ENGELMANN SPRUCE
picea engelmanni

• 'picea' is derived from the Latin word for pitch
• named after the botanist George Engelmann

UNIQUE FEATURES:

• a straight, spire-like tree
• near the ground the branches tend to droop
• interbreeds with white spruce in certain areas

LOCATION:

• grows throughout the Interior and many southern areas of British Columbia
• found at high elevations
• this spruce prefers deep, rich soils with sufficient moisture

SIZE:

• can grow to 50 metres in height and 1 metre in diameter

CONES:

• seed cones - yellow or purplish-brown; hang from upper branches; scales are papery with jagged edges
• pollen cones - yellow

NEEDLES:

• four sided and sharp but not too stiff
• bluish-green with white lines on upper and lower surfaces
• they are arranged in all directions along the twig
• strong odor

BARK:

• reddish-brown
• scaly

WOOD CHARACTERISTICS:

• not very strong

USES:

• modern - plywood, violins, pianos, aircraft parts
• traditional - roots: sew seams of baskets, make baskets; bark : cooking baskets, canoes, roofing, baby carriers; pitch: wound dressings; needles: chewed for cough control