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Coniferous Trees
One-seed Juniper
Juniperus monosperma
Description:
The twisted trunk of the
one-seed juniper rises only 20-30 feet from the ground at maturity. Its leaves
have the scale-like juniper appearance with finely toothed margins’ One-seed
cones are 1/4-1/2 inch long berry-like structures with a reddish-brown to bluish
hue. The cones mature in one year.
Other Characteristics:
- scattered distribution
through the southern Rockies
- usually a bushy appearance
- likes semi-arid, rocky
slopes
Uses:
Birds utilize the berries of
the one-seed juniper as a source of winter food, while wildlife browse its
foliage. The trees have little commercial value outside their occasional use as
firewood, potpourri, and fenceposts.
Pests:
-Spider mites
-bark beetles
-Western cedar borer
-Tiger moth (occasionally)
-Gymnosporangium rusts
-True mistletoes
Alligator Juniper
Juniperus deppeana var.
pachyphloea
Description:
The alligator juniper
frequently becomes a tree up to 65 feet tall, and may grow to 5 feet in
diameter. It resembles the one-seed juniper with its 1/4-1/2 inch long,
berry-like structures and typical juniper foliage. Its one distinguishing
feature is its bark, which is divided into squares that resemble the skin of an
alligator.
Other Characteristics:
-ranges throughout the
semiarid regions of SW New Mexico. NE Arizona, and into Mexico
-An American Forestry
Association Champion is located in Tonto National Forest, Arizona. It is 29
feet 7 inches in circumference, 57 feet tall, and has a 57-foot crown.
Uses:
Alligator juniper is
valuable to wildlife, but possesses little commercial value. Dense alligator
juniper populations are thinned to improve wildlife habitats.
Pests:
The alligator juniper pests
are the same as the one-seed juniper.
-Spider mites
-bark beetles
-Western cedar borer
-Tiger moth
-Gymnosporangium rusts
-True mistletoes
Rocky Mountain Juniper
Juniperus scopulorum
Description:
The Rocky Mountain juniper
is a small evergreen tree that grows up to 35 feet in height. A native of
western North America, it occurs in mixed or pure stands of open woodland over
Arizona and New Mexico at elevations of 5,000-7,500 feet. It also often occurs
on dry, rocky ridges. It does well in cultivation, adapting to a wide range of
soils and moisture conditions. It is winter-hardy, slow growing, and very long
lived.
The fruits are blue with a
whitish bloom—fleshy berries (cones) about 1/4 inch in diameter. They ripen in
the second season. The flowers are small and conelike. They are borne
separately on male and female plants. The leaves are opposite and scale-like,
covering older twigs closely in alternating pairs. They grow to a length of .25
inches and are pale to dark green. On new shoots, the leaves are awl-shaped,
sharp-pointed and spreading. Stems often divide near the ground with thick and
ascending branches. The bark is red to gray-brown, furrowed, thin and shredded,
with very slender branchlets. The roots are wide spreading.
A closely related species is
the Utah juniper—a smaller plant with bluish, one-seeded fruit. A common and
typical tree of Great Basin ranges, it is little known in cultivation.
Other Characteristics:
- The Rocky Mountain juniper
occurs at elevations below 8,000 feet.
- It is tolerant of droughty
and moist sites. However, the moist sites must be well drained.
Uses:
The Rocky Mountain juniper
can be used as a windbreak in outer rows of multi-row plantings where it will
not be overtopped by taller trees. It can also be used in single-row windbreaks
when a dense, medium-height barrier is desired.
This species of juniper provides food and cover for numerous
birds and mammals, winter food and protection is particularly important for
pheasant, mule deer, and whitetail deer.
The Rocky Mountain juniper’s
yearlong coloration and attractiveness to wildlife makes it useful for
recreational plantings.
Pests:
The Rocky Mountain juniper
is relatively free of serious insect and disease problems. It is an alternate
host for the cedar-apple rust disease, which does very little harm to this
species, but causes serious damage to apples and other pome fruits. Cedar-apple
rust is found in some eastern New Mexico communities and has been found on
nursery stock in Albuquerque. Other pests include spider mites, bark beetles,
the western cedar borer, and the juniper twig pruner.
