NatureGate

Norway spruce

Norway spruce thrives in a variety of habitats but avoids the driest and poorest soils. As a shade tolerant species it is a successful competitor. It forms a lower canopy layer beneath taller trees and, eventually, overgrows them. In Finland Norway spruce is divided into two subspecies. The broader crowned ssp. abies dominates in the south and the very narrow crowned ssp. obovata in the north. Hybrids between the two subspecies are common.