Red Spruce

Picea rubens

Physical Characteristics

Picea rubens is an evergreen Tree growing to 30 m (98ft 5in) at a fast rate. See above for USDA hardiness. It is hardy to UK zone 3. It is in leaf all year, and the seeds ripen from October to November. 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 nutritionally poor soil. Suitable pH: mildly acid and neutral soils and can grow in very acid soils. It cannot grow in the shade. It prefers moist soil. The plant can tolerates strong winds but not maritime exposure. It cannot tolerate atmospheric pollution.

Distribution

Eastern N. America - Newfoundland to New England and North Carolina, south to Tennessee and Georgia.

Habitats

Woodland Garden Canopy;

Edible Uses

Edible Parts: Flowers Inner bark Leaves Seed Shoots Edible Uses: Gum Tea Young shoots. An emergency food, used when all else fails[177]. 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 3 - 5cm in diameter[82]. Inner bark - dried, ground into a powder and then used as a thickener in soups etc or added to cereals when making bread[172]. An emergency food, it 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, 257]. A gum is exuded from the tree as a result of injury to the sapwood. It is used for chewing[46, 61, 171].

Medicinal Uses

Pectoral Poultice Vitamin C A tea made from the boughs has been used in the treatment of colds and to 'break out' measles[222, 257]. The pitch from the trunk has been used as a poultice on rheumatic joints, the chest and the stomach in order to relieve congestion and pain[222]. A decoction of the bark has been used in the treatment of lung complaints and throat problems[257].

Known Hazards

The sawdust, the resin from the trunk and even the needles can cause dermatitis in some people[222].