Picea abies Maxwellii - Norway Spruce

Picea abies 'Maxwellii' is a dwarf variety of common spruce resembling a small Christmas tree, with its slightly crushed pyramidal habit and its short and rigid stems, covered with very hard, bright green needles. Its highly ornamental and somewhat flattened rounded silhouette elegantly fits into beds, stands out when planted alone, and enlivens rockeries. It adapts well to pot culture. This slow-growing conifer is easy to grow in ordinary, well-drained, even dry soil, in full sun or partial shade.

Picea abies, also known as Norway spruce or red spruce, is an evergreen conifer belonging to the pine family, native to northern Europe, specifically Scandinavia. In its natural environment, it has a typically conical and pyramidal habit and can reach a height of 30 metres (98 feet 5 inches), or even more in Eastern Europe. This species is traditionally used as a Christmas tree in Europe. It prefers well-drained and cool soils and is happy in very low temperatures.

The 'Maxwellii' variety, derived from this species, is a dwarf form with a rounded and flattened conical habit. It eventually forms a small bush 1.5 metres (4 feet 11 inches) in all directions, with slow growth. It has short and stiff branches, widely arched at the ends, arranged in a spiral. Its young spring shoots are very tender and bright green, then its foliage darkens. Its small evergreen leaves are very sharp, rigid needles arranged all around the branches, in a "brush" shape. The root system of spruces is shallow and spreading, which makes them difficult to transplant when they are adults and particularly sensitive to wind.

The dwarf spruce 'Maxwellii', with its beautiful flattened cone habit, very small size, low maintenance, and ease of cultivation, is a perfect plant for rockeries and terraces. It combines well with large stones, geometric lines, and masonry. It can be associated with dwarf conifers with a columnar or upright habit. The architectural qualities of conifers naturally emerge in the design of a contemporary garden, which prefers the aesthetics of shapes, silhouettes, and textures over flowers. These plants structurally define a bed, mark pathways and border terraces, easily replacing the strong presence of trimmed boxwood or holly. They blend well with ground cover plants such as aubrietas, ceraistes and shrubby salvias, as well as flowering shrubs. The key is to play with volumes and colours.