Ontario's Tree Atlas: White Spruce (Picea glauca)

Needles
Photo by: Daniel Tigner,
Canadian Forest Tree Essences
Bark
Photo by: Daniel Tigner,
Canadian Forest Tree Essences
Cones
Photo by: Arthur Haines
Tree
Photo by: Daniel Tigner,
Canadian Forest Tree Essences

Did you know? 
Bark, branches, buds and seeds from the white spruce are a meal for deer, rabbits, porcupines, birds, and small rodents. 

The white spruce is common tree in the north, but it can grow in southern Ontario.  It grows well in the far north and can be found along the arctic tree line.  

     

The white spruce usually grows to be 24 metres tall, but under ideal conditions can grow to more than 30 metres tall. It usually lives between 250 and 350 years, but trees up to 1,000 years have been seen. Its needles are about 2 centimetres long and bluish green or green in colour, with a whitish powdery, waxy layer.  Cones from the white spruce are 5 to 7 centimetres long and are light brown.

 

Wood from the white spruce is used to make wood pulp and lumber.  They are also grown as Christmas trees. 

 

Size:  24 metres tall, trunk 60 centimetres in diameter
Moisture:  Tolerates a range of moisture levels
Shade:  Tolerates shade
Soil:  Can grow in almost any soil type

 

Where you can plant this tree in Ontario:

 

  • Addington Central
  • Addington Northern
  • Addington Southern
  • Algoma Eastern
  • Algoma Southern
  • Belleville Northern
  • Belleville Southern
  • Bruce Eastern
  • Bruce Northern
  • Bruce Western
  • Dufferin Eastern
  • Dufferin Southern
  • Dufferin Western
  • Dundas
  • Durham Central
  • Durham Northern
  • Durham Southern
  • Frontenac Central
  • Frontenac Northern
  • Frontenac Southern
  • Glengarry
  • Grenville Central
  • Grenville Eastern
  • Grenville Western
  • Grey
  • Haliburton Northern
  • Haliburton Southern
  • Haliburton Western
  • Halton Eastern
  • Halton Northern
  • Halton Southern
  • Halton Western
  • Hamilton Northern
  • Hastings Central
  • Hastings Northern
  • Hastings Southern
  • Hastings Southwestern
  • Huron Central
  • Huron Eastern
  • Huron Western
  • Kawartha Lakes Central
  • Kawartha Lakes Northern
  • Kawartha Lakes Southern
  • Kingston Eastern
  • Kingston Western
  • Lanark Eastern
  • Lanark Western
  • Leeds Central
  • Leeds Eastern
  • Leeds Western
  • Lennox Central
  • Lennox Northern
  • Lennox Southern
  • Manitoulin
  • Middlesex Northern
  • Muskoka
  • Nipissing Eastern
  • Nipissing Northern
  • Nipissing Southern
  • Northumberland
  • Ottawa Eastern
  • Ottawa Southern
  • Ottawa Western
  • Oxford Northern
  • Parry Sound Central
  • Parry Sound Eastern
  • Parry Sound Northern
  • Peel Central
  • Peel Western
  • Perth Northern
  • Perth Southern
  • Peterborough Central
  • Peterborough Northern
  • Peterborough Southern
  • Prescott
  • Prince Edward City
  • Quinte West Northern
  • Quinte West Southern
  • Renfrew Northern
  • Renfrew Southern
  • Russell
  • Simcoe Northern
  • Simcoe Southern
  • Stormont
  • Waterloo Northern
  • Waterloo Southern
  • Wellington Northern
  • Wellington Southern
  • York Central
  • York Northern

Planting tip:  The white spruce is sensitive to frost damage when young and should be planted in a protected area. It can survive in a range of soil and moisture conditions.  More tips...