Sitka spruce (Picea sitchensis)

• Needles: 1" long; sharp; yellow-green to blue green; often flat (difficult to roll between your fingers). Some needles on a twig point sideways while others point forward. Needles tend to look green above and blue-green to white below.

• Fruit: Woody cones; 1-4" long; hang down; very thin scales with jagged edges.

• Twigs: Each needle is borne on a square, raised, woody peg.

• Distribution: Grows in a narrow coastal zone from southern Alaska to northwestern California at low elevations.

Engelmann spruce (Picea engelmannii)

• Needles: 1" long; sharp; blue-green to green; all tend to point forward; are usually square in cross-section and therefore roll between the fingers; stink when crushed.

• Fruit: Woody cones about 2" long; hang down; very thin scales with jagged edges.

• Twigs: Covered with distinct, square, raised pegs.

• Distribution: Grow in the high elevations of the Cascades and Rocky Mountains. Northern populations occur from 3200-8700 ft. (1000-2600 m) elevation.

Brewer spruce (Picea breweriana)

• Needles: 1" long; blunt when compared to other spruces; tend to point forward toward the terminal bud; white bloom on lower surface.

• Fruit: Woody cones; 3-6" long; stiff, rounded scales with smooth edges.

• Twigs: Long and drooping. Covered with distinct, square, woody pegs.

• Distribution: Found only in the mountains of southern Oregon and northern California, usually at 4200-7700 ft. (1300-2350 m) elevation.