Description
Norway Spruce is a graceful pyramidal evergreen. As one of the fastest growing of the spruce, it can grow up to 3′ per year. In ideal growing conditions they can even grow 5′ in one season. The Norway Spruce tree has beautiful spreading branches with drooping twigs. The needles persist for 3-4 years and are dark green and blunt compared to Blue Spruce. The cones on a Norway Spruce are long (4-6″) purple when young. Norway spruce also survive ice storms well. They are very cold hardy but can be set back with temperatures drop below -30 degrees Fahrenheit.
Squirrels love to collect the cones for seed. I found a couple hundred Norway Spruce cones all lined up in 3 rows outside my barn a few years ago and thought the kids laid them out. A couple of days later I spotted a red squirrel carrying more Norway cones to the rows. The little guy was stashing them in the barn for the winter. The Norway Spruce was once used as masts on sailing ships. Norway Spruce is the major tree in the Black Forest of Germany. Native to most of north and central Europe. Norway Spruce was grown as a Christmas tree and is becoming more popular for that purpose again because of its dense dark green color. They are also useful for grafting purposes, and they make fantastic wind or privacy screens. Norway Spruce can be transplanted easily as seedlings or at larger sizes with a tree spade or when they are grown in root control bags.
Norway Spruce pests: Mites can be a problem. Eastern Spruce gall aphid forms pineapple like galls at the base of twigs. Galls caused by Cooley’s Spruce gall aphid cause browning at the branch tips. Bagworms can be a problem. In northern climates, Spruce budworm larvae eat the developing buds and young needles. The Spruce needle miner digs a small hole in the base of a needle then mines out the center. Pine needle scale is a white, elongated scale found feeding on the needles only. Sawfly larvae may feed on the needles. Borers can infest trees which are weakened by other problems.
