Click on the images help you identify a black spruce.
Form
Small tree with a straight trunk up to 12 inches in diameter and somewhat drooping branches. Mature tree usually reaches heights of 20 to 30 feet, though under favorable conditions they can grow 70 to 80 feet. Black spruces are often associated with tamarack, balsam fir and white cedar. In cold swamps, growth is extremely slow and trees 2 inches in diameter have been found to be more than 125 years old.
Bark
Grayish to reddish brown and scaly.
Leaf
Needlelike, bluish green, short, pointed and four-sided, about 1/2 inch long. Needles are thinly scattered over branches.
Fruit (seed)
Cones are oval shaped, measuring 1/2 inch to 1 1/2 inch long. Young cones purple and mature cones are dark brown, remaining on trees indefinitely, opening in the fall to release small, dark brown, winged seeds that mature in one season.
Range
Common in the northern and northeastern parts of Minnesota, extending as far south as northern Anoka County. Black spruce is shade tolerant and commonly found in marshes or bogs.
Wood uses
Yellowish white, light, soft and moderately strong. Used for paper pulp and Christmas trees but not recommended for ornamental planting.