Norway spruce 'Repens'

Synonyms: Norway spruce

Picea abies ‘Repens’ – a cultivar of the species Norway spruce of the genus Picea, family Pinaceae. An old cultivar, first described in 1898 by the botanist Simon-Louis Frères.

It is a dwarf, creeping shrub with a dense crown. Shoots are flexible, branching, usually overlapping one another, forming a cushion-like crown. Height 0.3-0.5 m, diameter 1.2-1.5 m. Annual height growth: 2.5–4 cm; width growth: 10–15 cm.

Needles short, about 1 cm long, green, dense. On young shoots they are light green.

Male catkins reddish-yellow, female – purple.

Fruits – small brown cones.

Hardiness zone: zones 2-7 (-40°C).

Location: prefers light but tolerates shade; however it looks more decorative in sun or partial shade. In deep shade the spruce crown becomes loose, losing its decorative qualities. Prefers well-drained, moderately moist (no waterlogging), loamy or sandy loam soil. Tolerates rocky soil. Mature plants are drought-tolerant.

Planting: Soil mix: turf and leaf soil, peat, sand in a ratio of 2:2:1:1. Drainage is made from broken brick, layer 15-20 cm. Planting depth: 50-70 cm. Root collar at ground level.

Care: In hot weather the spruce requires periodic, moderate watering and crown misting (misting is best done early in the morning or in the evening). Young plants respond well to fertilization (apply preferably in spring - late April - May with a special fertilizer for conifers).

Pruning: the crown can be pruned if necessary.

Diseases: Schütte, snow Schütte, fusariosis, stem and root rot, bark necrosis, canker (wound canker), cone rust, spruce vertun.

Pests: spruce leafroller, spider mite, Sitka spruce aphid.

Propagation: by seed, cuttings, grafting or layering. Lower branches root well in the soil. Decorative qualities may be lost with seed propagation. Seed germination 60-80%. Seeds germinate without pre-sowing treatment, but soaking in water (18-22 hours) or cold stratification (2-8 weeks) increases germination rate. In sealed containers seeds can be stored up to 5 years.

Use: looks effective in solitary and group plantings, in landscape compositions, rock gardens, on lawns and slopes.