{"product_id":"pusch-norway-spruce","title":"Pusch Norway Spruce","description":"\u003ch1\u003eA Dwarf Spruce with Bright Pink-Red Spring Cones\u003c\/h1\u003e\n\u003cp\u003ePusch Norway Spruce (\u003cem\u003ePicea abies\u003c\/em\u003e 'Pusch') is a slow, compact dwarf that delivers a big spring show - it sets abundant bright pink-red cones even on very young, small plants. Forming a dense green mound around 2-4 feet tall and wide, it is like a miniature Acrocona, perfect for close-up viewing in foundations and rock gardens.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003ePusch Norway Spruce Plant Details\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003ctable\u003e\n\u003ctbody\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003cth\u003eAttribute\u003c\/th\u003e\n\u003cth\u003eDetail\u003c\/th\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eScientific Name\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e\n\u003cem\u003ePicea abies\u003c\/em\u003e 'Pusch'\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eCommon Names\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003ePusch Norway Spruce\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eMature Height\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e2-4 feet\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eMature Width\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e2-4 feet\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eGrowth Rate\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eSlow - 2-4 inches per year\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eSun\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eFull sun (6+ hours)\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eWater\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eModerate; water deeply through the first two seasons.\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eUSDA Zones\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003e3-7 (Twin Cities is zone 4b-5a)\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eSoil\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eAdaptable; tolerates Minnesota clay-loam.\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eFoliage\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eEvergreen - dense green needles with showy pink-red spring cones\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eWinter Hardiness\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eReliable to -40F.\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eDeer Resistance\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eGood - deer rarely browse spruce; the stiff needles deter them.\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eNative Status\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eNot native; a European Norway spruce dwarf selection\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003c\/tbody\u003e\n\u003c\/table\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003ePusch Norway Spruce Uses in Minnesota Landscapes\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eSpring-Cone Dwarf\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003ePlant up close where the bright spring cones can be admired - a charmer in foundations and rockeries.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eCompact Specimen\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIts tidy mound adds texture and seasonal color to small beds and conifer collections.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eBest Time to Plant Pusch Norway Spruce in Minnesota\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSpring through early fall all work, but late August through mid-September is ideal, giving roots time to settle before the ground freezes. Water deeply once a week the first season and mulch to hold moisture.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003ePusch Norway Spruce Uses in Minnesota Landscapes\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eDwarf accent with a spring cone show\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003ePusch's claim to fame is its display of bright pink-red cones each spring, scattered across a dense green dwarf mound just 2–4 feet tall. It's a true conversation piece for a special spot near a patio or entry in Edina, Plymouth, or Minneapolis.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eRock gardens and small beds\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIts compact size and slow growth make it ideal for rock gardens, small foundation beds, and the front of a border, where the colorful cones can be admired up close.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eContainers and mixed plantings\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe slow, dense habit holds well in a large container for years, and the spring cones add seasonal interest that most evergreens can't offer.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eFour-season interest\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBeyond the spring cones, the dense green needles hold their color and form through five months of Minnesota winter, giving the garden reliable evergreen structure year-round.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eBest Time to Plant Pusch Norway Spruce in Minnesota\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFor evergreens, the ideal window is \u003cstrong\u003elate August through mid-September\u003c\/strong\u003e, giving roots time to establish before the ground freezes and before winter wind can dry the needles. \u003cstrong\u003eSpring (late April–May, after the ground thaws)\u003c\/strong\u003e is the second-best option. Avoid summer planting when possible. Never plant after mid-October or before late April, when frozen ground and frost-heaving kill new roots.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eHow to Plant Pusch Norway Spruce\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003col\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eDig wide, not deep — 2–3x the root ball width, the same depth as the ball. Heavy clay benefits from an even wider hole.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eCheck for clay hardpan — if water pools in the hole, break through the clay layer or mound-plant to improve drainage.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eBackfill with native soil mixed with 20–30% compost; don't create a pure-compost \"container\" the roots won't leave.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eSpacing — 3 feet apart for a low grouping; single plants need little room.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eWater basin — build a 3–4 inch ring around the planting to direct water to the roots. Flatten or remove it before winter to avoid ice damage.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eMulch — 2–3 inches of shredded bark or wood-chip mulch, kept 2 inches away from the trunk. Do NOT use gravel mulch in Minnesota — it doesn't insulate.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ol\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eWatering Pusch Norway Spruce in Minnesota\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eFirst Year Watering Schedule\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eWeeks 1–2: Every 1–2 days, deep and slow (15–25 minutes)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eMonth 1–2: Every 3–4 days\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eMonth 3–6: Every 5–7 days during active growth; less if rainfall is adequate (Minnesota averages ~3 inches\/month June–August)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eStop watering 2–3 weeks before ground freeze (typically late October in the Twin Cities)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eGive one deep watering in early December if fall was dry — evergreens lose moisture through their needles all winter\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eAfter Year One\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eEstablished plants only need supplemental water during droughts (2+ weeks with no rain and temps above 80°F). Water deeply and infrequently — every 7–14 days during dry spells, soaking to 6–8 inches depth. Let natural rainfall do most of the work.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eWill Pusch Norway Spruce survive a Minnesota winter?\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eEasily. Norway spruce is hardy to roughly -40°F (zone 3), so a Twin Cities winter is no challenge. Water deeply in late fall and keep the root zone mulched the first year.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eWhat are the pink \"flowers\" in spring?\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThose are young cones, not flowers — Pusch produces unusually showy raspberry-pink to red cones in late spring that mature to brown over summer. The display is heaviest on established plants in full sun.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eIs it deer-resistant?\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eStrongly. Deer almost always pass over spruce — the stiff needles are unpalatable — making it dependable even in high-pressure deer suburbs like Minnetonka, Wayzata, and Eden Prairie.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eHow big does it get?\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIt stays small — about 2–4 feet tall and wide — and grows slowly, holding its compact mounded shape for many years.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eYou May Also Like\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eAcrocona Norway Spruce\u003c\/strong\u003e — a larger Norway spruce also prized for dramatic red spring cones.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eSherwood Compact Norway Spruce\u003c\/strong\u003e — a dense, rounded dwarf Norway spruce.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eRipplebrook Norway Spruce\u003c\/strong\u003e — a small dense green dwarf for rock gardens and beds.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eLittle Gem Norway Spruce\u003c\/strong\u003e — a tiny nest-form dwarf for troughs and edging.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e","brand":"Three Timbers Minnesota","offers":[{"title":"#3 Gallon","offer_id":54295925752113,"sku":"GT-E1262","price":109.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"#7 Gallon","offer_id":54295925784881,"sku":"GT-E1264","price":223.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0986\/0694\/0465\/files\/pusch-norway-spruce.jpg?v=1779469307","url":"https:\/\/threetimbersmn.com\/products\/pusch-norway-spruce","provider":"Three Timbers Minnesota","version":"1.0","type":"link"}