Black Spruce vs Pacific Silver Fir - TreeTime.ca

Black Spruce vs Pacific Silver Fir

Picea mariana

Abies amabilis

NOT AVAILABLE THIS SEASON - MIGHT RETURN

CUSTOM GROW

Black Spruce
Pacific Silver Fir

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.

Pacific Silver Fir is a tall evergreen tree native to the Pacific Northwest. It has two-toned needles, dark green on top with silvery undersides, giving the tree a distinctive appearance. The straight trunk and dense, symmetrical crown make it a striking forest species.
It provides ecological value as part of high-elevation forests, offering cover for wildlife and food from its seeds. It is harvested for timber and pulp, and it has been used ornamentally in some plantings.
Pacific Silver Fir is well suited for ecological restoration, naturalization, and habitat projects where native conifers are needed. Its latin name “Amabilis” means ‘Lovely’, due to its striking appearance.

Black Spruce Quick Facts

Pacific Silver Fir Quick Facts

Zone: 1a
Zone: 5a
Height: 20 m (66 ft)
Height: 45 m (150 ft)
Spread: 5 m (16 ft)
Spread: 8 m (25 ft)
Light: any
Light: any
Moisture: normal, wet
Moisture: normal, wet
Growth rate: slow
Growth rate: slow
Life span: long
Life span: long
Growth form: upright, conical
Spreading: seeds - low
Suckering: none


Bark: smooth, grey
Cones: dark purple
Cones: purplish, disintegrate as they mature
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: amabilis fir, silver fir