South Dakota State Tree

White spruce Pinaceae Picea glauca
Leaf: Evergreen, stiff, 1/3 to 3/4 inch long, green to blue-green in color, square in cross section. When crushed a pungent odor is apparent. Needle tips are pointed, but not sharp.

Flower: Monoecious; males reddish but turning yellow; females purple.

Fruit: Cones are 1 1/2 to 2 1/2 inches long, cigar-shaped, light brown in color. Scales are rounded with entire margins. Maturing in August.

Twig: Slender, light brown or pale, sometimes glaucous, hairless. Needles borne on woody pegs.

Bark: Thin, gray-brown in color, smooth, later flaky or scaly.

Form: Conical, medium-sized trees.

Copyright 2003, Virginia Tech Forestry Department, all rights reserved.
Photos courtesy: Michael Aust, John Baitey, Ctaude L. Brown, Bruce Bongarten,
Susan D. Day, Edward C. Jensen, Richard E. Kreh, Larry H. McCormick, Alex X.
Niemiera, John A. Peterson, Oana Popescu, John R. Seiter, David W. Smith, Kim
C. Steiner, James E. Ward, Rodney E. Will, Shepard M. Zedaker.
Text written by: John R. Seiter, Edward C. Jensen, Or John A. Peterson