Ontario Trees & Shrubs website

Norway Spruce
Picea abies

French names: Épicéa commun

Family: Pine Family (Pinaceae)

Group: Spruces

Distinctive features: Tree; Drooping branches.

Similar species:
  •   White Spruce (Picea glauca)

  •   Red Spruce (Picea rubens)

  •   Black Spruce (Picea mariana)

Flowers: Spring

Leaves: Needles.

Habitat: Forests, Fields and Open Areas;  Open areas, where planted.

Books: Trees in Canada: 108   

Native/Non-native: Non-native

Status: Common where planted.

Photographs: 67 photographs available, of which 12 are featured on this page. SCROLL DOWN FOR PHOTOGRAPHS.

Range Map is at the bottom of the page

Norway Spruce (Picea abies)

Norway Spruce trees are beautiful spruce trees with branches that hang down, as in the above photo. They are not native to North America.

Norway Spruce (Picea abies)

Norway Spruce (Picea abies)

Norway Spruce (Picea abies)

Closeup view of the needles. These are typical Spruce needles, in that they are 4-sided (but not necessarily square).

Norway Spruce (Picea abies)

Developing cones. These are not yet "ripe".

Norway Spruce (Picea abies)

A pile of fallen (or harvested by squirrels) Norway Spruce cones.

Norway Spruce (Picea abies)

Squirrels will sometimes place the cones on a branch of the tree.

Norway Spruce (Picea abies)

The cones are an important winter food source for squirrels (usually Red Squirrels).

Norway Spruce (Picea abies)

Trunk and bark.

Norway Spruce (Picea abies)

Pollen cones developing in the spring (late May).

Norway Spruce (Picea abies)

The cones opening up.

Norway Spruce (Picea abies)


Range map for Norway Spruce (Picea abies)

PLEASE NOTE: A coloured Province or State means this species occurs somewhere in that Province/State.
The entire Province/State is coloured, regardless of where in that Province/State it occurs.

(Range map provided courtesy of the USDA website and is displayed here in accordance with their Policies)