General Plant Information (Edit)
Plant Habit: Shrub
Tree
Life cycle: Perennial
Sun Requirements: Full Sun
Water Preferences: Wet
Wet Mesic
Mesic
Dry Mesic
Dry
Soil pH Preferences: Strongly acid (5.1 – 5.5)
Moderately acid (5.6 – 6.0)
Slightly acid (6.1 – 6.5)
Neutral (6.6 – 7.3)
Plant Height: 2 to 3 feet (.6-.9m)
Plant Spread: 3 to 5 feet or more (.9-1.5m)
Leaves: Evergreen
Needled
Fruit: Other: female cones with papery or thin woody scales
Fruiting Time: Late summer or early fall
Fall
Late fall or early winter
Winter
Flowers: Other: soft male cones
Flower Color: Pink
Flower Time: Spring
Uses: Windbreak or Hedge
Provides winter interest
Resistances: Deer Resistant
Rabbit Resistant
Propagation: Seeds: Can handle transplanting
Other info: Seeds are inside cones
Pollinators: Wind
Miscellaneous: Tolerates poor soil
Monoecious

Image
Common names
  • Bird's Nest Spruce
  • Spruce
  • Norway Spruce

Photo Gallery
Location: Hidden Lake Gardens, Tipton, Michigan
Date: 2019-06-19
Bonsai specimen.  Age ~ 70 years  The needles are the bright gree
Location: Fairfax, VA | April, 2022
Date: 2022-04-29
Location: Nora's Garden - Castlegar, B.C. 
Date: 2017-05-11
2:08 pm. Luscious, fresh spring growth in 2017.
Location: Bea’s garden
Date: 2023-05-26
Location: Fairfax, VA | April, 2022
Date: 2022-04-29
Location: Bea’s garden
Date: 2023-05-26
Location: Kalama, Wa.
  • Uploaded by Joy
Location: Clinton, Michigan 49236
Date: 2024-07-29
Picea abies 'Nidiformis' 24w31 27yo Bird's Nest Spruce S1 (Rulema
Location: Nora's Garden - Castlegar, B.C. 
Date: 2016-05-14
2:08 pm. Growth in 2015 suffered from heat and insufficient water
Location: Alpine Lake, West Virginia | May, 2023
Date: 2023-05-28
Location: Fairfax, VA | July, 2022
Date: 2022-07-22
Location: z6a MA, My Garden
Date: 2012-09-03
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Comments:
  • Posted by eclayne (Pioneer Valley south, MA, USA - Zone 6a) on Sep 5, 2012 10:29 PM concerning plant:
    This beautiful low conifer had wound up growing in deep shade after years, near and then under some Rhododendron. After moving into full sun two years ago most of the branches have filled in and it's looking great again. The name Bird's Nest refers to its tendency to have a depression in the center of the shrub directly over the trunk. This a very slow grower, reaching only about 2' wide in ten years. Looks great with other dwarf conifers and is very easy to transplant, which is best done in early or mid spring. I was able to handle transplanting this 30 year old, 40" wide one easily.
Plant Events from our members
christine2 On May 5, 2017 Transplanted
from NPath
christine2 On June 1, 2014 Obtained plant
joannmorford On June 1, 1998 Obtained plant
Planted by original owner
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