Description

Leaves: Needles borne singly; 1/3" to 3/4" long; often crowded on upper side of branch by twisting of needles from the lower side; tips pointed but not sharp; evergreen; blue-green, sometimes with white tinge; 4-angled; pungent when crushed.

Twigs/buds: Twigs glabrous; slender, orange-brown to gray; pungent odor when crushed.  Buds 1/8" to 1/4" long; red- brown or light brown; not resinous; tips of scales often curve back.

Flowers/fruit: Monoecious.  Fruit a papery cone that hangs down;  1-1/2" to 2-1/2" long; light brown colored; margins of cone scales rounded, entire.

Bark: Thin, gray-brown; flaky or scaly; newly exposed inner bark silvery.

Wood: Important in native range; light colored, with little difference between heartwood and sapwood; used for pulp, millwork, boxes, and piano sounding boards.

General: Native in Black Hills, northern Lake States, northeastern U.S., and throughout Canada and Alaska; but not in Utah.  Slow growing.  Prefers moist sites with good soil, but fairly adaptable.  Shade tolerant.

Landscape Use: Seldom planted in Utah (except for dwarf Alberta spruce), but a very desirable landscape tree.  Narrow canopy and short needles make it interesting.  As with other spruces, looks best when foliage and branches are maintained to the ground.  Winter desiccation and spider mites are potential problems.  Zones 2-7.

Cultivars: var. albertiana, 'Cecilia', 'Coerulea', 'Conica', 'Densata', 'Echiniformis', 'Ed Hirle', 'Elf', 'Jean's Dilly', 'Little Globe', 'Pendula', Rainbow's End™, 'Sander's Blue', 'Sander's Fastigiata'.

Characteristics