| Leaves |
 |
1-2 cm in length |
| |
needle-like four-sided in cross section |
| |
dark bluish-green, without lustre, surrounding whole
twig |
|
| Cones |
| |
oval |
| |
purplish-green |
| |
1-4 cm in length |
| |
roughly toothed scales which open only slightly |
| |
gradually releases seed throughout the winter |
| |
stays in tree for many years |
| |
turn to brown at maturity |
|
| Bark |
| |
thin and scaly |
| |
greyish to reddish-brown |
| |
deep olive green inner bark |
|
| General |
| |
most important and valuable pulpwood species in Newfoundland |
| |
grows 9-12 m in height with a 15-30 cm diameter |
| |
distinct by sparse, drooping upturned branches |
| |
compact, club-like crown |
| |
grows best on well-drained, sandy soil |
| |
also grows on many different sites, including sphagnum
bogs, pure, dense stands or burnover areas in
association with Larch and sometimes Aspen |
| |
heat from forest fires opens the Black Spruce cones
releasing seed to naturally regenerate burns in Newfoundland |
| |
common to reproduce by "layering" on very wet
sites, where moss covers lower branches, causing
them to develop into new trees |
