Dramatic Cascading Branches of Deep Green

Weeping Norway Spruce (Picea abies 'Pendula') is a sculptural specimen whose deep green branches cascade straight down from a staked leader. Trained to any height it forms a flowing green curtain, and left to sprawl it becomes a rambling groundcover. Each plant is unique, hardy, and dramatic - a true living sculpture for a focal-point spot.

Weeping Norway Spruce Plant Details

Weeping Norway Spruce Uses in Minnesota Landscapes

Living Sculpture

Stake for a weeping tree or let it cascade over walls and slopes - always a focal point.

Dramatic Accent

Its flowing form softens hardscapes and adds movement to evergreen beds.

Best Time to Plant Weeping Norway Spruce in Minnesota

Spring 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.

Weeping Norway Spruce Uses in Minnesota Landscapes

Dramatic weeping specimen

Trained upright on a stake, Weeping Norway Spruce becomes a cascading green waterfall of branches — a true living sculpture and focal point for a front yard or courtyard in Edina, Plymouth, or Wayzata. Its height is set by the stake, so each plant is one of a kind.

Sprawling groundcover or slope drape

Left unstaked, it sprawls and tumbles along the ground or over a wall or boulder, making an unusual large-scale groundcover or slope cover with bold evergreen texture.

Bold accent in mixed beds

Its strong weeping form contrasts beautifully with upright evergreens and rounded shrubs, adding movement and drama to a large mixed planting.

Four-season interest

The deep-green cascading branches hold their show through five months of Minnesota winter, giving the landscape sculptural structure when little else does.

Best Time to Plant Weeping Norway Spruce in Minnesota

For evergreens, the ideal window is late August through mid-September, giving roots time to establish before the ground freezes and before winter wind can dry the needles. Spring (late April–May, after the ground thaws) 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.

How to Plant Weeping Norway Spruce

1. Dig wide, not deep — 2–3x the root ball width, the same depth as the ball. Heavy clay benefits from an even wider hole.
2. Check for clay hardpan — if water pools in the hole, break through the clay layer or mound-plant to improve drainage.
3. Backfill with native soil mixed with 20–30% compost; don't create a pure-compost "container" the roots won't leave.
4. Spacing — give it room: 6+ feet from walls and walks so the weeping branches can cascade; keep the stake in place to set the height and form.
5. Water 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.
6. Mulch — 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.

Watering Weeping Norway Spruce in Minnesota

First Year Watering Schedule

• Weeks 1–2: Every 1–2 days, deep and slow (15–25 minutes)
• Month 1–2: Every 3–4 days
• Month 3–6: Every 5–7 days during active growth; less if rainfall is adequate (Minnesota averages ~3 inches/month June–August)
• Stop watering 2–3 weeks before ground freeze (typically late October in the Twin Cities)
• Give one deep watering in early December if fall was dry — evergreens lose moisture through their needles all winter

After Year One

Established 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.

Will Weeping Norway Spruce survive a Minnesota winter?

Easily. 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.

How big does it get?

It depends on staking — trained upright it can reach 6–15 feet tall and 6–12 feet wide; left to sprawl it stays low and spreads. You shape its ultimate size and form.

Is it deer-resistant?

Strongly. 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.

Does it need full sun?

Yes — give it full sun (6+ hours) for the densest growth. It tolerates light shade but grows looser with less light.

You May Also Like

• Gold Drift Weeping Norway Spruce — a golden-needled weeping Norway spruce for a bright accent.
• Wells Emerald Creeper Norway Spruce — a prostrate, groundcovering Norway spruce.
• Weeping White Spruce — a narrow, cascading native white-spruce selection.
• Bruns Weeping Serbian Spruce — a narrow, strongly weeping Serbian spruce.

How Many Weeping Norway Spruces Do I Need?

One specimen is the classic use — each staked plant is one of a kind, so a single tree makes the statement. Allow a 6–12 foot footprint and keep it 6+ feet off walls and walkways so the curtain of branches can fall freely. For draping a long slope or wall as evergreen cover, plant unstaked specimens 8–10 feet apart and let them sprawl together.

Weeping Norway Spruce Season-by-Season in Minnesota

• Spring: Bright, soft new growth tips every cascading branch in fresh green — a striking two-tone effect against the dark older needles.
• Summer: A deep green waterfall of foliage; the form adds movement to beds that otherwise stand still.
• Fall: Color holds dark and glossy while deciduous neighbors turn and drop — the sculpture starts to take center stage.
• Winter: Its best season: snow outlines every weeping branch, and the evergreen curtain gives the yard structure for five frozen months.

At a Glance

✔ Deer-Resistant   ✔ Evergreen   ✔ Four-Season Interest

Plant It With

• Gold Drift Weeping Norway Spruce — the golden version, stunning paired at a distance from the green.
• Weeping White Spruce — a narrow, formal native weeper for a slimmer vertical note.
• Bruns Weeping Serbian Spruce — elegant two-tone needles on a strongly weeping spire.
• Russian Cypress — a low evergreen carpet to ground the base of the sculpture.

Is Weeping Norway Spruce Right for Your Yard?

Choose it if you have a full-sun focal spot — entry bed, courtyard, slope, or wall — and want a hardy, deer-proof living sculpture you shape yourself with a stake. It's not a fit if you want a predictable, uniform evergreen or have a tight space: every plant grows differently, and the sprawling skirt needs real room.