Picea sitchensis aka Sitka Spruce

Picea sitchensis, commonly known as the Sitka spruce, is a large, evergreen coniferous tree that can reach heights of almost 100 meters (330 ft) with a trunk diameter exceeding 5 meters (16 ft). It is the largest species of spruce and the fifth-largest conifer in the world, trailing behind the giant sequoia, coast redwood, kauri, and western red cedar. In terms of height, it ranks as the third-tallest conifer species after the coast redwood and coast Douglas fir. The Sitka spruce is renowned for its ability to grow over 90 meters (300 ft) tall, and it derives its name from the Sitka community in southeast Alaska, where it is abundant. Its distribution spans along the western coast of Canada and the United States, extending south into the northernmost regions of California. This tree exhibits a dense and bushy dwarf conifer growth pattern, initially appearing shrubby but ultimately developing into a pyramid-shaped tree reaching heights of 2.5 meters. Its foliage consists of sharp-pointed needles that start off blue on new growth but gradually age to a grey-green hue. As a member of the genus Picea and the pine family (Pinaceae), the Sitka spruce, scientifically known as Picea sitchensis, is a coniferous tree that can grow to over 60 meters and blooms in May. It is known to have a lifespan of over 700 years within its native range. The bark of young Sitka spruce trees is dark grey and flaky, transitioning to a purplish-grey color with coarse lifting scales as the tree matures. The mature tree bark takes on a purplish-grey tone and cracks into square-shaped lifting plates. The base of the trunk often features buttresses for support. While the upper branches ascend, the lower branches arch widely over and downwards. The branchlets are dense and hanging, and the twigs start off white but become pale brown, characterized by grooves, knobs, and a lack of hairiness. The ovoid buds are blunt, purplish-brown, and resinous in nature. One distinct characteristic of spruces, including the Sitka spruce, is the presence of a woody peg at the base of each needle, which serves as a helpful identification feature. The needles themselves are slender, measuring 2-3 centimeters in length, with a sharp pointed tip. They are hard, stiff, and green on the upper side, while exhibiting two bright blue-white bands beneath. The needles grow straight out flat from the shoot, with the upper needles tightly pressed against the shoot along its center. As a result, the foliage of the Sitka spruce appears blue-grey from a distance.