White spruce (Black Hills) -- Picea glauca 'densata'

Pronunciation: pie-see’ah glou’-cah

Leaves: linear, 4-sided, apex acute (but not sharp), ½” - ¾”, persistent, blue-green; glaucous (waxy), leaves are crowded on upper side of the branch, leaves sit on sterigmata (pegs)

Cones: 1 ¼” - 2 ½” long, narrowly oblong medium brown, thin scales, flexible, truncate (flat top), round, or emarginate

Bark: ashy brown; thin flaky, or scaly, freshly exposed inner layers are silvery

Twig: orange-brown to gray; glabrous (smooth - no hairs)

Bud: ovoid; often reflexed scales

Habit/Form: upright pyramidal

Other: Is a subspecies of white spruce found in the Black Hills