Norway Spruce Tree Info Care Of Norway Spruce Trees

Plant it in marshy soil and it will thrive. You can plant Norway spruce in sun, shade or partial shade and it grows just the same. It is tolerant of poor soil but also grows in rich, fertile soils. Pest resistant, the trees hardly ever fall victim to insect damage or disease.

How do you care for a Norway spruce tree?

After your tree is established, it will only need watered when the soil is dry. This Spruce tree is drought tolerant once established. Fertilize when planting and in early spring yearly with a slow release fertilizer. The Norway Spruce is wind, cold, and deer resistant.

How do you keep a Norway spruce alive?

A potted Norway spruce makes a beautiful Christmas tree. After the holidays are over, plant the tree outdoors as a gift that gives for generations. The best strategy for keeping your living Christmas tree alive and well is to keep it cool and well-watered and to limit the amount of time it spends indoors.

How big do Norway spruce trees get?

Mature Size

The Norway spruce grows to a height of 40–60' and a spread of 25–30' at maturity.

How long do Norway spruce last?

	Longevity Score	How long will it last?
Nordmann Fir	9/10	5 weeks
Serbian Spruce	7/10	4 weeks
Norway Spruce	5/10	3 weeks

Can you keep a Norway spruce small?

If you just want to shape your dwarf spruce, or if your tree is young and you want to trim it to keep it small, then you can prune with a good amount of success. Taking care not to cut into the dead zone, cut back any branches that extend beyond the tree's conical shape. Remove ½ to 1 inch (up to 2.5 cm.)

Can you shape a Norway spruce?

Prune Norway spruce in the late winter or early spring. For young trees, follow branch tips back until you find two branches growing to either side. ... Doing this will encourage the side branches that remain to grow faster and make the tree bushier. Cut the lowest rung of branches on the tree to force more height.

Can you prune Norway spruce?

Consider pruning back branches in midsummer once all the current growing season's growth has flushed out. ... New prune spruce branches back into nude areas where no needles grow. New tip buds will only rejuvenate from pruning cuts made on areas of branches that are cloaked in needles. Never "top" a Norway spruce.

Do Norway spruce drop their needles?

The traditional Norway Spruce is a really cost-effective tree to boy but is prone to dropping needles. So look for the unscented Nordmann Fir (above) or citrusy Douglas Fir. These do tend to be more expensive to buy but will hold their needles better.

Why is my Norway spruce turning brown?

The possibilities that could cause damage like what you've described include root rot and spruce needle rust. Root rot symptoms could be exhibited through dead branches, brown needles and make it look like it's dying. ... A bare spot on a Norway spruce could be caused by site conditions, pests or a fungus.

How close can you plant Norway spruce?

Spacing Considerations

Norway Spruce are an excellent choice because they have good deer resistance in the Hudson Valley. It is OK to space these trees 10 feet on center from each other.

Will deer eat Norway spruce?

Norway spruce requires no site preparation. It is a shade tolerant conifer that can survive dense grass cover. Norway spruce is not readily eaten. Deer mostly leave it alone.

What is the lifespan of a spruce tree?

In the home landscape, it usually stays healthy for about 40 to 60 years, after which its health begins to fail, according to Northern State University. To keep your blue spruce living as long as possible, plant the tree in full sun, in neutral to acidic soil, and in a well-draining location.

Is Norway spruce invasive?

Norway spruce has been declared invasive in Monocacy National Battlefield Park (Maryland), Great Smoky Mountains National Park (Tennessee), Haleakala National Park (Hawaii), and Cornell plantations considers it to be “moderately invasive to natural areas in the central Finger Lakes region.”

How can you tell a spruce tree?

Spruce trees can be identified by their needles which have four sides. Each needle is individually attached to the branch and can be rolled easily between your fingers. Another way to identify spruce trees is by their cones that are covered with smooth thin scales. It is quite easy to bend the cones of spruce trees.

What does a Norway spruce look like?

Spruces are known for their distinctive look. They have a narrowly tapered crown and branches that often hang and sway. The bark is either pure brown or a grayish-brown, with orange-brown hairless shoots. The leaves are dark green needles up to 10 mm long and 3 mm wide, with a slight shine to them.

How do you water Norway spruce?

Established Norway Spruce trees are somewhat tolerant of drought, but will benefit from deep watering when rainfall is less than 1 inch per week. Watering should be done at the base of the tree, directly into the soil.

What is the fastest growing spruce tree?

The fastest-growing spruce tree, according to the Arbor Day Foundation, is the triangular-shaped Norway spruce (Picea abies), which is part of many suburban home and rural farm landscapes throughout Europe, the United States and Canada.

How do you stop evergreens from growing taller?

Spray or brush a sucker growth inhibitor onto the stub of the original lead stem to keep it from forming any forked growth. Trim the tree's new growth each year to keep it from spreading outward over time. Use the loppers or tree trimmers to make the cuts.

Will a spruce tree regrow branches?

Answer: Generally, it is acceptable to remove dead branches on pine trees as they won't grow back. On spruce trees, it can be helpful for the tree to remove dead branch sections so that healthy branches can replace them, since spruces will regrow along the healthy branches that have buds.

How do you shape a spruce tree?

Spruce (Picea)

For a formal shape, prune new growth in the spring. ...
To reduce the size of a branch, cut back to a lateral branch or a visible dormant bud. ...
To repair a broken leader, cut off the broken branch and tie one of the shorter side shoots upright onto a splint, training it to become the new leader.

Can you top a spruce tree?

While many plants can be pruned to keep their size in check, this is hard to do with evergreens because most grow from a central leader. Practices such as topping a tree by cutting off the uppermost part of the trunk should be avoided.