Norway Spruce / Picea abies

HEIGHT up to 130 ft (40 m)

TYPE Evergreen

OCCURRENCE N., C., and E. Europe

The wood of this popular Christmas tree is used for building work, packing cases, paper pulp, and for making sounding boards and posts for violins. BARK Orange-brown, turning gray-brown

with age and developing small scales. LEAF Stiff, prickly, four-sided needles, dark green on all sides. FLOWER In separate, upright clusters. Males: red; females: dark red. FRUIT Pendent

cylindrical cones have scales that are notched at the tip, 43⁄4–61⁄2 in (12–16 cm) long, tapered at each end, like a cigar.

Yew Plum Pine / Podocarpus macrophyllus

HEIGHT up to 50 ft (15 m)

TYPE Evergreen

OCCURRENCE China, Japan

The fruit of the yew plum pine has a fleshy, footlike base, giving rise to the genus name, Podocarpus, which means “foot” and “fruit” in Greek. BARK Gray, red, and brown, long flakes. LEAF Alternate, lanceolate, green above, gray-green below. FLOWER Males: in conelike catkins,

11⁄4 in (3 cm) long; females: solitary. FRUIT Round green or purplish cone, 3⁄8 in (1 cm) wide, with an outer fleshy layer.

Western Hemlock / Tsuga heterophylla

HEIGHT up to 200 ft (60 m)

TYPE Evergreen

OCCURRENCE W. North America

The wood of this hemlock is used for building and making boxes. The bark has a high tannin content. BARK Red-brown, turning purple-brown, flaking. LEAF Blunttipped needles, dark green above, with two blue-white bands below; unpleasant smell when crushed. FLOWER Reddish; males: under shoot, turn pale yellow when pollen is shed; females: at shoot tips. FRUIT Small bronze green to brown oval cones, with rounded scales.

Austrian Pine / Pinus nigra

HEIGHT up to 165 ft (50 m)
TYPE Evergreen
OCCURRENCE W. Mediterranean mountains

With its straight trunk, thick bark, and slender branches, this pine is a useful source of timber. It needs plenty of light. BARK Gray, thick. LEAF Twisted, slender, rigid, dark green needles in pairs, 4–6 in (10–15 cm) long, with pointed tips. FLOWER Males: 3⁄8–5⁄8 in (1–1.5 cm) long, yellow, in clusters at base of shoots; females: red, at shoot tips. FRUIT Cone, 2–31⁄4 in (5–8 cm) long, green, ripening to grayor yellow-buff, falling intact from
the tree when ripe.