City [zone 7A] for the past 35 years.
Aside from its heat resistance, this conifer has another outstanding quality. Colorado Blue Spruce can sometimes look more pale green than blue by the middle of the growing season. R.H. Montgomery does an excellent job of holding its silver-blue foliage color throughout the growing season.
This is one conifer that is ideally suited to smaller gardens. In areas with intense summer sun it benefits from shade during the hottest part of the day... noon to 4PM. It also prefers good soil that is decidedly well drained. It will not tolerate wet sites.Given those conditions it will prove to be a notable and beautiful contribution to any garden.

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