Picea Abies ‘Norway Spruce’ (Size: 5-6′)

The Norway spruce is a medium-sized evergreen conifer that reaches a height of 40 to 60 feet tall and is up to 25 to 30 feet wide. It has a pyramidal or conical habit with a strong central leader and pendulous branches. Juvenile growth form is elliptical-columnar, has spreading branches, and becomes pyramidal with pendulous branchlets. The bark of a young tree is thin, but as the tree matures the bark becomes thick grayish-brown. The needles are 1-inch long, four-sided, saber-like, green, and arranged in rows on the branch like a hair brush. The mature cones are silvery brown, 4 to 6 inches long, and hang down as they mature.

This evergreen is native to northern and central Europe. It is the typical Christmas tree in Great Britain and has also served as the United States Capitol Christmas tree several times. There are over 150 cultivars available.

The genus name, Picea, is thought to be derived from the Latin word, pix, which means “pitch” and refers to the sticky resin that is found on the tree’s bark. The specific epithet, abies, references a very similar genus, Abies or fir. The cones of the fir tree are upright; whereas, the cones of the Norway spruce are pendulous.

Size: 5-6′