CMG GardenNotes #172 Identifying Conifers (Arborvitae, Douglas Fir, Fir, Juniper, Pine, Spruce, and Yew)

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1 CMG GardenNtes #172 Identifying Cnifers (Arbrvitae, Duglas Fir, Fir, Juniper, Pine, Spruce, and Yew) Outline: I. Characteristics f Cnifers, page 1 a. Leaves, page 1 b. Seed prductin, page 2 II. Key t Cnifers, page 3 a. Key t Abies, (Fir), page 3 b. Key t Picea, (Spruce), page 3 c. Key t Pinus, (Pines), page 4 d. Key t Thuja, (Arbrvitae), page 5 I. Characteristics f Cnifers a. Leaves Mst cnifers (cne bearing plants) have characteristic leaf shape and arrangement that allw them t be quickly identified t the genus level. The Pinaceae family cntains members such as pine, spruce, fir and Duglas fir. This family has the classic needle-shaped leaves yu think f when yu think f Cnifers (i.e. pine needles). The genera f the Pinaceae family are further srted by hw the needles are clustered n the stem (see Figure 1). A B C Figure 1: A) Single needles characteristic f the genera Picea and Pseudtsuga. B) Bundled needles characteristic f the genus Pinus. C) Clustered needles characteristic f the genus Larix

2 The Cupressaceae family includes members such as juniper and arbrvitae. This family has leaves that are mre scale-like r awl-like (see Figure 2A B) The Taxaceae family is the Yew family. The leaves f these Cnifers are flat and arranged alng the stem in a manner that resembling a feather (see Figure 2C) A B C Figure 2: A) Scale-like leaves characteristic f Juniperus and Thuja. B) Awlshaped leaves characteristic f Juniperus. C) Linear, feather-like leaves characteristic f Taxus. b. Seed Prductin Cnifers are Gymnsperms (alng with Ginkg bilba and cycads), which are a grup f plants that d nt flwer, but instead prduce seed in a cne structure made f mdified leaves called scales. The term Gymnsperm literally means naked seed and refers t the expsure f the female reprductive structure during pllinatin (instead f wrapped in an vary as in flwering plants) rather than the actual seed being uncvered. Members f the Pinaceae family and arbrvitae are mnecius plants. These plants have separate male and female cnes n the same plant (the term mnecius is Greek fr ne huse ). Male cnes prduce pllen and are nrmally shrt lived. Female cnes are generally larger and lnger-lived, remaining n the tree until the seeds are mature and distributed. Junipers and Yews are diecius plants, which have separate male and female plants ( diecius is Greek fr tw huses ). Cnes f pines, spruce, and fir are made up f leathery r wdy scales, which pen t distribute the seed when the see is mature. The cnes f junipers have fused scales arund the see, resulting in a mre berry-like appearance (see Figure 3). Figure 3: Wdy cnes f the Pinaceae family and fleshy cnes f the Juniperus genus

3 II. Key t Cnifers a. Leaves scale-like r awl-like. Fruit is a berry-like cne with scales fused tgether Cupressaceae family (Junipers and Arbrvitae) i. Leaves scale-like r awl-like, ften clsely pressed t the branches. Fliage arranged arund the branch, rather than flattened. Cnes are berry-like with scales pressed clse tgether Juniperus (Junipers) ii. Leaves small, scale-like, hugging the stem. Fliage in flattened plate-like display. Cnes are berry-like with thick scales Thuja (Arbrvitae) visit the Key t Thuja n page 5 b. Leaves needle-like. Pinaceae family (pine, spruce, fir, and Duglas fir) i. Needles single 1. Needles flat in crss-sectin and flexible a. Leaf scar val, bud tips pinted. Cnes have three-prng lbed tnguelike bract that extend ut beynd the scales Pseudtsuga menziesii (Duglas Fir) b. Leaf scar rund, bud tips rundish. Cnes grw upright n the branch, usually disintegrating befre falling t the grund Abies (Fir) visit the Key t Abies n page 3 2. Needles square in crss-sectin and stiff. Older twigs studded with the persistent stumps f fallen needles Picea (Spruce) visit the Key t Picea n page 3 ii. Needles sheathed at the base in bundles f tw t five. Cne scales thick and wdy with swllen tips Pinus (Pine) visit the Key t Pinus n page 4 iii. Shrt needles in tufts f ten r mre. May be deciduus Larix (Larch) c. Leaves flat, linear-shaped in a feather-like arrangement. Shrubs with dark green leathery leaves. Red, berry-like fruit Taxus (Yew) III. Key t Abies (Fir) a. Yung stems nt hairy. Needles usually lnger than 1 inch (but can be misleading). Cnes grayish green, 2 ½ t 5 inches lng. Bracts f the cne scales with a shrt, triangular tip Abies cnclr (White Fir) b. Yung stems hairy. Needles usually shrter than 1 inch. Cnes dark brwn/purple, 2 t 4 inches lng. Bracts f the cnes scale are lng with sublated tip. Native t higher elevatins Abies lasicarpa r Abies biflia (Subalpine Fir) IV. Key t Picea (Spruce) a. Needles very stiff, sharp, ¾ t 1½ inch lng, ften bluish, pinting utwards frm stem. Stems nt hairy. Cnes 2½ t 4 inches lng. Cne scales papery, furrwed, pinted/ragged. Bark black t dark grey furrwed. Native, generally belw 9000 feet elevatin Picea pungens (Clrad Spruce) 172-3

