Scientific name: Picea abies
Common name: Norway Spruce
Native: No
Native range: It is native to the European Alps, as well as the mountain ranges of Eastern Europe, but it has become naturalized in many areas where it is planted [1,3,4]. In North America, it has spread throughout the northeastern United States, southeastern Canada, the Rocky Mountains, and the Pacific coast [3,4].
Distribution in North America: Click to view the USDA Plants Database page for P. abies.
USDA Zones: 2B-7A [1]
Maximum age: In its native range, it may live up to 300-400 years, but in its invaded range, its lifespan is shortened to approximately 200 years [3].
Ecology: Seedlings and saplings provide important forage for snowshoe hares, but mature foliage is less commonly browsed by wildlife. Mature trees provide shelter for many species [3].
Ethnobotany: It is the most commonly used spruce in North American horticulture, and the most common Christmas tree in Britain [4]. A tea can be made of its needles [4], and Indigenous American groups, particularly the Mohegan, use it as an analgesic and dermatological remedy [2].