Rather than blending nicely as landscape plantings, spruces are more appropriately positioned as specimen trees, especially when they are young and have not yet begun to lose their lower branches. In particularly spacious lawns, group them in threes for a striking effect. Rows of spruces along the borders of a property make effective windbreaks or screens. Their great height eventually causes them to dominate their location, dwarfing other plantings and even 2 or 3 story homes. For this reason some landscape professionals suggest replacing spruces over 20 years old with younger, smaller ones. Use compact, dwarf types in small yards or if you have a small home. They were often used as shelter-belts on northern and mid-western farms when they were first introduced into this country by early settlers.
Spruces are also effective as formal accents in a residential landscape, perhaps at the corner of the property. Because of their tall, slender profile, they are not suitable for planting too close to low buildings, walls or fences.
The White Spruce variety Conica (as well as several other dwarf spruce cultivars) works well in the landscape but is ideal for container growing. It grows only about 1 inch a year and boasts fine-textured, dense foliage, it is popular as a living Christmas tree. If it is taken indoors for the holiday, locate it where it is will receive light, away from dry heat. Do not keep it inside more than 10 days. Spruces will grow in tubs or large containers near decks or on patios. In hot weather shield them from the hottest sun and dry winds. In very hot weather, hose down the foliage occasionally.
Spruces will provide some winter interest to a home landscape. Their neat habit and often blue needles relieve the bleakness of winter landscapes. Widely planted in the Northwest as shelterbelt trees to block wind, most spruces also trap large amounts of snow, increasing their beauty. Their fragrant foliage and large cones make excellent holiday decorations.
Spruces work well in yards designed to attract wildlife. The cones of spruces feed wildlife such as squirrels, deer, ground birds and songbirds. Their stiff, dense branches provide secure nesting sites for woodpeckers, chickadees, mockingbirds, robins, grosbeaks, nuthatches, waxwings, purple finches and gold finches as well. Other small animals find welcome winter shelter beneath the branches.
The wood of spruces, especially Norway Spruce, is strong for its weight, odorless, but slightly resinous and is of importance in the manufacture of pulp and paper. Resinous bark exudations furnish what is known as "Burgundy pitch" which is the basic material for a number of varnishes and medicinal materials. New leafy shoots can be used for brewing spruce beer, although Norway Spruce is not as desirable as black or red spruce. The wood has also been used for violin sound boards, but is not the preferred choice.
