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Norway spruce: mature size, roots and how far from the house to plant it
Norway spruce, Picea abies: how big it gets, what its roots do, and the planting distances to keep from a house, patio, septic field, sewer line and power lines, with a checker for your spot.
Norway spruce grows 40–60 ft tall and 25–30 ft wide, per NC State Extension. Plant it at least 15 ft from the house, 10 ft from a patio or driveway, 60 ft from a septic field and 20 ft from a sewer line. It grows too tall for under power lines. Checked Nov. 13, 2026.
Is your spot far enough away?
| House | — |
| Patio, driveway or walk | — |
| Septic field | — |
| Sewer line | — |
| Power lines | — |
Measure from the trunk. The rules behind each number are in the table below. Your township, utility or septic permit can set its own setbacks.
Norway spruce facts
| Mature height | 40–60 ft |
|---|---|
| Mature width | 25–30 ft |
| Size class | Large |
| Growth rate | Rapid |
| Hardiness zones | 2a–7b |
| Light | Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day) |
| Soil | Sand; Good Drainage |
| Form | Conical |
| Origin | Europe |
From NC State Extension. Its zone range includes zone 6, which covers most of central Pennsylvania; check your own with our hardiness zone by ZIP tool.
Norway spruce roots
Shallow root system (NC State).
How far to plant norway spruce from things
| From | Plant at least | The rule |
|---|---|---|
| House or building | 15 ft | Half the mature canopy width (eXtension) |
| Patio, driveway or walk | 10 ft | Large shade trees need at least 10 ft of rooting area (Iowa State) |
| Septic drain field | 60 ft | At least the root spread, estimated from mature height (Virginia Cooperative Extension), or the canopy width (University of Florida), and no closer than 20 ft for small trees (UMaine) |
| Sewer line or lateral | 20 ft | “Do not plant trees within 20 feet” of a sewer line (PA Water Environment Association) |
| Overhead power lines | 50 ft | Tall-growing trees at least 50 ft from lines (PPL Electric) |
| Retaining wall | 15 ft | At least 5 ft from the wall, with the canopy edge behind the wall (CMHA) |
Distances use the top of the size range, measured from the trunk. The full sources are in our tree planting distance guide.
Other large trees
50–70 ft tall, 30–50 ft wide. Plant 25 ft from the house.
40–60 ft tall, 35–45 ft wide. Plant 23 ft from the house.
60–75 ft tall, 40–50 ft wide. Plant 25 ft from the house.
60–70 ft tall, 40–50 ft wide. Plant 25 ft from the house.
60–75 ft tall, 60–75 ft wide. Plant 38 ft from the house.
50–80 ft tall, 100 ft wide. Plant 50 ft from the house.
How to identify Norway spruce
| Leaf type | Single needles, attached one at a time |
|---|---|
| Needles | Stiff, sharp needles 1/2 to 1 inch long, dark glossy green, each on a woody peg. |
| Bark | Reddish brown and scaly, turning gray and flaky with age. |
| Cones | Very large cylinder-shaped cones 4 to 6 inches long, chestnut brown, with thin stiff scales ragged at the edges. |
| Twigs | Smooth, shiny orange-brown twigs. |
The Pennsylvania Natural Heritage Program (PNHP) lists Norway spruce as introduced: it is not native to Pennsylvania.
Look-alikes: Red spruce, Colorado spruce.
Identification notes from the Virginia Tech Dendrology fact sheet, in our own words; status from the PNHP PA Vascular Plant List. See all 140 trees in our Pennsylvania tree identification guide.
Questions
How big does norway spruce get?
Norway spruce grows 40–60 ft tall and 25–30 ft wide at maturity, per NC State Extension. Growth rate: rapid.
How far from the house should you plant norway spruce?
At least 15 ft, half of its 25–30 ft mature width, so the canopy clears the house. Keep it 10 ft from a patio or driveway.
Do norway spruce roots damage foundations, patios or pipes?
Shallow root system (NC State).
What zones does norway spruce grow in?
Norway spruce is listed for USDA zones 2a–7b by NC State Extension. That includes zone 6, which covers most of central Pennsylvania.
Can norway spruce go under power lines?
No. At 40–60 ft it outgrows the 25 ft limit for trees under lines; PPL says to plant tall-growing trees at least 50 ft from lines.
Sources: NC State Extension (Picea abies); planting distances from the sources in our tree planting distance guide: eXtension, Morton Arboretum, Iowa State, University of Florida, Virginia Cooperative Extension, UMaine, PA Water Environment Association, PPL Electric, WV Forestry and CMHA. Checked Nov. 13, 2026.
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