Picea engelmannii aka Engelmann Spruce

Picea engelmannii is an evergreen tree in the pine family. Its common names include Engelmann spruce and mountain spruce. It grows wild in western Canada and the western United States. Its range also reaches northeastern Mexico. It grows in high mountain forests, including the Rockies and Cascades. Cold, wet sites suit this tree in its native range. It can withstand strong winds, deep snow, and severe cold.

The crown forms a slim cone and grows slowly. Garden trees often reach 40–50 feet [12.2–15.2 metres]. Some sources give heights of 80–100 feet [24.4–30.5 metres]. Trees can exceed 100 feet [30.5 metres] in favorable sites. The spread can reach about 15 feet [4.6 metres]. Sources describe both rising and drooping branches. Thin, loose scales cover the red-brown bark. Some bark has gray or purple tones. Brown twigs bear fine hairs. Dense needles range from blue-green to steel-blue. Each needle has four sides and a sharp tip. Crushed needles may give off a strong, unpleasant smell. The tree keeps its leaves without a fall color change.

The small blooms add little to the garden display. Chicago Botanic Garden lists bloom from March to April. Male cones can have a purple tint. Seed cones grow near the tips of branches. They are oval to cylindrical, with light-brown or tan scales. The thin scales bend and have uneven, toothed edges.

Give this spruce full sun and moist soil that drains well. It prefers acidic loam rich in organic matter. Heavy clay and hot, humid summers can cause poor growth. Sources place it in USDA zones 2–5. Cool climates offer the best conditions for garden growth. It needs space to form its full crown. Plantings can serve as screens, windbreaks, or single large specimens. The evergreen crown adds structure through winter, and deer tend to avoid it. Serious pest and disease trouble is not usual. Still, spruce budworm, wood rot, and brown rot can occur.

People use the wood for lumber, paper, fuel, and charcoal. The bark supplies tannin and material for baskets. PFAF records several edible parts and reports no known hazards. Young male catkins can be eaten raw or cooked. People also cook young female cones and eat the seeds. Ground inner bark has served as an emergency food. Young shoot tips can make tea with vitamin C. PFAF also records past uses for coughs and skin complaints. These records do not establish that the treatments work.