The Norway spruce is shade tolerant and grows best in shade or part-shade, in deep, rich moist soils. The Norway spruce was once more popular as an ornamental in Iowa than both the blue and white spruces, being faster growing and with a more graceful growth habit. More than 100 cultivars have been developed, including both columnar and dwarf forms.
Spruces are susceptible to fire due to their thin bark and are also vulnerable to wind damage.
They are attacked by a number of natural pests including the eastern spruce gall aphid which can arrest shoot growth by laying its eggs in the leaf bases near the shoot tip. White pine weevil attack some species and spruce bud worm often attack young stands of timber. Needle blight can cause defoliation of lower branches, and stressed trees are susceptible to canker. Air pollution in large industrial cities can affect the health of spruces grown as ornamentals. P. abies is the tallest native tree in Europe and an important constituent of Germany's Black Forest.