How Can You Tell What Kind of Spruce Tree You Have?
- 1. The Needles Spruce tree needles are very sharp and have a flat, round base. ...
- 2. Resin Blisters On Bark If you take some time looking at the bark of spruce trees, you may notice little resin blisters here and there along its trunk (the blisters are typically about the size of a small pea). ...
- 3. Bark Texture and Thickness ...
- 4. The Cones ...
Full Answer
How to identify spruce trees and shrubs?
Spruce trees and shrubs are classified in the genus Picea, which includes 35 species.It's considered part of the Pinaceae family, along with pines, firs, cedars, hemlocks, larches, and a few other species.. A spruce tree can be identified simply by examining its needles. These conifers feature needles attached to the branch by a swollen area, a pulvinus, a joint-like structure that allows ...
What are the types of spruce trees?
- The Colorado Spruce is common throughout the Pacific Northwest and the Midwest.
- The Red Spruce, the Black Spruce, and the Blue Spruce are all common varieties that typically grow in the Northeast.
- The White Spruce and the Norway Spruce are prevalent both in the Northeast and the Northwest.
What do I plant under my spruce tree?
Plants That Thrive Under Trees
- Siberian Bugloss. The heart-shaped leaves with contrasting white veining catch the eye of many gardeners with shady lots, but the cloud of sky blue flowers that Brunnera macrophylla produce in ...
- Lily of the Valley. Lily of the valley is a tough little plant with a sweet spring fragrance. ...
- Bleeding Heart. ...
- Hosta. ...
- Periwinkle. ...
- Japanese Painted Fern. ...
Are spruce trees good for anything?
The spruce tree, part of the Picea genus, is a classic evergreen conifer option for your landscape. Strong, straight trunks and tiers of dense branches make these trees a beautiful addition. But the wood from the trees also serves as an important raw material for building supplies and in the paper industry.
How do I identify my spruce?
To tell spruce and fir trees apart, it helps to know that spruce needles are sharply pointed, square and easy to roll between your fingers. Fir needles, on the other hand, are softer, flat and cannot be rolled between your fingers. Spruce needles are attached to small, stalk-like woody projections.
How can you tell the difference between a white spruce and a black spruce?
They can be relatively easily distinguished by cones, as well as by characteristics of twigs, needles, and buds, and major differences in growth habit and habitat. White spruce occupies richer habitats, with deep, well-drained soils, whereas black spruce is found on poorly drained and/or thin soils.
What are the different kinds of spruce trees?
Norway spruceBlue spruceWhite sprucePicea omorikaBlack spruceSitka spruceSpruce/Lower classifications
How do you tell the difference between a white spruce and a blue spruce?
Blue spruce trees have needles that are more blue than green, and their needles are shorter but are extremely stiff and sharp. White spruces have needles that are more green than blue, with long needles that are more flexible and soft.
How do you tell a white spruce from a red spruce?
White Spruce (foreground) and Red Spruce in West Quebec....Identifying Red Spruce.Red SpruceWhite SpruceBark a “cool” grey often with a pinkish undertone. Flaky.Bark greyish-brown; can be reddish in fissures. Flaky.7 more rows
How do I identify a black spruce tree?
Black spruce is a small, narrow evergreen tree with a spire-like crown. It has descending branches, with dark, bluish-green needles, and upturned ends. Lower limbs sweep the ground. It is an excellent choice for cold northern climates and tolerant of wet sites.
What is the difference between a spruce and a pine tree?
This is an easy tip to remember: on pine trees, needles are attached and attached to the branches in clusters; on spruce trees, needles are attached individually. A longleaf pine – which you can tell is a pine because its needles are attached in bundles.
What's the difference between black hills spruce and blue spruce?
Black hills spruce have needles that are shorter and softer than Colorado blue spruce. Black hills spruce have excellent color and have a very traditional Christmas tree appearance. Branches are stiff and hold up well to ornaments. Back to list of tree species.
What kind of spruce has hanging branches?
Brewer SpruceBrewer Spruce (Picea breweriana) It's sometimes called the weeping spruce because of the way the branchlets hang down. This is an excellent choice for a specimen tree in your garden as the weeping form gives it unique appeal.
How can you tell a red spruce from a black spruce?
The red spruce's twigs take on an orange-brown ochre and its bark can tend toward a reddish hue, particularly beneath the scales; black spruce's branches and hairy twigs take on darker browns and sootier grays; skinny, waxy needles and the pale bloom of hairless twigs combine to give white spruce foliage a wispier, ...
How do you tell a white spruce from a Norway spruce?
0:362:00Identifying Norway Spruce - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipEven needle length distributed. Around the whole of the structure of the of the of the branch andMoreEven needle length distributed. Around the whole of the structure of the of the of the branch and branch sections Norway spruce classic. Green top and bottoms if you turn it up and look underneath.
