Description

People may know White Spruce through the lumber industry, but it has many other uses as well. Indigenous people used the sticky resin as a glue and decayed wood was used to tan hides. Saplings could be shaped into bows and snowshoes. It also was used for Christmas trees before the Balsam Fir took over.

This species is common because it it widely adaptable, growing in a variety of conditions. Unfortunately it has shallow roots, so in some soils where high winds are common it can be blown over. It is very much worthwhile to plant with some consideration however, as it provides food and habitat for a diverse amount of wildlife.

The bark is flaky and the four sided needles (as with other spruce species) have a waxy coating. Male pollen cones are reddish and female cones are more plump with smooth edges. Engelmann Spruce which overlaps growing area has cones with wavy edges. It can reach 40 m tall with a girth of 1 m and is also called “skunk spruce” due to the odour of its crushed leaves and resin. It may not be long lived as far as trees go, but a good average life span is still 200 years!