Picea rubens Sarg. - Red Spruce


 

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Picea rubens - (image 1 of 5)

 

Taxonomy

Family: Pinaceae

Habitat

Moist, upland forests. North-facing slopes and lake shores. Shade-tolerant.

Associates

In mixed stands with Abies balsamea, Acer saccharum, Betula alleghaniensis, Pinus strobus, Tsuga canadensis.

Distribution

New England, NY and adjacent portions of southeast Canada, south to NC

Morphology

Evergreen conifer, to 100' or more, less under cultivation. Crown broadly conical. Leaves curved, 10-16 mm long, blunt-tipped, shiny yellow-green; needles pointing forward, often appressed along the twig. Twigs reddish brown, with a brown stain at the base of the leaf peg. Young bark red-brown, shredded; mature mark dark and furrowed. Cones ovoid, to 2" long, brown.

Notes

Flowers NA

Wetland indicator: Facultative Wetland

Not well-suited to cultivation, requiring a cool climate, high humidity and rainfall.

References

Dirr, Michael A. 1998. Manual of Woody Landscape Plants:
Their Identification, Ornamental Characteristics, Culture, Propagation and Uses.
5th ed. Champaign, Illinois: Stipes Publishing L.L.C.

 

Farrar, J. L. 1995. Trees of the Northern United States and Canada.
Ames, Iowa: Iowa State University Press.

 

Swink, F. and G. Wilhelm. 1994. Plants of the Chicago Region.
Indiana Academy of Science. The Morton Arboretum. Lisle, Illinois.

 


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 Michael Hough © 2005