Telling the difference between engelmann and white spruce trees

Where I live spruce trees, Picea, are everywhere, riding on the backs of logging trucks or growing in hectares (acres) on the side of the road. They frame my garden ( see photo) and cover immense expanses of uninhabited northern British Columbia. Spruce trees reach heights of 50 metres (164 feet) and a mature spruce trees diameter can measure 1 metre (39 inches) thick.

Picea love BC’s long, cold winters and short cool summers.

White spruce Picea glauca is found everywhere from the valley floor to mid elevations. Engelmann spruce Picea engelmannii grows in only high elevations. In central BC where the species tend to grow side by side they interbreed. Spruce trees in this area are often referred to as interior spruce. In fact pure white spruce is only found north of Dawson Creek.

The needles of both species are four sided and sharp. Needles on white spruce are arranged spirally on the stem and are whitish green in colour. Those on Engelmannn spruce are arranged in all directions and have two white bands on the upper and lower surfaces. They are bluish green in colour.

These differences in the way spruce needles look and are arranged on the stem are the easiest way to tell the species apart. Cone shape, size and colour and the trees bark colour and texture are too similar to make an accurate identification.