Eastern Redcedar
Juniperus virginiana
Description:
The eastern redcedar is a
medium evergreen tree, commonly 10-40 feet, having a pyramidal shape, and
becoming rounded with age. Like most junipers, it is very slow growing and is
moderately long-lived. The fruits are pale blue with a whitish bloom—fleshy
berries (cones) about 1/4 inch across. They ripen in the second season. The
flowers are small and conelike. They are borne separately on male and female
plants. The leaves are opposite and scalelike, covering older twigs closely in
alternating pairs. They grow to a length of 1/4 inch and are pale to dark
green. On new shoots, the leaves are awl-shaped, sharp-pointed and spreading.
New stems are short, often dividing near ground with thick and ascending
branches. The bark is red to grey-brown, furrowed, thin and shredded, with very
slender branchlets. The roots are wide spreading. The eastern redcedar has many
intergrading varieties differing in color and growth form.
Other
Characteristics:
-Native to eastern North
America, but cultivated in Arizona and New Mexico.
-Occurs successfully at
elevations below 7,000 feet.
-Is very winter-hardy and
tolerant of droughty and salty soils.
Uses:
For cultivation, the eastern
redcedar requires dry soils and full sunlight. This Species offers great
hardiness on some planting sites.
For use as a windbreak,
plant this species in the outer rows- of multi-row plantings where it will not
be overtopped by taller trees. It can be used in single-row windbreaks when a
dense, medium-height barrier is desired.
The eastern redcedar
provides food and cover for numerous birds and mammals. Winter food and
protection is particularly important for pheasant, mule deer, and whitetail
deer.
It is suitable for screen
plantings. Its yearlong coloration and attractiveness to wildlife adds variety
to recreational plantings.
Pests:
The eastern redcedar is
relatively free of serious insect and disease problems. It is an alternate host
for the cedar-apple rust disease, which does very little harm to this species,
but causes serious damage to apples and other pome fruits. See Rocky Mountain
juniper. Other pests include the western cedar borer, spittlebugs, and possibly
the juniper webworm.
Arizona Cypress
Cupressus arizonica
Description:
The Arizona cypress is an
evergreen tree growing to a height of 35-50 feet with a spread of 10-15 feet at
the base. The foliage is scale-like and blue-green in color. The bark is
cherry red to grey in color. The fruit is a globular cone about 1-1 1/4 inches
in diameter.
Other Characteristics:
-Occurs at elevations of
6,500 feet or lower.
-Possesses drought tolerance
as well as an ability to withstand considerable heat.
Uses:
For cultivation, the Arizona
cypress does best on well-drained soils. It also does well in low precipitation
areas with irrigation. Container-grown stock is recommended. Bare rootstock
may be used also; however, more care in planting and early maintenance is
required, and poorer survival can be expected. Trees grown from seed vary
considerably in form, density, and foliage color. Improved varieties have been
introduced which are propagated vegetatively, assuring uniformity of appearance.
The Arizona cypress can
serve as a windward row in a multi-row windbreak, and as a dense single-row
windbreak. It will make an attractive hedgerow if pruned annually, but will not
sprout from older branches.
This cypress makes an
excellent nesting habitat for small birds and cover for small game.
Pests:
Cultivation or chemical weed
control to reduce competing vegetation will improve planting survival and
growth. This species is relatively free from diseases and insects. Bark
beetles, flatheaded borers, and roundheaded borers will attack weakened and
injured trees. Specifically, known pests are the western cedar borer, bark
beetles, spider mites, twig- pruners, the cypress bark beetle, and the cypress
scale.
Giant Sequoia
Sequoiadendron giganteum
Description:
An alternative name for the
giant sequoia is simply “Big Tree”—the species includes the largest living
beings. They grow to 150 feet when cultivated, and up to 250 feet in the wild.