How can I identify a blue spruce?
To identify spruce trees, first look at the needles. If they're are attached individually to branches, have 4 sides, and roll easily between your fingers, it's a spruce. Then, check the cones, which on spruce trees have smooth, thin scales and are easy to bend.
How do I identify a white spruce?
A large tree with a narrow crown, it can grow to 40 metres tall and 1 metre in diameter when mature. Needles are four-sided, sharp, and stiff, and are arranged spirally on the twigs; whitish-green and foul smelling when young, they become pleasant smelling with age.
Is black spruce a hardwood or softwood?
Spruce is not hardwood. Spruce is a softwood. Spruce wood has a hardness rating of 510 lbf (2,268 N) which is relatively lower than most of the woods. It comes from a coniferous tree.
What is the difference between a white spruce and a Norway spruce?
Use the subtle differences between these two spruce species to tell them apart. Observe that the needles of white spruce are bluish-green and up to three-quarters of an inch long. Norway spruce has shiny dark green needles that can reach an inch in length.
What is the difference between a Black Hills Spruce and a Norway spruce?
Black Hills spruce has a lush broad-conical shape; it is dense and full. Simultaneously, Norway spruce is thinner and skeletal (except for varieties of this species). Its shape is mostly narrow-conical or even columnar, and often young branches hang down.
How to identify a white spruce tree?
You can identify white spruce trees by their scaly white bark, narrow cylindrical crown, and long needle-like leaves. Compared to the Norway spruce, the cones of this species are slender, but not as long. White spruce trees grow to about 100 ft. (30 m) tall.
How to tell if a spruce tree is a pine tree?
However spruce trees have individual needles growing on the branches. You can also tell spruce trees apart from pine trees by looking at their shape. Spruce tree branches tend to have an upward growth with full, bushy needle foliage.
What is the shape of a spruce needle?
Picture of spruce needles. Spruce needles grow singularly on the branch (unlike pine needles which grow in clusters) and are round (unlike fir needles which are flat)
What is a spruce tree?
Spruce trees are species of evergreen conifers that have sharp needle leaves. Apart from tall spruce trees that grow in coniferous forests, many dwarf spruces and spruce shrubs are suitable for garden landscapes.
What is the name of the tree with the blue needles?
The blue spruce (left) makes a unique Christmas tree due to its blue-green-gray colored needles. On the right: Weeping Colorado spruce ‘The Blues’ is a dwarf evergreen cold hardy tree
How tall is a bird nest spruce?
For example, the Sitka spruce ( Picea sitchensis) can reach the dizzy heights of more than 330 ft. (100 m) tall. For your garden—large or small— dwarf spruce trees ...
What is the difference between a pine tree and a spruce tree?
Spruce tree branches tend to have an upward growth with full , bushy needle foliage. On the other hand, pine trees branches have a downward growth habit and less dense foliage. Cedar trees and Douglas firs are soft to touch, unlike jaggy, sharp spruce needle-leaves.
The 11 Different Types of Spruce Trees
The Sitka spruce is native to North America’s West Coast where it can be found on mountainsides throughout Alaska down to Oregon. Also known as “the queen of the forest,” this tree can grow up to 200 feet tall and has a trunk diameter of up to 8 feet.
How Can You Tell What Kind of Spruce Tree You Have?
There are several different types of spruce trees. These four methods will help you mount an expedition to discover which type your tree is.
What Is the Difference Between Spruce and Pine Trees?
Pine trees and spruce trees are two types of evergreen trees. They are both conifers, meaning they have cones and needles. However, there are some key differences between these two types of trees.
Conclusion
Now that you know all about the different types of spruce trees, it’s time to choose the perfect one for your needs. Each type has its own unique characteristics, so be sure to pick the right one for your landscape.
How to tell if a fir tree is a spruce or a fir?
The easiest ways to distinguish spruces from firs is the way mature seed cones are held in the tree. In spruces ( Picea species) mature seed cones hang from the branches and will fall intact from tree while in firs ( Abies species), mature cones are held upright on the branches and will disintegrate rather than falling intact.
How tall is a spruce tree?
Albert gets to be about 10 to 15 feet (3 to 5m) tall after 10 years in the landscape, and true to its name, is wide at the base.
What is the name of the spruce that has a red needle?
It originated as a witch's broom (bud mutation) on Picea abies 'Acrocona', another lovely spruce. Some Norway spruce cultivars even have red needles! The new growth on Picea abies 'Rubra Spicata' is rosy and then matures to green: Picea abies 'Rubra Spicata'. There are also many weeping Norway spruces.
