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Picea pungens
  • Blue Spruce

a perennial woody evergreen member of the Picea genus in the family Pinaceae.

248px
Niche
  • Canopy
    Canopy
    There are no details available for this niche.
Functions
  • Windbreak
    Windbreak
    There are no details available for this function.
Light
  • Full sun
    Full sun
    The amount of sun exposure that a plant prefers in ideal conditions.
    Key
  • no shade
    No shade
    The amount of shade a plant will tolerate without adverse health affects.
    Key
Water
  • Water Requirementsmoderate
    Moderate
    The amount of water a plant needs for healthy growth, relative to other plants.
    Key
Soil
  • very acid,acid,neutral
    Unknown
    The PH range (acidity or alkilinity) of the growth medium ideal for healthy nutrient absorbtion.
    Key
  • Sandy to Clay
    The soil texture this plant prefers for optimal growth.
    Key
Cold & Heat
  • 3
    Zone 3
    The USDA Hardiness scale assigns plants a number from 1 to 12 representing the minimum temperature a plant can survive.
    Key
    0< -53.9ºC< -65ºF
    1-51.1ºC-60ºF
    2-45.6ºC-50F
    3-40ºC-40ºF
    4-34.4ºC-30ºF
    5-28.9ºC-20ºF
    6-23.3ºC-10ºF
    7-17.8ºC0ºF
    8-12.2C10ºF
    9-6.7ºC20ºF
    10-1.1ºC30ºF
    114.4ºC40ºF
    12> 10ºC> 5ºF
  • ?
    Unknown
    The AHS Heat scale assigns plants a number from 1 to 12 representing the number of days per year a plant requires a temperature exceeding 30ºC (86ºF).
    Key
    11
    21 - 7
    38 - 14
    415 - 30
    531 - 45
    646 - 60
    761 - 90
    891 - 120
    9121 - 150
    10151 - 180
    11181 - 210
    12181 - 210
Picea pungens has 0 edible uses listed
Picea pungens has 0 material uses listed

Uses

Edible uses

Notes

Young male catkins - raw or cooked. Used as a flavouring[1].

Immature female cones - cooked. The central portion, when roasted, is sweet and syrupy[1]. The cones are about 7cm long[2]. Inner bark - dried, ground into a powder and then used as a thickener in soups etc or added to cereals when making bread[1]. An emergency food, it is only used when all else fails. Seed - raw[1]. The seed is about 2 - 4mm long[3]. It is rich in fats and has a pleasant slightly resinous flavour but is too small and fiddly to be worthwhile unless you are desperate[172, K].

A refreshing tea, rich in vitamin C, can be made from the young shoot tips[1].

Flowers

Unknown use

Inner bark

Unknown use

Seed

Unknown use

Unknown part

Tea

Material uses

A fairly wind resistant tree, it can be grown as part of a shelterbelt planting[4]. Wood - light, soft, close grained, weak, brittle and often full of knots[2][5][3]. The wood has little commercial value[6], but is used for construction[2] and is also valued for its use in the pulp industry to make paper[5].

Unknown part

Wood

Medicinal uses(Warning!)

There are no medicinal uses listed for Picea pungens.

Ecology

Ecosystem niche/layer

Canopy

Ecological Functions

Windbreak

Forage

Nothing listed.

Shelter

Nothing listed.

Propagation

Seed - stratification will probably improve germination so sow fresh seed in the autumn in a cold frame if possible[7]. Sow stored seed as early in the year as possible in a cold frame[8]. A position in light shade is probably best[8]. Seed should not be allowed to dry out and should be stored in a cool place[7]. 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[8]. Cuttings of mature terminal shoots, 5 - 10cm long, September/October in a cold frame. Takes 12 months[8].

Cuttings of soft to semi-ripe wood, early summer in a frame. Slow but sure.

Practical Plants is currently lacking information on propagation instructions of Picea pungens. Help us fill in the blanks! Edit this page to add your knowledge.



