red spruce Pinaceae Picea rubens Sarg.   symbol: PIRU
	Leaf: Evergreen needles, 1/2 to 5/8 inch long, sharply pointed and four-sided, tending to curve upwards, shiny yellow-green. Each needle borne on a raised, woody peg (sterigma). Flower: Monoecious; males cylindrical reddish but turning yellow-brown; females purplish green. Fruit: Chestnut brown ovoid cone, 1 to 1 1/2 inches long, cone scale margins entire; seed disseminated in the fall and cones tend to drop their first winter. Twig: Orangish brown, finely hairy (may need a hand lens); as with all spruces, needleless twigs covered by short sterigmata (short pegs); buds orange-brown, small with loose scales. Bark: Grayish brown on surface, more reddish brown beneath with irregular, fine flaky patches. Form: Upright and straight, with a narrow crown; reaching a height of 60 to 80 feet and a diameter of 1 to 2 feet.
	USDAFS Silvics of North America - USDAFS Additional Silvics - Landowner Factsheet - USDA Plants Database Picea rubens is native to North America. Range may be expanded by planting. See states reporting red spruce (opens a new window).