Spermatophytes (seed plants): Gymnosperms (non-flowering plants): Conifers: Pinales
WEAKLEY'S FLORA OF THE SOUTHEASTERN US (4/24/22):
Picea rubens
FAMILY
Pinaceae
Go to FSUS key
Dig deeper at SERNEC, a consortium of southeastern herbaria.
You may also want to check Trees, Shrubs, and Woody Vines of North Carolina
Learn more about Red Spruce from the Vascular Plants of North Carolina.
SYNONYMOUS WITH
PLANTS NATIONAL DATABASE:
Picea rubens
FAMILY
Pinaceae
SYNONYMOUS WITH Floristic Synthesis of North America. BONAP (Kartesz, 2021)
Picea rubens
SYNONYMOUS WITH Flora of North America
Picea rubens
SYNONYMOUS WITH VASCULAR FLORA OF THE CAROLINAS (Radford, Ahles, & Bell, 1968) 016-02-001:
Picea rubens FAMILY Pinaceae
INCLUDING Manual of the Southeastern Flora (Small, 1933, 1938)
Picea australis
INCLUDING Manual of the Southeastern Flora (Small, 1933, 1938)
Picea rubens
COMMON NAME:
Red Spruce, He Balsam
To see larger pictures, click or hover over the thumbnails.
JK Marlow jkm160503_267
May Jackson County NC
Blue Ridge Parkway
Pollen cones terminal or subterminal, oval, and bright red at maturity, per Native Trees of the Southeast, An Identification Guide (Kirkman, Brown, & Leopold, 2007).
JK Marlow jkm0407t_20
July Mitchell County NC
The Roan Highlands
Cones pendant, 1.25-2" long, reddish-brown, per Woody Plants of the Blue Ridge (Lance).
COMPARE cones of Fir, Hemlock and Spruce
JK Marlow jkm0507g_26
July Pocahontas County WV
Cranberry Glades Botanical Area
COMPARE conifers (not including Pines)
JK Marlow jkm0507n_10
July Transylvania County NC
Blue Ridge Parkway
The living trees are Red Spruce; the dead trees are Fraser Fir.
JK Marlow jkm0508b_36
August Transylvania County NC
Blue Ridge Parkway
Needles bright green without white bands below, much shorter than Abies, per Native Trees of the Southeast, An Identification Guide (Kirkman, Brown, & Leopold, 2007).
COMPARE needles of Fir, Hemlock and Spruce
JK Marlow jkm0508b_36b
August Transylvania County NC
Blue Ridge Parkway
Leaves 4-sided, per Woody Plants of the Blue Ridge (Lance).
JK Marlow s050806_kl
August Transylvania County NC
Blue Ridge Parkway
Leaves [needles] attached to peglike bases on twigs, per Woody Plants of the Blue Ridge (Lance).
L.L. (Chick) Gaddy llg_fraserfirredspruce
Month Unknown
Left: soft balsam-scented needles of Fraser Fir. Right: prickly Red Spruce, per Alpine South: Plants and Plant Communities of the High Elevations of the Southern Appalachians (Gaddy, 2014).
WEAKLEY'S FLORA OF THE SOUTHEASTERN US (4/24/22):
Picea rubens
FAMILY
Pinaceae
SYNONYMOUS WITH
PLANTS NATIONAL DATABASE:
Picea rubens
FAMILY
Pinaceae
SYNONYMOUS WITH
Floristic Synthesis of North America. BONAP (Kartesz, 2021)
Picea rubens
SYNONYMOUS WITH
Flora of North America
Picea rubens
SYNONYMOUS WITH
VASCULAR FLORA OF THE CAROLINAS (Radford, Ahles, & Bell, 1968) 016-02-001:
Picea rubens
FAMILY
Pinaceae
INCLUDING
Manual of the Southeastern Flora (Small, 1933, 1938)
Picea australis
INCLUDING
Manual of the Southeastern Flora (Small, 1933, 1938)
Picea rubens
If a search such as "Carex leptalea var. leptalea" doesn't deliver the results you want, try "Carex leptalea".
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