on left is a gotelli planted last nov. put up 8" or so leader in first year and is noticeably fuller. on rt. is picea omorika pendula planted same time. so far, so good with both. full sun.

I'm not sure what to make of mine, but it has been vigorous. The cones are interesting and the bending branches show off that gorgeous omorika foliage. Oh, and the skirt is nice. I've talked myself into liking it. :)

Mine today, Jody.

P. omorika 'Gotelli Weeping' (Serbian spruce)

It's quite lovely and has more blue color than the multitudes of seedlings I have on my property. I would still rate the seedlings as 80-90% as good as this cultivar. It's very difficult to not like any Picea omorika.

Dax

Thanks for all the photos, this is great! A question, though -- the form looks fairly different on each one, e.g., Pete and Maackia, yours look like they each have (or are developing a wider skirt, and Dax, yours looks beautifully full but with compact branching. Are any of you pruning to help influence/shape the form?

I need to update my profile, my zone is 7b (in metro DC area). How do you think this conifer would fare in my climate, which is warmer than most of yours (and we also get high humidity in July/August)?

Lastly, what sources do you use/recommend to get your seedlings/trees?

Thanks for all the advice!

Jody, have you seen the Gotelli conifer collection at the National Arb in DC? I know it is named after a gentleman from NJ who donated his collection to the arb, but I'm not sure who discovered and/or named this weeping variety. Hopefully someone with knowledge will chime in fill us in on the details.

I found mine at a local nursery, which was pretty surprising. It was badly root bound and I managed to convince them they needed to let me take it off their hands at reduced price. I do see this clone offered at a few nurseries in the Twin Cities, so you should be able to find one locally. If I can find it in Eau Claire, I'm guessing you can find it in DC. ;)

The Gotelli Conifer Collection is located just south of the Washington Times parking lot and a long way from the main entrance to the Arboretum. Google

3600 New York Avenue NE, Washington, D.C.

It might save you a few steps. ;-)

Mike

Hi Guys, The man, Gotelli lived on Long Island, NY from what I recall reading on Coenosium Gardens website before all the information was taken off the internet. I also recall a photo Bob Fincham (Coesnosium) had of the Gotelli Weeping specimen at The US Arb. prior to it dying. It was huge. Had a skirt that sprawled all along the ground. I had visited the US Arb. in 2006 but it had to have died prior because I do not have a photo of it.

Jody, I bought my seedlings from Treehaven Evergreen Nursery in New York. I planted them spring of 08 (bareroot that's how Don sells all his seedlings) and I have 8' trees today. I bought the largest available that year which were probably 3-1's (Three years in the field and one year from a plug) or 4-0's (grown in the ground 4-years.) That would probably be a good place for you to buy them since you're right there. I think I got 30 seedlings + shipping for 55 dollar I want to say. ...versus buying a single tree in a pot for 20 or 25 dollars, big box price, you'll get 30 to mess with. Or, you may try single trees for a really good price from Evergreen Nursery. You aren't going to find a cheaper seedling online with media on the rootball than Evergreen Nursery.

I know the lineage of my 'Gotelli Weeping' because I bought it from Bob Fincham. I know for certain my tree is the real deal. Also from what I recall reading on his website and this was years ago... he commented to the fact that most of the Gotelli Weeping came mostly from one Nursery . . . I don't recall though the owners names or the nursery name. I do know now that they shut their doors before Bob did with Coenosium. His premise was that only nurseries that got their hands on their grafted 'Gotelli Weeping' thru however means --- have the correct plant... I say all this because (if and only) I recall correctly, the original tree at tthe US Arboretum was simply named 'Pendula'.

Later as I recall, the tree went from 'Pendula' to 'Gotelli Weeping' to differentiate it from all of the other 'Pendula' cultivars - and there are many.

You have to look at a lot of this in reverse and ask yourself, "do I really have a 'Gotelli Weeping'?" This was something that Edwin Smits and I discussed years ago. He was convinced that everyone had Gotelli Weeping when to me their plants looked various clones of 'Pendula' even though they bought their trees w/o the name Gotelli Weeping on them. It was Edwin's mission to have everybody change their tags over to 'Gotelli Weeping'.

Dax

I've already thought all that thru. The Gotelli Weeping I saw at Bob's website of the original has/had equal spread all the way up. My opinion is you don't.

Dax

Mine is also an Iseli Nursery specimen. I havent pruned it and dont plant to. Ive watered it 2-3 times in 10 months(wet land, note my planting mounds and my small dead (yellow) colorado spruce that I did not build a tall enough mound for. When I dont build a tall enough mound my conifers die. Leeches like my soil though.