The Norway spruce (Latin: Picea abies, English: Spruce) is mainly native to Europe and comes from the spruce genus (Picea).
Due to its striking bark colouring, the Norway spruce is sometimes referred to as red spruce or incorrectly as Norway spruce. It is also nicknamed the “bread tree of the forestry industry”, as it is widespread in many European countries and also in parts of Asia and therefore plays a major economic role.
The Norway spruce naturally occurs in colder to temperate climate zones, e.g. in the Nordic coniferous forests of Scandinavia or in the mountainous region of the Alps. This is why it is also known as Nordic spruce.
Thanks to its good wood quality and, above all, its rapid growth, it is of great importance in forestry, which is why spruce is also cultivated on a large scale in other areas. There, too, it grows quickly, but in regions outside its growing area it is more susceptible to pests, droughts and storms.