Norway Spruce

Picea abies, also known as Norway or European Spruce, is an evergreen conifer that was first introduced into the UK in the 1500s.

It is still the Christmas Tree of choice for many of us in December, but it now has competition from Abies Nordmanniana. Unlike the Picea abies, which often litters the floor with needles by New Year's, the Nordmann is celebrated for its excellent needle retention, keeping your living room festive rather than messy.

Picea abies grows to be a large pyramidal tree, so it can soon outgrow a small or medium-sized garden. It thrives on most free-draining soils and can even withstand some coastal conditions, although it is never a good first line of defense.

This vigorous grower adds more than 60cm of height annually once established. When planting, choose a site with plenty of space for its fast-spreading root system and mulch the base to suppress weeds and retain the soil moisture it needs.

Mature height: 17-22m

Common names

Norway Spruce

Height of tree

17-22m

Tree type

Evergreen

Soil type

Well drained, Will tolerate most soil types

Shape

Pyramidal

Foliage Colour

Green

Looks good in

Winter

Location

Garden, Parkland

Genus

Picea