Engelmann spruce -- Picea engelmanii

Pronunciation: pie-see’ah en’gull-man’-ee-eye

Leaves: linear, 4-sided (square), more flexible than CO spruce, ½” - 1” long, persistent, bluish-green, rank odor when crushed, tend to point toward the tip of twig (come off stem at more of a 45 degree angle), leaves sit on sterigmata (pegs)

Cones: 1 ½” - 2 ½” long, ovoid-oblong, light brown, scales erose at apex, thin scales, somewhat papery (slightly notched, not as ragged as CO spruce), seeds nearly black, typically half the length of CO spruce

Bark: purplish-brown to russet-red (not as dark as CO spruce), thin loosely attached scales

Twig: Pubescent (fuzzy new growth, need a hand lens to see); light brown to gray - sterigmata remain on stem after needles fall

Bud: ⅛” -¼” long; scales are tight (not peeling back like CO spruce scales)

Habit/Form: Pyramidal, spire-like with a shallow root system

Other:

-9,000’ - 12,000’ - US Rockies

-Occurs in pure and mixed stands, most commonly associated with: subalpine fir

-Shade tolerant, but less than subalpine fir, found in mountain and subalpine areas

-Layering can occur

-Hybrids can occur

-Named for Dr. George Engelmann