Home

Zerb's Photo Essays

Four articles featuring identifications, photos and interesting facts about common native evergreen trees of Michigan, shared with the Midwest and Eastern U.S. and Canada!
1) Five Pine Tree Species
2) Four Spruce Tree Species
3) Three Unique Conifers – Hemlock, Fir and Tamarack
4) Two Cedar Species

  • Five Most Common Pine Trees of Michigan

    Jack Pine Tree Grove Photopainting

    Pine Tree Basics

    Pine trees are called “conifers” because they bear cones and sometimes called “evergreens” because they remain green throughout all four seasons of the year.  Conifer is the broader category for cone-bearing trees, which includes pines, as well as other generas such as fir, spruce, hemlocks or cedar. Michigan shares many conifer species with the other Great Lake States, Canada, and much of the Northeastern United States.

    Pine trees can be challenging to identify simply because some varieties possess almost identical characteristics requiring close examination of their needles, cones, bark or growth habit. Other species are unmistakably identifiable from a reasonable distance simply by their size and shape.

    The five most common pine trees of Michigan identified in this photo essay include:

    1. Jack Pine
    2. Scots Pine
    3. Red Pine
    4. Austrian Pine
    5. White Pine

    Jack Pine Trees Photo and Drawing

    1. Jack Pine (Pinus banksiana)

    North America native “Jack Pine” trees occur in the hottest, driest landscapes, preferring well-drained sandy or rocky soils. They need full sun. No wonder they can be found along the sand dunes of Lake Michigan.

    • Jack Pine is a slow-growing medium-sized tree reaching 32 to 50 feet (10 to 15m) tall with a 10 to 15 foot (3 – 4.5m) spread. The Michigan Big Tree of this species reaches 62 feet (19m) tall, Marquette County.
    • Jack Pines are highly variable in shape; they can be short, bushy, crooked or distorted, although trees grown in the open on dry, sandy soils and rocky sites can grow tall, straight trunks with little taper. Jack pines often exhibit a scraggly, branchy, unkempt appearance. Older trees especially can exhibit several needleless lower limbs.
    Jack Pine Tree Distribution (USDA Plant Database)

    Comparing Pine Tree Needles: All true pine species have one to five needles (leaves) per bundle (fascicle), distinguishing them from other conifers, such as spruce or fir trees, whose needles are attached singly and not in bundles. The photo above shows the four pine tree species described in this article that have two needles per bundle. White Pine trees typically have five needles per bundle (Described Last).

    Jack Pine Twig and Resin Coated Bud

    Jack Pine needles measure approximately 3/4 to 2 inches (2 to 5 cm) long with two in each bundle (fascicle). They are colored medium green to yellow green. Jack Pine needles often grow curved or twisted showing relatively blunt ends. Winter buds are ovoid with a rounded end and colored pale brown. They can be resinous.

    Jace Pine Tree Cone

    Jack Pine seed cones are one of this tree’s most identifiable features, measuring about 2 inches (5 cm) long and being the only pine tree species with cones curved at the tip of closed cones. Jack Pine cones you may encounter are typically glued shut, protecting the seeds inside. They require fire or temperatures of 120 degrees in order to open up and release the seeds.

    Jack Pine Tree

    While trailing the Southwest Michigan preserve, Saugatuck Harbor Natural Area, along a low-lying grassy sand-dune valley where temperatures are steaming hot during the summer months, I noticed the cones on the Jack Pine trees were almost all opened up. I also couldn’t help but notice the Jack Pine trees retained a ton of cones on every tree (Photo Above) and later I discovered through research that they persist on the trees up to 10 to 20 years. I tried to pull one off and was surprised by how much strength it took before it let go.

    Jack Pine Bark

    Jack Pine tree bark exhibits thin gray rectangular flakes. It is colored reddish brown underneath turning darker brown on older trees.

    Jack Pine Importance to Wildlife: The yellow-breasted songbird, Kirtland’s Warbler, is endemic to Jack Pine groves having made a comeback from the federal and state endangered lists. Their nests are located on the ground near or at the edge of fairly dense young Jack Pine stands. Other wildlife eat the seeds, including squirrels, chipmunks, rodents and many other bird species. The white-tailed deer and snowshoe hare browse Jack Pines as well. When I was hiking along the trails of the Saugatuck Harbor Natural Area preserve near a young stand, a white-tailed deer suddenly dashed out from the pine forest startling me; I needed several minutes to recover.

