Picea rubens Sarg.

Tree to 30 m, with a relatively broad and pyramidal or conic crown, the branches longer than in no. 2 [Picea mariana (Mill.) Britton, Sterns & Poggenb.] and tending to be horizontally spreading, with upturned tip; twigs pubescent as in no. 2, but the hairs more steeple-shaped; lvs 10–30 mm, sharply pointed, shiny yellow-green, not glaucous, those on the upper side forwardly ascending or erect, the others all laterally ascending-spreading or tending to be upcurved, those on the lower side twisted at the base; winter buds acute, chestnut-brown, the lowest scales pubescent and subulate; cones green or purplish-green before maturity, brown or reddish-brown when ripe, oblong-ovoid, 3–4.5 cm, mostly falling the first winter after maturity, more fragile than in no. 2, the cone-scales easily detached from the axis, but with firmer, more rounded, often entire margin. Rocky woods and hillsides, esp. in the mts.; Que. and Ont. to Pa. and N.J., and s. in the higher mts. to N.C. and Tenn. (P. australis; P. rubra) Hybridizes extensively with no. 2.

At or near sea level in the northern part of its range, where it grows in swamps, along bogs or on well-drained slopes. In the south it is found in mountain ranges, usually in thin soils.

It has been used to produce spruce beer. The young leafy twigs were boiled. The gum is used for chewing gum.

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