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Common Name: Red Spruce

General Information

Picea rubens is an evergreen tree that can grow up to 30.00 metres tall.
It is harvested from the wild for local use as a food, medicine and source of materials.

Known Hazards

The sawdust, the resin from the trunk and even the needles can cause dermatitis in some people[].

Botanical References

, ,

Range

Eastern N. America - Newfoundland to New England and North Carolina, south to Tennessee and Georgia.

Habitat

At or near sea level in the northern part of its range, where it grows in swamps, along bogs or on well-drained slopes. In the south it is found in mountain ranges, usually in thin soils[].

Properties

Edibility Rating
Medicinal Rating
Habit	Evergreen Tree
Height	30.00 m
Growth Rate	Fast
Pollinators	Wind
Cultivation Status	Wild

Cultivation Details

Likes abundant moisture at the roots, if grown in drier areas it must be given a deep moist soil[]. Tolerates poor peaty soils[]. Succeeds in wet cold and shallow soils but is not very wind-firm in shallow soils[]. Resists wind exposure to some degree[]. A shallow-rooted tree, in the wild it is often blown down by strong winds[]. Prefers a pH between 4 to 6[]. Dislikes shade[]. Intolerant of atmospheric pollution[].
This species has been planted experimentally as a timber crop in N. Europe[]. It is slow to get started, but can then grow fairly rapidly when established though it soon slows down and seems to be fairly short-lived in cultivation, around 100 years is probably the limit[]. Wild trees live about 300 - 400 years[].
In some upland areas, especially over granitic or other base-poor soils, growth rate and health have been seriously affected by aluminium poisoning induced by acid rain[].
Seed production commences when the tree is about 15 years old, though reliable crops are not produced for another 5 - 10 years[]. Heavy crops occur every 4 - 6 years[].
Plants are strongly outbreeding, self-fertilized seed usually grows poorly[]. They hybridize freely with other members of this genus[]. Closely related to and hybridizes in the wild with P. mariana[]. It is believed by some botanists to be a hybrid between P. mariana and P. glauca[].
Trees should be planted into their permanent positions when they are quite small, between 30 and 90cm. Larger trees will check badly and hardly put on any growth for several years. This also badly affects root development and wind resistance[].
The crushed leaves are redolent of apples or camphor[].

Edible Uses

Young shoots. An emergency food, used when all else fails[].
Young male catkins - raw or cooked. Used as a flavouring[].
Immature female cones - cooked. The central portion, when roasted, is sweet and syrupy[]. The cones are 3 - 5cm in diameter[].
Inner bark - dried, ground into a powder and then used as a thickener in soups etc or added to cereals when making bread[]. An emergency food, it is only used when all else fails.
Seed - raw[]. The seed is about 2 - 4mm long[] and is too small and fiddly to be worthwhile unless you are desperate[].
A refreshing tea, rich in vitamin C, can be made from the young shoot tips[, ].
A gum is exuded from the tree as a result of injury to the sapwood. It is used for chewing[, , ].

Medicinal

A tea made from the boughs has been used in the treatment of colds and to 'break out' measles[, ].
The pitch from the trunk has been used as a poultice on rheumatic joints, the chest and the stomach in order to relieve congestion and pain[].
A decoction of the bark has been used in the treatment of lung complaints and throat problems[].

Other Uses

The bark has been used to make baskets[].
Pitch can be obtained from the trunk[].
The roots have been used to make thread for sewing baskets, canoe skins etc[].
Wood - straight-grained, soft, light, not strong[, , , ]. It weighs 28lb per cubic foot[]. Used for boxes, sash frames etc. It is also valued for its use in the pulp industry to make paper[, , , ] and is commonly used to produce stringed musical instruments[].

Propagation

Seed - stratification will probably improve germination so sow fresh seed in the autumn in a cold frame if possible[]. Sow stored seed as early in the year as possible in a cold frame[]. A position in light shade is probably best[]. Seed should not be allowed to dry out and should be stored in a cool place[]. Prick out the seedlings into individual pots when they are large enough to handle and grow them on in the greenhouse or cold frame for their first winter. They can be planted out into their permanent positions in early summer of the following year, or be placed in an outdoor nursery bed for a year or so to increase in size. They might need protection from spring frosts.
Cuttings of semi-ripe terminal shoots, 5 - 8cm long, August in a frame. Protect from frost. Forms roots in the spring[].
Cuttings of mature terminal shoots, 5 - 10cm long, September/early autumn in a cold frame. Takes 12 months[].
Cuttings of soft to semi-ripe wood, early summer in a frame. Slow but sure.