White Spruce — Growing reference
| Scientific name | Picea glauca |
|---|---|
| Seed germination (days) | 14–30 |
| Soil temperature for germination (°C) | 7.2–18.3 |
| First harvest or flowering (days) | 730–1825 |
| Measured from | Seed |
| Plant spacing (cm) | 457.2–914.4 |
| Mature height (cm) | 914.4–1828.8 |
| Mature spread (cm) | 304.8–609.6 |
| USDA hardiness zones | 2–6 |
| Light | Full sun |
| Water | Moderate |
| Sowing method | Direct sow |
Growing directions
Plant seeds or container-grown trees in spring in well-drained, slightly acidic to neutral, loamy or sandy, moist to average soil in full sun; white spruce is one of the dominant trees of the North American boreal forest — the vast coniferous forest stretching from coast to coast across Canada and Alaska. Extremely cold-hardy (to zone 2), it is often the northernmost tree species before the tundra takes over. The short, blue-green to gray-green needles have a distinctive cat-urine-like odor when crushed (hence 'cat spruce'). The popular dwarf cultivar 'Conica' (dwarf Alberta spruce) is one of the most widely planted landscape conifers in North America, producing a perfect, dense, cone-shaped form that needs no pruning. White spruce is widely used in the paper pulp industry and as a Christmas tree — particularly the cultivar 'Densata' (Black Hills spruce), which is considered the premium Christmas tree for the upper Midwest due to its density and excellent needle retention.
Source and local conditions
Typical planning ranges from OpenPlantDB (CC0). Cultivar, climate, season and growing method can change these values. Confirm the seed label and local guidance before planting.
Source & verification
OpenPlantDB · CC0