Leaves

• 7.5 to 12.5 cm. long needle-shaped leaves
• stiff, sharp-pointed
• 4-sided in cross section
• often crowded towards the upper side of the twigs, ranging from green to bluish-green
• produces a pungent odour when crushed and for this reason is often referred to as "cat spruce"

Cones

• 4-5 cm. in length
• cylindrical shaped with slightly rounded close fitting scales
• light green in colour, turning brown and opening at maturity in autumn
• cones fall during the winter or early spring

Bark

• thin and scaly or flaky
• ash-brown in colour
• inner bark is silvery-white streaked with reddish-brown layers

General

• one of the most widely spread spruces in mainland Canada
• only sparsely spread throughout Newfoundland and Labrador
• often growing to over 30m. in height and up to 1.5 m. in diameter
• prefers to grow alone in abandoned fields, but can be found among Black Spruce, White Birch and Balsam Fir in rich, moist soil along streams and lakes
• economic value to Newfoundland is very little due to its scarcity