Picea mariana (Mill.) Britton, Sterns & Poggenb.
black spruce
Pinaceae (Pine family)
Introduction to Vascular Plants
black spruce
Pinaceae (Pine family)
Introduction to Vascular Plants
Introduction
This is a small evergreen coniferous tree species.
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Species Information
General:
Small tree, to 20 m tall, with short branches; bark grey to blackish, scaly, thin; young twigs densely hairy and glandular.
Leaves:
Needles short, 5-10 (12) mm long, sharp or blunt, with whitish bloom; standing out in all directions or mostly pointing upwards; 4-angled.
Cones:
Seed cones persistent, 1.5-3 cm long, becoming purplish; scales broadly rounded and irregularly toothed at tip.
Notes:
Reports of hybrids with P. glauca are probably erroneous; see Parker and McLachlan (1978).
Illustration
If more than one illustration is available for a species (e.g., separate illustrations were provided for two subspecies) then links to the separate images will be provided below. Note that individual subspecies or varietal illustrations are not always available.
Illustration Source: The Illustrated Flora of British Columbia
USDA Species Characteristics
Flower Colour:
Yellow
Blooming Period:
Late Spring
Fruit/Seed characteristics:
Colour: Brown
Present over the Summer
Source: The USDA
Ecology
Ecological Framework for Picea mariana
The table below shows the species-specific information calculated from
original data (BEC database) provided by the BC Ministry of Forests and Range.
(Updated August, 2013)
The table below shows the species-specific information calculated from
original data (BEC database) provided by the BC Ministry of Forests and Range.
(Updated August, 2013)
| Site Information |
Value / Class |
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|
Avg |
Min |
Max |
|
| Elevation
(metres) |
847 | 6 | 1975 |
| Slope
Gradient (%) |
6 | 0 | 262 |
|
Aspect (degrees) |
323 | 0 | 360 |
| Soil
Moisture Regime (SMR) [0 - very xeric; 4 - mesic; 8 - hydric] |
5 | 1 | 8 |
| Modal
Nutrient Regime
Class |
B | ||
| #
of field plots species was recorded in: |
1758 | ||
| Modal
BEC Zone Class |
BWBS | ||
|
All BEC Zones (# of stations/zone) species was recorded in |
BWBS(832), ESSF(59), ICH(48), IDF(1), MS(5), SBPS(94), SBS(530), SWB(53) | ||
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Source:
Klinkenberg 2013
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