I've had one in for about 7-8 years, that I planted as a #5. No sign of a leader. It has a sideways habit. Cones prodigiously and the foliage is lovely. Doesn't look like it is ever going to be the shape you want, though.

Damnit not getting this plant then. Do any of you know if there are other available cultivars of either picea jezoensis or picea alcoquiana or picea glehnii that is actually an upright form? Notice I italicized 'available' since I can't find any jezoensis or alcoquiana or glehnii in stock anywhere! I really want one of these spruces but no place sells them

Definitely will become pyramidal after a long time. The ACS ConiferBase did an AMAZING job at describing the plant with a good array of pictures as well as a detailed analysis of all of the nomenclature issues that exist with this plant.

Picea jezoensis 'Howell's Dwarf'

American Conifers Society's ConiferBase — Get on Base!!!

By the way, I have a very nice Picea glehnii 'Chitosemaru' in my collection. If you're set up for grafting, I can supply you with a bunch of pieces so you can make your own.

Picea glehnii 'Chitosemaru'

I think this is the form that you're after. A word of advise — don't get frustrated that nobody's making a particular plant that interests you. Learn how to either make it yourself or make friends with somebody who grafts or roots cuttings as a hobby. There are lots of us out there.

Can chitosemaru come true from cuttings? Or do they have to be grafted

It would definitely come true from cuttings of they actually root. In nearly all cases, the only Picea cultivars that will root are those with juvenile foliage. That is not the case with 'Chitosemaru.'

I have the Howell's Dwarf Tigertail Spruce and it only grows a few inches a year. My tree is on it's second year in the ground. It has beautiful red cones in the spring. It struggles a bit in July and August. Mine does not have a central leader. When I purchased the tree a few years ago I was told it's an older tree. The Howell's Dwarf Tigertail may eventually develop a central leader but it will probably take many years.

Please don't call it 'Howell's Dwarf Tigertail' spruce. Such a name would imply that it's a Picea torano.

Here are a couple that I planted in the late 90's.

Frank

Deltaohio, so late 90s.. 20 years and yours seem to have developed a central leader. When did it first start showing signs of central leader growth? Also can you tell me how wide they are? They look pretty darn wide looking at the pic

I couldn't tell you when it started to grow a leader. The are probably 10-12 feet wide.

Frank

For what it's worth, I have one that was pyramidal (about 3 feet tall) when I purchased it. I subsequently cut off the central leader because I wanted the vase-shaped appearance. No new leader, yet, but it's only been a couple of years.

1. I'm is zone 5 (actually 5B) and have a Howell's dwarf tigertail spruce. It does have a leader and is a beautiful shaped spruce. However, it has needle cast, the interior branches are bare, the outer branches have needles but many have yellow cast, that will eventually drop off. It's being treated four times a season by a professional tree service. But it is still showing very little improvement. This is a replacement Howell. The nursery I shop at, had us return the first Howell we purchased for the same reason. Very unhappy and unsatisfied with this species of spruce.

I just bought one last Decembet to use as a holiday tree. It had a central leader and is pyramidal in shape. I want the flatter form so will prune the central leader. It’s in the upper left corner.