Picea glauca (White Spruce)

Michael's Opinion

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.

Botanical Information

FamilyPinaceae
GenusPicea
Speciesglauca
CategoryWoody
TypeTree (evergreen)
Pronunciation

Details

USDA Hardiness Zone2-6
USDA Hardiness Ref.
Canadian Hardiness Zone1a-5b
Canada Hardiness Ref.
RHS Hardiness ZoneH7
RHS Hardiness Ref.
Height13 - 20 m
Spread2 - 7 m
GrowthFast
Flowering PeriodJune

Description and Growing Information

General DescriptionHas a somewhat conical shape with some branches pointing downwards. The branchlets are quite slender and hairless. The needles are attached by little wood pegs.
ID CharacteristicSmall 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.
ShapeA dense pyramid as a youth, with age becomes tall and narrow with horizontal to ascending branches.
PropagationWhen 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.
CultivationPlant in full sun but tolerates partial shade, withstands wind, drought, cold, and crowding. Best growth occurs in moist loam soils: transplants easily.
PestsSusceptible to root and trunk rot, spruce bagworm European sawfly and red spider mites.
Notable SpecimensWoodland Perennial Gardens, Fanshawe College Botanical Gardens, London, Ontario, Canada.
HabitatFound in Boreal, Acadian and deciduous mixed forests.
Bark/Stem DescriptionBark is thin and flaky or scaly, the newest exposed layer is a somewhat silvery colour.
Flower/Leaf Bud DescriptionThe buds are rigid and brown through the winter months and in the spring these buds burst open to produce bright green shoots.
Leaf DescriptionThe 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 DescriptionFlowers are monoecious; staminate, they are pale red in colour gradually turning yellow; pistillate flowers are purple.
Fruit DescriptionThe cones are cylindrical, 2.5 to 6cm long and 1 to 2cm wide. The mature scales are thin, broad rounded and flexible.
Colour DescriptionThe 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 DescriptionA medium textured tree.

Photographs