Engelmann spruce Picea engelmannii
Engelmann spruce (Picea engelmannii)
- Needles: Scattered singly all around the branch, leaving a woody base when falls from branch. 1 inch long, sharp tipped, and 4-sided. In cross-section, forms a square. All sides have white stomatal stripes.
- Bark: On mature trees, thin, red-brown, broken into loosely attached, circular scales. Under the plates, color is purple to reddish brown.
- Cones: 1-2 inches long with flexible, papery scales with irregular ragged tips.
- Form: Large tree with a narrow pyramidal crown.
- Unique identifier: Sharp (pointed tips), short, square, needles. Leave a woody base on the twig when fall off. Bark breaks into loose scales.
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- Sharp, short, and square: Englemann spruce (Picea englemanii) needes on a young tree.
