
abies nigra, picea nigra, mariana
Etymology
The word picea comes from the ancient Latin name (pix, picis = pitch) of a pitchy pine, probably Scotch pine (Pinus sylvestris L.). The word mariana means “of Maryland”, in the broad sense for North America, as this pecies in not native to Maryland.
Family
Traditional name
English: Double Spruce, Black Spruce
German: amerikanische Schwarzfichte
Used parts
tinct. of gum
Classification
Plantae; Spermatophyta, Gymnospermae; Coniferopsida – Conifers; Coniferales; Pinaceae – Pine Family
Keywords
Original proving
Proved and introduced by Leaman, Ohio Medical and Surgical Report 13; Allen: Encyclop. Mat. Med., Vol. I., 2; Clarke: A Dictionary of Practical Mat. Med., Vol. I., 2.
Description of the substance
Description
Tree with open, irregular, conical crown of short, horizontal or
slightly drooping branches; a prostrate shrub at timberline.
Height: 20-60′ (6-18 m).
Diameter: 4-12″ (0.1-0.3 m).
Needles:
evergreen; 1/4-5/8″ (6-15 cm) long. Stiff, 4-angled, sharp-pointed;
spreading on all sides of twig from very short leafstalks; ashy
blue-green with whitish lines.
Bark: gray or blackish, thin, scaly; brown beneath; cut surface of inner bark yellowish.
Twigs: brown; slender, hairy, rough, with peglike bases.
Cones:
5/8-1 1/4″ (1.5-3 cm), long; egg-shaped or rounded; dull gray; curved
downward on short stalk and remaining attached, often clustered near top
of crown; cone-scales stiff and brittle, rounded and finely toothed;
paired, brown, long-winged seeds.
Habitat Wet soils and bogs including peats, clays, and loams; in coniferous forests; often in pure stands.
Range
Across N. North America near northern limit of trees from Alaska and
British Columbia east to Labrador, south to N. New Jersey, and west to
Minnesota; at 2000-5000′ (610-1524 m).
Discussion Black Spruce is
one of the most widely distributed conifers in North America. Uses are
similar to those of White Spruce; however, the small size limits lumber
production. The lowest branches take root by layering when deep snows
bend them to the ground, forming a ring of small trees around a large
one. Spruce gum and spruce beer were made from this species and Red
Spruce.
General Wood Characteristics: The wood dries easily and
is stable after drying, is moderately light in weight and easily worked,
has moderate shrinkage, and is moderately strong, stiff, tough, and
hard. It is not very resistant to bending or end-wise compression. It is
straight, even grained, medium to fine textured, soft and produces a
lustrous finish. It is without characteristic odor or taste. The wood is
a pale yellowish white, and there is little difference between the
heartwood and sapwood. It has exceptional resonance qualities, in the
form of thin boards. It has moderately high shrinkage, but is easily air
or kiln dried. It is easily worked, glues well, is average in paint
holding ability, but rates low in nail holding capacity. It also rates
low in decay resistance and is difficult to penetrate with reservatives.
Disease:
Eastern
Dwarf Mistletoe (Arceuthobium pusillum) most serious disease, resulting
in reduced vigor, witches brooms, deformed trees, and death. Needle
cast fungus also causes death in small areas. Susceptible to numerous
needle rusts and fungi which bring defoliation and reduced vigor. These
diseases usually remain at low levels but may become epidemic. Wind
breakage arises from butt and heart rots, common in 70-100 year old
upland stands and 100-130 year old stands on organic sites.
Insects:
Spruce
Budworm causes defoliation and if it occurs several years in a row will
lead to death, though Black Spruce is less susceptible than White
Spruce, or Balsam Fir (Abies balsamea). Trees most at risk are those
growing with Balsam Fir and White Spruce.
Monochamus Wood Borers can kill trees that border logged areas with significant residual slash.
European, Yellowheaded, and Greenheaded Spruce Sawflies defoliate the trees.
Numerous other insects attack Black Spruce but only occasionally cause serious damage.
Susceptible to damage from flooding and disruptions in normal groundwater movements such as road construction or beaver dams.
Produces
seed at an early age, produces good seed crops regularly, and has
persistent, semi-serotinous cones that release seed slowly over a period
of years.
Very well adapted to growing over bedrock because of its very shallow root system.
The
highest quality stands are found in peat bogs, swamps, and on upland
stands that are underlain by clay loams. The pH of soils where the black
spruce is found range from very acidic to slightly basic.
Fire:
Wildfires
are frequent and extensive in Black Spruce forests and usually prevent
the development of uneven-aged stands excepting in bogs and muskegs with
longer fire-free intervals.
Easily killed by fire because it has thin bark and shallow roots, even by low-intensity surface fires.
Crowning
is common because low-growing, lichen-draped branches are easily
ignited by ground fires. Crown fires typically result in extensive
mortality.
Immediately following fire, large quantities of seeds are
released. Delayed seedfall and delayed germination are additional
postfire adaptations which ensure that some seed is always available to
germinate and establish during postfire years with favorable growing
conditions. Although large amounts of seed do fall in the first postfire
year, small amounts of seed will continue to be released for several
years after fire.
