Chinese Spruce
Growth habit
Tree
Perennation
Long-lived polycarpic perennial
Native distribution
Mts, S. Quinghai, S Sichuan E Xizang
Location
Source of plant
Iseli Nursery
Description
Trees to 50m tall; trunk to 2.5m dbh; bark dull gray or brown-gray, breaking into thick, irregular plates; crown pyramidal; first year branchlets stout, with short nodes, densely pubescent. Winter buds brown, conical, ovoid, or globose, resinous, scales not reflexed, or slightly opening at base of branchlets. Leaves directed forward on upper side of branchlets, spreading on lower side, linear, straight or slightly curved, +/- broadly rhombic in cross section or subflattened, 0.6-1.5cm x 1-1.5mm, stomatal lines 3 or 4 along each surface abaxially, apex acute or obtuse. Seed cones red-brown or black-purple, maturing brown to reddish or black-brown, purple, ovoid-oblong or ovoid-cylindric, 4-9cm. Seeds gray-brown. Pollination April-May, seed maturity Sept-Oct.
USDA Hardiness Zone
4
Special characteristics
timber, winter interest