Picea engelmannii

Common Names

Engelmann Spruce, Mountain Spruce, Silver Spruce, White Spruce, Pino Real, Columbian Spruce, Épinette D'Engelmann, White Pine

Summary

Engelmann Spruce is a western North American evergreen conifer native to montane and subalpine forests from British Columbia and Alberta south to Arizona and New Mexico, often forming krummholz at timberline. It grows as a large tree with a narrowly conical to pyramidal crown and branches that descend toward the ground; needles are four-angled, blue-green, about 1 inch long, and pungent when crushed. Seed cones are pendulous, violet to purple, maturing buff-brown, and bark is thin reddish-brown and scaly. Wood is light-colored and soft, and the species is long-lived, commonly surviving for centuries, and is shade-tolerant.

Cultivation favors cool climates with moist, well-drained soils and full sun; hardiness zones 2–8; seedling establishment favors partial shade and is sensitive to drought and heat in early years. Uses include timber, pulp, home construction, plywood, and instrument soundboards; it is also widely grown as a Christmas tree. Common pests include spruce beetle and western spruce budworm.

Lifecycle

Perennial

Height

40-197 feet

Spread

10-19 ft

Hardiness Zones

Zones 3-3

Sunlight Requirements

Ideally full sun; tolerates partial sun and partial shade.

Soil Type

Moist, well-drained loamy soil with slightly acidic to neutral pH.

Soil Drainage

Well-drained soil

Soil pH

4–6, Slightly acidic to neutral, around pH 5.5

Bloom Color

Purple for male blooms, scarlet for female blooms

Bloom Time

Spring (late April–early May)

Foliage Color

Glaucous blue-green above; blue-white below.

Fall Foliage Color

No fall color

Leaf Lifecycle

Evergreen needle

Growth Rate

445–1,606 fbm/ha per year (180–650 fbm/acre per year)

Seasons of Interest

Spring and Summer

Propagation Methods

Seeds, Cuttings, Layering, Grafting

Attracts Wildlife

Attracts hummingbirds, butterflies, birds