Plant primer | Norway spruce

Light: full sun

Height: 40 to 60 feet

Spread: 25 to 30 feet

USDA Hardiness Zones: 2 to 7

Origin: Europe

An evergreen commonly found within the central Ohio landscape is the Norway spruce (Picea abies).

The tree has a pyramidal shape with a strong central leader (trunk). The dark-green needles are a ½-inch to 1 inch long and very stiff.

A good way to distinguish this spruce from others is the habit of the branches; the primary branches (the ones growing directly off the trunk) have an upward arch, while the secondary branches droop or hang like fringe. The older the tree, the more pronounced this branch trait becomes.

A Norway spruce’s brown cones are pendulous, cylindrical and 4 to 6 inches long. This spruce is a fast grower, putting on 1 to 2 feet of growth a year.

Norway spruces thrive in well-draining soils and need plenty of space to grow. They can be planted as a windbreaker or simply as a nice evergreen in the garden.

Norway spruces can be seen throughout the outdoor gardens at Franklin Park Conservatory and Botanical Gardens.

— Barbara Arnold

Franklin Park Conservatory