Blue spruce vs Norway spruce

Blue spruce and Norway spruce are often considered for the same spot in the garden (specimen, screening). The data below shows where they differ: size, hardiness, care, toxicity and price.

Blue spruce

Picea pungens 3 m × 1.5 m after 10 years

A formal, conical spruce with stiff, silvery-blue needles and branches down to the ground; in time it reaches 15 to 20 metres tall and 4 to 6 metres…

Large tree

Full sun

Part shade

from about PLN 2.10

Norway spruce

Picea abies 3.5 m × 2 m after 10 years

The species is a fast-growing, dark green, conical spruce with long hanging cones that can reach 25 to 35 metres tall and 8 to 10 metres wide in time,…

Large tree

Full sun

Part shade

from about PLN 2.10

Key differences

Blue spruce: We do not recommend it for most Central European gardens. In Central Europe the hot, dry summers of recent years hit it hard: large blue spruces are dying in gardens and parks, because the shallow-rooted, weakened trees are attacked by bark beetles, and an infested tree cannot be saved.
Norway spruce grows larger: 3.5 m × 2 m after ten years, against 3 m × 1.5 m for Blue spruce (an estimate: sources differ).
Norway spruce grows faster than Blue spruce.
Blue spruce tolerates drought better than Norway spruce.
Blue spruce also takes chalky soil, Norway spruce prefers acidic soil and struggles on chalk.
Blue spruce also takes heavy clay, Norway spruce needs a loose, free-draining soil.
Blue spruce is cheaper: about PLN 4.30 at the same size (40–60 cm), against about PLN 9.30 for Norway spruce.

Which one to choose?

Norway spruce is the safer choice: we do not recommend planting Blue spruce in most gardens.

Watch out for

Blue spruce

In Central Europe the hot, dry summers of recent years hit it hard: large blue spruces are dying in gardens and parks, because the shallow-rooted, weakened trees are attacked by bark beetles, and an infested tree cannot be saved. In dry, warm spots spider mites speckle the needles yellow and make them drop, and the green spruce aphid (Elatobium abietinum), mainly after mild winters, browns the older needles in spring from the inside out and from the bottom up. Rhizosphaera needle cast and Cytospora canker also start on the lower branches, so the tree goes bare from below and the lost branches do not grow back. Plant a new tree only where you can give it deep summer watering and a mulch, and avoid hot, paved, airless spots.

Norway spruce

In the lowlands and hills of Central Europe Norway spruces are dying in large numbers after the hot, dry summers of recent years, in gardens and parks too: the shallow-rooted, drought-weakened tree is attacked by the spruce bark beetle (Ips typographus), which cuts off the flow of water and nutrients under the bark, and an infested tree cannot be saved and should be felled quickly. In dry, warm spots spider mites and the green spruce aphid (Elatobium abietinum) also cause needle drop, adelgids distort the new shoots, and weakened trees get needle cast, canker and root and butt rot (Heterobasidion). Do not plant the full-size species on dry, poor soil, in city gardens or on the plains, and remember that a planted-out rooted Christmas tree becomes the same large, demanding tree. The dwarf forms need moist soil and summer watering just the same, but being small they are easier to water and mulch.

The data side by side

Feature	Blue spruce	Norway spruce
Group	Large tree	Large tree
Size after 10 years	3 m × 1.5 m (uncertain)	3.5 m × 2 m (uncertain)
Ultimate size	9–20 m × 3–6 m	12–35 m × 7.5–10 m
Growth rate	Medium	Fast
Light	Full sun, Part shade	Full sun, Part shade
Soil	Average garden soil, Clay, Sandy, Calcareous, Acidic	Average garden soil, Sandy, Acidic
Hardiness	down to -40 °C (USDA 3, RHS H7)	down to -40 °C (USDA 3, RHS H7)
Heat tolerance	Low	Low
Foliage	Evergreen	Evergreen
Water need	Medium	Medium
Drought tolerance	Medium	Low
Maintenance	Medium	Medium
Planting distance	500 cm	500 cm
For children	no data	Non-toxic (uncertain)
Typical price	about PLN 4.30 (40–60 cm)	about PLN 9.30 (40–60 cm)

Prices are rounded, indicative values. Toxicity data is for information only. If your pet or child has eaten a plant, contact a vet or a doctor. Data updated: October 17, 2026

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