    Mature Scots (Scotch) Pine Tree

    2. Scots (Scotch) Pine (Pinus sylvestris)

    • Originally native to northern Asia and Europe, including Scotland, as the name implies, Scots Pines have been planted extensively for centuries, naturalizing throughout the Northeastern and Midwestern regions of North America. They have the widest geographical range of any pine tree species.
    • This evergreen is known for its tolerance of poor soils that may be sandy, rocky, or heavy clay, and also tolerates drought and some shade. My forested property was a Scots Pine Christmas tree farm a generation ago, so I can personally vouch for these conditions.
    Scots Pine Tree Drawing

    Scots Pine Size and Shape                                                    

    • Scots Pine trees are fast-growing, moderately long-living medium-sized, growing up to 60 feet (18m) tall with a 10 to 20 foot (3-6m) spread. Michigan Big Tree reaches 62 feet (19m) tall, Lenawee County.
    • Scots Pine is highly variable in form. It is dense and pyramidal as a young tree, but quickly becomes irregular and contorted in closed stands, sometimes leaning. Their trunks often split into two main branches; they often show short crooked stems with wide-spreading, limby crowns. In the open and with good natural branch pruning, they can grow tall straight stems. Scots pines are easily confused with Jack Pines without close examination.
    Scots Pine Tree Branch and Twisty Needles

    Scots Pine branches often curve upward at the tips. Their needles measure 2 to 4 inches (5 to 10 cm) long, growing in clusters of two. They typically are colored bluish-green and less often medium-green to yellow-green, persisting on the tree for 2 to 3 years. Needles are rather stiff, sharp and thick. A distinguishing feature is how each needle twists (shown above right).

    Scotch Pine Winter Bud and Pollen Cones

    Scots Pine winter buds are oblong-ovoid, sharp-pointed, and reddish brown, some with white resin. Scots Pine pollen cones arise in spring with cylindrical, stalked clusters composed of yellowish pollen scales releasing pollen in spring or early summer pollinating the firmer female seed cones.

    Scotch Pine Cones

    Scots Pine seed cones measure 1.5 to 2 inches (3.8 to 5 cm) long, having a rounded shape. They open up the second year, later dropping from the tree as soon as they are ripe in autumn or winter. The scales of Scots Pine seed cones are reddish-brown, smooth-edged and firm, lacking prickles on the backside. Like most pines, the tree is monoecious, meaning male pollen cones pollinate the female seed cones, typically during the spring season with help from the wind or disturbance from wildlife.

    Scots Pine Tree Bark

    Scots Pine tree bark can be bright orange, especially noticeable along the large upper trunk and limbs, a recognizable feature from a reasonable distance on mature trees. The base of the trunk is typically more gray. The bark is thin and flaky with scaly ridges, becoming moderately thick on older trees.

    Red Pine Tree Grove (Oval Beach) Michigan

    3. Red Pine (Pinus resinosa)

    • Native North American Red Pines are shade-intolerant, but tolerant of windy locations, thriving best in well-drained sandy or gravely soil on mountains, hillsides, or plains.
    • In Michigan, Red Pines are most common in the Upper Peninsula and the northern half of the Lower Peninsula, south to Ottawa County on the west side of the state and St. Clair County on the east side.
    Red Pine Tree Distribution (USDA Plant Database)

    Scandinavian settlers in North America frequently identified the native Red Pine with the Scots Pine (Pinus sylvestris) of Europe. This comparison was made due to similar appearances in bark color, conical shapes, and habitat preferences, often leading to confusion between the native species and the imported European variety. 

    Red Pine Tree Drawing

    Red Pine Tree Size and Shape

    • Large, fast-growing pine tree reaching 66 to 115 feet (20 to 35 meters) in height with varying widths. Red Pines are long-living, sometimes up to 500 years. Michigan Big Tree reaches 114 feet (35m) tall, Ontonagon County.
    • At maturity, the Red Pine grows rather straight, tall and fairly uniform with a narrowing roundish crown. In closed stands, trunks are long and limbless; crowns are short and oval. Branches are spaced in annual whorls along the trunk; the tree’s age can be determined by counting the number of these whorls.
    Red Pine Tree needles and Resin Covered Bud

    Red Pine Tree needles measure approximately 5 to 7 inches (12.7 to 17.75 cm) long. They are coarse, slender, straight, sharp and flexible, but snap apart when bent sharply. They grow two per bundle (fascicle) and are colored medium green to dark green, remaining on trees up to four years providing a dense appearance, especially in younger trees. Red Pine winter buds are rather resinous, as with their resin-retentive lumber, reflected in their scientific name (Pinus resinosa).

