Sitka Spruce

Picea sitchensis 

forest

  • General appearance:
    The Sitka Spruce is the largest of the Spruces and can grow up to 180 feet tall. The diameter ranges from 3 to 5 feet and frequently has buttresses at the base. The wood of the Sitka Spruce has a variety of uses including being used to build aeoroplanes (during WWII), food containers and instruments. The needles are yellowish-green with stomatal bloom on one side. They are prickly to the touch and can easily be remembered by the phrase “sharp spikey spruce.”
    3-13

  • Peg-like projections:
    When the needles of the Sitka Spruce are removed from the twig, peg-like projections remain on the twig.
    3-12

  • Cone:
    The cone of the Sitka Spruce, unlike the needles, is rather soft. The scales are thin and paper-like.
    3-10

    Terms to Know 
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    Coniferous Species 
    Broadleaf Species