Weeping Norway spruce is a form of the common Norway spruce whose branches hang down instead of reaching out. Once it settles in, it is low maintenance and deer resistant.1STRATHAM CIRCLE NURSERY. Weeping Norway Spruce Unlike most trees, though, it has no set mature height. You decide how tall it becomes by how you support it.
Where Weeping Norway Spruce Grows Best
Norway spruce grows well in USDA hardiness zones 2 to 7.2Windbreak Trees. Norway Spruce — Windbreak Trees The exception is zone 7 in the southern United States, where it does poorly because it prefers cool summers.3NC State Extension Plant Toolbox. Picea abies It dislikes heat and hot, dry summers.4NC State Extension Plant Toolbox. Picea abies
The tree prefers full sun.5NC State Extension Plant Toolbox. Picea abies It likes moderately moist, well-drained, sandy, acidic soil, but it dislikes soil that stays soggy.6NC State Extension Plant Toolbox. Picea abies It does tolerate city air pollution.7STRATHAM CIRCLE NURSERY. Weeping Norway Spruce
To pick a spot, look for the sunniest open area, away from low places where water pools after rain. Test drainage by digging a hole, filling it with water, and seeing whether it drains within a day. Leave room for the skirt of branches to spread across the ground, and keep the tree back from driveways and roads where de-icing salt splashes.
If you live near the warm end of the range, a spot with morning sun and some afternoon shade can ease heat stress, as long as the tree still gets most of the day in sun. A place where a building or larger trees block the hot afternoon sun is often better than a spot baking against a south-facing wall.
When you plant, dig a hole as deep as the root ball and two to three times as wide. Set the top of the root ball level with or slightly above the surrounding soil. Backfill with the native soil and water thoroughly to settle it. Finish with a few inches of mulch, kept off the trunk.
How Staking Sets Its Height and Shape
The height of a weeping Norway spruce is mainly determined by how it is staked and trained.8The Country Bumpkin Garden Center. Weeping Norway Spruce – Country Bumpkin Plant Nursery A tree staked to 6 feet stays around 6 feet, while one trained to 12 to 15 feet becomes a tall cascade.9Wasco Nursery. Weeping Norway Spruce for Sale | Evergreen Tree | Wasco It is commonly seen at 10 to 15 feet, but it can go higher with a taller support while young.10The Country Bumpkin Garden Center. Weeping Norway Spruce – Country Bumpkin Plant Nursery
Without a stake, the tree commonly grows sideways or trails along the ground.11The Country Bumpkin Garden Center. Weeping Norway Spruce – Country Bumpkin Plant Nursery For more height, you have to keep staking the central leader, the main upright stem, until it reaches your target.12The Country Bumpkin Garden Center. Weeping Norway Spruce – Country Bumpkin Plant Nursery
To stake the leader, drive a sturdy stake taller than your target height into the ground beside the trunk, taking care not to hit the root ball. Tie the leader to it loosely with soft, wide ties about every foot. As the leader grows each season, move the ties up. Check them yearly so none cuts into the bark.
The stake also gives you a choice of shape. A short one makes a compact mound that suits small beds, and a tall one makes a narrow, dramatic column. If you want something unusual, you can bend the leader into arches along a frame.
Don’t be alarmed if a young tree looks awkward. A thin leader and branches that droop from the start are normal. The weeping look fills in as side branches lengthen and hang, so a tree trained tall looks bare at first and gets fuller over several years.
Pruning can stay light. Trim only dead or damaged branches, and shorten trailing tips that spread onto paths. Avoid cutting the main upright stem if you still want height.
Watering a Young and Established Tree
Water deeply and regularly through the first few growing seasons so the roots can settle.13Plant Addicts. Weeping Norway Spruce Once the tree is established, you can water less often.14Plant Addicts. Weeping Norway Spruce During long dry periods, though, water so the soil is moist 18 to 24 inches deep.15Ohio State University Extension. Cytospora Canker of Spruce
Deep watering means a slow hose left at the base for a long soak, not quick sprinkles. For a young tree, aim to soak the whole root zone, which extends beyond the root ball as the tree grows, not only the spot right at the trunk. A slow trickle for a good while lets water sink down instead of running off across the surface.
To check, push a trowel or screwdriver into the soil. If it still feels damp a few inches down, hold off.
The tree will also show you. Drooping new growth and dry needles suggest drought. Yellowing combined with soggy soil suggests waterlogged roots, and if water stands on the surface, fix the drainage rather than just watering less.
A layer of shredded bark keeps shallow roots cooler and moist, and it cuts down on weeds competing for water. Keep it a hand’s width away from the trunk.
When and How to Fertilize
Give the tree at least 2 years to establish before fertilizing.16Ask Extension. Norway spruce – watering and fertilizing advice Extra nutrients push top growth that holds back root establishment.17Ask Extension. Norway spruce – watering and fertilizing advice A stressed tree needs water and good soil more than nutrients.
For an established tree, use a slow-release fertilizer made for evergreens or acid-loving plants. Apply it in early spring at the label rate. If growth and needle color look healthy, skip feeding altogether. A soil test tells you whether anything is actually missing.
