White Spruce

_{White Spruce tree bark, thin and scaley}

_{White Spruce female cone}

_{White Spruce male pollen cone}

Common Names in Use

• White Spruce (Vt., N.H., Mass., N.Y., Wis., Mich., Minn., Ont., and trade)

• Bog Spruce (New Eng.)

• Blue Spruce (Me.)

• Adirondack Spruce (trade) Eng, Ontario)

• Canadian Spruce

• Cat Spruce (Me., New Eng.)

• Double Spruce (Vt.)

• Eastern Spruce (trade-in part)

• Pine (Hudson Bay)

• Spruce (Vt.)

• Skunk Spruce (Wis., Me., New Eng., Ontario)

• Single Spruce (Me., Vt., Minn.)

Growth Range

The growth range of White Spruce extends from Newfoundland and Labrador to Alaska, south to British Columbia, western Montana, northern Minnesota, Wisconsin and Michigan, eastward throughout the northeastern States. A variety of White Spruce is also found in scattered stands in South Dakota, Wyoming, Montana and northern Washington. White Spruce thrives best on moist, well drained soils and along the banks of streams.

_{White Spruce Range Map}

The Wood

The wood of the White Spruce is very uniform in texture, pale yellowish-white, straight-grained, soft and light in weight. It is easy to work, free from pitch and takes a good finish. It nails easily and holds nails and screws very well. In seasoning it shrinks moderately.

_{White Spruce, quarter-sawn and end grain}

Uses

The White Spruce is a very important source of paper pulp because of the long fine quality of the fibers. The wood is also used for interior finish, boxes and crates, furniture, sash, doors, frames, dairy and poultry supplies, cabinets, general construction and is especially prized for sounding boards for musical instruments, canoe paddles and light oars.

Bibliography

Shelley E. Schoonover (American Woods) 1951 (Watling & Co. ) Santa Monica, CA