The crown is conic and becomes broader with old age or when the top is lost in
lightning strikes. The bark is thick red brown or dark brown. It is often
fluted, fissured, and strongly ridged, thick, and moderately soft. The shoots
are green becoming red brown during the second season. The foliage occurs in
rather wiry sprays set all around the shoot. The cones are green ripening brown
or green in the second year. After the second year, they are woody, persisting
on the tree, and ovoid.
Other Characteristics:
- Native to the western
slopes of the Sierra Nevada in California. The trees are most common in about
six dozen groves in the southern part of its range.
- The giant, sequoia is very
tolerant of cold and dry sites. —It has been recorded to live as long as 3,500
years.
Pests:
This species of tree is
damaged only by lightning and some forest root rots.
True Cedars
Atlas Cedar
Cedrus Atlantica
Description:
The Atlas cedar grows to a
height of 130 feet. In the wild, the trees are variable in the development of
the wax associated with stomatal bands resulting in very blue trees and the less
attractive grey-green ones.
Other Characteristics:
-Native to the Atlas
Mountains of Morocco and Algeria, but are hardy in the warmer parts of New
Mexico and are also successfully grown in New Mexico in general.
-The plants in cultivation
are derived mainly from the bluer forms.
-The Atlas cedar survives on
a variety of soils; it is very tolerant of alkali and dry sites. —A very closely
related species is the Cedar of Lebanon.
Deodar Cedar
Cedrus deodara
Description:
The Deodar cedar can reach a
height of over 100 feet. Young trees have a shapely habit with weeping leaders
and branch tips. This species is the most distinct of the cedars that have a
strongly, weeping habit of the shoots less than one year old, the longer
needles, and the broader cones with wider scales. This tree is much more
attractive in its youth, never having the open spikiness of Atlas cedar. When
mature, it tends to lose the lower branches and develops a high crown at the end
of a fat bole.
Other Characteristics:
Native to the drier western
Himalayas from west Nepal to eastern Afghanistan. It does well in New Mexico at
elevations of 6,000 feet or below. Because of its range of habitats in the
Himalayas, it shows variation in ability to withstand winter cold. The plants
from the west of the range in Pakita province, Afghanistan are generally more
hardy. The “Cashmere” variety appears to be hardy to Santa Fe (7,000 feet) and
the “Shalamar” variety has also been reported to be hardy in Zone 5, but has
been less available.
Deodar is tolerant of dry
sites and is very hardy, although the needles may be damaged at the tips during
some winters.
Oriental Aborvitae
Thuja Orientalis
Description:
Oriental aborvitae is an
evergreen shrub or tree that can grow to a height of 25-30 feet. Its leaves are
scale-like on twigs, which are arranged in a flat vertical plane. Male and
female flowers are born on the same tree. The cones are small, fleshy when
young, and becoming woody when ripe. The cones are 1/2-1 inch long with 6-8
scales per cone. The seeds are wingless and red-purple in color. The fruit
ripens in the fall, and seeds drop when the cone opens. The bark is reddish
brown and rough in appearance.
Other Characteristics:
-The Oriental aborvitae is
native to China and Korea.
-It is tolerant of heat and
low humidity.
-It does best at elevations
of 7,000 feet or below.
Uses:
The Oriental arborvitae is a
desirable plant for windbreaks, and can also be used in landscaping.
Supplemental water at planting time and during periods of drought is
beneficial. Many species of wildlife are attracted to this tree because of its
low branching habit, which affords good ground cover protection.
Pests:
Insect pests are not
serious, although aphids, spider mites and the tiger moth, frequently attack the
tree. There are no major disease problems known.
