Plant primer: Hillside Upright Spruce

Height: 8 to 20 feet

Spread: 2 to 7 feet

Zone: 3

Origin: Northern, central Europe

Light: Full sun

Need a narrow evergreen tree for the garden? The Hillside Upright Spruce (Picea abies ‘Hillside Upright’) is a great option.

The dark green needles are short, half-inch, and wrap around the branch. The needles remain dark green throughout the winter.

The trunk bark is gray, while the branch bark is a warm rust. This graceful conifer has an upright pyramidal form with irregular branching.

Hillside Upright Spruce is a slow-growing tree, gaining just 3 feet in 10 years, and is considered to have a rugged appearance. The branches grow up and out from the trunk and create an interesting silhouette. This tree is deer resistant and dislikes standing in water.

It’s a perfect addition to the urban garden because of its low maintenance and carefree look.

See the Hillside Upright Spruce growing out in the Crane Conifer and Ornamental Grass Collection at Franklin Park Conservatory and Botanical Gardens.

— Barbara Arnold, Franklin Park Conservatory