Page 39 - Forest Trees of Maine

S The Important Distinctions

Norway
Black Spruce Red Spruce White Spruce
Spruce
Picea mariana Picea rubens Picea glauca SPRUCE
Picea abies
NEEDLES

Blue-green to dark
COLOR Blue-green Dark yellow-green Dark green
green

1
5
3
LENGTH 1 ⁄4– ⁄2 inches 1 ⁄2– ⁄8 inches 1 ⁄2– ⁄4 inches 1 ⁄2–1 inch
Dull with waxy bloom,
Dull with waxy bloom Very shiny strong, unpleasant odor Shiny, sharp pointed
DESCRIPTION
when crushed

CONES

1
1
LENGTH 1 ⁄2–1 ⁄2 inches 1 ⁄4–2 inches 2 inches 4–7 inches
Remain on tree for
RETENTION Fall first year Fall first year Falls first year
many years
SHAPE Spherical Wide in middle Cylindrical Cylindrical

Stiff and rigid when Stiff, with margin Flexible at maturity,
SCALES ripe; margin irregularly entirely or slightly margin entire Stiff, irregularly notched
notched notched

TWIGS

Reddish to orange- Light gray to yellow-
COLOR Yellow-brown to brown Orangish-brown
brown brown

Short, rusty to black Without hairs
HAIRS hairs; some hairs tipped Short, rusty to black Without hairs (twigs droop from main
hairs; tips lack glands
with globose glands branch)
Seed of all spruce is winged; cones are pendant; bare twigs are roughened by persistent leaf bases

SPR UCE 37