picea

( pie - SEE - uh )

At-A-Glance Information

Known commonly as Spruce, this genus of evergreen trees needs full sun to light shade and little to moderate water. The cones produced by these trees will attract birds to your garden. They are pyramid-shaped trees with cones that hang down from branches (instead of sitting on top of them, as they do on Fir trees). Needles are varying shades of green and grey, and these trees generally grow best where summers are cool or mild. Spruce trees can be grown in containers for years before being planted in the ground; They can be used in this way as living Christmas Trees. Take care when planting these evergreens in the landscape, as skin contact with needles can cause skin irrigation and respiratory issues.

picea Species and Varietals

Spruce includes 40 species and is a member of the plant family Pinaceae. The best growing zones for Spruce trees vary depending on the species. For more information, see the descriptions below. To find your zone, click here: Zone Map.
Picea abies (Norway Spruce, European Spruce)
Best in zones A2, A3, 1-6, and 14-17. These trees are native to norther, central and eastern Europe and quickly reach 100-150 feet tall and 20 feet wide. This species produces the largest cones in the genus, and is commonly used as a Christmas Tree in many countries around the world. These trees prefer soil to have a pH of between 5.0 and 7.5. Needles are deep green and many dwarf, garden-sized varieties are available, including those listed below.
'Cupressina'
A narrow, columnar variety to 20-30 feet tall and 4-6 feet wide. Foliage is rich green.
'Lanham's Beehive'​
Reacahes 5 feet tall and 4 feet wide, with a dense, pyramidal shape and long, thick blue-green needles.
'Little Gem'
To 1 foot tall and wide, with a dense habit and short needles.
'Nidiformis' (Bird's Nest Spruce)
3-5 feet tall and 4-6 feet wide, with a dense habit that varies a bit in shape and structure.
'Pendula'
Good groundcover variety that reaches 1.5 feet tall and 10 feet wide. Great cascading down rocks or walls, and can be staked and grown as a short, weeping tree.
'Pusch'
To 2 feet tall and 4 feet wide, this variety produces many cones that are red when new and age to brown. A handsome, mound-forming plant.

Picea asperata (Dragon Spruce, Chinese Spruce)
These trees are native to western China, and reach between 82 and 130 feet tall. Needles are grey-green to blue-green. The species is occasionally grown as a landscape ornamental in Europe and North America, and is also used in the production of stringed instruments. Although not currently listed as threatened, the population of these trees in the wild is declining rapidly due to deforestation caused by the Chinese logging industry. 

​Picea breweriana (Brewer's Weeping Spruce)
This species is best in zones 2b-7 and 14-17 and is native to the Siskiyou Mountains in California and Oregon. These trees can reach between 30 and 50 feet tall and 10-12 feet wide in garden settings (they can grow to be much larger in their natural habitat). When young, these trees are stiff and upright, and at maturity have long vertical branches with drooping foliage. Needles are deep green on top and greyish underneath, and these trees are more tender than other species of Spruce. They require regular water and cool temperatures to perform well.

Picea chichuahuana (Chihuahua Spruce)
These medium-sized evergreen trees are native to northwestern Mexico, where they grow along streams in mountain valleys. Bark is thin and scaly, and the tree forms a conical shape. These trees were discovered in 1942 by Mexican botanist Maximino Martinez, and are considered endangered, with less than 2,500 individuals in the wild. These are very attractive trees, valued in warm areas (it is one of the most heat-tolerant species of Spruce) and commonly used as garden ornamentals.

Picea engelmannii (Engelmann Spruce, White Spruce, Mountain Spruce, Silver Spruce)
Best in zones A2, A3, 1-7, 10, and 14-17 and native from British Columbia south to Oregon and Northern California and east to the Rocky Mountains. These trees reach 60-130 feet tall and 20-25 feet wide, and have a pyramid shape to them. Needles are blue-green. A popularly-grown lawn tree in the Rocky Mountain area.

