Picea abies Puschv

Picea abies 'Pusch' is a dwarf variety of common spruce with slow growth, interesting for its slightly irregular wide ball-shaped habit, its bright young shoots, and its truly decorative pink cones in spring. Its somewhat tousled, picturesque silhouette fits into flower beds, enlivens rockeries, or stands out in containers on the terrace. It is very hardy and easy to grow in well-drained, preferably non-chalky soil. This conifer, which dislikes heatwaves, even thrives in light shade.

The Picea abies, also known as Norway Spruce or Red Spruce, is an evergreen conifer belonging to the pinaceae family. It is a species native to northern Europe, specifically Scandinavia. In its natural environment, it has a typically conical and pyramidal habit and can reach a height of 30 m (98 ft 5 in), or even more in Eastern Europe. This species is traditionally used as a Christmas tree in Europe. It prefers well-drained and moist soils and copes with very low temperatures.

The 'Pusch' variety is a dwarf form of Picea abies 'Acrocona'. This variety was named conifer of the year in 2008. Its habit is compact, rounded, and spreading, slightly flared, with branches that go in all directions. Its growth is very slow. After 10 years, it will measure about 60 cm (23.6 in) in height and 1 m (3 ft 4 in) in spread. It produces short branches, densely covered with hard and very short needles, arranged in a brush-like manner. The reddish-brown winter cones are very decorative. Its spring shoots are a bright tender green, turning uniformly green, bright and vivid. In spring, the bush produces ovoid, scale-like, bright pink cones which turn brown in summer and persist until winter. Spruce trees have a shallow and running root system, which makes them difficult to transplant when they are mature and particularly sensitive to wind.

The 'Pusch' Spruce with its beautiful habit, small growth, low maintenance, and ease of cultivation, is a perfect plant for rockeries and terraces. It goes well with large stones, geometric lines, and brickwork. It can be combined with columnar or upright dwarf conifers to play with textures and volumes. The architectural qualities of conifers naturally stand out in a contemporary garden. These plants structurally enhance a flower bed, mark pathways, and border the terrace. They combine well with heathers or ground cover plants such as aubrietas, cerastiums and perennial sages, as well as flowering shrubs. The key is to play with volumes and colours.