Picea abies 'Calvary Spreader' is a dwarf selection of Norway spruce with a low-growing, spreading habit, remaining much flatter than Picea abies 'Calvary Upright,' another dwarf witch's broom selection found in the same cemetary. Gee Farms, Stockton, Michigan claims that it is, "perfect for landscapes with height restrictions and where deep rich colors are needed." Specific growth rates were could not be found at the time this record was published and it's not certain whether it is in cultivation anywhere.
This cultivar originated as a witch's broom found in the late 1970s by Justin "Chub" Harper of Moline, Illinois and Randy Dykstra of Fulton, Iowa. They found the original broom in Calvary Cemetary, Rock Island, Illinois. In Chub's field notes, he described it as, "large size, low, fine foliage."
