 |
click image to enlarge | |
Spruce | |
|
|
|  | | Black SprucePicea mariana (Mill.) B.S.P. | |
Black spruce is widespread throughout southern Canada to the treeline in the Arctic Circle. It is able to reproduce itself by layering - a process whereby the low lying mature branches become covered in mosses or litter and develop roots, horizontal shoots and finally become a tree. It is the provincial tree of Newfoundland.
|
|  | | Engelmann sprucePicea engelmannii Parry | |
Engelmann spruce can reach heights of more than 45 metres and can live for more than 900 years. Where it is found at the treeline in Canada, it takes a krumholtlz (dwarf) form. It twigs are browsed upon by deer and sheep, porcupines sup on the inner bark, and birds and small mammals eat the seeds, which are full of protein.
|
|  | | Red SprucePicea rubens Sarg. | |
Seeds from the cones of red spruce serve as an important source of food for many small birds and mammals, and larger mammals browse upon branches during the winter. Early explorers made a spruce beer from young red spruce foliage. It is the provincial tree of Nova Scotia.
|
|  | | Sitka SprucePicea sitchensis (Bong.) Carr. | |
Sitka spruce is one of the tallest conifers, it can attain heights of more than 80 metres and can live for about 8 centuries. Its flaky, plate-like bark is a reddish-brown. The cones are easily distinguished by their wavy irregular-toothed outer cone scale margins.
|
|  | | White SprucePicea glauca (Moench) Voss | |
Seeds from white spruce cones are an important food source for many birds and mammals. First Peoples used the sap for a number of medicinal remedies. White spruce is the provincial tree of Manitoba.
|
