Balsam Fir vs Sitka Spruce - TreeTime.ca

Balsam Fir vs Sitka Spruce

Abies balsamea

Picea sitchensis

COMING SOON

(new stock expected: fall of 2025)

CUSTOM GROW

Balsam Fir
Sitka Spruce

Balsam Fir - best known as a "Christmas tree" - doesn't just look great in living rooms; it's a terrific tree for your yard too!

This fir grows tall and narrow. Balsam Fir is cold hardy, shade tolerant, and will thrive in most soil types and moisture levels.

Sitka Spruce is a native conifer and the largest spruce species in the world. It grows quickly and reaches impressive heights, often reaching more than 50 metres (164 feet) in suitable conditions. It has strong, durable wood that has long been recognised for its commercial value.

It contributes to soil stability and plays an important role in coastal ecosystems. It offers cover and nesting sites for birds and small animals, and its seeds provide food for wildlife such as songbirds and small mammals.

Sitka Spruce plays a role in reforestation and ecological restoration projects in Coastal BC. The Wright Brothers used Sitka Spruce wood to build the frames of their first flying machines.

Balsam Fir Quick Facts

Sitka Spruce Quick Facts

Zone: 2a
Zone: 5a
Height: 25 m (82 ft)
Height: 61 m (200 ft)
Spread: 8 m (25 ft)
Spread: 11 m (35 ft)
Light: any
Light: partial shade, full sun
Moisture: normal
Moisture: normal, wet
Growth rate: slow
Growth rate: fast
Life span: long
Life span: long
Growth form: upright, conical
Spreading: seeds - low, layering - low
Suckering: none


Bark: thin, flaky, gray-brown to gray-purple
Cones: Reddish-brown, papery cones
Hybrid: no
Hybrid: no
Catkins: no
Catkins: no


Native to: AB, SK, MB, ON, QC, NS, NB, NL, PE
Native to: BC
Other Names: balm of gilead, blister fir, canada balsam, eastern fir, fir-balsam
Other Names: coast spruce, tideland spruce