Weeping Norway Spruce

Weeping Norway Spruce is hardy in USDA zones 3-7 and performs best in full sun. Give it deep, well-draining soil; like most spruces, it resents wet feet and will struggle in heavy, soggy ground.

Planting

1. Choose a site with full sun and good air movement. Allow room for the branches to spread and drape, since this plant grows out as much as up.
2. Confirm the soil drains freely. If water lingers after rain, amend with compost or plant on a slight mound to lift the roots above standing moisture.
3. Dig the hole twice as wide as the root ball but no deeper than the ball is tall, so the plant rests on firm, undug soil.
4. Set the plant so the root flare (where the trunk widens into the roots) sits right at or just above grade. Never bury the flare. If you want a tall cascading form, stake the leader to your desired height at planting.
5. Backfill with the native soil, firm gently to remove air pockets, and water in deeply to settle the roots.
6. Apply a few inches of mulch over the root zone to hold moisture and moderate soil temperature, keeping it pulled back a few inches from the trunk.

Spacing for a screen: these are usually grown as specimens, but trained tall in a row for a loose screen, set plants roughly 4 to 5 feet apart (about 60% of their 6-8 ft. mature spread) so the cascading foliage knits together without crowding.

Care & maintenance

• Water. Water deeply and regularly through the first one to two growing seasons while roots establish. As an evergreen, it also needs water during dry spells in fall and early winter to prevent the needles from desiccating in cold, drying winds.
• Feed. Apply a light, slow-release evergreen or conifer fertilizer in early spring. Mature, established plants need very little supplemental feeding.
• Light. Full sun produces the densest foliage and richest color. Too much shade thins the branches.
• Prune. Mainly train and direct rather than shear. Stake or guide the leader for height, and remove any dead or crossing branches. Important: like all spruces, it will not regrow from bare, brown old wood, so never cut back into leafless branches. Trim only into living, needled growth.
• Spacing. For a row, keep plants about 4 to 5 feet apart; as a single specimen, give it the full 6-8 ft. of width to develop its natural form.
• Pests & disease. Watch for spider mites in hot, dry weather (look for stippled, dull needles and fine webbing) and treat early. Spruces can also show needle cast fungus, which causes older needles to brown and drop; good air circulation and avoiding overhead wetting help prevent it.
• Winter care. In snowy regions, gently brush heavy snow off the draping branches to prevent breakage. Its strong cold-hardiness means it rarely needs other winter protection.

How big does a Weeping Norway Spruce get?

Its mature height depends entirely on how you train it. Staked tall, it can reach up to 15 feet; left low and unstaked, it stays a sprawling mound of just a few feet. Either way it spreads about 6 to 8 feet wide, so plan for the horizontal footprint.

How fast does it grow?

It has a fast growth rate for a spruce and develops its weeping character quickly once established. You'll see meaningful new growth each season, with branches lengthening and cascading more dramatically year over year.

Is it evergreen year-round?

Yes. The dark-green needles stay on the plant through all four seasons, including winter, giving you reliable color and sculptural structure when deciduous plants are bare.

Is it deer resistant?

It's more deer-resistant than many evergreens. Spruces have stiff, sharp needles that browsing deer generally avoid, especially compared to arborvitae. No plant is completely deer-proof in a hungry winter, but this is a relatively safe choice in deer country.

Does it need full sun?

Full sun is best. It produces the fullest foliage, richest green color, and strongest form in all-day sun. In too much shade the branches grow thin and sparse.

Why is my Weeping Norway Spruce turning brown?

A few common causes: winter burn from cold, drying winds when the soil is dry (water deeply in fall to prevent it); spider mites in hot, dry weather, which leave needles dull and stippled with fine webbing; or needle cast fungus, which browns and drops older interior needles. Some shedding of the oldest inner needles is also normal. If browning is on the outer, current-year growth, check first for drought stress and mites.

Can I prune it to control the size?

You can trim and train it, but only into living, needled growth. Like all spruces, it will not resprout from bare, brown old wood, so cutting branches back to leafless sections leaves permanent dead stubs. Direct its size mainly by how high you stake the leader, and limit cutting to shaping the green outer growth and removing dead branches.