White Spruce, Black Hills Spruce, Canadian Spruce

Picea glauca

Physical Characteristics

Picea glauca is an evergreen Tree growing to 15 m (49ft) by 5 m (16ft) at a fast rate. See above for USDA hardiness. It is hardy to UK zone 2. It is in leaf all year, and the seeds ripen in September. The species is monoecious (individual flowers are either male or female, but both sexes can be found on the same plant) and is pollinated by Wind. Suitable for: light (sandy), medium (loamy) and heavy (clay) soils and can grow in heavy clay and nutritionally poor soils. Suitable pH: mildly acid and neutral soils and can grow in very acid soils. It cannot grow in the shade. It prefers moist or wet soil. The plant can tolerates strong winds but not maritime exposure. It cannot tolerate atmospheric pollution.

Distribution

Northern N. America - Alaska to Newfoundland.

Habitats

Woodland Garden Canopy; Bog Garden;

Edible Uses

Edible Parts: Flowers Inner bark Seed Seedpod Shoots Edible Uses: Condiment Gum Tea Young male catkins - raw or cooked. Used as a flavouring[172]. Immature female cones - cooked. The central portion, when roasted, is sweet and syrupy[172]. The cones are about 5cm long[82]. Inner bark - raw or cooked[257]. It can be dried, ground into a powder and then used as a thickener in soups etc or added to cereals when making bread[172]. Usually harvested in the spring[257], it is an emergency food that is only used when all else fails. Seed - raw[172]. The seed is about 2 - 4mm long[229] and is too small and fiddly to be worthwhile unless you are desperate[172]. A refreshing tea, rich in vitamin C, can be made from the young shoot tips[172]. The trunk yields a gum, used for chewing[183, 257]. Spruce oil, distilled from the leaves and twigs, is used in the food industry to flavour chewing gum, ice cream, soft drinks and sweets[183].

Medicinal Uses

Antiseptic Digestive Diuretic Laxative Pectoral Poultice Salve Skin TB Urinary Vitamin C White spruce was widely employed medicinally by several native North American Indian tribes, who valued it especially for treating chest complaints. It is little, if at all, used in modern herbalism. An infusion of the cones has been used in the treatment of urinary troubles. The inner bark is pectoral. It has been chewed, and an infusion drunk, in the treatment of TB, influenza, coughs and colds. An infusion is also drunk in the treatment of rheumatism. The inner bark has also been used as a poultice on sores and infected areas, and has also been used to bandage cuts. The tea made from the young shoot tips has antiseptic properties. It is used in the treatment of respiratory infections. A decoction of the stems is used as a herbal steam bath in the treatment of rheumatism. The gum is antiseptic, digestive, laxative, pectoral and salve. A decoction has been used in the treatment of respiratory complaints. The gum obtained from the trunk (probably pitch) has been used as a salve on sores and cuts. A poultice of the gum mixed with oil has been used to treat skin rashes, scabies, persistent scabs, growing boils etc, and has also been used on wounds where there is blood poisoning. The rotten, dried, finely powdered wood has been used as a baby powder and as a treatment for skin rashes.

Known Hazards

None known