Trees older than 30 years virtually always contain
large amounts of seed. Following fire this large seed supply is
released onto burned areas, allowing rapid seedling establishment. The
seeds are usually not destroyed by fire because the cones are located in
the upper part of the crown where they are least likely to burn. Even
when trees are killed by fire, cones usually retain viable seed.
Furthermore, the cones are small and occur in tightly compacted
clusters, so that some seeds usually remain viable even after intense
crown fires.
Associates:
Trees:
On upland clay or loam,
Balsam Fir (Abies balsamea), Paper Birch (Betula papyrifera), Tamarack
(Larix laricina),White Spruce, (Picea glauca), Quaking Aspen (Populus
tremuloides)
On organic sites, pure stands, but also mixed conifer
swamps with Balsam Fir, Tamarack, White Pine (Pinus strobus), and White
Cedar (Thuja occidentalis).
On mineral soils, Quaking Aspen, Paper
Birch, White Spruce, Jack Pine (Pinus banksiana). Jack Pine is an
especially common associate on dry, sandy and rocky sites.
In
transitional areas between organic soil lowlands and mineral soil
uplands, Red Maple (Acer rubrum), Black Ash (Fraxinus nigra), White
Pine, Red Pine (Pinus resinosa), Balsam Poplar (Populus balsamifera),
American Elm (Ulmus americana).
Shrubs: Moose Maple (Acer spicatum),
Speckled Alder (Alnus incana), Bog Rosemary (Andromeda glaucophylla),
Bog Birch (Betula pumila), Leatherleaf (Chamaedaphne calyculata), Red
Osier Dogwood (Cornus sericea), Beaked Hazel (Corylus cornuta), Creeping
Snowberry (Gaultheria hispidula), Bog Laurel (Kalmia polifolia),
Labrador Tea (Ledum groenlandicum), Red Raspberry (Rubus idaeus),
Mountain Cranberry (Vaccinium vitis-idaea)
Herbs:
Sedges (Carex
ssp.), Stemless Ladyslipper (Cypripedium acaule), Cotton Grass
(Eriophorum spp.), Bog False Solomon’s Seal (Smilacina trifolia), Blue
Bead Lily (Clintonia borealis), Dwarf Rattlesnake Plantain (Goodyera
repens), Tall Northern Bog Orchid (Habenaria hyperborea), Blunt Leaf
Orchid (Habenaria obtusata), Indian Pipe (Monotropa uniflora), Cinnamon
Fern (Osmunda cinnamomea), Purple Pitcher Plant (Sarracenia purpurea),
Starflower (Trientalis borealis)
Ground Covers: Reindeer Mosses
(Cladonia spp.), Dicranum Moss (Dicranum spp.), Bristly Clubmoss
(Lycopodium annotinum), Schreber’s Feather Moss (Pleurozium schreberi),
Hair Cap Mosses (Polytrichum spp.), Sphagnum Mosses (Sphagnum
angustifolium, Sphagnum fuscum, Sphagnum magellanicum). A conspicuous
characteristic of black spruce stands is a nearly continuous ground
cover of feather mosses, sphagnum mosses, and/or reindeer lichens.
Mammals:
Moose
occasionally browse saplings, but white-tailed deer eat it only under
starvation conditions. Provides good cover for moose.
A major food of snowshoe hares, especially in winter.
Red squirrels consume seed from harvested cones.
Mice, voles, shrews, and chipmunks eat seeds off the ground.
Birds:
Spruce grouse feed entirely on spruce needles in winter.
Chickadees,
nuthatches, crossbills, grosbeaks, and pine siskin extract seeds from
open spruce cones and eat seeds off the ground.
It also provides
good cover for spruce grouse. In the Lake States, spruce grouse are
dependent upon black spruce stands for much of their habitat needs.
The ruby-crowned kinglet, magnolia warbler, Cape May warbler, and ovenbird commonly nest in Black Spruce.
Reproduction: Reproduces by seed and vegetatively by layering
Smallest seeds of North American spruces.
Seed
production: can begin at 10 years but generally not in quantity until
30 years. Some seed is produced every year; bumper crops about every 4
years. Since seed crops seldom fail and the semi-serotinous cones
release seeds over a period of several years, stands that are 40 years
old or older nearly always have a continuous supply of seeds.
Dispersal:
cones are semi-resinous, remaining partially closed and dispersing seed
over several years. In Minnesota, cones release about 50% of their
seeds within 1 year after ripening; 85% within 5 years. Rarely, some
viable seed can be found in 20 year old cones.
Germination and
establishment: will occur on numerous substrates if the seedbed remains
moist but not saturated, and free of competing vegetation. Seedling
establishment best on mineral soils, sphagnum mosses, and rotten wood.
Seeds readily germinate on sphagnum mosses; however, seedlings are often
overtopped by the fast-growing sphagnums. Feather mosses provide a poor
seedbed except during wet years due to their tendency to dry out.
Growth:
Seedlings are shade tolerant, but growth is fastest in full sunlight.
