Norway Spruce Data Sheet

• Common name: Norway spruce

• Latin name: Picea Abies

• Genus: Picea

• Height: 55 m (180 ft)

• Type: Evergreen

• Hardiness: Zone 2–7

• Conservation status: Least concern

Picea Abies, commonly known as the Norway spruce, is a conifer native to Europe. Its range extends from Spain and Portugal in the west to, and beyond Latvia, Estonia and Lithuania in the east.

This tree is generally found at low and high altitudes, mostly from 200 m (650 ft) to 3,000 m (9,850 ft).

The Norway spruce is a large tree, growing to 55 m (180 ft). There are instances of trees reaching 65 m tall. The trunk diameter reaches 1.5 m. The bark is brown to light grey. The needles are dark green (light green on young growth) and 2 to 3 cm long. The cones are 6 inches long and start life with a red or purple colour. Mature cones turn a light brown colour.

The Norway spruce is closely related to the Siberian spruce, which shares many of its characteristics.

There are reports of this tree living to over 9,000 years.

'Tis the season to be jolly! It may not come as a surprise that these are the most widely used Christmas trees on earth. The tree is also used for timber production and paper making.

Pre Germination

These seeds need no pretreatment or stratification before sowing. Fill trays or pots with quality compost and firm down gently. Spread seeds across the surface; around 25 in a 10 cm pot is ideal. Cover with 3 mm of compost and gently firm down.

Keep compost damp, not soaking wet or dried out. Place pots or trays on a warm windowsill or in a warm conservatory. Germination should occur at 2–5 weeks.

Post Germination

Once seedlings appear, keep them in a well-ventilated area to reduce the risk of damping off disease. Place in a bright location such as a windowsill. Ensure seedlings never dry out. Water logging should also be avoided; young trees hate wet feet. These seedlings are quite delicate and are prone to damping off in the first 3 weeks. They can be separated into their own 4" pots at 15–20 weeks; by this stage they are frost hardy and can stay outside. Fertilization is not required up to this point. During spring and summer we advise using an NPK 10-10-10 fertilizer every 4 weeks.

CAUTION: Slugs and snails love juicy young pines and spruce.

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