White spruce

White spruce

White spruce

White spruce tree is a straight, tall tree easily recognized by its needles. Cones always hang down. Beautiful year-round color. Tolerates most soil conditions. Grows to 60′; 15′ spread. The white spruce usually grows to be 24 metres tall, but under ideal conditions can grow to more than 30 metres tall. It usually lives between 250 and 350 years, but trees up to 1,000 years have been seen. Its needles are about 2 centimetres long and bluish green or green in colour, with a whitish powdery, waxy layer. Cones from the white spruce are 5 to 7 centimetres long and are light brown. Wood from the white spruce is used to make wood pulp and lumber. They are also grown as Christmas trees. Bark, branches, buds and seeds from the white spruce are a meal for deer, rabbits, porcupines, birds, and small rodents.