Pinon Pine
Pinus cembroides var.
edulis
Description:
The pinon pine is a small to
medium evergreen tree that grows up to 40 feet in height. A native of both
Arizona and New Mexico, it occurs in mixed or pure stands of woodland at
elevations of 4,000-9,000 feet, often on dry rocky ridges. The cone is reddish
to yellow-brown, oval to globular and 1-3 inches in length. The scales are
thick and resinous with oval shaped seed. The seeds are edible; they are
1/2-3/4 inches long and brown to black in color. The needles are stout,
persistent, slightly curved, and bluish-green in color. Their length ranges
between 3/4 inch and 1 3/4 inches. The stem is symmetrical with spreading
branches. The bark is dark brown or black. The pinon is windfirm as a result
of its wide-spreading root system. It is able to grow on very shallow soils.
Other Characteristics:
-The pinon pine has adapted
to a wide range of soils and moisture conditions; however, it is more tolerant
of droughty conditions than high moisture conditions. It is winter-hardy, slow
growing, and very long-lived.
-It occurs at elevations of
8,000 feet or less.
Uses:
The pinon pine cam be used as a windbreak, either single-row and multi-row
and is suitable for ornamental and
recreational plantings—especially as screens in landscapes. This pine is a nut
cash crop. It provides food and cover for man, birds, and small mammals. The
seed is very important for squirrels. The pinon is used extensively for
fuelwood, Christmas trees, and ornamentals.
Pests:
-Pinon needle scale
-Pinon tip moth
-Sawflies
-Pine needle scale
-Pitch nodule moth
-Pinon spindle gall
midge
-Pitch moth
-Pinon needle miner
-Bark beetles
-Tiger moth
-Twig beetles
Diseases
-Dwarf mistletoe
-Needle casts
Ponderosa Pine
Pinus ponderosa
Description:
The ponderosa pine is an evergreen, open-branched tree that
grows anywhere from 45-150 feet in height. It forms an open pyramid when
young. The tree is native to western North America. It is adapted to
well drained soils
Uses:
The ponderosa’s adaptability
and drought tolerance have brought it to wide use in shelterbelts, recreational
planting, and ornamental planting. They work well as screens or specimen plants
in landscapes. Plant the pines in the central rows of multi-row windbreaks.
They can also be used as single-row windbreaks. Ponderosa pines are of some
importance as food and cover for many birds and small mammals. Although
whitetail and mule deer browse the plant, it is not a preferred forage. At
mature height the lower branches have been shed so forage is not available.
Pests:
Insects
-Mountain pine beetle
-Bark beetle
-Pine tip moth
-Twig beetle
-Pine needle scale
-Saw flies
-Ponderosa needle
miner
-Pitch moth
-Tiger moth
-Bark moth
-Conifer aphids
Diseases
-Minor needle casts
-Dwarf mistletoe
-Root rots
Limber Pine and Southwestern White Pine
Pinus flexilis
and Pinus flexilis var. reflexa
Description:
These two types of pines are
difficult to distinguish. The limber pine grows from, the upper end of the
ponderosa pine zone to the tree line. The southwestern white pine may be more
common in southern New Mexico.
The bark of old trunks is
thick, dark brown or almost black in color, and covered thin, irregular,
abundant little scales. The bark of younger stems is whitish grey and smooth.
The needles occur in bundles of 5. They are 1 1/2-3 inches long, and dark
yellow-green to blue in color. The needles are shiny, densely tufted, and point
outward towards the end of branches. The cones are 3-10 inches long,
short-stalked, and have thick unarmed scales. They open at maturity to release
wingless light brown seed.
Other Characteristics:
White Pines are hardy and
tolerant as ornamentals in urban conditions if they receive adequate water.
Limber pines or southwestern white pines should not be planted in the Sacramento
mountains of south central New Mexico due to infection by the while pine blister
rust.
Bristlecone Pine
Pinus aristata
Description:
The bristlecone pine occurs
at high altitudes throughout New Mexico’s Sangre de Cristo Mountains. It can
grow to a height of 45 feet. The crown has upturned dense branches. The bark
is dark, grey, and smooth, however, it becomes reddish-brown and fissured with
age. The needles, covered with flecks of white resin, occur in fascicles of 5
and are very dense on the shoot. They curve along the shoot in the first year
and spread later. The brown cones are cylindrical ovoids and are 2-4 inches
long. The scales terminate in a narrow, bristle-like point.
