Mountain spruce, Engelmann spruce, Columbian spruce
Picea engelmannii
Family: Pinaceae
What it is like
A large tree. It grows to 35 m tall. The trunk is 90 cm across. It can be 60 m high and 2 m across. The bark is broken into large, loose coarse scales. The leaves are curved and somewhat flexible. They are 15-25 mm long. The tip can be pointed or blunt. They are bluish-green but often coated with a white layer. There are lines of white dots on all sides. The leaves have a smell when crushed. The seed cones are narrowly oval and 3-7 cm long. They are shiny. The scales are yellow brown and flexible. They are loose fitting and taper at both ends. They have irregular teeth. The cones open in autumn and are shed during winter. They often retain some seeds. The seeds are dark brown and 2-4 mm long.
There are between 30 and 40 species of Picea.
Where it is found
It is a cool temperate plant. It grows in the mountains. It occurs between 1000-2000 m altitude in Canada. It is shade tolerant. It suits hardiness zones 1-8.
Countries/locations it is found in
Australia, Canada, North America, USA
How it is used for food
The inner bark or cambium is eaten fresh or dried. The tender shoots stripped of their needles are boiled and eaten. The needles are used for tea. The sap is eaten.
Edible parts
Seeds, bark
How it is grown
Trees can live to 300 years old.