    Red Pine Tree seed cones are large, measuring approximately 2.25 inches (5.7 cm) long. They are brown, firm and broadly oval, lacking prickles on the backsides of their rounded, smooth-edged scales. They ripen in the autumn of their second season, falling to the ground the following summer

    Red Pine Tree Bark

    Red Pine Tree bark is thick and gray-brown at the base of the tree, and more thin, flaky and bright orange-reddish brown along the upper crown (origin of common name). Red pine bark is fire-resistant. It can easily be confused with Austrian and Scots Pine tree bark.

    Red Pine Tree importance to wildlife include Bald Eagle nesting in this tall tree just below the crown, and colonies of the Great Blue Heron use Red Pines along waterways. Red squirrels, in particular, store their cones in underground tunnels and use the tree as their favorite nesting tree.

    Young Austrian Pine Tree

    4. Austrian Pine (Black Pine) (Pinus nigra)

    The Austrian (Black) Pine trees are European natives extensively planted in the U.S. for generations, becoming naturalized in Michigan and much of the Northeastern and Midwestern regions of the United States. They’re desired for their fullness of foliage and adaptability. They prefer well-drained soil, but will tolerate heavy clay, sandy soil, and road salt, and are resistant to wind and drought. They are shade intolerant.

    Black Pine Tree Size and Shape

    • Black Pine trees are large, fast-growing, moderately long-lived tree; in open locations reaching from 60 to 100 feet (20-30 m) tall and 20 to 40 feet (6 -12 meters) wide. Michigan Big Tree reaches 85 feet (26m) tall, Lenawee County.
    • Mature trees have denser foliage and a fuller shape than many other pines, including the Red Pine, of which they share several similar traits. Young trees are densely pyramidal holding lower branches close to the ground. At maturity, they become large, flat-topped trees exhibiting a rough, short trunk, with low, stout, spreading branches. They sometimes grow into irregular shapes.
    Austrian (Black) Pine Tree Twig and Needles

    Black Pine Tree needles measure 4 to 6 inches (10 to 15 cm) long. They are colored medium to dark green with two needles per bundle (fascicle). They’re quite similar to the Red Pine needles except the Black Pine needles are stiffer and sharper to the touch. Even though they are stiffer, they will not snap in two when sharply bent like Red Pine needles. They tend to grow curved upward from the twig.

    Left: Black Pine Tree Cones and Winter Buds Right: Black Pine Tree Pollen
    Cones

    The Black Pine Tree winter buds are oblong-conical, sharp-pointed, reddish-brown, and often white with resin. The Austrian Pine Tree spring pollen cones are cylindrical, exhibiting scaly clusters composed of yellow pollen scales growing at the base of new shoots. They pollinate the female seed cones through the wind or by animal disturbances. Like most evergreens, they are monoecious, having male and female parts on the same plant.

    Austrian “Black” Pine Tree seed cones measure 2 to 3 inches (5 to 7.5 cm) long. They are firm, with tiny spikes on the backsides of the scales. They ripen in the autumn of the second season when opening to full size and remain on the tree for several years.

    Austrian (Black) Pine Tree Bark

    Black Pine tree bark is pinkish-gray to darker brown to nearly black (hence the common name); older trunks are coarser displaying deeply fissured, flaking coarseness. The bark characteristics look quite similar to Scots and Red Pine bark.

    Eastern White Pine Tree

    5. Eastern White Pine (Pinus strobus)

    I have saved the best for last because there is so much history attached to this beautiful pine tree (explained below). The North American native White Pine Trees (also called “Soft Pines”) can be somewhat versatile, preferring sandy soil and humid climates. They can grow in boggy areas and rocky highlands, but they do not tolerate heavy clay. They are moderately shade tolerant. Mature trees can easily live 200-plus years of age. Some Michigan trees have approached 500 years of age.

