Picea

Picea A. Dietr. (Pinaceae)

A genus of about forty species of trees; cool temperate and boreal parts of the Northern Hemisphere.

Two species occur in North Carolina. Only Picea rubens (Red spruce) is considered native to the state.

Key to Picea in North Carolina

1. Cones 10-16 cm long; upper branches spreading to ascending, the lower drooping; outer bud scales without hairlike projections; plant an alien, but widely planted as an ornamental and sometimes as an experimental timber plantation tree...*P. abies (Norway spruce)

Bark of Picea abies (coming soon)

Twigs of Picea abies (coming soon)

Leaves of Picea abies (coming soon)

Cones of Picea abies (coming soon)

Seeds of Picea abies (Photo: S. Hurst)

N.C. distribution of Picea abies (coming soon)

U.S. distribution of Picea abies

*Picea abies (Norway spruce)
(Rare [in the wild]; persisting and escaping from forestry plantations at moderate or high elevations, notably in e. WV, Great Smoky Mountains National Park [Kephart Prong], Mount Mitchell State Park, and the Biltmore Estate; Mt)

1. Cones 2.5-4.5 cm long; upper branches ascending, the lower spreading; outer bud scales prolonged into minute hairlike projections; plant native...P. rubens (Red spruce)

Bark of Picea rubens (Photo: A. Krings, CC BY-NC-SA 3.0)

Twig and needles of Picea rubens (Photo: A. Krings, CC BY-NC-SA 3.0)

Needles of Picea rubens (Photo: A. Krings, CC BY-NC-SA 3.0)

Cones of Picea rubens (Photo: R. Mohlenbrock)

Cones of Picea rubens (Copyright W. Cook)

Cones of Picea rubens (Copyright W. Cook)

Seeds of Picea rubens (coming soon)

N.C. distribution of Picea rubens

U.S. distribution of Picea rubens

Picea rubens (Red spruce)
(Uncommon [common to dominant in spruce and spruce-fir forests at high elevations]; scattered in northern hardwood forests, heath balds, boulderfield forests, ridges, and rarely coves, also in bogs or swampy forests at lower elevations (down to about 1000 m), ranging in moisture tolerance from dry ridges [though these are often fog-bathed] to saturated peats; Mt; Fl: May-Jun, Fr: Oct)