General: Bark relatively thin, reddish brown, scaly, becoming gray-brown but seldom furrowed on old trees. Branchlets on older trees droop. A large tree with a dense, conical crown. A European species that has become a valuable naturalized member of our forests, and extensively planted as an ornamental. Wood used chiefly for paper pulp, boxes, crates and lumber.
RED SPRUCE
(Picea rubens)
Leaves: [Evergreen] needles occur singly, spirally arranged on twigs, stiff, four-sided, usually ½″ long, dark green; less sharp than [Norway spruce].
Twigs: Orange-brown with very fine hairs. Buds egg-shaped, about ⅓″ long, red-brown.
Fruit: A cone, 2″ or less in length, reddish brown, remains attached for one to several months after ripening in the fall.
General: Bark red-brown, rough, scaly. A medium to large-sized tree. Wood used chiefly for paper pulp, boxes, crates and lumber. Frequents swamps; chiefly in northeastern parts of the State. Black spruce (P. mariana) is a similar but smaller native tree.
EASTERN LARCH
(Larix laricina)
Leaves: Needles not [evergreen]; occur singly near the ends of the twigs, elsewhere in clusters of 10 or more; about 1″ long, pale green, turning yellow and falling from the tree during the autumn.