What is the name of the spruce tree that grows in the summer?
Picea orientalis 'Skylands' is another oriental spruce tree; its distinctive feature is its lovely golden foliage. 'Skylands' should be protected from hot afternoon sun on summer's longest days or it will burn. If 'Skylands' gets too big for your garden, there is a select "Skylands seedling" called 'Firefly' that displays the same golden foliage, but grows more slowly and stays smaller.
How many needles are there in a pine tree?
Needles are also a distinguishing factor. Pine ( Pinus species) needles grow in bundles (fascicles) of 1 to 5 needles, while spruces and firs are attached singly. Those with sharp eyesight will also notice that spruce needles are attached to a branch by a tiny peg (pulvinus), while fir needles are attached directly to the stem with what appears to be some sort of suction cup.
How tall is Picea orientalis?
The Picea orientalis 'Early Gold' pictured above, for example, is about 6 feet (2 m) tall after 10 years, has orderly, delicate needles and attractive, slightly weeping branches. And those seed cones!
What is the most common spruce tree?
Norway Spruce. Another very common spruce is the Norway spruce, or Picea abies. In nature, these trees are very large, with very dark green needles on gracefully weeping branches. But cultivars for the garden abound; this may be the most prolific spruce there is!
What family is a spruce tree?
The Spruce / Evgeniya Vlasova. Spruce trees and shrubs are classified in the genus Picea, which includes 35 species . It's considered part of the Pinaceae family, along with pines , firs, cedars, hemlocks, larches, and a few other species. A spruce tree can be identified simply by examining its needles. These conifers feature needles attached ...
What is the color of a Colorado blue spruce?
The Colorado blue spruce has blue needles in a range of shades. The Glauca variety is a light blue, and Glauca Pendula is a weeping cultivar. If you want a shorter one, available varieties include Fat Albert, Glauca Globosa, and Glauca Jean's Dilly.
What is a bird's nest spruce?
Bird's Nest Spruce (Picea abies 'Nidiformis') The bird's nest spruce is a unique cultivar of Norway spruce ( P. abies) that takes the form of a round dwarf shrub with an indentation on the top, resembling a bird's nest. It can work well in a container if you wish to have a small evergreen conifer on your patio.
How tall is a Sitka spruce tree?
The Sitka spruce, the state tree of Alaska, is the tallest spruce species, capable of reaching higher than 300 feet in the wild. The largest recorded specimen was 318 feet. Although this variety will be shorter in cultivation, make sure there's plenty of room in your landscape because "shorter" can mean that it's still more than 100 feet high.
Why is it called a weeping spruce?
It's sometimes called the weeping spruce because of the way the branchlets hang down. This is an excellent choice for a specimen tree in your garden as the weeping form gives it unique appeal.
Why is red spruce resurgence?
Surprising Resurgence of Red Spruce Likely Result of Cleaner Air and Warmer Winters. United States Department of Agriculture.
What is the name of the tree that grows in a wide variety of soil types but needs to be sheltered from?
The oriental spruce, also known as the caucasian spruce, can live in a wide variety of soil types but needs to be sheltered from wind. This slow-growing tree works well as a specimen conifer, and it has 1/2-inch needles, which are shorter than most other spruces.
Where are spruce trees found?
Spruce is any of the large, coniferous tree species belonging to the genus Picea of the family Pinaceae, distributed across the temperate and boreal regions in the Northern Hemisphere. These trees can be identified by the four-sided needles and the cones that hang downwards after pollination.
When do spruce needles fall off?
Spruce needles fall off when the tree is 4-10 years old. However, the peg-like structures (called sterigmata or pulvini) on the branches are retained, making them rough.
How many species are there in the Picea genus?
The Picea genus includes thirty-five extant species, out of which the Brewer’s spruce has a basal position, after that come the Sitka spruce, and then the other species. All these species are classified into three clades, as given below.
What is the source of vitamin C in spruce?
As pulpwood for making paper, building wood, tonewood for mandolins, guitars, violins, pianos, and cellos, ornamental Christmas trees; shoots are the source of vitamin C, for making spruce beer from branches and leaves. IUCN Conservation Status.
What color are female cones?
Female Cones: Drooping, ovoid or cylindrical, green to purple when young, pale to dark brown when matured
What is the shape of an Oriental spruce?
A dense conifer with lustrous, dark-green needles, it grows in an attractive pyramidal shape highlighted with pendulous branches. This graceful habit makes Oriental spruce an excellent specimen plant. Cultivars are even more intriguing: “Aurea” has golden yellow new growth; “Pendula” is a compact weeping cultivar.
How tall does a blue spruce tree get?
Being colorful and relatively drought tolerant, it’s a favorite of many homeowners unless placed in the wrong spot — it grows quickly to 60 feet tall and can overtake a small yard.
