Side by side
Norway spruce or Sitka spruce? How to tell them apart
Picea abies · Picea sitchensis
How to tell them apart – Norway spruce: square needles that are green all over and less prickly, and longer, reddish-brown cones; Sitka spruce: large spruce with very sharp, flattened needles that are blue-white underneath, pale brown cones with papery scales.
How do you recognise them?
- Norway spruce
- Sharp, four-sided needles on woody pegs; large hanging cones.
- Compared with Sitka spruce: square needles that are green all over and less prickly, and longer, reddish-brown cones.
- Sitka spruce
- Large spruce with very sharp, flattened needles that are blue-white underneath; pale brown cones with papery scales.
| Norway spruce | Sitka spruce | |
|---|---|---|
| Needles | Needles 1–2.5 cm, stiff, pointed and square in cross-section (you can roll them between your fingers). They grow all round the twig on small woody pegs that remain when the needle falls. | Needles 1.5–3 cm, stiff, flattened and very sharply pointed; green above, with two broad blue-white bands below. They grow all round the twig on small woody pegs. |
| Flowering | – | – |
| Cones and seeds | Hanging, cigar-shaped cones 10–15 cm that fall whole. | Hanging, pale brown cones 6–10 cm long with thin, papery, crinkled scales. |
| Bark | Red-brown, thin and flaking in small round scales. | Grey to purplish grey, thin and flaking in rounded scales. |
| Shape and height | Conifer, 30–50 m | Conifer, 30–50 m |
| Site | Sun or partial shade, acid soil, normal | Sun or partial shade, acid soil, moist to wet |
| Native to Belgium | No, naturalised | No, planted |
| Good for bees, butterflies and birds | Yes, for birds | – |
| Poisonous to people and pets | Not known to be poisonous | Not known to be poisonous |
| Pruning months | August–September | August–September |
What does it mean for your garden?
- Norway spruce (30–50 m) and Sitka spruce (30–50 m) both grow into large trees: too big for an ordinary garden, but fine in a large garden, a park or a meadow.
Read on
- Plant profile: Norway spruce
- Plant profile: Sitka spruce
- Norway spruce: when and how to prune
- Sitka spruce: when and how to prune
- Identification key
Also looks like
- Colorado blue spruce or Norway spruce
- Norway spruce or European silver fir
- Norway spruce or Serbian spruce
- Serbian spruce or Sitka spruce
Identify by feature
This comparison is compiled from the Bladwijzer species pages.