Mac Gold White Spruce
Botanical Reference: Picea Glauca
 
A slow-growing evergreen conifer with a dense pyramidal form. New growth in spring is a dazzling cream-white, before changing back to dark blue-green by summer. Prefers sun/partial shade in well-drained soil. 5' tall x 3' wide in 10 years. Hardy to -60 degrees. USDA zone 1.
 
American Conifer Society Attributes:
Picea glauca 'Mac Gold' / Mac Gold white spruce
RECOMMENDED HARDINESS ZONES:
5 (-10 to -20 F / -23.3 to -28.9 C)
8 (10 to 20 F / -6.7 to -12.2 C)
HORTICULTURAL STATUS: Disputed
ORIGIN: Seedling Selection
COLOR: Seasonal Variation 
TRINOMIAL TYPE: Cultivar
GROWTH SHAPE: Conical (Pyramidal)
GROWTH SIZE: Dwarf: 1 to 6 inches (2.5 – 15 cm) per year / 1 to 5 feet (0.3 – 1.5 m) after 10 years
 
Picea glauca 'Mac Gold' / Mac Gold white spruce
Picea glauca 'Mac Gold' is a very distinctive pyramidal tree that has bright, yellow-gold needle color on the new growth as it emerges in the spring. Later in the season the bright gold color turns to green with just a hint of yellow in the needles. This plant is very spectacular in the early spring landscape.
After 10 years of growth, a mature specimen will measure 4 feet (1.5 m) tall, an annual growth rate of 1.5 to 3 inches (4 - 8 cm).
 
Origin:
Joe Stupka of Pulaski, Pennsylvania selected and named this tree. He discovered it growing in a Christmas Tree Farm owned by Dick McConnell, near Edenburg, Pennsylvania in 1985. The entire tree was dug and moved to Pine Glenn Nursery, near Pulaski, Pennsylvania where the tree still existed in 2009.
 
Note: This conifer is often seen listed under many names, all permutations on 'Mac Gold.' 'Mac's Gold,' 'Mac's Golden' and 'Mac Golden' are commonly seen. Another "AKA" IS Picea glauca 'McConnell's Gold' which is an attempt to name the plant for Dick McConnell.