Norway Spruce

Description

The Norway Spruce is our favorite and best large evergreen for windbreaks in the eastern 2/3 of America.

The Norway Spruce is a fast-growing (2-3’ per year) evergreen that has dark green needles that are 1 inch long and can grow up to 5 ft a year in good weather. It never drops its needles but keeps them on for up to 10 years. Its branches extend to the ground giving excellent wind protection. It is native to Europe where it grows throughout the region and is the most common evergreen in the Alps area in Europe, the Black Forest of Germany, and the Carpathian Mountains of Romania and Ukraine. In Europe, it is commonly called the Mountain Spruce and can be seen growing everywhere.

It will grow to 100+ ft tall and 25+ ft wide. It is very wind-firm due to its large spreading root system and tough flexible wood. It can live a very long life in windbreaks of over 100 years in most soils and is the most common old windbreak tree in the Midwest.  Due to its shape, heavy snow and ice storms cause little damage. Deer will normally not eat this species unless nothing else is available.

It will grow well in hardiness zones from 2-7 with some sites in the southern areas being too warm for this spruce as they enjoy colder climates. I have seen them growing in a variety of soils, even rocky and sandy soils that hold moisture. They do well in clay soils where pine and fir do not. They will grow in a soil pH of up to 9 but do prefer a 7.5 and lower for best growth rates. It can take more moisture than other species and should be considered where soil can stay moist and where the land is level and does not drain as well. It does not do well when the soil is constantly wet or swampy.

In areas where the summer can be hot and dry (Nebraska, Montana, Wyoming) they will not do well unless they have adequate moisture. For best growth rates they should have 25” or more of rain per year. The Norway Spruce has few disease problems unless stressed. Fungal diseases that affect other spruce trees do not affect the Norway Spruce and insect pests occur rarely except on older or stressed trees.

We recommend spacing in a single or double row with 20 feet between rows and plants, or multiple rows with 25 feet between rows and plants with trees staggard from the other rows. A two-foot tall potted tree can be over 10 feet in 5 years provided it is planted in good soil with adequate moisture and weed and grass control around the base

Here in Iowa and most of the eastern 2/3 of the United States it is a superior windbreak tree and I highly recommend it.

Visit: www.norwayspruce.com for more pictures and information.