ID help please

[August44]

I was looking and marking a few at 6600" last weekend and saw this tree. The green needles are very short and stiff but I would not call them poky like spruce. I really like the tree and would look for a smaller one for collecting. The pictures are of one that had a 14-16 trunk.

I would also like any help in how to ID sub-alpine fir. There are some of them up there, but I know about nothing when it comes to collecting or how they might do at 3500" which is the altitude of Baker City, Or where I live. Any help is appreciated. Thanks, Peter

 

[Woocash]

Hi Peter, as a complete novice to pines unfortunately I cannot help. I’m sure there are plenty that can, but if you have a picture of the whole tree the silhouette shows branch structure and can often indicate the species because of that. I will add that that is true for me with UK trees. I have no idea if it is true with Pinus, in general, but I would be very interested to find out.

 

[Warpig]

It's not a black spruce is it?

 

[penumbra]

I am sure it is a spruce but I am unfamiliar with spruces in your ares.

 

[August44]

As far as I am aware we only have Engelman spruce in my area but will check with my forester and let you know.

 

[Warpig]

Taken from wiki,
Picea mariana, the black spruce, is a North American species of spruce tree in the pine family. It is widespread across Canada, found in all 10 provinces and all 3 Arctic territories. Its range extends into northern parts of the United States: in Alaska, the Great Lakes region, and the upper Northeast

 

[Woocash]

Doh! Tried to show you my Pinus and a Picea is produced in return

 

[River's Edge]

I was looking and marking a few at 6600" last weekend and saw this tree. The green needles are very short and stiff but I would not call them poky like spruce. I really like the tree and would look for a smaller one for collecting. The pictures are of one that had a 14-16 trunk.

I would also like any help in how to ID sub-alpine fir. There are some of them up there, but I know about nothing when it comes to collecting or how they might do at 3500" which is the altitude of Baker City, Or where I live. Any help is appreciated. Thanks, Peter

Hi Peter
Sub Alpine Fir are easy to identify. Blue green needles, soft, white line underside is blue grey! Here is a close up of needles on one of my sub alpine fir. Another easy aspect is the sweeping from of the branching! At the higher elevations they take a long time to bark up with younger trees having whitish bark and older trees exhibiting grayer bark with pebbled form. Second picture shows the form. one of my collected trees.

 

[Forsoothe!]

Hi Peter
Sub Alpine Fir are easy to identify. Blue green needles, soft, white line underside is blue grey! Here is a close up of needles on one of my sub alpine fir. Another easy aspect is the sweeping from of the branching! At the higher elevations they take a long time to bark up with younger trees having whitish bark and older trees exhibiting grayer bark with pebbled form. Second picture shows the form. one of my collected trees.

I love the tree trunk specimen!

 

[Forsoothe!]

I meant to say I love the three trunk specimen. I like the bark, too.

 

[Gsquared]

If the needles aren’t pokey and sharp, it may not be a spruce, rather a fir. That is one of the simple ways to differentiate most firs and spruces. Looking at the foliage and growth pattern, I am guessing Noble Fir. I know they grow on my side of the state.

 

[August44]

If the needles aren’t pokey and sharp, it may not be a spruce, rather a fir. That is one of the simple ways to differentiate most firs and spruces. Looking at the foliage and growth pattern, I am guessing Noble Fir. I know they grow on my side of the state.

Have you tried collecting these and how do they do as bonsai if you know. Ok to bring them down to 3500'? I was unaware that we had these here. Doing bonsai and always looking at trees changes things in a big way. I find myself driving down the road, always prepared to slam on the brakes if I see something interesting. It's a wonder I haven't driven over a cliff.

 

[Gsquared]

I’ve not collected them. I’m just guessing that it is noble fir. The needles look right for it. As a guess they might be tricky to wire because the needles are so tight. Certainly a nice looking foliage though. They replanted Mt. St. Helens with massive swathes of noble fir and they look really cool en masse. The overlapping branches create an optical illusion on the hillsides that sort of vibrates.

 

[River's Edge]

Have you tried collecting these and how do they do as bonsai if you know. Ok to bring them down to 3500'? I was unaware that we had these here. Doing bonsai and always looking at trees changes things in a big way. I find myself driving down the road, always prepared to slam on the brakes if I see something interesting. It's a wonder I haven't driven over a cliff.

Does look like a fir to me as well! They are more difficult to wire without causing too much needle damage! There is a special spiral wire technique to position the branch without breaking the needles! Creates a cage over top allowing support and positioning at the same time. need to use a little stiffer gauge than normal. This is the same technique for Spruce. The attached picture illustrates the technique.