    Eastern Pine Tree Distribution (USDA Plant Database) and Eastern Pine Tree Branch

    Eastern White Pine Tree Size and Shape

    • Eastern White Pine is a large, fast-growing tree, typically reaching 100 feet (30m) in height with up to 40 feet (12 m) spread. This U.S. native tree has the distinction of being the tallest tree in the eastern regions of North America. Pre-colonial stands reported over 200 feet (50 m) in height.
    • Presently, the tallest specimens are in Hartwick Pines Michigan State Park are over 160 feet (49m) tall.
    • The White Pine exhibits a straight trunk and dense foliage, especially in younger trees, or somewhat irregular shapes depending on location. Open-grown trees exhibit a wide-spreading pyramidal crown. Branches in mid-crown spread at nearly right angles to the stem. Upper branches ascend and often grow irregularly away from the prevailing wind direction, giving the tree a wind-swept appearance.
    Eastern Pine Tree Twig and Needles

    Eastern White Pine Tree needles measure from 3 to 5 inches (7.6 to 12.7 cm) long and are colored medium green, or less often yellow-green. The needles have a unique feature among pines with a long, slender, flexible form and attachment to branches in bundles of 5 per bundle (fascicle), or rarely 3 to 4. This unique trait gives the tree a furry texture recognizable from a reasonable distance. The related Western White Pine (from the Pacific and intermountain states) also has five needles per bundle.

    Eastern White Pine Tree Cone

    Eastern White Pine tree seed cones measure about 6 inches (15 cm) long, lacking spikes on the backside. They are easily recognizable with their cylindrical, slender form and less rigid loose scales which are slightly reflexed. After ripening in autumn of the second season, they open to disperse seeds in the wind, later dropping to the ground during the winter and succeeding spring.

    Eastern White Pine Tree Bark (Young to Mature)

    White Pine tree bark is thin, smooth and greenish on young trees. With age, it thickens and turns dark gray to brown as seen above right. It is deeply fissured longitudinally into broad scaly ridges, often showing sap drippings which turn white when exposed to air, as seen in the photo above.

    Eastern White Pine Historical Significance

    This native pine once covered much of Northcentral and Northeastern North America, but only 1% of this original cover remains today. At the turn of the century, White Pines were clear-cut during Michigan’s lumber era, which rebuilt Chicago after the Great Fire of 1871. The trees were favored because they were easily accessible occurrence in pure stands and floated well. By the early 1900s, over 100 million Michigan pine trees had been felled in the Lower Peninsula before lumber companies targeted the Upper Peninsula. During this era, as a result of clearcutting, the Southwestern Michigan lumber and ship-building town of Singapore became buried in sand, lost forever.

    The wood of White Pines was the most significant trade commodity and building material of the New World during the colonial period, starting as early as the 1600s.

    The Eastern White Pine was called the Tree of Peace by the Iroquois and Ojibway Native Americans who used every part of the tree, including the bark, cones, needles and resin, for food, medicine, boat making and various crafts.

    In 1955, the Eastern White Pine became Michigan’s state tree.

    The Tree That Helped Change America

    During the age of square riggers, the tall straight Eastern White Pines were known in the Thirteen Colonies as mast pines, mostly reserved for The British Royal Navy by order of King Charles II. Beginning in 1684, the king forbade the colonists from cutting down white pines suitable for masts without a special license. This order was a significant motivator leading up to the Revolutionary War as American colonists got fed up with the king’s order and other British restrictions on trade.

    All rights reserved © Fossillady 2026

    Home

  • Top 4 Common Spruce Trees of Michigan; Photos, Drawings, ID and Facts

    In this photo essay, I have featured the four most common spruce trees of Michigan, which share many of their species with the Central and Northeastern regions of the United States and Canada. They include in the following order:

    • Norway spruce
    • White Spruce
    • Black Spruce
    • Blue Spruce

    For information about the 5 most common Pine trees of Michigan click HERE For information about the 2 most common Cedar trees of Michigan, click HERE For information about 3 unique native conifers of Michigan, click HERE . . .

    Identitification traits include, leaves (needles), bark, seed cones, pollen cones, needle attachment, habit (form) or size, plus habitat and locations.

    Norway Spruce Tree Drawing

    Norway Spruce (Picea abies)

    The Norway Spruce tree is native to Central and Northern Europe, including Norway, but with extensive planting it has naturalized from Michigan to Connecticut in the United States and has been planted for centuries as far west as the Pacific Coast and Canada, becoming perhaps the most common spruce, rivaled only by the Colorado Blue spruce.

