Spruce and Fir ID

brendonv

Tree Hugger
Joined
Mar 6, 2005
Messages
7,152
Location
Oxford, Connecticut
For some reason I have trouble distinguishing between Spruce and Fir Trees.
Just one of those things. :)

Anyone have any pointers, any dead give-a-ways?
 

NickfromWI

King of Splices
Joined
Mar 30, 2005
Messages
4,992
Location
Snowless California
Yep, look closely at the needles. Fir are flat and spruce are square. Roll them between thumb and forefinger, (like the way one would hold a joint), fir needles don't move much, spruce spin in your fingers.

love
nick
 

TC3

Headache !
Joined
Aug 12, 2006
Messages
1,504
Location
Michigan
The one that's easiest for me to distinguish / ID is Douglas Fir. Aside from the color of the needles (they're a dull aquamarine-ish color, nice), they smell like lemon-orange.
They're single needles, too... no ?
I'm so allergic to Spruce that I get nauseated when I'm working with them from being picked by the needles so much.
 
T

THillMaine

Guest
My thoughts exactly, you will knwo when you climb a spruce...it hurts, firs are my favorite tree..balsalms, frasiers, concolor
 
B

BostonBull

Guest
Fir's foliage, when crumbled in your hands, smells like lemons. Spruce smells like your typical x-mas tree.

And as said above Fir is F for Flat
Spruce is S for Square. In our area theres only 3 really. Fraser (which arent that common mostly planted), Balsam, and White. You will see SOME Dougs but they were planted. Balsam and Fraser have a REALLY smooth bark, Whites have long flat needles that almost look like a blue spruce. Frasiers are a lil tougher, as they look identical to Blasam, but they are so rare up here, unless planted..................
 
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