Red Spruce
Encyclopedia
Picea rubens is a species of spruce
native to eastern North America
, ranging from eastern Quebec
to Nova Scotia
, and from New England
south in the Adirondack Mountains
and Appalachians to western North Carolina
.
Red Spruce is a coniferous tree
growing to 18–40 m (59.1–131.2 ft) high (sometimes it could be much shorter, about 4 metres (13.1 ft)) and has a trunk diameter of about 60 centimetres (23.6 in), though exceptional specimens can reach 46 m (150.9 ft) tall and 30 cm (11.8 in) diameter. It has a narrow conical crown. The leaves
are needle-like, yellow-green, 12–15 mm (0.47244094488189–0.590551181102362 in) long, four-sided, curved, with a sharp point, and extend from all sides of the twig. The bark is gray-brown on the surface and red-brown on the inside, thin, and scaly. The cones
are cylindrical, 3–5 cm (1.2–2 in) long, with a glossy red-brown color and stiff scales. The cones hang down from branches.
, Balsam Fir
, or Black Spruce
. Along with Fraser Fir
, Red Spruce is one of two primary tree types in the Southern Appalachian spruce-fir forest
, a distinct ecosystem found only in the highest elevations of the Southern Appalachian Mountains. Its habitat is moist but well-drained sandy loam, often at high altitudes. Red Spruce can be easily damaged by windthrow
and acid rain
.
Notable Red Spruce forests can be seen at Gaudineer Scenic Area
, a virgin red spruce forest located in West Virginia
, the Canaan Valley
, Roaring Plains West Wilderness
, Dolly Sods Wilderness
, Spruce Mountain
and Spruce Knob
all also in West Virginia
and all sites of former extensive Red Spruce forest. Some areas of this forest, particularly in Roaring Plains West Wilderness
, Dolly Sods Wilderness
as well as areas of Spruce Mountain
are making a rather substantial recovery.
, and hybrids between the two are frequent where their ranges meet.
s and is an important wood used in making paper pulp. It is also an excellent tonewood
, and is used in many higher-end acoustic guitar
s. The sap can be used to make spruce gum
. Leafy red spruce twigs are boiled as a part of making spruce beer
.
Red Spruce is the Provincial tree of Nova Scotia
.
Spruce
A spruce is a tree of the genus Picea , a genus of about 35 species of coniferous evergreen trees in the Family Pinaceae, found in the northern temperate and boreal regions of the earth. Spruces are large trees, from tall when mature, and can be distinguished by their whorled branches and conical...
native to eastern North America
North America
North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
, ranging from eastern Quebec
Quebec
Quebec or is a province in east-central Canada. It is the only Canadian province with a predominantly French-speaking population and the only one whose sole official language is French at the provincial level....
to Nova Scotia
Nova Scotia
Nova Scotia is one of Canada's three Maritime provinces and is the most populous province in Atlantic Canada. The name of the province is Latin for "New Scotland," but "Nova Scotia" is the recognized, English-language name of the province. The provincial capital is Halifax. Nova Scotia is the...
, and from New England
New England
New England is a region in the northeastern corner of the United States consisting of the six states of Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Connecticut...
south in the Adirondack Mountains
Adirondack Mountains
The Adirondack Mountains are a mountain range located in the northeastern part of New York, that runs through Clinton, Essex, Franklin, Fulton, Hamilton, Herkimer, Lewis, Saint Lawrence, Saratoga, Warren, and Washington counties....
and Appalachians to western North Carolina
North Carolina
North Carolina is a state located in the southeastern United States. The state borders South Carolina and Georgia to the south, Tennessee to the west and Virginia to the north. North Carolina contains 100 counties. Its capital is Raleigh, and its largest city is Charlotte...
.
