Page 40 - Forest Trees of Maine
P. 40
B S Picea mariana (P. Mill.) B. S. P.
lack spruce occurs statewide; it
Bgrows on cool upland soils, but is
more commonly found along streams,
on the borders of swamps and in
sphagnum bogs. It is also often found
on the sandy soils of eastern Maine. It
can grow to a height of 50–70 feet and
a diameter of 6–12 inches, but is nor-
mally smaller than the maximum size.
On a good site, it will grow rapidly. In
sphagnum bogs, trees 50–80 years old
may be only 6–8 feet tall and about one
inch in diameter. The branches are
short, pendulous and have a tendency
In the past, spruce beer was to curve up at the ends. It forms an
open, irregular crown. The lower
made by boiling the branches of
branches often touch the ground, and
the black spruce. root to form new trees. This method
of reproduction is known as “layering.”
The bark on the trunk is grayish-
brown and the surface is broken into
thin scales. The leaves are ¼–½ inch-
es long, dull blue-green, blunt-point-
ed, flexible and soft to the touch.
38 BL A CK SPR UCE