Cultivation

Likes abundant moisture at the roots, if grown in drier areas it must be given a deep moist soil[9]. Tolerates poor peaty soils[4]. Prefers a cold dry high mountain site[4]. Succeeds in wet cold and shallow soils but is not very wind-firm in shallow soils[10]. Resists wind exposure to some degree[4]. This species has a deeply penetrating root system that firmly anchors the tree against winds[3]. Prefers a pH between 4 to 6[4]. Dislikes shade[4]. Intolerant of atmospheric pollution[9].

A long-lived but slow-growing tree in the wild, with specimens 800 years old recorded[3]. It is planted as a timber tree in N. and C. Europe[11]. Most trees in Britain are grafted and these are slow growing[12]. The few trees of seedling origin tend to be fairly fast growing after a slow start[12]. Annual increases of 30 - 40cm are not uncommon in some of the larger trees. 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[4]. Seed production is usually good, with heavy crops every 2 - 3 years[3]. 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[4]. Plants are strongly outbreeding, self-fertilized seed usually grows poorly[4]. They hybridize freely with other members of this genus[4]. There are several named forms, selected for their ornamental value[13]. Trees are very subject to severe damage by aphids in mild winter areas where temperatures do not regularly fall below -8°c[4].

All parts of the plant emit a powerful pungent smell when bruised[14].

Crops

Problems, pests & diseases

Associations & Interactions

There are no interactions listed for Picea pungens. Do you know of an interaction that should be listed here? edit this page to add it.

Polycultures & Guilds

There are no polycultures listed which include Picea pungens.

Descendants

Cultivars

Varieties

None listed.

Subspecies

None listed.

Full Data

This table shows all the data stored for this plant.

Taxonomy
Binomial name
Picea pungens
Genus
Picea
Family
Pinaceae
Imported References
Edible uses
[1][2][3]
Medicinal uses
Material uses & Functions
[4][2][5][3][6]
Botanic
[9][2][4]
Propagation
Cultivation
Environment
Cultivation
Uses
Edible uses
None listed.
Material uses
None listed.
Medicinal uses
None listed.
Functions & Nature
Functions
Windbreak
Provides forage for
Provides shelter for
Environment
Hardiness Zone
3
Heat Zone
?
Water
moderate
Sun
full sun
Shade
no shade
Soil PH
very acid, acid, neutral
Soil Texture
sandy, loamy, clay
Soil Water Retention
Environmental Tolerances
  • Strong wind
Ecosystems
Native Climate Zones
None listed.
Adapted Climate Zones
None listed.
Native Geographical Range
None listed.
Native Environment
None listed.
Ecosystem Niche
Canopy
Root Zone Tendancy
None listed.
Life
Deciduous or Evergreen
evergreen
Herbaceous or Woody
woody
Life Cycle
perennial
Growth Rate
moderate
Mature Size
20 x 5 meters
Fertility
?
Pollinators
Wind
Flower Colour
?
Flower Type
monoecious

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"image:Picea pungens.jpg|248px" cannot be used as a page name in this wiki. "image:Picea pungens.jpg|248px" cannot be used as a page name in this wiki.


"image:Picea pungens.jpg|248px" cannot be used as a page name in this wiki.

"image:Picea pungens.jpg|248px" cannot be used as a page name in this wiki.

"image:Picea pungens.jpg|248px" cannot be used as a page name in this wiki., "image:Picea pungens.jpg|248px" cannot be used as a page name in this wiki., "image:Picea pungens.jpg|248px" cannot be used as a page name in this wiki. "image:Picea pungens.jpg|248px" cannot be used as a page name in this wiki., "image:Picea pungens.jpg|248px" cannot be used as a page name in this wiki., "image:Picea pungens.jpg|248px" cannot be used as a page name in this wiki.

"image:Picea pungens.jpg|248px" cannot be used as a page name in this wiki."image:Picea pungens.jpg|248px" cannot be used as a page name in this wiki.






