Picea engelmannii Engelm.

A large tree. It grows to 35 m tall. The trunk is 90 cm across. It can be 60 m high and 2 m across. The bark is broken into large, loose coarse scales. The leaves are curved and somewhat flexible. They are 15-25 mm long. The tip can be pointed or blunt. They are bluish-green but often coated with a white layer. There are lines of white dots on all sides. The leaves have a smell when crushed. The seed cones are narrowly oval and 3-7 cm long. They are shiny. The scales are yellow brown and flexible. They are loose fitting and taper at both ends. They have irregular teeth. The cones open in autumn and are shed during winter. They often retain some seeds. The seeds are dark brown and 2-4 mm long.

Montane regions to the tree-line, especially by swamps. Often found on poor thin rocky soils, though the best specimens are growing in deep well-drained clay-loam soils.

The inner bark or cambium is eaten fresh or dried. The tender shoots stripped of their needles are boiled and eaten. The needles are used for tea. The sap is eaten.

Can be grown by cuttings or seedlings. Seeds needs stratification.