Picea breweriana aka Brewer Spruce

Picea breweriana, or Brewer's spruce, is an evergreen conifer. It belongs to the pine family, Pinaceae. Its home lies in southwest Oregon and northwest California. It grows in the Klamath-Siskiyou mountains, on slopes and ridges. Some trees grow near the timber line in small groves. Its native climate has cool, wet winters and warm, drier summers.

Young trees have an upright, pyramid-shaped crown. Older trees develop long, hanging branches and a weeping form. The crown stays open, with gaps between the branches. Growth is slow, and maturity can take 20–50 years. Garden trees reach 30–50 feet (9.1–15.2 metres) tall. Their spread reaches 10–12 feet (3–3.7 metres). RHS gives a spread up to 13 feet (4 metres). Other accounts describe heights of 50–80 feet (15–24 metres). Wild trees can reach 120 feet (36.6 metres). The trunk often has a broad, buttressed base.

Thin, reddish-brown bark has long scales that stay firmly attached. Slender shoots hang from the branches like loose cords. Blunt needles point forward along the shoots. They look green above, with pale lines or bloom beneath. Each needle sits on a small woody peg. This spruce bears cones rather than flowers. One tree carries both male and female cones. Female cones grow near the crown's top. They start green or purple and turn reddish brown. The hanging cones have thin, woody scales with rounded tips. They ripen within one growing season.

Grow this tree in sun, though it accepts light shade. Moist, well-drained loam suits it best. Acid or neutral soil is suitable. Heavy clay can cause poor growth. Shelter it from cold winds that dry the foliage. It dislikes hot, humid summers and can struggle outside its native climate. Its hardiness ratings are USDA zones 6–8 and RHS H6. It needs no routine pruning. The hanging branches make it useful as a large specimen tree. Its evergreen crown adds winter interest, but stock can be scarce.

Potential pests include aphids, adelgids, spider mites and spruce budworm. Honey fungus, wood rot and brown rot can also occur. PFAF reports edible young male cones and cooked immature female cones. It also lists inner bark, seeds and young shoot tips. The tiny seeds offer little food; shoot tips can make tea. PFAF records no known hazards, but gives no medicinal uses. The wood has a use in paper pulp.