Scientific Name
Picea mariana ‘Black Spruce’
Black spruce is predominantly a Canadian tree, with Alaska accounting for much of the remainder of its native habitat. In the United States, it also extends into the northern portions of Minnesota, Wisconsin, Michigan, New York and New England. It is hardier than jack pine (Pinus banksiana) and shares much of the same territory. Across its extensive range, black spruce typically grows 15 to 50 feet tall, though some specimens grow much larger. Because it may also grow in a shrublike form, it is generally considered a small to medium sized tree.
The needles are ¼ to ½ inch long and dark bluish green on top with a paler underside. The cones are the smallest among the spruces, reaching at most about 1.5 inches long. They begin as a dark purple and mature to a reddish brown, clustering in the upper crown of the tree. This region is likely near the warmest climate where black spruce can be grown comfortably, and its location among a group of ponderosa pines is probably beneficial because of the summer shade they provide.
Black spruce timber is not considered high quality, but it is a principal source of pulpwood in Canada. Despite the tree’s relatively small size, it is increasingly being used in the production of engineered wood products. Black spruce is a characteristic tree of the boreal forest, or taiga, and is commonly found in bogs and muskeg. In its native habitat, stands are regularly devastated by fire. As the forest regenerates, large areas often consist of trees that are all the same age.