Fauna
Plant

Sitka Spruce

Picea sitchensis

Also known as Coast Spruce, Tideland Spruce, Silver Spruce

Sitka spruces dominate the cool, damp fog belt of the Pacific Northwest coast, where high atmospheric moisture and rich alluvial soils allow them to reach record-breaking heights. Sharp, stiff needles radiate in all directions around their shoots, while thin, scaly bark breaks into distinctive circular plates on mature trunks. Their massive, sprawling root systems anchor them against severe winter ocean gales, enabling these forest giants to thrive for over five centuries.

EvergreenCoastal TreePacific Northwest
Sitka Spruce reference1 / 7
(c) Aaron Liston, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Aaron Liston · cc-by
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Least ConcernConservation statusIUCN Red List categoriesLCNTVUENCREWEXLeast ConcernRed List categories, explained →
Key facts
Diet & preyPhotosynthesis
Predators
  • Sitka Spruce Weevil
  • Green Spruce Aphid
  • Black-Tailed Deer
ThreatsDeforestation, Sitka Spruce Weevil, Climate Change
HabitatsCoastal Temperate Rainforests, Fog Belts, Estuaries
Life span500–700 years
Classification
  1. OrderPinales
  2. FamilyPinaceae
  3. GenusPicea
  4. SpeciesPicea sitchensis
Range & activity
Range data is not available yet.
Safe observation
Interaction riskLow
  1. Low
  2. Moderate
  3. High
  4. Very high
Why interaction risk is low
Safe to observe at a normal distance.
Responsible observation
  • Needle Check: Touch a branch gently to feel the unusually sharp, stiff needles that easily distinguish it from hemlocks or firs.
  • Bark Observation: Look for circular, reddish-brown scaly plates on massive older trunks along coastal trails.
  • Cone Identification: Search the forest floor for small, cylindrical cones with thin, papery scales.
Related species
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