Norway Spruce
Picea abies 'Acrocona'
Pine familiy (Pinaceae)
Red tipped spruce
The Norway spruce is native to much of north and Central Europe but is also often planted in forests. The tree yields the so-called ‘pinewood’ used widely as a building material. Turpentine is derived from the resin of the Norway spruce. The genus name Picea is derived from picis (= pitch/resin), which has been extracted for thousands of years from the trunks of these trees. It is also popular as a Christmas tree. The species name abies is simple: this species resembles Abies (the fir).
‘Acrocona’ is a cultivar that produces striking red cones at the ends of the branches in spring (acro means ‘at the end’). This form was found in 1890 in a forest in Sweden and has been in cultivation since then.
Themes
Crown jewel in the Von Gimborn Arboretum.
This spruce is popular as an ornamental specimen.
Details
| Description: | Conifer, up to 6 m, with dangling branches and green needles. |
|---|---|
| Distributions: | Only found in cultivation. |
| Habitat: | On relatively damp, well drained soil in full sun; grows best in cold climates. |
| Year cycle: | Perennial (polycarpic evergreen) |
| Hardiness: | Colder than -4 f (very hardy) |
| Flowering period: | Maart - mei |
| Flower color: | Pink |
| Notes on flowers: | Dark pink cones are produced at the ends of the branches in spring, even on young plants, maturing to pale brown in summer. |
| Fruit color: | Brown |
| At its best: | Maart - mei |