    Norway Spruce Distribution (USDA Plant Datatbase)

    Norway Spruce Habitat – As a shade-tolerant species, the Norway spruce is an adaptable competitor. It forms a lower canopy layer beneath taller trees and, eventually, outgrows them. It adapts well to a variety of harsh soil conditions, including clay, rocky and dry soils, but will quickly die in wet soils. Once it is established, it can thrive under seasonal drought and tolerate city pollution.

    Norway Spruce Twig

    Norway Spruce Size and Shape

    • Moderately fast growth rate, large-sized tree, reaches 65 to 100 feet (20 to 30 meters) in height and 25 to 30 feet (7.5 to 9 meters) spread at maturity. Michigan Big Tree: 82 feet (25 meters) tall, Oakland County.
    • The Norway spruce has a strong central leader with a narrow, spire-top crown and overall pyramidal shape; branches droop and swing upward; may or may not persist almost to the ground.
    Norway Spruce Tree Needle Attachment

    Norway Spruce needles are attached individually to orange/brown stems with a peg-like projection, visible to only the most discerning eye; one may even need a magnifying glass to see them. Typically, the needles are from 1/2 to I inch long; they feature a sharp to somewhat blunt tip, a shiny deep green color, and are arranged spirally around the twig.

    Spruce Needles vs. Fir Needles As with all spruce varieties, if you pluck a needle, you can roll it between your fingers because they have four distinct sides. This distinguishes them from fir tree needles, which look much the same at first glance and are attached to their stems singly as well, but fir needles are flat and do not roll easily between your fingers. Also, fir needles are not attached to the stem by a peg-like projection as with all spruces.

    Norway Spruce Tree pollen cones (male) and seed cone (female)

    All spruce trees  are “monoecious” meaning a single tree produces both separate male (pollen-producing) and female (seed-producing) cones on the same plant. Like all spruce trees, the Norway Spruce male pollen cones release their flurry of crimson-yellow, tiny pollen scales by wind or animal disturbance in order to fertilize the more sturdy female seed cones, thereafter disintegrating.

    Early spring, female seed cones of the Norway Spruce are more erect and bright red or pink. After being fertilized by the male pollen cones, the seed cones become green and hang downward, and not until autumn do they transform into the more recognizable reddish-brown woody cones with thin scales.

    Norway Spruce Seed Cones (Closed vs. Open Scales)

    Norway Spruce seed cones are the largest among the spruces, measuring between 4 to 7 inches (10 to 18 cm) long. They are cylindrical in shape, orange-brown in color, and fall from the tree in the autumn of the second year. As with all spruce varieties, the seed cones grow downward from the branch pointing toward the ground and are situated from the treetop branches.

    Norway Spruce Tree Winged Seeds

    Upon maturity in autumn, the Norway spruce seed cones open up their scales to release winged seeds tucked inside; the part of the cone squirrels love to feast upon! Note: Most spruce trees have very similar winged seeds that vary only slightly, particularly by size.

    Norway Spruce Tree Bark

    Norway Spruce bark shows a distinct, thin, scaly pattern that reminds me of puzzle pieces, making it quite recognizable. The color of the bark can vary from greenish gray, to reddish tones to grayish brown.

    White Spruce Tree

    White Spruce Tree (Picea glauca)

    White Spruce Tree Location and Habitat

    The White Spruce trees are native to Central and Northern Michigan and scattered locations in several other Northern U.S. states like Minnesota, New York and New England with isolated populations in the Black Hills of South Dakota and Montana; and much of Canada and Alaska. The white spruce has been heavily planted as an ornamental tree, as windbreakers and as one of the most popular Christmas trees.

    • White Spruce prefers drier upland forests of moist, cool climates on shallow, rocky sites but is adaptable to clay and poorer soils. It is also well adapted to freezing conditions; it is able to establish in the shade under other species on moist or wet sites, gradually able to grow into the forest overstory. It is less resistance to disease compared the Colorado Blue Spruce.

    White Spruce Tree Size and Shape

    • The White Spruce tree is medium to slow growing, long-lived, medium-sized to large-size tree from 60 to 100 feet (18 to 30 meters) in height with approximately a 20-foot (6-meter) spread. Michigan Big Tree: 101 feet (31 meters) tall, Luce County.
    • The White Spruce tree is typically lush, densely foliated with a pyramidal shape spread broadly towards the base. Branches grow upright towards the crown, especially on younger trees; the many branches grow from the trunk in a random pattern. The tree typically retains foliage on the lower branches.
    White Spruce Tree Branch and Needles

    White Spruce tree needles measure from 1/2 to 3/4 inches (1.3 to 2 cm). White spruce needles are four square and easily roll between your fingers; they are bluish-green to dark green in color, dull, sharp, and point somewhat forward towards the tip of the branch, about 60 degrees. Their common name refers to the waxy layer on young needles.

