Picea abies Nidiformis - Norway Spruce

Picea abies 'Nidiformis' is a dwarf variety of common spruce with a truly extraordinary habit. It grows somewhat like a stork's nest, forming over many years a ball, hollowed-out in its centre, a basket covered with light green and vibrant pointed needles. Original and slow-growing, it will bring a very personal touch to a small garden, planted in isolation and animate a rock garden or a container on the terrace. This 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 pinaceae 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 30m (98ft 5in) or more in Eastern Europe. This species is traditionally used as a Christmas tree in Europe. It prefers well-drained and moist soils and is happy in very low temperatures.

The 'Nidiformis' variety, derived from this species, is a dwarf form with a very flattened rounded habit. It eventually forms a beautiful basket 1.5m(4ft 11in) tall and 3m (9ft 1in) in diameter in a humid climate, while in a hot and dry climate it will only reach 60cm (23.6in) tall and 1.8m (5ft 11in) in diameter after 30 years. Its growth is slow. It has short and stiff branches, widely arched at the ends, arranged spirally. Its young spring shoots are a very tender and bright green, then its foliage darkens and becomes bright green. Its small evergreen leaves are rigid and very sharp needles, arranged all around the branches, in a brush-like manner. The root system of spruces is shallow and spreading, making them difficult to transplant when mature and particularly susceptible to wind.

The dwarf spruce 'Nidiformis', with its unique habit and very small size, requires no maintenance and is a plant that can be showcased on a lawn or in a rock garden. As it adapts well to container cultivation, it can also adorn the terrace. Furthermore, this variety is easy to grow. It pairs well with large stones, geometric lines, and masonry structures. It can also be associated with columnar or upright dwarf conifers. The architectural qualities of conifers naturally impose themselves in the design of a contemporary garden, which prefers the aesthetics of shapes, silhouettes, and textures to flowers. These plants structurally define flower beds, mark pathways and border the terrace, easily replacing the strong presence of trimmed boxwood or holly. They go well with ground cover plants like aubrietas, ceraistes and shrubby salvias, as well as flowering shrubs. The key is to play with volumes and colours.