Picea farreri (Farrer's Spruce)
This species is native to China, and reaches about 115 feet tall when mature. These trees prefer limestone soils in cool, wet, mountainous habitats. The species is named to honor Reginald Farrer, a plant collector who traveled extensively in Burma and China. Branchlets have a weeping habit, dangling off of main branches. Needles are blue-green to green in color, and emerge light green.
Picea glauca (White Spruce, Canadian Spruce, Skunk Spruce, Cat Spruce, Black Hills Spruce, Western White Spruce, Alberta White Spruce, Porsild Spruce)
This species is best in zones A1-A3, 1-7 and 14-17. These trees are native to Canada and the northern United States, and form a densely-foliaged tree that reaches 60-70 feet tall and 10-12 feet tall. Trees prefer soil to have a pH of between 6/8 and 7.2. Varieties and subspecies are listed below.
'Blue Wonder'
Slow grower, forming a compact narrow cone that reaches just 6 feet tall and 2-3 feet wide. Foliage is grey-blue.
'Densata' (Black Hills Spruce)
Best in zones A2, A3, and 1-6, this variety forms a dense pyramid 20-25 feet tall and 10-12 feet wide (in 35 years).
'Jean's Dilly'
Pyramid-shaped tree to 4-5 feet tall and 2-3 feet wide with twisted needles.
'Pendula'
Slender tree that reaches 20 feet tall and 6 feet wide, with dense, blue-green foliage.
'Rainbow's End'
Reaches 10 feet tall and 4 feet wide with a cone-shaped habit and bright yellow green new growth that matures to green.
Picea glauca albertiana 'Conica'
​(Dwarf Alberta Spruce)
Forms a compact, bushy shrub 6-8 feet tall and 4-5 feet wide, with bright green new foliage that matures to greyish-green. Shelter from winds and strong sunlight. Grown as a container plant.

Picea glehnii (Sakhalin Spruce, Glehn's Spruce, Red Spruce)
This species is named for Russian botanist Peter von Glehn, the first to formally describe the species. Tres reach about 100 feet tall at maturity, and produce green foliage. Young shoots are reddish in color, and bark is flaky and chocolate brown in color. Cones are about 3,5 inches long. Native to Japan.

Picea jezoensis (Picea yezoensis) (Dark-Bark Spruce, Ezo Spruce, Yezo Spruce, Jezo Spruce)
These large trees reach between 100 and 1165 feet tall when mature, and are native to northeast Asia. The specific epithet references the term 'Ezo' which is an old name for the islands north of Honshu. Bark is thin and scaly, and is commonly fissured in older trees. Needles are dark blue-green. These trees are used to make the Ainu string instrument called tonkori.

Picea likiangensis (Lijiang Sprice, Lakiang Spruce, Lijiang Yunshan)
This species of spruce is native to Bhutan and China, and is considered vulnerable due to recent habitat loss and logging operations in its native range. Foliage is green, and these trees take a conical shape, reaching up to 90 feet tall when mature. Bark is scaly and pale grey, developing fissures as it ages. Cones emerge purple, and mature to be 3-5 inches long and pale brown. 

Picea koraiensis (Picea koyamae) (Korean Spruce)
These medium-sized evergreen trees are native to the Korean Peninsula, and reaches about 82 feet tall when mature. Trees have handsome deep blue-green foliage, and new growth is light green. These trees are considered to be critically endangered in their native range due to habitat destruction. 

Picea mariana (Black Spruce)
This North American species is widespread across Canada and the northern parts of the United States. The specific epithet for the species means 'of the Virgin Mary'. These slow-growing trees (rarely shrubs) reach between 15 and 50 feet tall and have scaly, thin bark and blue-green foliage. 'Nana' is a dwarf form, great for smaller gardens due to its more compact habit. Fast food chopsticks are commonly made using this species of Spruce.

Picea martinezii (Martinez Spruce)
These trees reach between 82 and 115 feet tall when mature, and are native to northwestern Mexico, where they grow along streams in mountain valleys. Bark is thin and scaly. Branchlets are drooping, and foliage is green. The species is named for Mexican botanist Maximino Martinez.

Picea maximowiczii (Japanese Bush Spruce)
This endangered species is endemic to Japan, where it grows amongst mountain ranges. Individual trees can reach between 82 and 130 feet tall. Bark is grey-brown and fissured, and foliage is deep green. Cones are brown when ripe.