    • White spruce is also known as Canadian Spruce, Skunk Spruce or Cat Spruce due to the pungent smell of the needles.
    White Spruce Tree Needle Attachment

    White Spruce tree needles are attached singly to the twig with a peg-like projection and wrap around the entire stem. The stems and twigs are yellow-tan to light gray and are not as reddish as the Norway Spruce.

    White Spruce Pollen Cones (male)

    White Spruce Male Pollen Cones

    White spruce male pollen cones are scattered throughout the tree canopy in the spring serving as a source of pollen by the wind or animal disturbance for the female seed cones, disintegrating sometime thereafter. As with the majority of conifers, the White Spruce tree is monoecious with both male and female cones.

    White Spruce Tree Cone (female)

    White Spruce Seed Cones

    White Spruce tree seed cones (female) are small, measuring about 1 to 2 inches (2.5 to 5 cm) in length with a cylindrical oblong shape; they are slightly firm. Color remains medium green throughout much of the summer, turning light brown to reddish-brown in autumn and winter when they release their seeds. The scales have straight edges. The cones grow from branches pointed toward the ground covering the upper third portion of the tree, as with all the spruces. They fall off the tree the first year.

    White Spruce tree female seed cones (pinecones) are much smaller than some of their cousin species as demonstrated in the photo above. The photo also demonstrates the varying sizes of seed cones from the same species.

    White Spruce TreeBark

    White Spruce tree bark is somewhat thin and scaly with irregular patterns. The bark is typically gray-brown becoming darker with age. It peels off in small, thin, irregular, or circular plates, becoming rougher with age. Bark is often unseen as the dense foliage and branches persist close to the ground.

    Black Spruce Tree

    Black Spruce Tree (Picea mariana)

    Black Spruce Tree Location and Habitat

    The native Black Spruce trees occur naturally in the Northeastern United States and three Midwestern States of Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Michigan, extending from the northern range of North America to Alaska, spreading wide across Canada, reaching north all the way to the very limit of tree growth. (See map below for Michigan location by county).

    • Black Spruce is found in the low country restricted to bogs on the southern end of its range. Northward, these spruce trees can be found on the edges of wetlands, dune ridges, or gravelly shores.
    • Due to their preference for damp conditions, Black Spruce trees are also known as “Swamp Spruce” or “Bog Spruce”. The species’ scientific name refers to the US state of Maryland.
    Black Spruce Trees in Michigan by County

    Black Spruce Size and Shape

    • Black Spruce is a small to medium-sized tree with slow growth rate, reaches up to 60 feet (18 meters) in height in ideal condition with a 20 to 30 foot (6 to 9 meter) spread. Michigan Big Tree: 65 feet (20 meters) tall, Isabella County.
    • The Black Spruce tree form is slender, straight, and slightly tapered. In closed stands, the tree self-prunes lower branches; has a narrow irregular, conical, spire-like crown of short slender branches. The top crown can sometimes be club-shaped. Branches tend to droop sometimes turning up at the very tips.

    Black Spruce needles are the shortest and most blunt among the spruces measuring from 1/4 to 5/8 inches (7 to 19 cm). Needles have a slight curve tending to grow from the stem at a forward angle. They exhibit the typical spruce, four-square shape making them easy to roll between your fingers. They are blue-green and slightly darker than other spruces bearing the name sake; needles persist on the tree 7 to 10 years.

    Black Spruce Tree Needle Attachment

    The Black Spruce needles attach singly to the stem using a peg-like projection. Differentiating them from other spruce species, though, is the presence of tiny hairs growing on the stems between needles which are difficult to see with the naked eye, but tend to rub off by winter. (Enlarge the photo above to see the tiny hairs)

    Black Spruce seed cones are the smallest of the spruces measuring approximately 5/8 to 1.25 inches (1.6 to 3 cm) with an overall rounded to egg shape. At maturity in autumn of the first year, they become darker brown than other spruce species with fan-shaped close-fitting scales exhibiting uneven slightly fringed edges. The cones spread along the top portion of the tree persisting on branches for many years, opening intermittently during drying and releasing of seeds for 1-2 years.