Pale, yellowish-green needles across the whole tree, along with unusually short new growth, can point to a nutrient shortage, but only after you’ve checked water and drainage. Yellowing can also come from soil that is too alkaline or from waterlogged roots, and fertilizer won’t fix either.
Diseases to Watch For
Cytospora canker, a fungal disease, usually starts with a dying lower branch and browning needles.18Ohio State University Extension. Cytospora Canker of Spruce Over several years, higher branches show damage.19Ohio State University Extension. Cytospora Canker of Spruce White patches of dried resin on the bark are a telltale sign.20Ohio State University Extension. Cytospora Canker of Spruce Norway spruce is among the most susceptible trees, and trunk cankers can kill it.21Ohio State University Extension. Cytospora Canker of Spruce
If a lower branch browns, look for white resin streaks near where it meets the trunk. Prune the dead branch back to healthy wood in dry weather, and clean your pruners between cuts. Then watch for spread over the next season.
Prevention comes down to avoiding bark and stem injuries.22Ohio State University Extension. Cytospora Canker of Spruce The fungus enters through wounds, so damage from mowers, string trimmers, or careless pruning gives it a way in. Control mites and adelgids, and water in dry spells.23Ohio State University Extension. Cytospora Canker of Spruce Relieve compacted soil so water and air can reach the roots.24Ohio State University Extension. Cytospora Canker of Spruce A mulch ring that keeps grass and trimmers away from the trunk is a simple way to prevent wounds.
Not every brown needle is a disease. Older inner needles naturally yellow and fall. Browning of whole branches or outer tips is not normal, and patterns that spread year to year suggest disease.
Needle cast is a separate problem. Some fungi turn needles red-brown in late fall before they drop.25European Journal of Forest Pathology. Association of Tiarosporella parca with needle reddening and needle cast in Norway spruce Treatment varies with the cause, so correct identification matters.26Scandinavian Journal of Forest Research. Management of diseases in Norwegian Christmas tree plantations Bring a sample to your local extension office before spraying anything.
Dealing With Spruce Spider Mites
Spruce spider mites are cool-season pests, so check in early spring and early fall.27Extension. How to Grow and Care for Weeping Norway Spruce Tap a branch over white paper to see mites and eggs.28Extension. How to Grow and Care for Weeping Norway Spruce Pest mites are green to brown and leave a green smear, while helpful predator mites move faster and leave a red one.29Extension. How to Grow and Care for Weeping Norway Spruce Ten or more pest mites per tap with few predators usually calls for treatment.30Extension. How to Grow and Care for Weeping Norway Spruce
The damage shows first as dull, speckled, or bronzed needles. Fine webbing may appear between needles, and the trouble often starts on inner, lower growth. Because it builds over weeks, a tree can look fine in spring and be visibly bronzed by the next fall. Mites do best in cool weather, so populations rise in spring and fall and often fall off in summer heat.
If predators are present, let them work, since pesticides can make mite problems worse.31Extension. How to Grow and Care for Weeping Norway Spruce A strong water spray weekly or every two weeks in spring and fall helps prevent buildup.32Extension. How to Grow and Care for Weeping Norway Spruce Insecticidal soap or horticultural oil spares beneficial insects.33Extension. How to Grow and Care for Weeping Norway Spruce For severe fall infestations, a dormant oil in midwinter kills overwintering eggs.34Extension. How to Grow and Care for Weeping Norway Spruce Most homeowner products are weak against these mites, so severe cases need a certified arborist.35Extension. How to Grow and Care for Weeping Norway Spruce
Growing It in a Container
A pot works for a time. Choose a broad, sturdy one that gives the plant weight and stability.36Plant Addicts. Weeping Norway Spruce Avoid crowding the roots with companion plants.37Plant Addicts. Weeping Norway Spruce Protect the pot from repeated freeze-thaw cycles.38Plant Addicts. Weeping Norway Spruce
The pot needs drainage holes, because spruce roots quickly suffer when water collects at the bottom. A well-drained potting mix suits the tree better than garden soil, which packs down in a container. Raising the pot slightly on feet or bricks helps water drain out and keeps the holes from clogging.
In winter, group pots against a sheltered wall or bury them in mulch. In extreme cold, move them to an unheated garage. Water when the soil is unfrozen and dry.
Eventually the tree needs the ground. Roots circling the pot mean it needs more space, and potted trees dry out faster and need more watering. Planting out also lets a staked tree reach its full height.
Protecting It Through Winter
Road and driveway de-icing salt can make evergreens more prone to winter burn.39Wisconsin Horticulture. Winter Burn Plant away from salted surfaces, or use plant-safe de-icers nearby. Watering well until the ground freezes also helps needles resist drying winds.
Needles on the side facing the road are usually hit hardest, which helps you tell salt injury from damage on all sides. Rinsing the soil with plenty of water in spring helps flush salt out of the root zone.
Winter burn shows up in late winter as brown or tan needles on the windward or salt-facing side. Wait for spring growth before pruning, since buds often survive. A burlap screen on the windy side cuts exposure. After heavy snow, shake it gently off the weeping branches to prevent breakage.