The relevance of the work is due to the severity of environmental problems of urbanized territories and the need to reduce urban air pollution. In this context, the prickly spruce, in particular its shape with a blue color of needles (Picea pungens Engelm., f. glauca), is very effective. In this regard, the dust-retaining ability of needles was studied, as well as the parameters forming the leaf surface of the crown. The object of research were reproductively mature trees of the same age of the specified species growing in three functional zones of Nizhny Novgorod with varying degrees of anthropogenic pollution. According to the forest-growing zoning, the locations of the experimental plots belong to the zone of coniferous-deciduous forests, coniferous-deciduous forest area of the European part of the Russian Federation (3 forest-growing area). The work was carried out by field and laboratory methods. Biological sampling was carried out with differentiation in height and location relative to pollution sources. A comparative assessment of the surface of needles and its dust-retaining ability in trees of this breed growing in different functional zones of the city is given. The individual phenotypic variability of the studied parameters of the accounting trees is shown and the differences in them associated with placement on sites characterized by unequal levels of anthropogenic pollution are determined. The physical mass of dust washed off from one test sample with a fixed area of its leaf surface varied from 0.01±0.001 g to 0.04±0.003 g. The dust retention capacity took values from 148.48±22,809 mg/m2 to 490±39,300 mg/m2. The conclusion is made about the ability of the prickly spruce to form a well-developed leaf apparatus in the conditions of landscaping facilities in Nizhny Novgorod, the power of which is sufficient for the effective performance of its performance by trees that have reached the reproductive phase of ontogenesis, dust-retaining function.