Picea abies 'Wills Zwerg' / Will's Zwerg Norway spruce

Picea abies 'Wills Zwerg' is a very compact dwarf upright conical selection of Norway spruce with clumpy irregular braches and bright green foliage. It form and structure is reminiscent of a dwarf P. abies 'Hillside Upright.' After 10 years of growth, a mature specimen will measure 2 feet (60 cm) tall and 16 inches (40 cm) wide, an annual growth rate of 2 to 3 inches (5 - 7.5 cm).

This cultivar originated as a witch's broom found in the early 1970s by Hans Will of Barnstedt, Germany. At the time, Will was nursery foreman at Bruns Nursery of Westerstede, who introduced it to the nursery trade. The plant was first introduced under the name 'Obergärtner Bruns.' In the German language, "Wills Zwerg" translates into "Will's Dwarf."

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Picea rabies 'Wills Zwerg' — its form reminds me a bit of the 'Hillside Upright.'
Photo by John Fertig
Picea abies 'Wills Zwerg' — an old specimen in an arboretum setting.
Photo by Bill Barger
Picea abies 'Wills Zwerg' — a closeup of foliage detail.
Photo by Bill Barger

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