black spruce
Picea mariana
USDA zones3 to 6
SunHandles full sun to full shade
WaterHandles moderate to wet soil
Size30 to 50 feet tall20 to 30 feet wide
- Growth rate
- Slow
- Bloom season
- Spring, summer, autumn, winter
- Bloom color
- Red , yellow
- Foliage color
- Green
- Soil types
- Sand, loam, clay
- Soil pH
- Acid, alkaline, neutral
Garden uses
Attracts
Notes
Black spruce (Picea mariana) is a tree for borders, accents, and low maintenance gardens. It is hardy to USDA zone 3, or down to -40°F (-40°C). This plant likes full sun to full shade and average to wet, sandy, loamy, or clay soil. It grows as a narrow, spire-like evergreen with lower limbs that sweep the ground. Growth is slow, and the shallow roots make it prone to wind throw. Birds use it for nesting, and they also eat its seeds.
Pairs well with Pagoda dogwood, American cranberrybush, and Bracken.
Native range
AK, CT, IL, MA, and 21 more places. See all 25
AK, CT, IL, MA, ME, MI, MN, NH, NJ, NY, PA, RI, VT, WI; AB, BC, MB, NB, NL, NS, NT, ON, PE, QC, SK, and YT.