Picea asperata Masters

Dragon spruce (en), Épicéa de Chine (fr)

Species

Gymnosperms > Pinales > Pinaceae > Picea

Characteristics

Trees to 45 m tall; trunk to 1 m d.b.h.; bark grayish brown, furrowed into irregular, rough, scaly plates; branchlets initially brownish yellow or reddish brown, turning brown or brownish gray in 2nd or 3rd year, pubescent or glabrous; winter buds conical or ovoid-conical, resinous, scales appressed or slightly recurved in apical buds, ± recurved at base of branchlets, keeled. Leaf cushions glaucous, rigid. Leaves directed forward or ascending on upper side of branchlets, parted and spreading laterally on lower side, glaucous or not, linear, slightly curved, ± quadrangular-rhombic in cross section, 1-2 cm × 1-2 mm, stomatal lines 4-8 along each surface, apex acute or slightly pungent. Seed cones green, maturing pale brown or reddish brown, cylindric-oblong or cylindric, 5-16 × 2.5-3.5 cm, apex obtuse. Seed scales at middle of cones obovate, ca. 2 × 1.5 cm, margin entire or denticulate, apex rarely 2-lobed. Seeds obovoid, ca. 4 mm; wing pale brown, obovate-oblong, ca. 1.1 cm. Pollination Apr-May, seed maturity Sep-Oct.
More
A tree. It grows 45 m tall. The trunk is 1 m across. The bark is greyish-brown. It is furrowed into irregular rough scaly patches. The young branches are brownish yellow. They turn brown to grey. The leaves are directed forward and curve upwards on the upper side of branches. They part and spread, on the lower side of branches. They are 1-2 cm long by 1-2 mm wide. There are 4-8 lines along each surface. The seed cones are green and mature pale brown. They are oblong and 5-16 cm long by 2.5-3.5 cm wide. The seeds are fattened and oval. They are 4 mm across.
Life form perennial
Growth form tree
Growth support free-standing
Foliage retention evergreen
Sexuality monoecy
Pollination anemogamy
Spread -
Mature width (meter) 1.5
Mature height (meter) 40.0
Root system -
Rooting depth (meter) -
Root diameter (meter) -
Flower color -
Blooming months
JanFebMar
AprMayJun
JulAugSep
OctNovDec
Fruit color
Fruiting months
JanFebMar
AprMayJun
JulAugSep
OctNovDec
Nitrogen fixer -
Photosynthetic pathway c3

Environment

Forests, forming extensive pure stands at 2000-3800 metres. Mountains and river basins at elevations of 2400-3600 metres.
More
They grow in the mountains and river basins between 2400-3600 m altitude in China. It suits hardiness zones 4-8.
Light 6-8
Soil humidity 2-7
Soil texture 1-6
Soil acidity 2-7
Soil nutriment -
Hardiness (USDA) 6-7

Usage

Uses fiber material medicinal oil timber wood
Edible barks flowers seeds shoots
Therapeutic use -
Human toxicity -
Animal toxicity -

Cultivation

Can be grown by cuttings or seedlings. Seeds needs stratification.
Mode cuttings seedlings
Germination duration (days) 30 - 60
Germination temperacture (C°) 12
Germination luminosity -
Germination treatment stratification
Minimum temperature (C°) -
Optimum temperature (C°) -
Size -
Vigor -
Productivity -

Images

Picea asperata unspecified picture

Distribution

Picea asperata world distribution map, present in China

Conservation status

Picea asperata threat status: Vulnerable

Identifiers

LSID urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:676939-1
WFO ID wfo-0000482060
COL ID 4HPZT
BDTFX ID 101586
INPN ID 611391
Wikipedia (EN) Link
Wikipedia (FR) Link

Synonyms

Picea asperata

Lower taxons

Picea asperata var. notabilis Picea asperata var. ponderosa Picea asperata var. asperata