References

  1. ? 1.01.11.21.31.41.5 Schofield. J. J. Discovering Wild Plants - Alaska, W. Canada and the Northwest. ()
  2. ? 2.02.12.22.32.42.5 Sargent. C. S. Manual of the Trees of N. America. Dover Publications Inc. New York. ISBN 0-486-20278-X (1965-00-00)
  3. ? 3.03.13.23.33.43.53.6 Elias. T. The Complete Trees of N. America. Field Guide and Natural History. Van Nostrand Reinhold Co. ISBN 0442238622 (1980-00-00)
  4. ? 4.004.014.024.034.044.054.064.074.084.094.104.114.12 Huxley. A. The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992. MacMillan Press ISBN 0-333-47494-5 (1992-00-00)
  5. ? 5.05.15.2 Hill. A. F. Economic Botany. The Maple Press (1952-00-00)
  6. ? 6.06.1 Lauriault. J. Identification Guide to the Trees of Canada Fitzhenry and Whiteside, Ontario. ISBN 0889025649 (1989-00-00)
  7. ? 7.07.1 McMillan-Browse. P. Hardy Woody Plants from Seed. Grower Books ISBN 0-901361-21-6 (1985-00-00)
  8. ? 8.08.18.28.3 Sheat. W. G. Propagation of Trees, Shrubs and Conifers. MacMillan and Co (1948-00-00)
  9. ? 9.09.19.2 Bean. W. Trees and Shrubs Hardy in Great Britain. Vol 1 - 4 and Supplement. Murray (1981-00-00)
  10. ? F. Chittendon. RHS Dictionary of Plants plus Supplement. 1956 Oxford University Press (1951-00-00)
  11. ? ? Flora Europaea Cambridge University Press (1964-00-00)
  12. ? 12.012.1 Mitchell. A. F. Conifers in the British Isles. HMSO ISBN 0-11-710012-9 (1975-00-00)
  13. ? Brickell. C. The RHS Gardener's Encyclopedia of Plants and Flowers Dorling Kindersley Publishers Ltd. ISBN 0-86318-386-7 (1990-00-00)
  14. ? Genders. R. Scented Flora of the World. Robert Hale. London. ISBN 0-7090-5440-8 (1994-00-00)

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Facts about "Picea pungens"RDF feed
Article is incompleteYes +
Article requires citationsNo +
Article requires cleanupYes +
Belongs to familyPinaceae +
Belongs to genusPicea +
Functions asWindbreak +
Has binomial namePicea pungens +
Has common nameBlue Spruce +
Has drought toleranceIntolerant +
Has edible partFlowers +, Inner bark +, Seed + and Unknown part +
Has edible useUnknown use + and Tea +
Has environmental toleranceHigh wind +
Has fertility typeWind +
Has flowers of typeMonoecious +
Has growth rateModerate +
Has hardiness zone3 +
Has imagePicea pungens.jpg +
Has lifecycle typePerennial +
Has material partUnknown part +
Has material useWood +
Has mature height20 +
Has mature width5 +
Has primary imagePicea pungens.jpg +
Has search namepicea pungens + and blue spruce +
Has shade toleranceNo shade +
Has soil ph preferenceVery acid +, Acid + and Neutral +
Has soil texture preferenceSandy +, Loamy + and Clay +
Has sun preferenceFull sun +
Has taxonomic rankSpecies +
Has taxonomy namePicea pungens +
Has water requirementsmoderate +
Inhabits ecosystem nicheCanopy +
Is deciduous or evergreenEvergreen +
Is herbaceous or woodyWoody +
Is taxonomy typeSpecies +
PFAF cultivation notes migratedNo +
PFAF edible use notes migratedNo +
PFAF material use notes migratedNo +
PFAF medicinal use notes migratedYes +
PFAF propagation notes migratedNo +
PFAF toxicity notes migratedYes +
Tolerates nutritionally poor soilNo +
Tolerates windYes +
Uses mature size measurement unitMeters +
Has subobjectThis property is a special property in this wiki.Picea pungens +, Picea pungens +, Picea pungens +, Picea pungens + and Picea pungens +