Physical description
Tree
A tree is a perennial woody plant. It is most often defined as a woody plant that has many secondary branches supported clear of the ground on a single main stem or trunk with clear apical dominance. A minimum height specification at maturity is cited by some authors, varying from 3 m to...
growing to 18–40 m (59.1–131.2 ft) high (sometimes it could be much shorter, about 4 metres (13.1 ft)) and has a trunk diameter of about 60 centimetres (23.6 in), though exceptional specimens can reach 46 m (150.9 ft) tall and 30 cm (11.8 in) diameter. It has a narrow conical crown. The leaves
Leaf
A leaf is an organ of a vascular plant, as defined in botanical terms, and in particular in plant morphology. Foliage is a mass noun that refers to leaves as a feature of plants....
are needle-like, yellow-green, 12–15 mm (0.47244094488189–0.590551181102362 in) long, four-sided, curved, with a sharp point, and extend from all sides of the twig. The bark is gray-brown on the surface and red-brown on the inside, thin, and scaly. The cones
Conifer cone
A cone is an organ on plants in the division Pinophyta that contains the reproductive structures. The familiar woody cone is the female cone, which produces seeds. The male cones, which produce pollen, are usually herbaceous and much less conspicuous even at full maturity...
are cylindrical, 3–5 cm (1.2–2 in) long, with a glossy red-brown color and stiff scales. The cones hang down from branches.
Habitat
Red Spruce grows at a slow to moderate rate, lives for 250 to 450+ years, and is very shade-tolerant when young. It is often found in pure stands or forests mixed with Eastern White PineEastern White Pine
Pinus strobus, commonly known as the eastern white pine, is a large pine native to eastern North America, occurring from Newfoundland west to Minnesota and southeastern Manitoba, and south along the Appalachian Mountains to the northern edge of Georgia.It is occasionally known as simply white pine,...
, Balsam Fir
Balsam Fir
The balsam fir is a North American fir, native to most of eastern and central Canada and the northeastern United States .-Growth:It is a small to medium-size evergreen tree typically tall, rarely to tall, with a narrow conic crown...
, or Black Spruce
Black Spruce
Picea mariana is a species of spruce native to northern North America, from Newfoundland west to Alaska, and south to northern New York, Minnesota and central British Columbia...
. Along with Fraser Fir
Fraser Fir
Abies fraseri is a species of fir native to the mountains of the eastern United States. It is closely related to Abies balsamea , of which it has occasionally been treated as a subspecies or a variety Abies fraseri (Fraser fir) is a species of fir native to the mountains of the eastern United...
, Red Spruce is one of two primary tree types in the Southern Appalachian spruce-fir forest
Southern Appalachian spruce-fir forest
The Southern Appalachian spruce-fir forest is a type of montane coniferous forest that grows in the highest elevations in the southern Appalachian Mountains of the eastern United States...
, a distinct ecosystem found only in the highest elevations of the Southern Appalachian Mountains. Its habitat is moist but well-drained sandy loam, often at high altitudes. Red Spruce can be easily damaged by windthrow
Windthrow
In forestry, windthrow refers to trees uprooted or broken by wind. Breakage of the tree bole instead of uprooting is sometimes called windsnap.- Causes :...
and acid rain
Acid rain
Acid rain is a rain or any other form of precipitation that is unusually acidic, meaning that it possesses elevated levels of hydrogen ions . It can have harmful effects on plants, aquatic animals, and infrastructure. Acid rain is caused by emissions of carbon dioxide, sulfur dioxide and nitrogen...
.
Notable Red Spruce forests can be seen at Gaudineer Scenic Area
Gaudineer Scenic Area
The Gaudineer Scenic Area is a scenic area and National Natural Landmark in the Monongahela National Forest . It is situated just north of Gaudineer Knob of Shavers Mountain on the border of Randolph and Pocahontas Counties, West Virginia, USA, about northwest of the town of...
, a virgin red spruce forest located in West Virginia
West Virginia
West Virginia is a state in the Appalachian and Southeastern regions of the United States, bordered by Virginia to the southeast, Kentucky to the southwest, Ohio to the northwest, Pennsylvania to the northeast and Maryland to the east...
, the Canaan Valley
Canaan Valley
Canaan Valley is an oval, bowl-like upland valley in northeastern Tucker County, West Virginia, USA. Within it are extensive wetlands and the headwaters of the Blackwater River which spills out of the valley at Blackwater Falls...
