(Picea Engelmannii Parry ex Engelm.)
Habitus
- tree growing to a height of 30 - 50 m
- crown is narrow, conical, densely branched, the branches diverge almost vertically from the trunk
- the bark is cinnamon brown
- the bork is reddish brown, cracked into thin irregular plates
Leaves (assimilation organs)
- the assimilation organs are needle-like, 15 – 25 x 1,5 – 2 mm in size, terminal, but soft, square in cross-section
- morphologically they are similar to the needles of the Picea pungens, but they are thinner and not so prickly
- on the upper side they are slightly pressed against the twig and point diagonally forward, otherwise they stick out on all sides
- they stay on the twig for 10 - 15 years
Flowers
- wood monoecious, flowers of different sexes, blooms IV – V
- ♂ cones are pink to purple, grow from buds in the axils of needles
- ♀ cones are oblong-ovoid, red to pinkish green, grow from buds at the end of twigs
Fruits – seeds
- fruit is a cone , 40 – 70 x 25 – 30 mm large, cylindrical, yellow-brown
- seed scales are thin, at the end ± round
- ripens VIII – IX
- seed is ovoid, dark brown to black, 2 – 3 mm large, membranous wing is 8 – 10 mm long
Extension
- it is originally widespread in the western part of the North American continent at altitudes of 700 – 3,500 (3,800) m above the sea level up to the upper border of the forest
- forms homogeneous but also mixed stands
- was introduced to Europe in 1864
Ecology
- is demanding on soil and air moisture, grows well in areas with a continental climate
- is resistant to low temperatures
- grows slowly
Significance
- decorative habit (similarly such as prickly spruce)
- creates different colored forms
