Acidic / Clay / Heavy / Moist / Well Drained / Light / Sandy
More commonly seen and known as the Christmas tree, Picea abies (Norway spruce) makes a beautiful specimen tree for large gardens and parks. It has a conical shape, attractive red-brown bark and short, deep green needles that have a strong pine scent. In summer and autumn, red-brown cones appear.
Picea abies can ultimately reach at least 30m and 8m wide tall, putting on around 1m of growth a year, so is best grown in a large garden. More compact cultivars are available, however, suitable for smaller spaces.
For best results grow Picea abies in moist but well-drained, slightly acidic soil, in full sun. As it reaches quite a large size, it is best grown in a large garden.
Norway spruce has shallow roots, so when planting, dig a hole twice the width of the root ball or container. Plant at the same depth as it was in the container. Water in well and add a mulch of bark or well rotted manure to help conserve moisture. Keep your tree well watered for the first year after planting. Once established, it should get all the moisture it needs from rainfall.
There's no need to prune a Norway spruce regularly – this may spoil the shape. However you can remove dead, damaged, crossing or diseased branches if they appear.
Where to buy a Norway spruce online
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Picea abies 'Nidiformis' - Known as the bird's nest spruce, this small, spreading conifer is more suitable for a small garden and looks good in a rock garden. Height x Spread: 1.5 x 4m
