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 trees usually reach 20 to 30 feet, though under favorable conditions they can grow 70 to 80 feet. Black spruce is 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
Needles are bluish green, short, pointed, four-sided, and about 1/2 inch long. They are thinly scattered along the branches.
Fruit (seed)
Cones are oval, 1/2 to 1 1/2 inches long. Young cones are purple; mature cones are dark brown and remain on the tree indefinitely. They open 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. Shade-tolerant and commonly found in marshes or bogs.
Wood uses
Wood is yellowish white, light, soft, and moderately strong. It is used for paper pulp and Christmas trees but is not recommended for ornamental planting.