So much has been written about the White, Engelmann, and Colorado blue spruces that most people take them for granted and tend to search for something different. Yet, we need only go to the most common spruces, the Norway (Picea abies), for some of the most uncommon forms.
One authority names 37 varieties of Norway in cultivation, each of which has a characteristic that makes it valuable in the home landscape.
With proper planning, there is spruce for every type of home—the low-slung ranch style, the split-level, or the box or upper-story architecture.
Color Sought in Accent Groupings
To relieve the shades of green or blue, try the variety argentea with whitish leaves or Argento-spica, which has tipped young branchlets making an interesting two-tone effect.
Particularly fine results may be had using finedonensis, whose leaves start as pale yellow, change to bronzy brown, and finally to green.
Column-shaped evergreens and the narrow, pyramid varieties have numerous uses in the landscape plan.
Chief among these types is pyramidata, cupressina, and columnaris, all of which have tight, compact shapes.
Spruces Used in Windows
There are several spruces that (contrary to popular opinion) may be used effectively under low picture windows or in front of the tall-growing corner or entrance shrubs.
Still using only varieties of Norway, we can choose pygmaea, with its bright green leaves and dense, small, compact pyramidal form.
This is our favorite because it rarely grows over one foot high. It normally is a conical or nearly globular shrub of dense habit with attractive orange-yellow foliage.
Clanbrasiliana
Clanbrasiliana is another nearly globe-shaped compact bush that is flat-topped in appearance. Rarely growing higher than 6’ feet, its slender pointed leaves and thin whitish branchlets are outstanding.
Gregory Spruce
Do you have an area where only a few plants are needed—along a fence or a walk or as an accent plant? Consider, then, the Gregory spruce, gregoryana, for this location.
It must be used carefully as it is incompatible with all landscape plantings. Yet, in its proper environment, it is so outstanding it should be used as the focal point.
Gregory spruce is a dwarf, globe, or conical-shaped plant that rarely grows over 30″ inches.
Its short, spreading branches have tight, white to gray-brown branchlets with gray-green leaves. It needs occasional pruning as it is a vigorous grower.
For Foundation Plantings or Fence Lines
For shrubs in foundation plantings or fence lines, don’t overlook the distinctive bird’s nest spruce (nidiformis), the procumbent spruce (procumbens), a spreading, prostrate shrub with horizontal branches, or the weeping spruce (pendula).
Viminalis
Viminalis, with horizontal branches and slender 10-foot branchlets, is another good choice.
Snake Spruce
For something different, use the snake spruce, virgata, or monstrosa that might suit your taste, for it is a most curious tree almost destitute of branches. It consists of a single thick stem covered with thick, rigid leaves.
Norway Spruce
Norway spruce (abies) itself can be planted two to three feet apart and trained quickly into a tight, compact well-formed hedge.
But, except for hedges, it is normal to keep spruce to single trunks when pruning, as some varieties form more than one leader.
By Pruning Each Year
During or after the spring growth, spruce can be kept trimmed to small sizes. The young transplant grows slowly for the first four to five years and then sends its leader shooting suddenly skyward.
To form tight plants, cut the leader back six to eight inches above the last whorl of branches.
Next, cut the leaders on the branch tips for better balance and tighter plants. The following year, two leaders may be growing at the top of your tree.
Cut one out, and if necessary, shorten the other. This will result in neatly shaped, formal plants.
Look around your grounds, and then consider the Norway spruce.
44659 by Gene Utz