Different characteristics of spruce and pine
Sometimes a single look is enough, sometimes you need to pay closer attention to details. In any case, however, it helps to know which characteristics are important to distinguish a spruce from a pine.
also read
- The growth of one pine a year
- The location requirements of a pine
- Tips and tricks for planting a pine tree
The needles
Spruce:
- arranged around the branch
- 1-2 cm long
- pointed, square, rigid
- new shoots shine bright green
Jaw:
- wax-coated surface
- 3-8 cm long
- bluish green or silvery gray
The cones
Spruce:
- long, cylindrical
- hang on the branch
- 10-16 cm long
- mature in the first year
- colored red or brown
Jaw:
- round, spherical
- 3-6 cm long
- mature every two years
- gray or dark brown
The bark
Spruce:
- thin scaly
- straight
- brown or red
Jaw:
- forms plates
- gets thicker with age
- gray-brown
- two-colored trunk (yellowish or fox-red above)
Height
Spruce:
- up to 60 meters
Jaw:
- up to 40 meters
The crown
Spruce:
- conical
- evenly
Jaw:
- slim and pointed
- flattened crown
Pros and cons of wood
There are also differences in the use of wood from both tree species, which result from the different properties
Spruce:
- Due to the large number of spruce trees, it is the most widely used wood in Germany
- fewer branches
- lighter than pine wood
- the heartwood forms a hoop core. which makes the spruce wood susceptible to pest infestation
Jaw:
- higher resin content
- therefore more durable and resistant
- the heartwood forms a color core, so it is very resistant to pests
- can be impregnated well
Occurrence
Last but not least, the two conifers also differ in their area of distribution. The spruce is the most common type of conifer in Germany, closely followed by the pine. The latter, on the other hand, is more often found in the cold, northern climes.
