Picea Species, Common Spruce, European Spruce, Norway Spruce

It is commonly planted in the Midwest and East and is the second most common planted spruce in landscapes after the Colorado species. It ...Read Moreis fast growing, about 2 feet/year, and is very adaptable and reliable, living over 200 years. It has dark green, prickly needles on orange-brown twigs.It often suffers some in the Midwest from hot droughts so that the top of the tree develops some thinning out. It bears lots of large 6" long cones that fall around the tree. The limbs turn upward at the ends and they have a drooping habit.

One of the most widely distributed conifers in Bulgaria, along with Scots Pine and Austrian Pine.
It is widely planted in the cold...Read Moreer cities, though it suffers from pollution and on the whole looks miserable.
Interestingly, for me it has grown admirably on the Black Sea coast, which is the warmest part of Bulgaria, with no signs of brown needles, a languishing habit or stunted growth.

The Spruce-trees usually live up to 300 years.

Norway spruce is very prevalent in our central NY state area as well as many others. The huge deep green conifers are regal in appearanc...Read Moree when young, and their branches have a slightly ruffled-like habit - the branches with their needles "dripping" from the stronger branches - somewhat like a velvet sleeve drooping from an arm. As they become mature, they often become slightly disheveled and "shaggy" looking in their upper branches. But they are still among one of the most beautiful trees in the region.

Cones generally are on a two year cycle in their drop; elongated, with many tiny, alternate, toothed petals, which finally end in a rosette at the bottom of the cone. Wonderful for use in crafts - especially wreaths.