White Spruce vs Pacific Silver Fir - TreeTime.ca

White Spruce vs Pacific Silver Fir

Abies amabilis

Picea glauca

CUSTOM GROW

Pacific Silver Fir
White Spruce

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.

Pacific Silver Fir thrives in cool, moist, high-elevation forests. It is the most shade-tolerant of the true firs and among the most shade-tolerant of all native conifers, allowing it to grow beneath the canopy of older trees. It provides cover for wildlife and food from its seeds, while also contributing to the structure and stability of mountain forest ecosystems.

The species is harvested for timber and pulp and has been used ornamentally in some plantings. Well-suited for ecological restoration, naturalization, and habitat projects where native conifers are needed. Pacific Silver Fir lives up to its Latin name, amabilis, meaning “lovely,” in recognition of its striking appearance.

White Spruce is a hardy, long-lived evergreen tree. It can grow in many soil types and moisture levels. And it can even tolerate significant amounts of shade. White spruce requires little maintenance and is well suited for use in shelterbelts, privacy screens, hedges, and as an ornamental in an urban setting.

Pacific Silver Fir Quick Facts

White Spruce Quick Facts

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Zone: 5a
Zone: 1a
Height: 45 m (150 ft)
Height: 25 m (82 ft)
Spread: 8 m (25 ft)
Spread: 6 m (20 ft)
Light: any
Light: partial shade, full sun
Moisture: normal, wet
Moisture: dry, normal
Growth rate: slow
Growth rate: medium
Life span: long
Life span: long
Growth form: upright, conical
Spreading: seeds - low
Suckering: none


Bark: smooth, grey
Cones: purplish, disintegrate as they mature
Cones: small cones
Hybrid: no
Hybrid: no
Catkins: no
Catkins: no


In row spacing: 3 m (10 ft)
Between row spacing: 5 m (16 ft)
Native to: BC
Native to: AB, BC, SK, MB, ON, QC, NS, NB, NL, YT, NT, NU, PE
Other Names: amabilis fir, silver fir
Other Names: alberta white spruce, canadian spruce, cat spruce, labrador spruce, northern spruce, pasture spruce, porsild spruce, skunk spruce, western white spruce