Seedlings rarely grow more than 1″ in their first growing season.
Three-year-old seedlings commonly 3″-5″. Roots of 1st-year seedlings may
penetrate to 2″ on upland soils, but when growing in mosses roots
rarely reach depths of 1.5″ after two growing seasons.
Layering
occurs when lower branches become covered with moss or litter;
particularly common in swamps and bogs. At the northern tree limit
reproduces almost entirely through layering.
Flowers in late May/early June. Female conelets develop rapidly and contain mature seeds about 3 months after pollination.
Following
fire, establishes best where severe burning exposes mineral soils on
upland sites or moist peat on lowland sites. Unburned or partially
burned sphagnum mosses are good seedbeds, but unburned or partially
burned feather mosses are poor.
Seeds in quickly after fire on
relatively dry uplands with jack or red pine. However, the pines also
seed in aggressively and quickly overtop black spruce. Black spruce is
very shade tolerant and can survive in this suppressed condition for
more than 100 years and, in the absence of fire, will eventually replace
the pines.
Propagation: By seed, germinative capacity of recently ripened seed is high, about 88%. Viability decreases with age.
Seeds retain their viability for several years when stored in sealed containers in a cool, dry environment.
Seeds
require no stratification prior to sowing. They should be sown soon
after snowmelt. On upland sites, exposing mineral soils before sowing is
essential.
Readily propagated by root cuttings.
Seedlings vulnerable to snow blight, desiccation, and rapid temperature changes in the cold dry air.
Spruces often undergo a slow-growing establishment period following planting, after which growth is usually relatively rapid.
Subject to spring frost injury if they leaf out early. Low lying sites or “frost pockets” should be avoided when possible.
They also claim it makes a poor ornamental tree because it retains it dead branches for so long.
History: Still cut for Christmas trees, but recently the amount harvested from natural stands has declined. In the past, specialty items made from black spruce included healing salves from the gum, antiscorbutic and diuretic beverages from twigs and needles, and rope from the roots.
Bill Nelson from Michigan reports, “When I was
young, an old timber cruiser told me that at one time all chewing gum
was made from Black Spruce. One can make it themselves by gathering the
black spruce gum and putting it in a double boiler and heating it. When
it becomes liquid, pore it into a shallow pan of cold water. The bugs
and other impurities will flote to the top. When it hardens, pour off
the water andd sprinkle some corn starch over it. Then cut it into
pieces and you have some fine natural chewing gum.”
Uses: Principal commercial value is as pulpwood. The wood is made up of long fibers that produce a very high quality pulp.
Small
stature limits use as sawtimber and it is rarely used as such. Used
occasionally for lumber and a variety of specialty items. Wood is soft
and yellowish white, relatively lightweight but strong.
Commonly used as Christmas trees, but loses its needles so soon after it has been cut.
Special uses of the trees leaves include distillation for perfume and as a main ingredient for spruce beer.
General Wood Characteristics:
The
wood dries easily and is stable after drying, is moderately light in
weight and easily worked, has moderate shrinkage, and is moderately
strong, stiff, tough, and hard. It is not very resistant to bending or
end-wise compression. It is straight, even grained, medium to fine
textured, soft and produces a lustrous finish. It is without
characteristic odor or taste. The wood is a pale yellowish white, and
there is little difference between the heartwood and sapwood. It has
exceptional resonance qualities, in the form of thin boards. It has
moderately high shrinkage, but is easily air or kiln dried. It is easily
worked, glues well, is average in paint holding ability, but rates low
in nail holding capacity. It also rates low in decay resistance and is
difficult to penetrate with preservatives.
According to the Pueblo Indians, the Great fir of the Underworld was the ladder by which the ancients, evolving from crawling creatures into human beings, gradually ascended through zone from the underworld into the sun world. The Hopi Indians believe that their ancestors climbed up two pine trees and two plants, a reed and a sunflower and, encouraged by the singing of Mockingbird and Spider Woman, broke through a hole in the earth and were assigned their place and language in the World of Light. The ancient ancestors of the Zuni tribe are said to have climbed four trees – a pine, a fir, an aspen, and a spruce – to break through the zones of the underworld.”
Walking, Henry David Thoreau
I
believe in the forest, and in the meadow, and in the night in which the
corn grows. We require an infusion of hemlock, spruce or arbor vitae in
our tea. There is a difference between eating and drinking for strength
and from mere gluttony. The Hottentots eagerly devour the marrow of the
koodoo and other antelopes raw, as a matter of course. Some of our
northern Indians eat raw the marrow of the Arctic reindeer, as well as
various other parts, including the summits of the antlers, as long as
they are soft. And herein, perchance, they have stolen a march on the
cooks of Paris. They get what usually goes to feed the fire. This is
probably better than stall-fed beef and slaughterhouse pork to make a
man of. Give me a wildness whose glance no civilization can endure–as
if we lived on the marrow of koodoos devoured raw.
www.rook.org/earl/…/trees/piceamar.html
Proved and introduced by Leaman, Ohio medical and surgical report, 13
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