NorwaySpruce.com - World Wide resource for Norway Spruce

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Kelly Tree Farm
191 Quincy Ave.
Clarence, IA 52216

This site is dedicated to the Norway Spruce (PICEA ABIES) which I believe is the largest, hardiest and most adaptable spruce in the world.

If your interested in planting Norway Spruce trees visit our retail site at KellyTreeFarm.com, or drop us a message. We do not know everything about Norway Spruce as I believe nobody does, but working together we can give the Norway Spruce the distinction it deserves.

The Norway Spruce is a native of Europe and due to its hardiness and adaptability it has been introduced around the world and thrives in the plant hardiness zones of 2 to 8 where there is adequate rainfall of at least 20” per year. In areas of less rainfall additional water will be necessary especially when young.

IDENTIFICATION

First stand back--if this evergreen is a tree that is 20 foot tall or larger it should have a dark
green color with penulous (arching upward) branches.
Identification
Identification
The foliage on these branches commonly “hangs” down from the main branches. If the tree is over 20 Feet tall look under the tree for the large cones, they are usually 4-8 inches long or they can be seen hanging down from the ends of the branches.

Remove one needle, it should be about 1 inch long and rotate easily between the thumb and forefinger. If it does not rotate and has 2 flat sides it is a fir tree.

Smaller trees are sometime hard to identify, look mainly for the dark green color, and needle rotation, and if all else fails ask a local tree expert, or a nursery, or some government forester, or me.

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SOILS AND RAINFALL

As with most plants it grows best on moist deep loam soils with 35” of annual rainfall per year. Due to their adaptability they can also grow on clay soils and sandy soils where there is adequate moisture to meet their needs. They seem to prefer a soil Ph of from 5 to 7.5 but have seen them on soils up to a PH of 9 with a reduced growth rate and density.

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80 Year's Old
HEIGHT AND GROWTH RATES

The Norway Spruce can grow 2-3 feet per year there first 25 years under good conditions, in heavy or poor soils they may average 1 foot per year. Soil, moisture, and adequate sunshine is everything to a plant and its growth rate. This spruce if given sufficient room to grow will easily grow to over 100 feet tall and be 40 feet wide with spreading branches at the base and will live over 100 years.

This is not a tree for a small yard! Although they do best in full sunshine they can tolerate some shading up to 50% and still survive but the growth rate and density will be reduced. The Norway spruce has a fiberous deep spreading root system that makes this tree very wind firm able to withstand winds up to 100MPH.

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CHRISTMAS TREE

Every year at Christmas time, a tree is placed in the Rockefeller center in New York City. They look for the largest, most beautiful tree they can find. Year after year there favorite is the Norway Spruce. Its strong branches are able to hold up the thousands of lights and ornaments, and being outside the needles stay on the tree for a long time. The tallest tree ever used was a 100-foot Norway Spruce from Killingworth, Conn. in 1948. After X-mas the tree is cut into lumber and used to build a house.

USES
Larger Norway Spruce
The Norway Spruce is the most widespread, fastest growing, largest and most disease resistant spruce in the northern hemisphere. It is used extensively for windbreaks through out Canada and the United States. It can tolerate much winds and still grow well.

Norway Spruce makes an excellent timber tree and is used extensively for reforestation in many areas.

In the past Norway Spruce was used extensively for the Christmas tree industry. They grew fast, and with a little shearing and the dark green color they looked like the perfect Christmas tree. Unfortunately they have lost favor as they do not hold their needles well after being cut. They can all fall off after only 2 weeks of being in the house!

The Norway Spruce also makes an excellent Specimen tree if given sufficient room. Although not as formal as many of the other spruces in it’s natural growth habit, if a person trims the tree lightly every few years and with its dark green color it has no rivals for beauty. Due to their long life the old trees carry a certain character that has a beauty that is all there own.

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DISEASES AND PESTS
Rabbit Damage
Damage done by Rabbits
The Norway Spruce is the most disease resistant spruce and is effected by few insects, none that are serious. It is not the preferred species for browse by most animals. Deer may take a bite but usually spit out the branch as it does not taste well. Buck deer will rub there horns on trees during the rut and can extensively damage a tree. The damaged tree can usually be saved by tying up a good branch that will then become a new leader. This is usually better than replacing a tree.

But in a severe winter or when excess numbers of animals exist, severe browsing of the green foliage can take place. Repellants can help but not if the animals are really hungry. Removal of animals or relocating them to other areas may be the only choice. Rabbits are easily caught in live animal traps. After the trees are bigger, animals can be welcomed back into the area.

In the picture to the right this a Norway Spruce that has had its bottom branches severely eaten by rabbits during the long winter we had here in Iowa in 2001. The Norway spruce will grow back quite well with only light browsing, (tips only)but the bottom branches shown here will not grow back. Do not let this happen to your trees, Take Action.

Contact Information

Phone: (563) 452-4300
Email: ktf@netins.net