Norway spruce is more than just a traditional Christmas tree – it's the Norse botanical of saints and warriors
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Beautiful Botanicals by Joanne Howdle
Picea abies, commonly known as the Norway spruce, is probably most recognisable as the traditional Christmas tree found in many of our homes during the festive season.
Norway spruce is widespread in the UK, having been planted for forestry in the 1800s. It is native to mountainous areas of Europe and was originally from Scandinavia.
Every Christmas, the Norwegian capital Oslo provides the cities of Edinburgh, London and Washington DC with a Norway spruce, which is placed in the most central square in each city. This is a sign of gratitude for the aid given by these cities to Norway during World War II.
Nearer to home, in a three-decade old ceremony, the Christmas tree that will grace the interior of St Magnus Cathedral in Kirkwall this festive season will have been felled in a snow-covered forest in south-east Norway. Each Christmas, the cathedral tree is gifted to the people of Orkney by the Fjære Historical Society, in the District of Grimstad where the Norse Earl of Orkney, Rögnvaldr Kali Kolsson (circa 1103–1158), also known as Saint Ronald, grew up.
It is thought the Norway spruce was native to the UK in the last interglacial period, and records show it was reintroduced to Scotland as early as 1548. The widespread use of the Norway spruce as a Christmas tree is down to Prince Albert (1819–1861), husband of Queen Victoria (1819–1901).
In 1841, he introduced an old German custom of decorating a spruce tree with candles. In Scotland, the strong, pale cream wood of Norway spruce with its straight grain and fine texture is used to produce timber for joists, rafters and flooring, furniture and boxes, and to make paper.
In Greek mythology, the spruce is the sacred tree of Artemis, goddess of the hunt and the Moon. Since ancient times, the green tips of Norway spruce have been used in herbal medicine to treat infections and a variety of disorders of the gastrointestinal tract and respiratory tract. Spruce syrup is regarded as an essential remedy for colds and coughs in Latvia.
René Redzepi, the chef and co-owner of the two-Michelin star restaurant Noma in Copenhagen uses Norway spruce in his cooking to create a tangy, resin flavour. Redzepi’s signature dish is white asparagus grilled between spruce branches. He also freeze-dries pine needles to create spruce ‘sprinkles’ and uses elements from Norway spruce to make oils, syrups and vinegars.
The young green tips of Norway spruce can be eaten raw, straight from the tree as a tasty snack. The green tips can also be used to produce a tea rich in Vitamin C.
Spruce has been used in the production of alcoholic beverages from at least the Viking Age (circa 790–1050/1100 AD). Spruce beer was made by the Vikings and taken on board ship with them during their long colonisation, raiding and trading expeditions to prevent and even cure scurvy.
Captain James Cook (1728–1779) took spruce beer on HMS Endeavour, on its first voyage of discovery to Australia and New Zealand from 1768 to 1771 to prevent scurvy. In fact, Captain Cook was the first known person to brew beer in New Zealand and, to commemorate this, the Wigram Brewing Co. in Christchurch is making spruce beer.
In the production of gin, the green tips of Norway spruce add delightful earthy and slightly citrusy notes to the spirit.
- Joanne Howdle is tour and events co-ordinator at the multi-award-winning Dunnet Bay Distillers.
