Help with ID

[bonsaichile]

A few weeks ago I collected this little tree in the Colorado Rockies, in front of Boulder. I thought it was an Englemann's spruce, but I am not sure. I found a cone, which might help IDing it. Any idea if it is indeed a spruce? Thanks!

 

[Potawatomi13]

Very dense for native spruce and is indeed spruce. Cone seems aberrant so not likely to help with ID. Could also be "green" blue spruce. Sorry to say no spruce expert here but good fortune with it. One suggestion is to clean out dead branches and carefully thin minimal amount of unneeded branches.

 

[Silentrunning]

I am going to guess it is a Douglas Fir.

 

[bonsaichile]

I thought it might be a Douglass Fir too, but the needles do have the white line of Englemann's. As of now, I am leaning the latter. Whatever it is, is happy: Its buds are all open now!

 

[M. Frary]

Looks like a blue spruce.

 

[AlainK]

Looks like a blue spruce.

I'd say Picea pungens glauca too...

 

[M. Frary]

I'd say Picea pungens glauca too...

Not all blue spruced aren't blue. Really most arent.

 

[bonsaichile]

Not all blue spruced aren't blue. Really most arent.

Definitely not a blue spruce. i have one in a pot and a huge one in my front yard, plus many, many in the neighborhood. Buds are completely different, so are needles and bark

 

[Bavarian Raven]

Gently grab the branch with needles on it? If they're very sharp/prickly it's likely a spruce (over a fir).

 

[Leo in N E Illinois]

I would say it is a spruce, if you are convinced it is not a blue spruce, then most likely it is Engelmann spruce. I doubt it is Douglas fir.