Hardly anyone expects fruit on a coniferous tree, at most perhaps the bright berries of a yew tree. But the spruce also bears fruit - its cones. Inside, the four to five millimeter large seeds with their wings mature.

Spruce cones hang from the branches

What do the fruits of the spruce look like?

The (female) spruce cones can have different colors, namely green or red to dark blue, sometimes also black-violet. As they mature, they turn brown and resinous and droop. Then they are about to centimeters long and about three to four centimeters thick. Their seeds are quite small at four to five millimeters in size, but are easy to recognize thanks to their wings, which are about centimeters long.

How do I distinguish pine cones from spruce cones?

The distinction between fir and spruce is not easy for laypeople, but it can actually be explained quite logically. All you have to do is look at the needles and bark. While the needles of a spruce grow around the branches and are quite pointed, those of the fir only stick out to the side and are much softer.

The fir bark is relatively smooth and gray to whitish, later it cracks. A spruce, on the other hand, has a brownish to reddish bark that turns gray-brown with age. In addition, the bark is barky with thin scales.

However, the difference between these trees becomes particularly clear when looking at the cones. While pine cones stand upright and drop only the ripe seeds, mature spruce cones hang tip down. As the seeds mature, the cones fall off.

Can I use the seeds from my spruce for sowing?

If you want to grow your own spruce directly from seed, then you need a lot of patience. After a year, your tree is only about a meter tall. To test which seeds are viable, sprinkle the seeds in a jar of water and wait a while. Seeds that float on water are deaf, meaning they cannot germinate.

It is best to sow germinable seeds outdoors in spring. Clear the soil of weeds beforehand and loosen it up a bit. Only cover the seeds lightly with soil. Then put a sprouting aid over it. Perforated transparent plastic containers such as old yoghurt pots are suitable for this. In this way, the seedlings cannot be damaged or eaten by animals.

The essentials in brief:

  • fruit = cone
  • about 10 to 15 cm long, 3 to 4 cm thick
  • contains numerous winged seeds
  • Seeds: about 4 to 5 mm in size, wings about 1.5 cm long, 6 to 7 mm wide

tips

Barren seeds are often lighter in color than the fertile ones. You can see this without putting the seeds in water first.

Category:

Trees