Life History and Disturbance Response of Picea rubens (Red Spruce)
Family: Pinaceae
Guild: persistent, slow-growing, long-lived, tolerant
Functional Lifeform: medium sized evergreen conifer
Ecological Role: Red spruce grows best in a cool moist climate, on well-drained acidic soils. It can be found in pure stands or mixed with other spruces, firs, pines and poplars.
Lifespan, yrs (typical/max): 350/400
Shade Tolerance: tolerant
Height, m: 20-30m
Canopy Tree: yes
Pollination Agent: wind
Seeding, yrs (begins/optimal/declines): 15/30/?
Mast Frequency, yrs: 3-8yrs
New Cohorts Source: seeds
Flowering Dates: spring
Seedfall Begins: early fall
Seed Banking: up to 1 yr
Cold Stratification Required: no
Seed Type/Dispersal Distance/Agent: winged/<100m/wind
Season of Germination: late spring
Seedling Rooting System: shallow
Sprouting: no
Establishment Seedbed Preferences:
Substrate: variable
Light: overstory shade
Moisture: moist required
Temperature: neutral
Disturbance Response:
Fire: Red spruce is easily killed by fire. Surface fires that consume the litter and organic layers covering the shallow roots expose the roots to injury and make the tree even more susceptible to wind fall. Red spruce doesn't sprout; post fire establishment is by wind borne seed. However the habitats that red spruce prefers are seldom burned.
Weather:
Air Pollution:
Exotics: