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Because there are many people who will look upon a Spruce tree and mistakenly call it a pine we connoisseurs of evergreens feel slighted on behalf of our beloved Spruces. They just don’t seem to get enough respect. The Spruce, botanically known as Picea, is a wonderful sun-loving evergreen with densely-packed, prickly needles, stiff symmetrical branching and pretty seed cones which dangle from the top most branches.
Spruces are super hardy plants that typically require very little pruning although they do look nice when trimmed for extra fullness. They are tolerant of poor, clay or rocky soils, moderate amounts of both drought and flooding and also extreme cold. With this in mind let us look at the different types of Spruce trees for the home landscape.
Colorado Blue Spruce ( P. pungens)
One of the most popular Spruces for the home landscape, Colorado Blue is famous for the silvery-blue-green colored needles on stiff horizontal branches which hold Mr. Robin’s nest quite easily in spring and makes a lovely outdoor Christmas tree in winter. Growing at a slow to medium rate 50-75 feet high, 25 feet wide and hardy to USDA zones 2-8, this tree has 3-4 inch long, light brown cones which show up on the uppermost branches.
Norway Spruce (P. abies)
The fastest to grow of all Spruces the pyramidal shaped Norway Spruce is hardy in USDA zones 3-7, gets to about 40-60 feet high and 25-30 wide. Cones are 1 1/ 2-2 inches wide and 4-6 long, branching is strong and graceful and covered with dark green needles. A row of these trees makes a great windscreens, is an important food source for many woodland critters and also for roosting hawks and owls.
Bird’s Nest Spruce (P. abies Nidiformis)
To look at the dwarf Bird’s Nest Spruce, which grows in a shrub form barely getting higher than 3 feet tall but with a spread to twice that, you would never guess it is a close relative of the tall Norway Spruce and yet botanically speaking you could not get closer. This slow grower is hardy to USDA zones 3-7, is rather flat topped and at times even has a depression in the center much like a bird’s nest giving it its common name. Soft foliage is densely packed on stiff branches and a dark green color. New needles emerge a lighter green in spring giving a glow to the plant. Perfect shrub for the front of borders, as foundation planting or makes a select specimen in a rock garden.
Serbian Spruce (P. omorika)
Growing 50-60 tall and 20-25 wide in USDA zones 4-7, this pyramidal shaped tree is just about the most graceful of all spruces and makes an exceptional specimen for the front yard. The branching is arched with needles a light green to blue green color and cones cinnamon to purple in color and about a inch long. Prefers a moist, well draining soil and like all others, full sun.
Black Hills Spruce (P. glauca var. densata)
An extremely cold hardy tree, (USDA zones 2-6) but one which does not do well where it gets even remotely hot, Black Hills Spruce is lovely and dense with upright growing branching, a conical shape and needles dark green with a bluish tint. This one grows slowly to about 30-60 feet tall with a spread of 15-25. Beautiful specimen for the front yard, perfect for windbreaks and ideal as an outdoor Christmas tree. A favorite nesting plant for songbirds of all types.
White Spruce (P. glauca)
Growing at a medium rate tall and straight to 60 feet high and 10-20 feet wide, the White Spruce cannot truly be called white but it does have a grayish-white tint to its medium green needles. Hardy in USDA zones 2-6 the White Spruce is extremely valuable for wildlife both as a food source and for shelter and nesting sights for many types of birds.
Oriental Spruce (P. orientalis)
Branching on the Oriental Spruce is somewhat upright and very pretty with cones hanging from the upper ones. This slow growing Spruce is a bit more particular about moisture, liking a well drained type soil. In USDA zones 4-7 it grows in a pyramidal shape 50-60 feet high and 20-25 wide with rich green needles.
Even if you can’t remember to call them by their proper name you will have to admit the Spruce is one evergreen you cannot do without. Any one of these would certainly make a perfect addition to your landscape. While it isn’t that important what you call a Spruce what is important is to find one you really like and one that is perfect for your yard. You most certainly will want one if not several in your landscape for Spruce trees make outstanding specimens, impenetrable tall hedges, great living fences, magnificent windbreaks and the perfect nesting sight for birds of all types. What else could you possibly ask for in an evergreen tree?
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Author Bio Box: Glory Lennon
 Short Stories @ Helium: http://www.helium.com/users/32782/show_articles
How to create your own backyard bird sanctuary: http://www.helium.com/zone/2884-how-to-create-your-own-backyard-bird-sanctuary
Tree Zone: http://www.helium.com/zone/2774-
Shrub Zone: http://www.helium.com/zone/2881-
Violet’s in Bloom, a romance novel: http://www.helium.com/zone/3012-violet-in-bloom-a-romance-novel-by-glory-lennon
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