Other Characteristics and Uses:
The bristlecone pine is
extremely long-lived and slowly makes a gnarled specimen from the hostile
regions it inhabits.
It is a very hardy pine and
in its cultivation, makes a slow growing ornamental tree.
Austrian Pine
Pinus nigra
Description:
In favorable soils, the
Austrian pine may reach heights of 40 feet or more. As a young tree, it has
pyramidal form and in maturity, it develops a round, flat-topped head. The
stiff, dark green needles are born in fascicles of 2 and are usually 3-6 1/2
inches long. The brown cone is oval with an axis of 2-3 1/2 inches in length.
The bark is dark grey and deeply fissured on older trees.
Other Characteristics:
The Austrian pine is native
to Europe and Western Asia. It is long-lived, winter-hardy, and somewhat
drought resistant. It grows well on a wide variety of soils. It can be planted
between altitudes of 3,500 and 8,000 feet.
Uses:
This pine works well as a
windbreak. Plant it in central rows or between central rows and outside rows of
multi-row plantings. It can also be used in single-row field windbreaks this is
also a suitable tree for ornamental and screen plantings.
The Austrian pine is
important as cover and nesting for birds and as a preferred nesting site for
doves. Several woodland species of birds and mammals utilize this tree as a
food source, including chickadees, jays, nuthatches, woodpeckers, and
porcupines. The pine also provides winter and spring browse for mule and
whitetail deer.
Pests:
Insects
-Bark beetles
-Twig beetles
-Pine tip moth
-Conifer aphids
-Pine needle scale
Diseases
-Road salts
-Environmental stresses
Scotch Pine (Scots Pine)
Pinus sylvestris
Description:
The Scotch pine is a
spreading, evergreen tree that grows to a height of 80-100 feet on good sites.
It is pyramidal when young, becoming round-topped and irregular with age. The
oblong fruits are tawny-yellow, symmetrical cones that are reflexed and I2
inches in length. Both the male and female flowers are minute, yellow, and
clustered. The stout needles are usually twisted and occur in fascicles of 2.
They are bluish-green and 1-3 inches long. In the pine’s early years, the stem
is often crooked with red-brown bark. The bark is thin and smooth on the upper
trunk, but on the lower trunk, it is dark and fissured. The root system is
moderately deep and widespread, and as a result, windfirm. It can be planted at
elevations below 7,000 feet.
Other Characteristics:
-The Scotch pine was
introduced from Eurasia and has become naturalized in eastern North America.
-It does best on rich, moist
soils, but its winter hardiness and moderate drought tolerance enable it to do
well on other soils.
-The pine is moderately slow
growing, but it is long-lived.
-It has several intergrading varieties, differing chiefly in
leaf color and growth form
-Most have ready use as
Christmas trees, although the leaves of some varieties turn yellow-green in
winter.
Uses:
In Arizona and New Mexico,
the Scotch pine is cultivated for windbreaks and Christmas tree plantations
below 7,000 feet. For use as a windbreak, plant Scotch pines in the central or
leeward rows of multi-row plantings. The pine is also recommended for
planting as single-row windbreaks. Scotch pine is of some importance as food and
cover for many birds and small mammals although the plant is browsed by
whitetail and mule deer, it is not a preferred forage. It is suitable for
ornamental and screen plantings. Scotch pine may turn yellow in winter.
Pests:
-Bark beetles
-Twig beetles
-Pine tip moth
-Conifer aphids
-Pine needle scale
Afghan Pine
Pinus eldarica
Description:
The Afghanistan pine is an
evergreen tree growing to a height of 50-80 feet. The width varies between 10
and 20 feet. The needles are 2-3 per fascicle and dark green in color. The
cones are 5-6 1/2 inches long. The pine is similar to the Aleppo and Brutia
pines, but with a better form. It is a very fast growing tree under ideal
conditions (up to 7 feet in 2 years).