4 b. Needles smewhat blunt, nt as stiff r sharp, pinted tward end f twig. Yung stems smewhat hairy. Cnes less than 2½ inches lng. Cne scales runded. Bark smth, with purplish-brwn t russet red scales n mature trees. Native. Picea englemannii (Englemann Spruce) c. Needles ¼ t ½ inches lng. Each branch very shrt (2-4 inches lng). Landscape shrub. Picea glauca Cnica (Dwarf Alberta Spruce) V. Key t Pinus (Pine) a. Tw needles per bundle i. Needles ½-1 inches lng, curved, medium green with white lines, sme resin drplets. Cnes small, rugh, withut prickles n scale. Seeds large (pine nuts). Shrubby tree. Native t the plateaus and mesas Pinus edulis (Pinn Pine) ii. Needles 1-2 inches lng, finely tthed, slightly twisted, curved, dark green, persisting 5 plus years. Branches ut abruptly frm trunk base, central leader nt bvius, mre shrublike Pinus mug (Mug Pine) iii. Needles 1-3 inches lng, yellwish-green, slightly twisted. Cnes small, less than 2 inches lng, hard, ne-sided with prickled tips n scales. Branches slender, slightly flexible. Bark scaly, nt becming platy. Native in dense frest stands in higher elevatins Pinus cntrta (Ldgeple Pine) iv. Needles 1½ -3 inches lng, twisted, persistent 2-4 years. Cnes 1½inches lng, scatter thrughut the tree, withut prickles n the scales. Older bark range Pinus sylvestris (Sctch Pine, Scts Pine) v. Needles 3-6 inches lng, stiff, dark green, dense n the branch, persisting 4 plus years. Cnes 2-3 inches lng with small prickles n scales. Buds whitish. Older bark dark gray, furrwed Pinus nigra (Austrian Pine) b. Tw and three needles per bundle, 3-10 inches lng, medium green, crwded at end f branches n lder trees, persisting 3 years. Cnes 3-5 inches lng, armed with sharp prickles n scales. Bark furrwed, eventually breaking int reddish plates. Native frm uter fthills t subalpine regins Pinus pndersa (Pndersa Pine) c. Five needles per bundle White Pines grup i. White resin dts scattered n dark green needles, 1-1½ inches (25-38 mm) lng. Cne scales lng, sharp prickles. Native t higher elevatins Pinus aristata (Bristlecne Pine) ii. Needles 1-3 inches lng, rigid, dark green, ften clustered near branch ends, margins smth, pinting frward, persist fr 5-6 years. Cnes 4-8 inches lng n shrt stalk, with n prickles n scales. Branches very flexible. Bark silvery white t light gray. Small tree with irregular trunk and branching pattern Native t higher elevatin and high plains, ften n pen sites Pinus flexilis (Limber Pine) iii. Needles 2-5 inches lng, blue-green, very sft, thin, margin tthed, persistent 2 years. Branches green-brwn. Cnes 3-8 inches lng with 1 inch lng stalk. Cne scales thin, dn t bend back Pinus strbus (Eastern White Pine) iv. Needles with a few small teeth near tip, nt as sft as Eastern White Pine. Branchlets yellw-brwn r red-brwn. Cnes are shrt-stalked. Cne scales bend back. Tall tree with straight, unbranched trunks. Native t San Juan Muntains. Sangre de Crist and Rampart ranges Pinus strbifrmis (Suthwestern White Pine) 172-4

5 VI. Key t Thuja (Arbrvitae) a. Fliage in vertical plate-like displays Thuja rientalis (Oriental Arbrvitae) b. Fliage in hrizntal plate-like displays Thuja ccidentalis (American r Eastern Arbrvitae) Authrs: David Whiting, Linda McMulkin, Janne Jnes, Alisn O Cnnr, Laurel Ptts, and Christine Prins, CSU Extensin. Artwrk by Sctt Jhnsn and David Whiting; used by permissin. Clrad Master Gardener GardenNtes are available nline at Clrad Master Gardener training is made pssible, in part, by a grant frm the Clrad Garden Shw, Inc. Clrad State University, U.S. Department f Agriculture and Clrad cunties cperating. Extensin prgrams are available t all withut discriminatin. N endrsement f prducts mentined is intended nr is criticism implied f prducts nt mentined. Cpyright Clrad State University Extensin. All Rights Reserved. CMG GardenNtes may be reprduced, withut change r additins, fr nnprfit educatinal use. Revised Octber