Norway Spruce

The Norway spruce is a beautiful ornamental tree species. The pyramid-shape makes it as a viable choice for Christmas trees. It is also a popular selection for bonsai.

Scientific Classification

Kingdom	Plantae
Division	Pinophyta
Class	Pinopsida
Order	Pinales
Family	Pinaceae
Genus	Picea
Scientific Name	Picea abies

Quick Information

Other Names	European spruce
Tree Type	Coniferous evergreen
Identification	Height: 115-180 ft (35-55 m) Leaves:  Dark green, needle-like leaves and tips are flat, sizing 0.47-0.94 in (12-24 mm) Trunk Diameter: 39-59 in (1-1.5 m) Bark: Up and down lines throughout the brown bark Cones:  Either blunt or sharp triangular-shaped scale tips sizing 3.5-6.6 in (88.9-167.6 mm). Initially they are red or green turning to brown post pollination Seeds: Black in color sizing 0.15-0.19 in (4-5 mm) Branches: Branches are swooping and branchlets have a drooping shape Crown: The crown gradually becomes thinner when the tree ages
Distribution	Throughout Europe
Habitat	Coniferous forest
Hardiness Zone	2-7
Growth Rate	Slow
Lifespan	Around 300 years
Growing Condition	Sunlight: Full sun required Soil: Slightly alkaline, wet at times, well-drained, loam, and clay Water: during the dry weather it needs water
Drought Tolerance	Moderate
Diseases & Pests	Cytospora canker, needle cast, and rust diseases, mites, eastern Spruce gall adelgid, Cooley’s Spruce gall adelgid, bagworms, spruce budworm larvae, sawfly larvae,
Reproductive System	Monoecious
Propagation	Through pollens
Wildlife Value	Cone scales are consumed by caterpillars, and barks are fed by moths
Cultivars	1. Acrocona 2. Clanbrassiliana 3. Inversa 4. Little Gem 5. Nidiformis 6. Gregoryana 7. Dumosa 8. Decumbens 9. Capitata 10. Barrya 11. Microsperma 12. Pendula or weeping Norway spruce 13. Virgata 14. Maxwellii 15. Tabuliformis 16. Repens 17. Ohlendorffii
Uses	Used for paper and timber production, making the vitamin C enriched spruce beer, constructing musical instruments. In the traditional Austrian medical science, the shoot tip of the tree could be either consumed as a healing beverage or used as an ointment, inhaler, bathing lotion for treating gastrointestinal tracts, infections, respiratory and skin problems
IUCN Conservation Status	Least Concern

Interesting Facts

• Its scientific name ‘abies’ means ‘fir-like’ in Latin.
• Old Tjikko, a clone of Norway spruce is believed to be 9, 550 years old, being the oldest living tree in the world.
• The number of the tree’s synonym crosses 150.
• Siberian spruce is known to be its subspecies but scientists are researching about it as the two trees are extremely similar.

References

1. https://www.illinoiswildflowers.info/trees/plants/nor_spruce.html
2. https://hort.ifas.ufl.edu/database/documents/pdf/tree_fact_sheets/picabia.pdf
3. https://www.weekand.com/home-garden/article/spruce-tree-reproduction-seeds-18035285.php
4. https://mortonarb.org/plant-and-protect/trees-and-plants/norway-spruce/