Black spruce, Bog spruce, Swamp spruce
Picea mariana
Family: Pinaceae
What it is like
A medium sized tree. It can grow 20-30 m high and have a trunk 30-60 cm across. The bark is red brown. The leaves are single and straight. They are 8-15 mm long. They are dull greyish green and have a blunt tip. The needles are densely set along the twig. The side needles are at right angles and the upper needles point forward. The seed cones are oval and 2-3 cm long. They are deep purple to red when young. They develop purple brown with age. The stalk is short and covered with scales. The scales fit tightly and are brittle. They have irregular teeth along the edge. Cones can remain on the tree for up to 30 years. Open cones are almost round. Cones are often at the top of the tree. The seed are dark and 2 mm long.
There are between 30 and 40 species of Picea. It is the tree emblem of Newfoundland Province of Canada.
Where it is found
It is a cool temperate plant. It grows in wetlands. It often grows on organic soils. It is somewhat shade tolerant. It is damaged by flooding and fire. It suits hardiness zones 1-8.
Countries/locations it is found in
Alaska, Australia, Canada, Europe, Germany, North America, USA
How it is used for food
It has been used to produce spruce beer. The sap and twigs are boiled with molasses or maple sugar and fermented. The gum is used for chewing gum. It is also the source of spruce oil used for flavouring.
Edible parts
Drink, flowers, gum, inner bark, seeds, seedspod, tea
How it is grown
Plants seed quickly after fires. Trees are easy to transplant. Often attached branches in contat with soil form roots and these layers can be planted. This forms a clump of trees.
A slow growing tree. It grows more quickly in drier upland sites. It can live for 200 years.