Black Spruce vs Sitka Spruce - TreeTime.ca

Black Spruce vs Sitka Spruce

Picea mariana

Picea sitchensis

NOT AVAILABLE THIS SEASON - MIGHT RETURN

CUSTOM GROW

Black Spruce
Sitka Spruce

Black Spruce is a medium-sized coniferous tree that tolerates wet ground better than most spruces. It has a characteristic straight trunk and a narrow crown.

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.

Black Spruce Quick Facts

Sitka Spruce Quick Facts

Zone: 1a
Zone: 5a
Height: 20 m (66 ft)
Height: 61 m (200 ft)
Spread: 5 m (16 ft)
Spread: 11 m (35 ft)
Light: any
Light: partial shade, full sun
Moisture: normal, wet
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: dark purple
Cones: Reddish-brown, papery cones
Hybrid: no
Hybrid: no
Catkins: no
Catkins: no


Native to: AB, BC, SK, MB, ON, QC, NS, NB, NL, YT, NT, NU, PE
Native to: BC
Other Names: bog spruce, canadian spruce, double spruce, eastern spruce, shorleaf black spruce, swamp spruce
Other Names: coast spruce, tideland spruce