Uses
Edible uses
Notes
Immature female cones - cooked. The central portion, when roasted, is sweet and syrupy[1]. The cones are about 5cm 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 when all else fails. Seed - raw[1]. The seed is about 2 - 4mm long[3] and is too small and fiddly to be worthwhile unless you are desperate[1].
A refreshing tea, rich in vitamin C, can be made from the young shoot tips[1].Flowers
Inner bark
Seed
Unknown part
Material uses
The branches and the roots have been shredded, pounded and used to make cord and rope[6]. (It is probably the bark that was used[K].) The bark has been used to make baskets and various small utensils[6].
Wood - close-grained, light, soft, not strong. It is used for lumber, construction, fuel and charcoal[4][5][2][7]. It is also valued for its use in the pulp industry to make paper[7].Medicinal uses(Warning!)
A decoction of the leaves and gum has been used in the treatment of cancer[6]. It was said that if this treatment did not work then nothing would work[6]. The decoction was also used in the treatment of coughs[6]. The ashes of the twigs, mixed with oil, have been used as an ointment or salve on damaged skin[6].
The pitch obtained from the trunk has been used in the treatment of eczema[6].Ecology
Ecosystem niche/layer
Ecological Functions
Nothing listed.
Forage
Nothing listed.
Shelter
Nothing listed.
Propagation
Cuttings of semi-ripe terminal shoots, 5 - 8cm long, August in a frame. Protect from frost. Forms roots in the spring[9]. Cuttings of mature terminal shoots, 5 - 10cm long, September/October in a cold frame. Takes 12 months[9].
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 engelmannii. Help us fill in the blanks! Edit this page to add your knowledge.
Cultivation
Often planted for its timber in N. Europe[14]. Trees are of moderate growth after a slow start, older trees often averaging over 40cm a year[15]. Trees grow better and faster in the north of Britain than in the south. This is not an easy tree to grow in Britain[12], it prefers a continental climate and, although the dormant tree is very cold hardy, the new growth in spring is very susceptible to damage by late frosts in this country[10]. Quite long-lived in its native range, with specimens 500 - 600 years old[3]. Seed production commences around the age of 20 - 25 years, with excellent crops every 2 - 6 years[3]. Closely related to P. glauca, this species also hybridizes with P sitchensis in the south of its range[16]. Plants are strongly outbreeding, self-fertilized seed usually grows poorly[11]. They hybridize freely with other members of this genus[11]. 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[11]. 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[11]. The crushed foliage is often said to be foetid but after the first sniff the scent is sweet and like menthol or camphor[15].
Plants are susceptible to damage by the green spruce aphid[12].Crops
Problems, pests & diseases
Associations & Interactions
There are no interactions listed for Picea engelmannii. 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 engelmannii.
Descendants
Cultivars
Varieties
None listed.
Subspecies
None listed.
Full Data
This table shows all the data stored for this plant.
References
- ? 1.01.11.21.31.41.51.6 Schofield. J. J. Discovering Wild Plants - Alaska, W. Canada and the Northwest. ()
- ? 2.02.12.22.32.4 Sargent. C. S. Manual of the Trees of N. America. Dover Publications Inc. New York. ISBN 0-486-20278-X (1965-00-00)
- ? 3.03.13.23.3 Elias. T. The Complete Trees of N. America. Field Guide and Natural History. Van Nostrand Reinhold Co. ISBN 0442238622 (1980-00-00)
- ? 4.04.14.2 Uphof. J. C. Th. Dictionary of Economic Plants. Weinheim (1959-00-00)
- ? 5.05.15.2 Usher. G. A Dictionary of Plants Used by Man. Constable ISBN 0094579202 (1974-00-00)
- ? 6.06.16.26.36.46.56.66.76.86.9 Moerman. D. Native American Ethnobotany Timber Press. Oregon. ISBN 0-88192-453-9 (1998-00-00)
- ? 7.07.17.2 Hill. A. F. Economic Botany. The Maple Press (1952-00-00)
- ? 8.08.1 McMillan-Browse. P. Hardy Woody Plants from Seed. Grower Books ISBN 0-901361-21-6 (1985-00-00)
- ? 9.09.19.29.3 Sheat. W. G. Propagation of Trees, Shrubs and Conifers. MacMillan and Co (1948-00-00)
- ? 10.010.110.210.3 Bean. W. Trees and Shrubs Hardy in Great Britain. Vol 1 - 4 and Supplement. Murray (1981-00-00)
- ? 11.011.111.211.311.411.511.611.711.8 Huxley. A. The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992. MacMillan Press ISBN 0-333-47494-5 (1992-00-00)
- ? 12.012.112.2 F. Chittendon. RHS Dictionary of Plants plus Supplement. 1956 Oxford University Press (1951-00-00)
- ? Arnberger. L. P. Flowers of the Southwest Mountains. Southwestern Monuments Ass. (1968-00-00)
- ? ? Flora Europaea Cambridge University Press (1964-00-00)
- ? 15.015.1 Mitchell. A. F. Conifers in the British Isles. HMSO ISBN 0-11-710012-9 (1975-00-00)
- ? Lauriault. J. Identification Guide to the Trees of Canada Fitzhenry and Whiteside, Ontario. ISBN 0889025649 (1989-00-00)
- ? Hitchcock. C. L. Vascular Plants of the Pacific Northwest. University of Washington Press (1955-00-00)
"image:Picea engelmannii 01.jpg|248px" cannot be used as a page name in this wiki.