Other Characteristics:
-not recommended north of Socorro although sometimes used in
somewhat protected environments
-Occurs at elevations below
5,000 feet
-It is drought-tolerant and
can withstand considerable heat. The pine is also well suited to desert
conditions. Ideal soils are sandy to sandy loam with a pH of 6 to 8.5.
Uses:
The Afghanistan pine will
serve as an evergreen in a multi-row windbreak and a single-row windbreak. For
cultivation, use 1-0 bare root or container-grown planting stock. Cultivation
or chemical weed control to reduce competing vegetation will improve planting
survival and growth. Trees should not be over-watered, and soils should be
allowed to dry between irrigations. This pine also makes an excellent nesting
habitat for small birds.
Pests:
-Pine tip moth
-Bark beetles
-Pine needle scale
Douglas-Fir
Pseudotsuga taxifolia
Description:
One of the largest native
evergreen trees in New Mexico, the Douglas fir grows 100-150 feet in height. It
is a botanical puzzle, bearing a strong resemblance to spruce and fir as well as
hemlock and yew. Accordingly, it has been described as a “false hemlock with a
yew-like leaf.”
The needles are soft, flat,
slightly pointed, dark green, 1/2-1 1/2 inches long, and grow around the twig,
giving it a full rounded appearance. The cones are 1 3/4-2 3/4 inches long with
reddish brown, thin-rounded scales. They have distinctive three-pointed bracts
the “Neptune’s trident”) which are especially noticeable during the blossom
stage. The bark is rough, very thick, deeply furrowed into broad ridges, and
sometimes very corky. It is dark, reddish-brown or grey.
Other Characteristics:
Grows at elevations between
5,000 and 10,000 feet.
Uses:
The Douglas fir is the most
important timber species in the United States and is one of the commercial
species of Arizona and New Mexico. For a windbreak, it is usually planted in
the central rows or between central rows and outside rows of multi-row
windbreaks. Young Douglas-firs are very attractive for ornamental planting.
They are also planted for use as Christmas trees. Douglas-firs are a good
nesting habitat for songbirds.
Pests:
Insects
-Western spruce budworm
-Douglas-fir tussock moth
-Bark beetle
-Conifer aphids
-Twig beetle
-pine needle scale
-tiger moth
-Cooley spruce gall adelgid
Diseases
- Dwarf mistletoe
- Needle casts
White Fir
Abies concolor
Description:
White fir is a native
evergreen species of New Mexico and Arizona. The flat, plump, blunt-pointed
leaves are pale blue-green to silvery and usually 1 1/2-2 1/2 inches long. The
cones, like those of other true firs, maintain an erect position. They are 3-5
inches long, usually greyish-green, with scales falling apart at maturity.
Young trees have smooth pale bark. With age, the bark thickens to 4-6 inches,
takes on a distinctly ashy-grey color, breaks into deep furrows, and becomes
hard and fire-resistant. The white fir occurs at elevations between 6,500 and
10,000 feet.
Other Characteristics:
- While thriving best on
fairly deep, rich, moist loams, white firs do well on all moderately moist
soils, except heavy clays, and frequently grow on dry, coarse, disintegrated
granite.
- This fir has a low
resistance to drought and alkalinity, but has a high resistance to cold. —Growth
rates are slow.
Uses:
The white fir is useful as a
windbreak, and can usually be planted in central rows or between central rows
and outside tows of multi-row windbreaks.
The white fir is a good
nesting habitat for songbirds, and is suitable for ornamental plantings.
Pests:
Insects
- Conifer aphids
- Armored scale
- Douglas-fir tussock moth
- Western spruce budworm
- Bark beetles
Diseases
- Dwarf mistletoe
- Broom rust
- Root rots
Corkbark Fir
Abies lasiocarpa var.
arizonica
Description:
The needles of the corkbark
fir are dark green, clustered closely on the branchlets, and only about I inch
long. The inconspicuous flowers, born in the spring, are dark blue. The cones
are 2 to 4 inches long arid are deciduous. This tree’s name identifies its
distinguishing characteristic—the bark of the tree has a soft, corky feel to it.
