Picea glauca

Identifying Features

White spruce has a scaly gray-brown bark.

Its needles are between 1/3 to 3/4" long, are blue-green in color, 4-sided, single, and stiff. When crushed, the needles have a distinct smell, giving the tree another name “skunk spruce.”

White spruce cones are 1-2" long.

Habitat & Range

These trees are primarily found in the Northern parts of North America, and are also common in Europe. They tolerate a variety of soil moisture and sunlight levels.

Featured image by James Dake.