The most common spruce for general landscape use, picea abies has a pyramidal outline, with a strong central leader, horizontal secondary branches, and pendulous tertiary branches. It is an extremely dominant focal point in the average landscape. Needs ample space to spread its limbs. The lustrous dark green needles average 1/2" to 1" long and maintain their color throughout the winter as well as any evergreen. The 4" to 6" long cones are purple-violet to greenish purple in youth, finally light brown. This species is tremendously adaptable, except to high heat.

Habit: Pyramidal with pendulous branchlets; stiff when young, graceful at maturity, good density.

Growth Rate: Medium to fast especially in youth; 1 1/2' to 2 1/2' per year in average landscape.

Mature Sizes: In an average mid west landscape after 20 years 30' to 40'.

Needle: Medium to dark green, 1/2" to 1" long, stiff.

Texture: Medium.

Cones: 4" to 6" long, Pedulous, cylindrical, brown when mature, persist through winter.

Culture: Easily transplanted, with shallow spreading root system; can be planted in most average soils in the mid west. Avoid wet, poorly drained sites, elevate root ball. Perfers full sun, but will grow in light to moderate shade (no less than 4 hours direct sun light.) And expect trees to be more openly branched and less dense. Will perform better than any of the pine family in partial shade.

Disease and Insects: Susceptable to spider mites.

Cultivars and Varieties:

• Nidiformis; is appropriately named Bird's Nest Spruce because of the depression in the middle of its tight, compact, mounded habit. Makes a good rock garden of foundation plant. Grows 2' high and 6' wide.

• Pendula; may be the generic name for a number of weeping types. No two are exactly alike, but all tend to splay their limbs in a wild, weeping configuration. Certainly a great novelty plant and a conversation piece at parties.

Zone:2 to 7.

Native Habitat: Northern and Central Europe.