Picea meyeri (Meyer's Spruce)
These trees produce yellow-brown shoots and have light green sparse foliage. They can reach up to 100 feet tall and are occasionally planted as landscape ornamentals in the eastern United States, where it is more disease-resistant than the more commonly planted Blue Spruce.

Picea morrisonicola (Taiwan Spruce)
This species is found only in Taiwan, and is the only species of Spruce tree found there. This is the southernmost species of Spruce in the entire world, and can reach up to 160 feet tall. These trees are important for timber in their native range, and populations have markedly declined due to overexploitation of the resource.

Picea neoveitchii
This species is considered critically endangered, and can only be found in a few locations in central China. These trees reach up to 50 feet tall when mature, and have scaly, flaking gray bark. Seed cones emerge green and mature to brown. The species is named for James Veitch, a British nurseryman.

Picea omorika (Serbian Spruce)
Best in zones 2b-7 and 14-17, this native of southeastern Europe reacahes 50-60 feet tall and 6-10 feet wide. Needles are dark green with white undersides. Variety 'Nana' reaches 3-4 feet tall and just as wide, with closely spaced needles. 'Pendula Bruns' reaches 6-8 feet tall and 2 feet wide with twisting, pendulous branches. Finally, 'Pimoko' is a mound-forming variety reaching 1.5 feet tall and 2.5 feet wide with blue-green needles.

Picea orientalis (Oriental Spruce, Caucasian Spruce)
This species grows well in zones 2b-7 and 14-17, and is native to the Caucasus and northeastern Turkey. It has a conical shape, and very short needles. Oriental Spruce tops out around 50-60 feet tall and 20 feet wide, and can tolerate poor soil as long as it is well-draining. Protect from drying winds. Varieties include 'Aurea', (with chartreuse new growth), 'Aureospicata' (with chartreuse young foliage), and 'Skylands' (with creamy gold leaves that persist year-round).

Picea polita (Tiger Tail Spruce)
Endemic to Japan, this Spruce species reaches about 25 feet tall at maturity with a 15 foot wide spread. These trees are rarely found in the nursery trade, but are ocasionally sold as landscape ornamentals. New branches are dull orange, and foliage is green. This species prefers to grow in volcanic soils, and is called the Tiger Tail Spruce due to the pendulous branchlets on older trees.
Picea pungens (Colorado Spruce, Blue Spruce, Colorado Blue Spruce)
This species is native to zones A2, A3, 1-10 and 14-17. These trees are native to the Rocky Mountains in Arizona, Colorado, Idaho, New Mexico, Utah and Wyoming, and reach 30-60 feet tall and 10-20 feet wide, with a horizontal branching pattern and a pyramid shape. Needle color varies depending on the varietal grown; for more information see the listings below.
'Fat Albert'
Formal-looking tree with a broad shape, reaching 15-20 feet tall and 10-12 feet wide.
'Hoopsii'
Dense, cone-shaped tree with spreading branches. 
'Koster'
Blue-grey foliage on a conical tree.
'Moerheimii'
Blue-grey foliage with a compact habit, with longer, thicker needles than other varieties.
'Montgomery'
Slow-growing dwarf variety that forms a silver-blue cone 5 feet tall and just as wide.
'Pendula' ('Glauca Pendula')
(Weeping Blue Spruce)
Gray-blue foliaged plant with weeping branchlets that can be used as  groundcover or staked up to form a small tree.

Picea purpurea (Purple Cone Spruce, Purple-Coned Spruce)
These trees are endemic to China, and is most likely a natural hybrid between Picea likiangensis and Picea wilsonii. These trees can reach between 50 and 150 feet tall when mature, and have a spread of between 20 and 50 feet wide. They can put on about a foot of growth per year. Seed cones are brownish purple, and foliage is green. Timber from these trees is used for construction, furniture building and pulp in their native range.

Picea rubens (Red Spruce, Yellow Spruce, Virginia Spruce, Eastern Spruce, He-Balsam)
These trees are native to eastern North America, and are shade-tolerant. They reach up to 131 feet tall under optimal growth conditions, and have gray-brown bark that is red on the interior (hence the common name, Red Spruce). Wood also has a slightly reddish tinge to it. Preferred soil pH between 4.0 and 5.5.