, Roaring Plains West Wilderness
Roaring Plains West Wilderness
The Roaring Plains West Wilderness is a U.S. Wilderness Area in the Allegheny Mountains of eastern West Virginia, USA. It is part of the Monongahela National Forest and includes Mount Porte Crayon, the sixth highest point in the state....
, Dolly Sods Wilderness
Dolly Sods Wilderness
The Dolly Sods Wilderness — originally simply Dolly Sods — is a U.S. Wilderness Area in the Allegheny Mountains of eastern West Virginia, USA, and is part of the Monongahela National Forest of the U.S. Forest Service ....
, Spruce Mountain
Spruce Mountain (West Virginia)
Spruce Mountain, in eastern West Virginia, USA, is the highest ridge of the Allegheny Mountains. The "whale-backed" ridge extends for only about , from northeast to southwest, but several of its peaks exceed in elevation...
and Spruce Knob
Spruce Knob
Spruce Knob, at , is the highest point in the state of West Virginia and the summit of Spruce Mountain, the tallest mountain in the Alleghenies.-Overview:...
all also in West Virginia
West Virginia
West Virginia is a state in the Appalachian and Southeastern regions of the United States, bordered by Virginia to the southeast, Kentucky to the southwest, Ohio to the northwest, Pennsylvania to the northeast and Maryland to the east...
and all sites of former extensive Red Spruce forest. Some areas of this forest, particularly in Roaring Plains West Wilderness
Roaring Plains West Wilderness
The Roaring Plains West Wilderness is a U.S. Wilderness Area in the Allegheny Mountains of eastern West Virginia, USA. It is part of the Monongahela National Forest and includes Mount Porte Crayon, the sixth highest point in the state....
, Dolly Sods Wilderness
Dolly Sods Wilderness
The Dolly Sods Wilderness — originally simply Dolly Sods — is a U.S. Wilderness Area in the Allegheny Mountains of eastern West Virginia, USA, and is part of the Monongahela National Forest of the U.S. Forest Service ....
as well as areas of Spruce Mountain
Spruce Mountain
Spuce Mountain is a mountain in Elko County, in the northeastern section of the state of Nevada in the Great Basin region of the western United States. The summit is at ....
are making a rather substantial recovery.
Related species
It is closely related to Black SpruceBlack Spruce
Picea mariana is a species of spruce native to northern North America, from Newfoundland west to Alaska, and south to northern New York, Minnesota and central British Columbia...
, and hybrids between the two are frequent where their ranges meet.
Uses
Red Spruce is used for Christmas treeChristmas tree
The Christmas tree is a decorated evergreen coniferous tree, real or artificial, and a tradition associated with the celebration of Christmas. The tradition of decorating an evergreen tree at Christmas started in Livonia and Germany in the 16th century...
s and is an important wood used in making paper pulp. It is also an excellent tonewood
Tonewood
Tonewood generally refers to any wood which may be used in the construction of a musical instrument. Many acoustic properties are often assigned to specific wood species; however the description of these properties is itself a large subject and beyond the scope of this article...
, and is used in many higher-end acoustic guitar
Guitar
The guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
s. The sap can be used to make spruce gum
Spruce gum
Spruce gum is a chewing material made from the resin of spruce trees. In North America, spruce gum was chewed by Native Americans, and was later introduced to the early American pioneers and was sold commercially by the 19th century, by John B. Curtis amongst others...
. Leafy red spruce twigs are boiled as a part of making spruce beer
Spruce beer
Spruce beer is a beverage flavored with the buds, needles, or essence of spruce trees. Spruce beer can refer to either alcoholic or non-alcoholic beverages....
.
Red Spruce is the Provincial tree of Nova Scotia
Nova Scotia
Nova Scotia is one of Canada's three Maritime provinces and is the most populous province in Atlantic Canada. The name of the province is Latin for "New Scotland," but "Nova Scotia" is the recognized, English-language name of the province. The provincial capital is Halifax. Nova Scotia is the...
.