Picea abies 'Wichtel' / Wichtel Norway spruce
Picea abies 'Wichtel' is a miniature form of Norway spruce, arguably among the smallest selections ever named. Its structure is extremely tight and congested with very short, 0.25 inch (6 mm) long, dark green needles. Typical rate of growth in most areas is 0.12 inch (3 mm) per year, resulting in, for all intents and purposes, something resembling a 3 to 4 inch (7.5 to 10 cm) moss-covered rock after 10 years in the garden.
This cultivar is extremely difficult to site and maintain in the garden. In full sun the foliage will burn resulting in dead spots throughout the plant. In too much shade, the insides will tend to rot, particularly in damp areas. An absolutely critical task is for the gardener to "clean out" the internal parts of the plant, removing as much dead material as possible on a yearly basis. This will allow for air to circulate, lowering the risk of fungal issues and rotting.
Günter Horstmann is credited with first propagating, naming and introducing 'Wichtel' through his family's nursery in Schneverdingen, Germany in the late 1990s. Its ortet was a witch's broom on a specimen of Picea abies 'Humilis' found at the Hillier Arboretum Rock Garden, Hampshire, United Kingdom. It should be noted that 'Humilis' is well-known for producing vastly divergent rates of growth within the same plant. The passage of time has proven that 'Wichtel' has proven to be extremely stable in its miniature form, proving its unique genetics. Translated from the German language "Wichtel" means "Gnome" in English.
'Wichtel' was one of three plants selected in 2012 for inclusion into the ACS Collectors' Conifer of the Year Program.
Picea abies 'Wichtel' — a nice potted specimen at Conifer Kingdom nursery, Silverton, Oregon.
Photo by Sam Pratt
Picea abies 'Wichtel' — the original plant with broom at Hillier Arboretum, UK.
Photo by Steven Grubb
Picea abies 'Wichtel' — a closeup of the original broom in 2006.
Photo by Steven Grubb
Picea abies 'Wichtel' — Edwin Smits photographing the original plant in 2002 — an historic plant with a legendary plantsman.
Photo by Edwin Smits
Picea abies 'Wichtel' / Wichtel Norway spruce
RECOMMENDED HARDINESS ZONES:
4 (-20 to -30 F / -28.9 to -34.4 C)
HORTICULTURAL STATUS: Established
ORIGIN: Witch's Broom
COLOR: Dark Green
TRINOMIAL TYPE: Cultivar
GROWTH SHAPE: Cushion or Bun Shaped
GROWTH SIZE: Miniature: less than 1 inch (2.5 cm) per year / less than 12 inches (30 cm) after 10 years
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Picea abies 'Humilis' / Dwarf Norway spruce
Picea abies 'Humphrey's Gem' / Humphrey's Gem Norway spruce
Picea abies 'Hunneberg' / Hunneberg Norway spruce
Picea abies 'Hystrix' / Hystrix Norway spruce
Picea abies 'Indet' / Indet Norway spruce
Picea abies 'Inversa' / Weeping Norway Spruce
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Picea abies 'Klučenice' / Klučenice Norway spruce
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Picea abies 'Knaptonensis' / Knapton Norway spruce
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Picea abies 'Lanham's Beehive' / Lanham's Beehive Norway spruce
Picea abies 'Lawine' / Lawine Norway spruce
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Picea abies 'Lemonade' / Lemonade Norway spruce
Picea abies 'Little Gem' / Little Gem Norway spruce
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Picea abies 'Loreley' / Loreley Norway spruce
Picea abies 'Lorenz' / Lorenz Norway spruce
Picea abies 'Lübecensis' / Norway spruce of Lübeck
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Picea abies 'Luua Pärl' / Luua Pärl Norway spruce
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Picea abies 'Malíček' / Malíček Norway spruce
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Picea abies 'Mauthneralm' / Mauthneralm Norway spruce
Picea abies 'Maxwellii' / Maxwell's Norway spruce
Picea abies 'Merkii' / Merk's Norway spruce
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Picea abies 'Microsperma' / Small-seeded Norway spruce
Picea abies 'Middle Road' / Middle Road Norway spruce
Picea abies 'Midland No. 2' / Midland No. 2 Norway Spruce
Picea abies 'Mikulášovice' / Mikulášovice Norway spruce
Picea abies 'Minutifolia' / minute-leafed Norway spruce
Picea abies 'Monstrosa' / Monstrous Norway spruce
Picea abies 'Morrison West' / Morrison West Norway spruce
Picea abies 'Motala' / Motala Norway spruce
Picea abies 'Mountain Dew' / Mountain Dew Norway spruce
Picea abies 'Mucronata' / pointed Norway spruce
Picea abies 'Nana' / Dwarf Norway spruce
Picea abies 'Nana Compacta' / Dwarf Compact Norway spruce
Picea abies 'Nancy' / 'Nancy' Norway Spruce
Picea abies 'Nidiformis' / Bird's Nest spruce
Picea abies 'Norrköping' / Norrköping Norway spruce
Picea abies 'Ohlendorffii' / Ohlendorff's Norway spruce
Picea abies 'Oldenburg' / Oldenburg Norway spruce
