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Is this a spruce or fir or Douglas fir?

Heruga (7a Northern NJ)

6 years ago

To me it looks much like a spruce except the needles are very soft to touch which is weird for a spruce and underside of needles has white stripes. What genus is this and what species as well?

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Smivies (Ontario - 5b)

6 years ago

Buds tend to be round in Abies, more pointed in Picea, and really pointed w/Pseudotsuga.

Abies needles are flattened, Picea more squarish. Pseudotsuga also has flat needles.

Needle stomata on Abies are almost always on the lower surface, always on the lower surface of Pseudotsuga, and almost always on all four sides of Picea needles.

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Comments (15)

User
6 years ago
last modified: 6 years ago
Abies , possibly balsamea
Smivies (Ontario - 5b)
6 years ago
A Fir...Abies. Don't know which species though. I'd suggest A. fraseri?
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Heruga (7a Northern NJ)
Original Author
6 years ago
Thank you. Now how were you guys able to tell that this is an abies and not a spruce? Because I said the needles are soft? Or is there a some other distinctive feature you see?
User
6 years ago
last modified: 6 years ago
:-)

One: On Abies mature branchlets, the needles are arranged on two sides. Spruce needles circle all the way around the branchlets.
User
6 years ago
Picea, pointy needles. Abies, rounded needles.
lolpetrol
6 years ago
Those needles don't look like a neat arrangement on two sides though.

Embarassingly for me, I know plenty about native forest plants in my beloved northwest but still can't tell the trees apart. I need to bring a flora book with me next couple times I go camping.
User
6 years ago
'Those needles don't look like a neat arrangement on two sides though.'

The new growth can fool you in that way. But notice in picture #2 you can see how the stem is exposed on the lower branches, at the top of the pic. :)
lolpetrol
6 years ago
last modified: 6 years ago
I guess I'm used to whatever ones we have here that are almost flat in a plane coming out both sides of the stem. I thought all firs were very much like that without a lot of variation.
PRO
David Olszyk, President, American Conifer Society
6 years ago
Those needles attach directly to the stem. This is what Abies spp. do. Picea spp. are attached to the stem by a short peg.
DeanW45
6 years ago
Man, I learn something new every time I stop here.
User
6 years ago
The Abies needles look like little suction cups where they attach directly to the stem. Don't know what they're called but I'm sure one of the botanist can tell us. :-)
Sara Malone (Zone 9b)
6 years ago
DeanW45 join the ACS and REALLY learn! There are some amazing members in Georgia.

Join the ACS
DeanW45
6 years ago
Hi, Sara. I've been a member of the ACS since 2014. And I certainly agree with you about the quality of our state's membership. :-)
Sara Malone (Zone 9b)
6 years ago
Dean you have some of the best! Apparently including you! ;-) Sorry, I'm the website editor, can't stop selling. BTW if you haven't already seen them, we've been posting many articles from the SER newsletters on the site. We have a new web manager, a member in Atlanta, who is really great (he's about 22, that probably explains some of the energy, but he's also really smart).

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