Picea engelmannii

Engelmann spruce

Family: Pinaceae · Type: shrub · Native

Conservation status: CNPS 2B.2

Engelmann spruce is a native shrub found in the Klamath Ranges and California Ranges in cool, moist, mixed-conifer, and subalpine forests at elevations of 1,200 to 2,100 meters. While no specific flowering time is noted, this distinctive conifer features a trunk less than 55 meters tall with branches that are not drooping. Growing with young twigs that are slightly hairy, the spruce has rigid needles less than 3 centimeters long that are four-angled with two distinctive white bands on each surface. Its needles have flat, acute tips that are not sharp to the touch, creating a soft-textured appearance. The seed cones are small, less than 7 centimeters long, with ovoid-oblong shapes and papery scales featuring slightly jagged margins.

Habitat: Cool, moist, mixed-conifer, subalpine forests

Elevation: 1200-2100 m

Bioregions: KR, CaRH

California counties: Shasta, Siskiyou

Data from The California Species Project — 14,000+ California species with verified data from CNPS, CDFW, USFWS, Jepson eFlora, Cal-IPC, and more.