Picea abies 'Pachyphylla' / thick-needled Norway spruce
Picea abies 'Parsonsii' / Parsons' Norway spruce
Picea abies 'Parviformis' / Small-shaped Norway spruce
Picea abies 'Pell Lake No. 2' / Pell Lake No. 2 Norway spruce
Picea abies f. pendula
Picea abies 'Pendula' / Weeping Norway spruce
Picea abies 'Pendula Bohemica' / Weeping Bohemian Norway spruce
Picea abies 'Pendula Major' / Greater Weeping Norway spruce
Picea abies 'Pendula Monstrosa' / Monstrous Weeping Norway spruce
Picea abies 'Perry's Gold' / Perry's Gold Norway spruce
Picea abies 'Petra' / Petra Norway spruce
Picea abies 'Phylicoides' / Phylicoides Norway spruce
Picea abies 'Pine Glen' / Pine Glen Norway spruce
Picea abies 'Piskowitz' / Piskowitz Norway spruce
Picea abies 'Pitt Cemetery' / Pitt Cemetery Norway spruce
Picea abies 'Procumbens' / Procumbent Norway spruce
Picea abies 'Průhoniceana' / Průhonice spruce
Picea abies 'Psáry' / Psáry Norway spruce
Picea abies 'Pseudo-Maxwellii' / Pseudo-Maxwell Norway Spruce
Picea abies 'Pseudo-prostrata' / False-prostrate Norway Spruce
Picea abies 'Pusch' / Pusch Norway spruce
Picea abies 'Pumila' / Dwarf Norway spruce
Picea abies 'Pumila Glauca' / Dwarf Blue Norway spruce
Picea abies 'Pumila Nigra' / Dwarf Black Norway spruce
Picea abies 'Pustertal' / Pustertal Norway spruce
Picea abies 'Pustertal WB' / Pustertal WB Norway spruce
Picea abies 'Pygmaea' / Pygmy Norway spruce
Picea abies 'Pyramidalis' / Pyramidal Norway spruce
Picea abies 'Pyramidalis Gracilis' / Pyramidal Graceful Norway spruce
Picea abies 'Pyramidalis Robusta'
Picea abies 'Pyramidata' / Pyramidal Norway spruce
Picea abies 'R.E.L. Broom' / R.E.L. Norway spruce
Picea abies 'Raraflora Weeper' / Raraflora Weeper Norway spruce
Picea abies 'Red Devil' / Red Devil Norway spruce
Picea abies 'Red Man' / Red Man Norway spruce
Picea abies 'Reflexa' / reflexed Norway spruce
Picea abies 'Remontii' / Remont's Norway spruce
Picea abies 'Repens' / Creeping Norway spruce
Picea abies 'Reynolds No. 1' / Reynolds No. 1 Norway spruce
Picea abies 'Ripley Broom' / Ripley Broom Norway spruce
Picea abies 'Riverside No. 1' / Riverside No. 1 Norway spruce
Picea abies 'Rothenhausii' / Rothenhaus' Norway spruce
Picea abies 'Rubra Spicata' / red-tipped Norway spruce
Picea abies 'Saint James' / Saint James Norway spruce
Picea abies 'Sargentii' / Sargent's Norway spruce
Picea abies 'Schloss Herrenstein' / Schloss Herrenstein Norway Spruce
Picea abies 'Sherwoodii' / Sherwood's Norway spruce
Picea abies 'Sigi' / Sigi Norway spruce
Picea abies 'Skyhigh WB' / Skyhigh WB Norway spruce
Picea abies 'Sonnenberg' / Sonnenberg Norway spruce
Picea abies 'Spring Fire' / Spring Fire Norway spruce
Picea abies 'Stoner' / Stoner Norway spruce
Picea abies 'Suncrest' / Suncrest Norway spruce
Picea abies 'Svinná' / Svinná Norway spruce
Picea abies 'Swanson's Unknown' / Swanson's Unknown Norway spruce
Picea abies 'Swedona' / Swedona Norway spruce
Picea abies 'Tabuliformis' / Table-top Norway spruce
Picea abies 'Tompa' / Tompa Norway spruce
Picea abies 'Tuberculata' / Tuberous Norway spruce
Picea abies 'Tufty' / Tufty Norway spruce
Picea abies 'Typner' / Typner Norway spruce
Picea abies 'Van Bemmel' / Van Bemmel Norway spruce
Picea abies 'Vassar Broom' / Vassar Broom Norway spruce
Picea abies 'Veitchii' / Veitch's Norway spruce
Picea abies 'Vermont Gold' / Vermont Gold Norway spruce
Picea abies 'Villa Maria' / Villa Maria Norway spruce
Picea abies 'Viminalis' / Viminalis Norway spruce
Picea abies 'Virgata' / snake-branched Norway spruce
Picea abies 'Voznice' / Voznice Norway spruce
Picea abies 'Wagner' / Wagner Norway spruce
Picea abies 'Wartburg' / Wartburg Norway spruce
Picea abies 'Weeping Blue' / Weeping Blue Norway spruce
Picea abies 'Well's Green Globe' / Wells Green Globe Norway spruce
Picea abies 'Wills Zwerg' / Will's Zwerg Norway spruce
Picea abies 'Wilson' / Wilson Norway spruce
Picea abies 'Wingle's Weeper' / Wingle's Weeper Norway spruce
Picea abies 'Witches' Brood' / Witches' Brood Norway spruce
Picea abies 'Zaječice' / Zaječice Norway spruce
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Comments
Do you know where I can purchase?
Thanks
Hi Elizabeth. I rate this one a 10 out of 10 with respect to difficulty in locating one. It's nearly impossible to propagate and once successful, it can take 10 years to get it to the size of a golf ball.
Normally I'd recommend finding somebody with a plant and beg for cuttings. The problem is that it's also bloody difficult to keep alive long enough to be able to harvest from it.
Good luck.
wasn't Wichtel a collector plant of the year a couple yrs. back ?
who supplied those ?
Hi Ron, that was from 2012 (8 years ago). I'm pretty sure that they came from Bob Fincham at Coenosium Gardens. As we all know, he retired from active propagation around 5 years ago.
So Elizabeth , call or send a message to Conifer Kingdom .
I think they bought Bob's stuff