code: 5013
This slow growing spruce has shorter and darker green needles as compared to other Oriental Spruces. ‘Nigra Compacta’ grows into a very dense, pyramidal shaped tree, reaching about 3’ tall and 2’ wide in 10 years.
Hardy to -30°F
Maximum Elevation: 6,000 Feet
Information:
| Botanical Pronunciation | PY-see-a or-ee-en-TAY-liss |
| Lore | The genus was named from the Latin for pitch, a sugar rich gum extracted from spruce trees. It was brewed into beer and even used as chewing gum by Native Americans, then settlers and was a valuable commodity in ancient Europe. |
| Average Size at Maturity | Moderate growing; reaches 60 to 80 ft. tall, 20 to 30 ft. wide. |
| Bloom Time | Conifer; prized for foliage. |
| Design Ideas | This is a rare dark, rich-green Spruce that is remarkably beautiful when planted in groves. As a single specimen, its purplish cones stand out like berries. Excellent choice in lawns or use columnar form to flank driveway entries or access roads. Contrast groups of dark-green Spruce with blue-tinted evergreens. |
| Deciduous/ Evergreen | Evergreen |
| Foliage Color | Green |
| Garden Style | Asian/Zen, Contemporary, Rustic |
| Growth Habit | Pyramidal |
| Growth Rate | Moderate |
| Landscape Use | Privacy Screen, Specimen, Windbreak, Woodland Garden, Wildlife Garden |
| Light Needs | Full sun, Partial sun |
| Soil Needs | All-Purpose Plant Food |
| Special Feature | Easy Care, Extreme Cold Hardiness, Showy Fruit, Tolerates Poor Soils, Waterwise, Year-round Interest, Bird Friendly |
| Water Needs | Moderate |
| Watering Needs | Water regularly – weekly, or more often in extreme heat. |
| Key Feature | Elegant Specimen Tree |