Picea abies

Description

Introduced into the UK in about 1500, this well known spruce is common over most of Northern and Central Europe. For many of us its fragrance is very familiar as it was the Christmas tree of choice when we were kids and its foliage litter over carpets up and down the country before Twelfth Night must have clogged up many a vacuum cleaner. ‘
Needle holding varieties like the Nordman Fir have since balanced its numbers but it still remains one of the most common conifers around.

Quick to grow and thriving on most free draining soils its stiff ascending branches are clothed with 2cm dark green needles. It is
a pyramidal tree producing brown cones when older and it can outgrow a small garden as many have found out after trying to
rescue their Christmas tree in January.

Mature height; 17-22m
Mature spread: 7-11m