Alternate name: Colorado Spruce

Family: Pinaceae, Pine view all from this family

Description Pyramidal tree with stiff horizontal branches. Medium-sized with conical crown in younger trees, becoming cylindric when older. Bark thin, gray, scaly or flaky. Shoots or buds stout, orange-brown. Leaves needle-like, 15–30 mm. long, stout, dull gray-green to bright blue with several lines of stomata; tip viciously sharp. Cones pendulous, slender cylindrical, 6–11 cm. long and 2 cm broad when closed, opening to 4 cm. broad. Thin, flexible scales reddish to violet, maturing pale brown 5–7 months after pollination. Seeds black, 3–4 mm. long, with long, slender, pale brown wing.

Dimensions Height: 21-30 m. exceptionally to 46 m.
Diameter: up to 1.5 m.

Habitat Canyons & valleys, Watersides (fresh).

Range Rocky Mountains, Southwest, New England, Mid-Atlantic.

Discussion Blue spruce is the State Tree of Utah and Colorado.