Plant Detail: Picea mariana

* Common Name:	black spruce, shortleaf black spruce, bog spruce, swamp spruce, water spruce
* Genus:	*Picea*
* Species:	*mariana*
Subspecies:
* Family (scientific):	Pinaceae
* Family (common):	Pine
Synonyms :
* Distribution in Canada:	British Columbia Alberta Saskatchewan Manitoba Ontario Quebec New Brunswick Nova Scotia P.E.I. Newfoundland Yukon N.W.T. Nunavut

Photographer: Peter Bisson.

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Habitat

Ecozone(s):

Taiga Plains
Taiga Shield
Boreal Shield
Atlantic Maritime
Mixedwood Plains
Boreal Plains
Taiga Cordillera
Boreal Cordillera
Montane Cordillera
Hudson Plains

Natural Habitat(s):

Woodland (35-60% cover)
Forest Edge
Swamp/Marsh (nutrient rich)

Habitat Garden(s):

Erosion Control?

Characteristics		Growing Conditions
* Plant Type:	Tree	Moisture Requirements: Moist, Wet Light Requirements: Sun, Shade Soil Requirements: Clay, Sand, Loam, Humus Enriched (forest floor) Acidophile Temperature Zone: 2
Evergreen?	Yes
Average Height:	12 to 25 m
Tolerances:

Flower Info		Fruit/Seed Info
Showy flowers?	No	Showy fruit/seeds?	Yes
Bloom time:	Apr to May	Edible for humans?
Flower Colour(s):	Yellow, Red	Fruit/Seed Colour(s):	Purple, Brown

Miscellaneous		Uses
Fragrant Flowers?	Yes	Urban Oasis, Stewards in the City, and Eco Superior are specific Evergreen programs that some plants are used in.
Fragrant Foliage?	Yes	Program & Other Uses:
Fall colours?
Distinctive bark?
Poisonous to humans?
Thorns or prickles?
Attracts wildlife?	Squirrels Birds Butterfly Larvae Other Showy Insects
Larval host for:	Columbia silkmoth, Bog Elfin butterfly (Callophrys lanoraieensis)	Provincial tree/flower?	Newfoundland
Plant Watch species?

Long wood fibres of black spruce are most commonly used for pulpwood, especially for producing high quality papers. (TREEmendous)

A thing of the past now is the gathering of spruce gum, by gummers on snowshoes, carrying long poles fitted with chisels to knock off the resinous exudations. In the old lumber camps, spruce gum was the chewing gum. (Peattie)

Although slow growing, these trees can live for 100-200 years.(USDA PLANTS)

Sensory Aspect: Aromatic

This species is deer resistant. (Evergreen)

Larval food plants

Canadian BIF Butterflies

2001 National Wildlife Fed.

USDA PLANTS Database

Wild Flower Centre

Trees of Ontario
Linda Kershaw
Lone Pine Publishing
2001
ISBN 1-55105-274-1

TREEmendous trees and shrubs
The TREEmendous Saskatchewan Foundation Inc.
Campbell Printing Ltd.
Year of publication unknown
no ISBN number

A Natural History of Trees of Eastern and Central North America
Donald Culross Peattie
Bonanza Books
Year unknown
ISBN unknown

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