Picea abies, Norway spruce

Norway spruce is coniferous evergreen tree growing up to 50 m. In the early years it was 

commonly used as Christmas tree.

These four species are located on the Fallowfield Loop very close to the old train station in Levenshulme. They are dominating the surroundings, and barely have any competition. The ground is heavily overgrown with bramble. The soil is well moist and damp on many places.

In good conditions the Norway spruce can grow very fast, up to a meter per year for the first 25 years. 

Its shoots are orange-brown and hairless. The bark is brownish, scaly with resinous patches on older trees.

Its leaves are stiff short needles, 4-angled on short pegs, spreading to expose undersurface of twig.

The tree has male and female reproductive parts. The male cones are small and yellowish, clustered near the tips of the shoots, while the female are long up to 18cm, narrowly oval, and pendulous.