BookMark This Page The white and black spruces share a similar range, from New England through the Great Lakes states and across most of Canada and well into Alaska. % of people told us that this article helped them. How do I determine whether a small Norway spruce is a dwarf Norway spruce or not? Blue spruce, also called Colorado spruce, is native to the Rocky Mountain states. The wood from Norway spruce is high quality and excellent for timber, pulp, and producing musical instruments. These trees can be identified by the four-sided needles and the cones that hang downwards after pollination. A spruce is a tree of the genus Picea, a genus of about 35 species of coniferous evergreen trees in the Family Pinaceae, found in the northern temperate and boreal (taiga) regions of the earth. The dense foliage creates a stunning evergreen bush with a flat top. You can also tell spruce trees apart from pine trees by looking at their shape. Shadow Puppets - That sounds like a Norway Spruce, and those branches are called branchlets. To use the spruce in landscape gardens, look for varieties called ‘Barnes’ or ‘Nana.’. The tips from the needles can be used to make spruce tip syrup. | The needle leaves grow up to 1.1” (3 cm) long. I will now astound my neighbors with my arborist knowledge. This article has been viewed 318,341 times. Tree Pictures - Here is some information on this species: https://plants.usda.gov/factsheet/pdf/fs_abba.pdf. Was not sure of type until I used your article to determine that I have, "Last year we cut down a blue spruce for our Xmas tree - illegal in our neck of the woods - so went on this site to, "This was simple to read and understand. In this Spruce Trees Pictures page you will find lots of nice pictures of spruce trees. It could be environment, but every tree has dead limbs from the bottom to at least half way up before the thin straight branches show any green. The number of the tree’s synonym crosses 150. Spruces are cultivated over vast areas for this purpose. Also if you could give me an idea of length of needle. The Red Spruce grows straight and tall and is conical in shape/ It grows from 60-80 feet tall. These fast-growing conifers thrive in poor soil and are prized for their timber. Spruce bark normally looks scaly. ", "The different trees common for different areas helped. Reproduction in whole or in part is prohibited. Also called the European spruce, the Norway spruce tree is a fast-growing evergreen tree that grows in many coniferous forests. Thanks to all authors for creating a page that has been read 318,341 times. Sago Palm: Tree Care and Growing Instructions, Walnut Trees: Types, Bark and Leaves - Identification Guide (Pictures), Types of Eucalyptus Trees: Leaves, Flowers, Bark - Identification Guide (With Pictures), How to Choose The Best Type of Natural Christmas Tree, Types of Spruce Trees and Shrubs With Identification Guide (Pictures & Name), Ultimate Conifer Identification Guide: Pine, Fir, and Spruce with Pictures, Charts, and Names, 15 Small or Dwarf Evergreen Trees For Your Garden, Types of Fir Trees with Identification Guide and Pictures, Types of Pine Trees with Identification Guide and Pictures. There are 35 species of spruce trees belonging to the genus Picea. Do you recommend spruce, fir, or pine trees as Christmas trees? Natural Log Siding - The spruce has moderate growth and can live for over 200 years in its native habitat. The white spruce grows to about 60 feet tall. Short, slender silver-green needles identify this low-growing shrub. This spruce’s most attractive features are its compact growth and bright-green foliage. Spruce wood, when left outside can not be expected to last more than 12 to 18 months depending on the type of climate it is exposed to. Here is some detailed information on the spruce tree. The White Spruce has bluish-green needles that give off an unpleasant scent of skunk when crushed. Its cones are light brown and very flexible. However, compared to pine timber, spruce wood is a higher quality and more durable than most pine wood. Because this species has no insect or decay resistance qualities after logging, it is generally recommended for construction purposes as indoor use only (ex. The dwarf Norway shrub has foliage similar to the Norway spruce. The Sitka spruce has silvery, prickly needles as long as 1 1/2 inches, while those of blue spruce give the tree its name with their silver-blue shade. Play Touch Games - The Black Spruce has a narrow shape and often has a stalk-like top, since the branches at the top of the tree are quite short. Choose dwarf Norway spruce ‘Conica’ for compact spaces. White Spruce Fruit - Photo by Paul Wray, Iowa State University The dwarf Alberta spruce (also called dwarf white spruce) is an evergreen conifer tree that is slow growing. Let’s look in more detail at how to identify the many types of majestic spruce trees. Each needle is individually attached to the branch and can be rolled easily between your fingers. A spruce is a tree of the genus Picea, a genus of about 35 species of coniferous evergreen trees in the Family Pinaceae, found in the northern temperate and boreal (taiga) regions of the earth. Spruce trees can be identified by their needles which have four sides. In this article, you will learn about the most popular types of spruce trees. With the proper care, the weeping Norway spruce can grow to between 10 and 15 ft. (3 – 4.5 m) tall. The cones of spruce are oblong and cylindrical that tend to be attached to limbs mostly at the top of the trees. White spruce needles are an inch long and typically develop on the upper side of the tree’s branches. Other good plants to grow are flowering perennials, golden dewdrop bushes and ground-cover plants like purple heart. The Norway Spruce has scaly bark that is a gray-brown. The Black Spruce has roundish dark-purple cones that are ½ to 1 ½ inches long. The Picea glauca var. An identifying feature of the black spruce is its small, stumpy purple cones. Spruce trees are species of evergreen conifers that have sharp needle leaves. I am glad to help. The Colorado Spruce has blue or blue-silver needles that are quite sharp and are ¾ to 1 ½ inches long. The Sitka spruce is the largest spruce tree among the other 35 species in the genus Picea. We know ads can be annoying, but they’re what allow us to make all of wikiHow available for free. Thanks for your help. Gardener & Owner, Tradition Market & Garden. Since 2006, Tradition Company provides car washing, lawn care, property maintenance, pressure washing, maid services, firewood delivery, and Christmas trees. The short green needle leaves have blunt tips. The tree provides cover for many species of wildlife. The blue spruce (left) makes a unique Christmas tree due to its blue-green-gray colored needles. White spruce is extensively used in the timber industry. In their native habitat—the cold and temperate regions of the Northern Hemisphere—spruces live for over 200 years. The weeping Norway spruce is an evergreen short tree suitable for cold areas. Red spruce grows through New England and into the Appalachian Mountains. This article received 11 testimonials and 100% of readers who voted found it helpful, earning it our reader-approved status. The main stem needs support, and then the branches will dangle down until they eventually reach the ground. Mature trees grow 70-80 feet tall. This article was co-authored by Matt Bowman. What are the large jelly-like balls that occur in clusters on my blue spruce trees? This spruce species is also the fifth-largest species of conifer. The spruce tree commonly grows in damp, swampy areas in Canada, Alaska, and the upper Northeast of the US.