How long does it take for a dwarf spruce to grow?
Dwarf Alberta spruce ( Picea glauca “Conica”) is a cultivar of white spruce. Growing just two to four inches per year, dwarf Alberta spruce can take 25 to 30 years to reach 10 or 12 feet in height.
What type of tree has evergreen needles?
Spruces are tall, symmetrical conifer trees with evergreen needles attached individually rather than bunched like pine needles. While they resemble fir trees, spruces drop their cones intact, rather than dispersing seeds first as fir trees do.
How tall is a Black Hills spruce?
densata) is a variety of white spruce with much denser foliage. It has an attractive pyramidal shape and grows slowly to 40 feet tall by 35 feet wide, so it fits into more home landscapes than bigger forest trees.
How big is Norway spruce?
Norway Spruce. As the name implies, Norway spruce ( Picea abies) is a European native now common in North America. It’s large — up to 80 feet tall and 35 feet wide — and can grow three feet per year in the right conditions.
How tall is a Serbian spruce?
Slowly growing to 50 to 60 feet tall and 20 to 25 feet wide, Serbian spruce features green needles with a silvery underside that shimmers in the breeze. “Aurea” has yellow needles, “Nana” is dwarf and “Pendula” has drooping, twisted branches. Zones: 4-7.
How to identify a spruce tree?
You can visually identify the Spruce tree by just looking at the tree and its parts. 1. Needles: These are the leaves of the Spruce tree. In the case of a Spruce tree, individual needles come out of the stem. A woody peg called the pulvinus, connects needles to the branch.
What is a spruce tree?
The Spruce tree is a magnificent evergreen tree. People plant it for ornamental purposes, for privacy, and as a Christmas tree. It belongs to the family of conifer trees (Pinaceae), genus Picea. The Spruce tree is the native of the cold regions of the Northern Hemisphere. The Spruce wood pulp is a major raw material for the paper industry.
What is the difference between Spruce and Pine trees?
Both Spruce and pine are conifers, and there are some general similarities between them. But there are perceptible differences between them in the needles, cones, branches, and the bark. These differences make it possible to differentiate the two.
How long does a Spruce tree take to grow?
On average, the Spruce tree shows a growth of 6 to 12 inches in a year.
What is the lifespan of a Spruce tree?
In the native environment, the Spruce tree can live from 150 years to about 600 years, depending upon the species. However, the cultivated variety of Spruce trees have a shorter life of about 60 – 150 years.
How deep are Spruce tree roots?
Depending upon the species, the roots of the Spruce tree go down in the ground to a depth of 12 – 18 inches.
Will a Spruce tree regrow needles?
The Spruce tree can regrow needles if it has lost them because of natural cause, and the parent branch is not diseased or damaged.
Why do spruce trees have rough branches?
When their needles shed, these projections remain in the form of bumps, which is why spruce branches feel rough to the touch. Spruce wood is used for a variety of purposes, from making instruments and aircraft to general construction work.
What is the difference between cedar and spruce?
Cedar belongs to the genus Cedrus, which is part of the family Pinaceae (pine family), of which there are roughly 40 species native to the northern hemisphere. Spruce trees are coniferous evergreens. During the holidays, it's almost certain that you or someone you know has one of these trees in the living room strung up with colorful lights ...
What are the leaves of cedar trees?
First, cedar tree leaves are evergreen and retain throughout the year. The foliage is soft and nearly fernlike, and leaves have a distinct fragrance. Cedar tree bark is brown-reddish in color, although it may appear greenish when the trees are young. The bark is made up of long, fibrous scales that tend to peel away, and the branches are short and covered with scale-like leaves.
What are cedar trees called?
However, there are some trees that are called cedars in the United States, such as the Eastern red-cedar (USDA zones 2 through 9) and the Atlantic white-cedar (zones 4 through 9). Cedars can be identified by looking at their height, shape, needles, cones and habitats.
How tall do red cedar trees grow?
Eastern red-cedars can grow to be roughly 40 to 60 feet tall. Their bark tends to be silvery or white with strips of light brown. Males produce small cones that produce pollen, whereas females produce berrylike cones that will ripen to a bluish-gray-green color when pollinated.
What type of cedar tree has reddish brown bark?
Although all types of cedar trees have similar-looking bark (reddish-brown bark that can be peeled away easily in strips), Eastern red-cedar, Atlantic white-cedar and Western red-cedar each have different traits and identifiers:
What is the color of Atlantic white cedar?
Their cones are small (about 1/4-inch long) with a blue or purplish color that turns reddish-brown in the fall. Needles are thin, pointed and blue-green, and foliage is scaly and fan shaped.
