Steve: Thanks for the picture. The older one is a fairly mediocre specimen--I have seen some areas where this would be average, but not around here. Almost all the NS here are much fuller, and some much, much fuller. And many around here have much more weeping/cascading foliage, especially in the lower half.
I would say either you don't have the best strain growing for your area there, or there is a soil problem. I can see why you are not crazy about them there. Pretty ordinary--or a bit worse than ordinary. If you have any in your own yard, get some high magnesium lime and sprinkle it liberally--as if you wanted to raise the Ph a bit--and wait a few years. --Gaines ----------------------------------------- On 1/10/10, Steve Galehouse <[email protected]> wrote: > Gaines, ENTS- > > Here are a few pics of Norway spruce in my area. They have probably the > greatest natural range of any spruce, so as has been mentioned there is a > great variety of growth habits. The photos show what I consider typical for > my area. The first shows mature trees in the landscape with what I consider > a tattered look, usually becoming around 70' tall. The second shows a > relatively young and vigorous tree(already running out of room). The third > shows a very common mistake---the Norway spruce is only 3' off the corner of > the garage, and only about 15' from the Colorado spruce in the center. > > I think the reason I'm not as fond of Norways as most in the group appear to > be is due to their misuse in a landscape situation---there are so many other > species and/or varieties of conifers that do a better job in relatively > confined areas. When they are in a "forest" situation, combined with other > conifers and deciduous trees, or treated as specimen trees in large park > settings, they are perfectly acceptable. > > Steve >