Other Characteristics:
-
The corkbark fir occurs in the southern Rocky
Mountains between the elevations of 8,000 and 10,000 feet.
-It inhabits thin gravelly
or rocky soils.
Uses:
The wood of the corkbark is
mixed in with that of other fir species. It is sometimes distinguishable by its
lighter color, weight, and softness compared to other firs.
Blue Spruce
Picea pungens var. glauca
Description:
The blue spruce is an.
evergreen that is native to the central and southern Rocky Mountains. Its shape
varies between densely conical and openly pyramidal. The straw-colored fruits
are cylindrical and 2-4 inches long. The quarter inch scales of the cones are
thin and flexible with winged seeds. The color of the minute flowers varies
with the sex of the flower. The male flowers are yellow tinged with red, and
the female flowers are pale green. The sharp, pointed needles are rigid,
blue-green, and frequently glaucous, one-quarter inch in length, and are at
right angles to the twig. The stem is symmetrical and tapers with stout
horizontal branches. The bark is pale grey, thin and scaly when young, and
becoming thick and deeply furrowed with age.
Other Characteristics:
- The blue spruce naturally
inhabits rich, moist soils, typically on streambanks.
- It occurs at elevations of
7,000 to 10,000 feet in Arizona and New Mexico.
- It occurs as a single
plant or in scattered groves, but is rarely abundant.
- Where sufficient moisture
is available, the tree is tolerant of temperature extremes, wind, and shade.
- The blue spruce is slow
growing, especially in the early years, and is long-lived.
-
This spruce has several intergrading varieties
differing chiefly in leaf color and growth form. It is perhaps the best of the
spruces for dry climates, but it must have supplemental water when precipitation
is less than 20 inches.
Uses:
The blue spruce is a good
windbreak. Plant it in any row of a multi-row windbreak if adequate distance is
provided to prevent overtopping by deciduous trees. It is also suitable for
planting in single-row windbreaks when adequate moisture is available. This
spruce provides excellent nesting, roosting, and winter cover for numerous small
birds. Deer will browse on this species, although it is not a preferred forage
plant. The blue spruce is highly recommended and widely used for ornamental and
screen plantings. Its year-long coloration adds variety to recreational
plantings.
Pests:
Insects
- Spruce aphid
- Cooley spruce gall aphids
kill the tips of the branches and stunt growth.
- Douglas-fir tussock moths
may cause severe defoliation, but are not normally present.
- Bark beetle
- Western spruce budworm
- Pine needle scale
- Spider mites
- Spruce tip moths may cause
occasional disfiguration of stem tips, but are of no consequence to the health
of the tree.
Diseases
- Shoot blights
- Needle casts
Engelmann Spruce
Picea engelmann
Description:
The Engelmann spruce grows
to heights of 100-125 feet. Its needles are square in cross section, .5-1 inch
in length, and tend to point toward the end of the branch. Like all other
spruce trees, the needles sit on peg-like structures. The cones are 1 1/2-2 1/2
inches in length and have scales with eroded ends. Purplish-brown to russet-red
describes the color of the thin, loosely attached scales of the bark.
Other Characteristics
- The Engelmann spruce
occurs in the Canadian Rockies at elevations of 1,500-12,000 feet, and in the
U.S. Rockies between 9,000 and 12,000 feet.
-
The spruce occurs in pure and mixed stands, most
commonly with subalpine fir.
- Shade tolerant
- This spruce is named for
Dr. George Engelmann.
Uses
Valued as a commercial
timber source, Engelmann spruce is used for framing, sheathing and various other
uses. Wildlife also value this tree as a food source, but more importantly, as
a cover for deer, elk, and bighorn sheep. It also forms one of the chief homes
for the dusky grouse, which utilizes the buds for food and the trees for
protection and roosting sites.
If you are looking for sources of trees I
suggest that you check this.web site.
Click here: Garden Watchdog: Trees that Please Nursery and Tree Farm
02/01/2009
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