| General Description | Picea martinezii can grow to be sort of irregular shaped with a conical crown and level branches with pendulous twigs. Its needles are dark green and very sharp. Has scaley grey bark that chips off and pale brown to orange-brown shoots. |
| ID Characteristic | Picea martinezii’s key characteristics are glossy dark green needle like leaves, needles are flattened side by side with inconspicuous stomata on the back side, and cones are 11-16 mm long with large open scales. |
| Shape | Picea martinezii has a dense, conical shape when young and matures to a more irregular shape with branches spaced further apart. Branches grow level across from each other and have pendulous twigs with foliage. |
| Landscape | It is an attractive tree and is commonly used as an ornamental plant in botanical gardens. It is commonly used in warmer areas since it is originated in Mexico and has a tolerance for warmer climates. |
| Propagation | This plant can be grafted using cuttings for root development or grafted onto another tree. For root development the cutting is placed in water or very moist soil with root hormone being applied. Since the tree is endangered there has been research for germinating seeds but specific data is not available. Generally, for Picea propagation from seed should be soaked in water 24 hours before attempting to germinate. |
| Cultivation | Picea martinezii likes to grow in moist soil and around limestone rocks which implies it needs a lower pH soil. No data on urban tolerance as it is an endangered species and not commonly found in urban settings. It likes shade because it was found growing on moist soil on the north side of a canyon. |
| Pests | Picea martinezii has been seen with spruce budworm infestations in natural habitats. Spruce budworm is identified by brown growth at the shoot tip. |
| Notable Specimens | There is a specimen of Picea martinezii at the JC Raulston Arboretum in Raleigh, North Carolina that is thriving and withstood the 2006-2007 drought. |
| Habitat | Picea martinezii is found in Nuevo León in the Sierra Oriental in the canyons at 2100 – 2200 m in elevation. It is commonly found on moist soil growing with limestone rocks and facing north on slopes. |
| Bark/Stem Description | Bark is a brown-grey colour with thin and scaley irregular plates. Bark has a medium texture and new shoots are pale grey to orange-brown. |
| Flower/Leaf Bud Description | Terminal buds are scaley, non-resinous, pyramidal in shape, and brown in colour. Leaf buds are narrow, rounded, and come to a tip at the end of the bud. They are also non-resinous and brown in colour. Leaf buds are 8-10 mm in length. |
| Leaf Description | Leaves are needle like and glossy dark green. They are very sharp and may cause bleeding when held with bare hands. They are flattened side by side and are 17 – 28 mm in length 1 – 2 mm wide, forward facing, slightly curved and rows of small stomata. |
| Fruit Description | Mature cones are reddish-brown in colour, oblong-cylindric in shape, 85 -160 mm long, and 40-60 mm wide. Scales are rigid and obovate in shape, 20 – 30 mm long, and 20 – 25 mm wide. Cones hang downward from branches. The seeds are brown, flattened, 5-8 mm long with rounded 16 – 23 mm long wings. |
| Colour Description | Picea martinezii has dark green glossy foliage all year round. The bark is grey with new shoots being orange-brown and turning pale brown with age. Cones and terminal buds are light brown in colour, but the leaf buds are a darker reddish-brown. There are no pictures or references to the colour of flower buds or flowers. |
| Texture Description | Foliage is glossy, flexible, and very sharp. Leaf buds are not resinous, but the cones are. Cones are rigid with smooth, wide, and open scales. The bark on new shoots is smooth while the bark on the trunk and branches has a medium texture with thin scaley plates. |