Picea schrenkiana (Schrenk's Spruce, Asian Spruce)
These Spruce trees are native to the Tian Shan mountains in Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and western China. The species is named for Alexander von Schrenk, a German-Russian naturalist. They are common in forested areas around other trees of the same species, and can reach up to 200 feet tall.

Picea sitchensis (Sitka Spruce)
Grows well in zones A2, A3, 4-6 and 14-17, and is native to Alaska down to California. This species is the largest of all Spruces, and reaches 80-160 feet tall and 20-40 feet wide (larger in their natural habitat). Needles are dark green on top, powder blue underneath, and are borne on horizontal branches. This species needs moisture in both the atmosphere and soil to perform well. Sensitive to Cooley Spruce Gall. Variety 'Tenas' (also called 'Papoose') reaches 4-5 feet tall and just as wide.

Picea smithiana (Morinda Spruce, West Himalayan Spruce)
These Spruces are native to the western Himalayas and adjacent mountains in Pakistan, northeast Afghanistan, India, and central Nepal. The species is named for English botanist and founder of the Linnaean Society, James Edward Smith. Reaching between 130 and 180 feet tall when mature, these trees have pendulous branchlets and green foliage. This species has the longest needles of all spruces, and produces buff-brown cones. Morinda Spruce trees are popular garden ornamentals, especially in Europe.

Picea spinulosa (Sikkim Spruce)
These spruce trees are native to Nepal, India, and Bhutan. They reach between and 130 and 180 feet tall when mature, and have pendulous branches clothed in green foliage. Sikkim Spruce is occasionally grown as an ornamental tree in larger gardens and landscapes, valued for its attractive foliage and drooping branches.

Caring for and pruning Picea Trees

Caring for these architectural, fast-growing trees is relatively simple. They can tolerate a wide range of conditions, and are frequently used as windbreak plants. They are also tolerant of air pollution. Choose a spot in the landscape for these trees that receives full sun each day. Ideally, these trees should be getting between 6 and 8 hours of direct sun exposure every day to grow quickly and perform well. They prefer soils to be slightly acidic to neutral (with a pH of between 4.7 and 7.0), though this varies somewhat depending on the species, so check specific growing requirements before installing. If local soils are overly clayey or poor, consider amending the planting site with plenty of organic material and/or sand before installing. Newly planted trees will need water regularly in order for them to establish a deep, strong root system, especially in their first spring and summer in the landscape. Once established, trees are relatively drought-tolerant and will be able to get by on rainwater alone for most of the year. In the hotter months, provide occasional deep waterings.

These trees do not need to be pruned, and in fact do much better when left to their own devices. Pruning tends to invite pest and disease issues in these trees. Spruces do not require heavy feedings and typically do well with a simple application of organic compost to their root zone yearly in springtime. If trees seem to be struggling or foliage is somewhat discolored, trees may benefit from an extra feeding with a balanced, slow-release fertilizer (such as a 10-10-10). Avoid over-fertilizing trees, as this can negatively affect their growth and development over time.

Propagation

Picea can be propagated either by using cuttings or from seed. To ensure that your propagated plant will have the exact same qualities and characteristics as the parent plant, use the cutting method. If you would like to experiment and see what plant you can grow from seed, just keep in mind that it will not necessarily be the same as the parent plant. To propagate your Picea, follow the instructions below:

Propagating Picea by Cutting
  1. Gather your materials. You'll need a clean, sanitized, sharp pair of garden shears, rooting hormone, a pencil, and a 3-inch pot filled with well-draining compost or other organic material. If you don't have any potting medium on hand, you can make some. Just mix together equal parts (by volume) moss peat and horticultural-grade sand or grit sand.
  2. In spring or early summertime, choose the plant that you'd like to propagate. Ensure that this plant has had a good watering the night before, as this will improve the chances your cutting will take root. Cut one or more 6 inch portion(s) of the end of a non-blooming branch and strip the leaves off of the lower half. Make a hole in your planting medium by pushing your pencil into the soil. Dip the end of the stem in rooting hormone, and plant it in your pot. Fill in soil around the cutting to support it, but do not pack it down too much.
  3. Moisten with water, and ensure that the pot has good drainage. Your pot should be kept in warm, sunny conditions indoors (and not in direct sunlight). Water whenever your soil is dry under the top layer. After about four to six weeks have passed, your cutting should be rooted. When you notice new growth, you'll know you have roots.
  4. Keep your new plant in an area with bright light (though not direct sunlight) and temperatures between 55 and 70 degrees Fahrenheit. Ensure that the soil stays moist, but not wet, until the next spring, when you can transplant it to its new home. Ensure that the last frost of the year has occurred before doing this, as it can seriously damage your new shrub.

Propagating Picea by Seed
  1. Keep in mind that the plant you get from seed will not necessarily mimic all of the characteristics of the parent plant. To propagate by seed, you will need a paper bag, a pot or tray filled with well-draining compost or other organic material, a spray bottle and a fork. If you don't have any potting medium on hand, you can make some. Just mix together equal parts (by volume) moss peat and horticultural-grade sand or grit sand. You will also, after a few weeks, need individual 3-inch pots for each seedling that grows.
  2. Harvest your seeds. The cones on Picea plants are pretty easy to spot, they're quite large and attach to branches, left behind after flowers have faded. Once they have dried out and begun to split open, you can harvest the seeds inside. Cones will typically begin to fall from the trees in August and September. They can also be cut off of the plant and placed in a paper bag. Harvest as many as you can, and place the paper bag in a dry, cool, dark area. They will begin to split open and release the seeds contained inside. Once they have been released, take them out of the bag and put them in a container so you can work with them.
  3. Water your prepared seed tray or pot filled with soil, and ensure that good drainage is occurring. Place your seeds in your prepared pot or seed tray about a quarter inch to a half-inch under the soil surface. Cover them with soil and water with your spray bottle. Place your tray of seeds in a warm area that receives bright, indirect light. A greenhouse is the most ideal climate, but a planting tray inside a window will do as well. Germination usually takes 7-14 days from sowing. Once you begin to see seedlings sprout and they are able to be handled, transplant them to their own individual 3-inch pots, filled with the same potting medium as described in Step 1. Loosen the seedlings from the potting medium by digging down with the tines of your fork about an inch and a half, gently working the seedling up until it is out. Then, replant the seedling in its individual pot.
  4. Keep the seedling's potting medium moist, but not wet, by spraying the soil with your spray bottle. Keep your new plant in an area with bright light (though not direct sunlight) and temperatures between 55 and 70 degrees Fahrenheit. Ensure that the soil stays moist, but not wet, until the next spring (after the danger of frost has passed), when you can transplant it to its new home.
Spruce cones hold seeds for the next generation of trees.
Picea seeds are dark brown to tan in color, and are typically winged.

Problems and Pests

Picea trees can suffer from the following landscape pests and diseases:
  • Cytospora Canker
  • Rhizopshaera Needle Cast
  • Spruce Bark Beetle
  • Spruce Spider Mite
  • Spruce Beetle
  • Bagworm
  • White Pine Weevil
  • Stigmina Needle Blight
  • Wood Decay
  • Root Rot
For more information on these issues, consult the following pages:
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Gallery

These trees provide beautiful evergreen foliage to landscapes.
Adding dwarfed varieties to mixed beds is a popular landscape design trick.
These trees can serve as great privacy screening when planted in rows.
Fellled Picea trees are commonly used to decorate homes during the holiday season.
These are handsome trees used commonly in more formal landscapes.
The cool blue foliage of some species stands out in fall landscapes.

Videos

Learn about these wonderful dwarf evergreens.
Picea featured in a Plant of the Week program.

Resources

How to Grow Blue Spruce
Care Guide for the Spruce Bonsai Tree
How to Grow and Care for a White Spruce
Propagation of Spruce by Stem Cuttings
Spruce Diseases
Wikipedia: Spruce
The New Sunset Western Garden Book: The Ultimate Gardening Guide (2012) - Pages 504 - 505, Picea
If you have any questions, comments, concerns, or photos you’d like to add to the gallery, please let me know by sending me a message using the button below!
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