Well suited to more northerly cool temperate climates, spruce can become characterful bonsai with small needles and dense foliage pads. The branches tend to develop in whorls and multiple shoots will grow from one node, so regular thinning out is important. Layer the branches and avoid styling them like junipers for good results. With correct care they send out adventitious buds, and shoot pinching in spring will push internal growth Branches should be styled relatively straight, dropping down from the trunk.
- Common name: Spruce
- Genus: Picea
- Family: Pinaceae
- Species: White spruce (Picea glauca) Ezo spruce (Picea glehnii) Norway spruce (Picea abies)
- Foliage: Slender and needle like with a sharp point at the tip. Dark green in colour spreading beneath smooth brown shoots.
- Bark: Coloured red-brownish to grey, peeling in thin strips.
- Flower and fruit:
Small, cone-like structures, with male flowers being yellowish and female flowers often pink-red or purplish, typically found on the same tree. - Soil type:
Medium rich, but well draining, with 40-50% fine gravel added to the mix. - Skill level:
Beginner to advanced.
Propagating
From seed or cuttings.
Placement
It tolerates cold but protect pots from extensive freezing, and also from cold winds. It does best in dappled shade; keep it out of intense heat during the height of summer.
Watering
Spruce does not like to be overly wet or dry, and has a moderate drought tolerance. Use a well-draining aerated soil mix, and water when the soil surface begins to dry.
Repotting
Best done in spring just before budding. Protect against frosts and cold winds in a cold frame or poly-tunnel. Once established, wait as long as you can - as long as the soil allows water to pass through; four to five years is ideal.
Wiring
Wire the branches in late autumn, but do not add too much exaggerated movement. Spread out and layer the secondary branches and then build up bulk through pinching and pruning.
Pruning
Allow the buds to break and begin to push out before pinching it back to leave a centimetre or two of the new growth. New buds will then break further in the tree. Allow them to extend a little further before pinching again. Repeatedly doing this will build up foliage density on the branches. Thin out congested nodes to the two horizontally growing branches. Spruce grows in whorls and with multiple shoots coming from one node. This therefore makes pruning essential, but avoid styling the branches like a juniper; they should incline down from the trunk. In spring buds break open. Allow them to push out before starting to pinch back to leave one or two centimetres of the new growth. Repeat with new shoots which will result in dense foliage pads.
