The Tree

White Spruce is one of the three spruces, red, white and black, all commonly called Eastern Spruce. Ordinarily the White Spruce is a shapely tree 40 to 90 feet tall and 12 to 24 inches in diameter, with many branches which droop downward from the trunk, then turn up to form a beautiful cone-shaped tree tapering to a long, sharp crown. The needles are four-angled, short, pointed and grow profusely around the twigs and curve upward around the branches. They are a dark blue-green and when bruised give off an offensive odor which has given the tree the name “Skunk” and “Cat Spruce.” The cones are from one to one and a half inches long and cylindrical, and when mature are a glossy, light-muddy-brown color. After the seeds are released most of the cones drop from the tree; a few cling on the branches until spring. The tree suffers greatly from forest fire, probably because of its resinous exudations or “bleeding” and its thin bark. Much damage also occurs from fungi and insect attacks, the most conspicuous being the European sawfiy and the spruce bud worm.

Common Names in Use

• White Spruce (Vt., N.H., Mass., N.Y., Wis., Mich., Minn., Ont., and trade)
• Bog Spruce (New Eng.)
• Blue Spruce (Me.)
• Adirondack Spruce (trade) Eng, Ontario)
• Canadian Spruce
• Cat Spruce (Me., New Eng.)
• Double Spruce (Vt.)
• Eastern Spruce (trade-in part)
• Pine (Hudson Bay)
• Spruce (Vt.)
• Skunk Spruce (Wis., Me., New Eng., Ontario)
• Single Spruce (Me., Vt., Minn.)

Growth Range

Where does this tree grow?

The Wood

Features and attributes of this wood

Uses

What is this wood used for? Cabinets, fencing, decking?

Reference