Picea abies is a species of evergreen needleleaf coniferous plants (in the Pinaceae or Pine family), native to northern, central and eastern Europe. This is a large and fast-growing tree, up to 35–55 metres tall, with a conical form, and upward-sloping higher branches. Its young bark is orange-brown, older bark grey-brown and divided irregularly by many cracks. Its leaves are dark green needles of square cross-section. It produces short brown pollen cones and exceptionally long, cylindrical seed cones that hang downward from the branches. They are initially smooth and light green with a red tinges, and turn orange-brown as they mature and open.

Picea abies grows well in cool climates and well-drained soils, forming extensive forests across Europe. It is not native in Britain, but it may have been so before the most recent ice age (during the last interglacial period, about 100,000 years ago). In the wild it lives for 300–500 years, and it is the most commonly used species for dating by the count and width of tree-rings (dendrochronology). As one of the most economically important coniferous species of the continent, it is widely cultivated, including in Britain since the 16th century. Its wood is used for construction, paper production, and musical instruments. It's also popular as a traditional Christmas tree. Every year the Norwegian capital city, Oslo, provides a Norway spruce for Trafalgar Square in London as thanks for the aid given during the Second World War.

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