Contact your local forestry field office before collecting to confirm whether there is still a need, get collection tips, or ask about potential collection locations and opportunities. Be sure to check regulations and follow safe practices. Access current seed and cone pricing.
Cone identification
Cones are about 2 inches long and slender with thin, flexible scales.
Collect when cones are light brown. Color may vary from green to reddish-brown since the seeds inside the cones can mature before cones look fully ripe.
Predicted collection window: Late August to late October.
White spruce cones that are ready to harvest are about 2 inches long, light brown, and free of damage.
Perform a quality check: When sliced in half, white spruce cones that are ready to harvest should contain at least 10 seeds per cone.
How to collect ripe cones
Collect only closed, semi-ripe to ripe cones. Seeds in cones may mature before cones appear fully ripe.
Only collect from trees of natural origin, not from trees purchased at a nursery.
Hand pick from standing trees. Snip cones at the base with clippers or tree pole pruners. Gloves are recommended due to sap.
Collect from felled trees or squirrel caches only if cones are closed and have no insect damage.
Quality check: Slice a few cones in half to see if they contain at least 10 seeds per cone.
Mature seed should be firm and not milky with a brown to black seed coat.
Do not collect cones that are fully green, have insect holes, or are already opening.
Quick tree identification
White spruce needles are one third to three quarters of an inch long. Needles are four-sided, bluish green, sharp and may emit an unpleasant odor when crushed.
White spruce bark is gray or grayish brown and scaly. These trees are mostly located in northern Minnesota, extending south to the St. Croix Valley.
Forecasting
Big cone crops occur every two to three years.
Cones develop in spring and mature in fall.
Look for unripe cones starting in May to prepare for late summer collection.
Cones will after-ripen so can be collected early if needed due to weather.
Handling and storage
Store cones in a cool, dry area to reduce mold and prevent opening. Cones can open quickly in humidity and release seeds.
Deliver them to a forestry area office as soon as possible. Contact your local forestry field office to schedule a drop-off.
Do not collect white spruce cones that are fully green, have insect holes or are already opening.
Look-alike species to avoid
🚫 Norway spruce is often found in urban settings. Needles are longer, measuring up to 1 inch long. Cones are also larger, measuring up to 6 inches. Needles are shiny and dark green with branches that look droopy.
🚫 Colorado blue spruce is often found in urban settings. Blue spruce needles are a distinct silver-blue color compared to white spruce needles which are a bluish green color.