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Woody > Picea > Picea glauca > Picea glauca

Picea glauca


White Spruce




            Mike's Opinion

this is Mike

"

Personally I love spruce trees, the skunk like smell the needles give off is a bit repulsive but the colour and texture of the bark is appealing. It is a nice windbreak plant and serves a utilitarian purpose in the landscape.



Michael Pascoe, NDP., ODH., CLT., MSc. (Plant Conservation)

"

Family
Pinaceae
Genus
Picea
Species
glauca
Category
Woody
Type
Tree (evergreen)
Pronunciation
USDA Hardiness Zone
2-6
Canadian Hardiness Zone
1a-5b
RHS Hardiness Zone
H7
Height
13 - 20 m
Spread
2 - 7 m
Photographs
Description and Growing Information
Flowering Period
June
General Description
Has a somewhat conical shape with some branches pointing downwards. The branchlets are quite slender and hairless. The needles are attached by little wood pegs.
Cultivation
Plant in full sun but tolerates partial shade, withstands wind, drought, cold, and crowding. Best growth occurs in moist loam soils: transplants easily.
Shape
A dense pyramid as a youth, with age becomes tall and narrow with horizontal to ascending branches.
Growth
Fast
ID Characteristic
Small cylindrical cones with smooth margin scales, needles leave the petiole on stems when removed, short stiff pointed needles and a distinct 'skunky' odour from crushed needles.
Pests
Susceptible to root and trunk rot, spruce bagworm European sawfly and red spider mites.
Habitat
Found in Boreal, Acadian and deciduous mixed forests.
Bark/Stem Description
Bark is thin and flaky or scaly, the newest exposed layer is a somewhat silvery colour.
Flower/Leaf Bud Description
The buds are rigid and brown through the winter months and in the spring these buds burst open to produce bright green shoots.
Leaf Description
The needles are 1 to 2cm long and are curved ending in a roundish point. They are persistent for the first several years, bunched up on the upper side of the stem.
Flower Description
Flowers are monoecious; staminate, they are pale red in colour gradually turning yellow; pistillate flowers are purple.
Fruit Description
The cones are cylindrical, 2.5 to 6cm long and 1 to 2cm wide. The mature scales are thin, broad rounded and flexible.
Colour Description
The needles are a blue-green colour, it varies form a dull blue-green to and off-green. The bark is and ash brown colour and the cones start out green eventually becoming a light brown.
Texture Description
A medium textured tree.
Notable Specimens
Woodland Perennial Gardens, Fanshawe College Botanical Gardens, London, Ontario, Canada.
Propagation
When propagated by seed no pre-treatment required. Cuttings collected in July have a 84-90% chance of successful rooting. Cuttings collected at other times need to be soaked for 24 hrs in a 70ppm IBA solution.
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