    Black Spruce Tree Bark

    Black Spruce bark is thin, scaly, grayish-brown, separating into thin ragged scales. It is often described as having a somewhat “scabby” appearance, and the inner bark has a light, olive-green color. 

    Colorado Blue Spruce Source

    Colorado Blue Spruce (Picea pungens)

    The Colorado Blue Spruce tree is a native species scattered throughout North America but is not native to Michigan. These tree have been widely planted outside of their natural range, including Michigan, for its beauty, particularly the blue-green needles, making it a favorite among Michiganders, (trees in the Rocky Mountains vary greatly in foliage color).

    • The blue spruce grows well on almost any upland soil, is drought-resistant and shade tolerant.
    Colorado Blue Spruce Distribution (USDA Plant Database)

    Blue Spruce Size and Shape

    • The Blue Spruce is a medium-sized tree with medium to slow growth rate reaching up to 75 feet (23 meters) in the wild, but rarely higher than 50 feet (15 meters) in city landscapes with a 10 to 20 foot (3 to 6 meter) spread.
    • The Blue Spruce tree trunk is straight; crown is somewhat pyramidal with dense foliage; branches reach to the ground making the tree an excellent wind break, snow break or privacy barrier. Older branches are often down-swept in large trees; branches grow in layered arrangement around trunk.
    Colorado Blue Spruce Twig – Needles

    Blue Spruce needles measure approximately 1 inch (2.5 cm) long, are dull, sharp and radiate outwards in all directions rather than pointing forward from the stem, making them problematic to handle. New growth is waxy and gray to bluish-green in color with conspicuous stripes, but there are green forms called green spruce, dependent on how much wax forms on the needle surface.

    Colorado Blue Spruce Needle Attachment

    Blue spruce needles grow singly from the stem attached by a peg-like projection, as with all spruce trees. Blue Spruce needles spiral around a reddish-brown stem.

    Blue Spruce Tree “Male” Pollen Cones – Early Spring to Late Spring

    Early to mid-spring the male pollen cones of the Blue Spruce appear conspicuously; shaped oblong with narrow ends, colored pinkish-red spreading throughout the tree crown serving as the pollinator for the female seed cones by wind or animal disturbance. By late-May to mid-June, the male pollen cones on all spruce trees turn brown and begin to disintegrate. Look closely at the needles in the photo above and you will notice tiny brown flakes caused by the male pollen cones beginning the process to pollenate to the female seed-cones. Spruce trees are “monoecious”, meaning with both male and female producers.

    Colorado Blue Spruce “Female” Seed Cone

    Blue Spruce seed cones are oblong and pale brown reaching up to 4 inches (10 cm) long ripening in autumn of first season; they are located on the topmost branches of the crown. Compared to other spruce cones, the scales are thin and papery with raggedy edges. White sap drips are often seen on them, as with many other spruce tree cones.

    Colorado Blue Spruce Bark

    Colorado Blue Spruce bark is thin, showing loosely attached scales which are coarsely flaked; as the tree matures, the bark develops shallow to deep furrows with thin, scaly plates; ranges in color from ash gray to purplish to gray-brown. The bark is usually unseen, as the tree typically branches to the ground throughout its life.

    All rights reserved © Fossillady 2026

    Home

  • Three Unique Native Michigan Conifer Trees; the Hemlock, Tamarack and Balsam Fir

    Michigan shares many types of conifer trees with the Eastern and Midwestern regions of the United States and Canada. The following photo essay features identification information, photos and interesting facts about three special conifer trees of Michigan in the following order: the Hemlock, Tamarack (Larch) and Balsam Fir trees.

    • For information about the 5 most common Pine trees of Michigan, click HERE.
    • For information about the 4 most common Spruce trees of Michigan, click HERE.
    • For information about the 2 most common Cedar trees of Michigan, click HERE
    • Or simply keep scrolling if searching from the “Categories List of Conifers”
    Hemlock Tree Source

    Eastern Hemlock Tree (Tsuga canadensis)

    Michigan native, the Eastern Hemlock is special in several ways including the tree’s size, special traits and history. Beginning with size, the Hemlock is a large conifer tree reaching an average of 65 feet to 100 feet (20 to 30 meters) high with an approximate spread of 20 to 40 feet (6 to 12 meters) wide. It has been called the Redwood of the East for its large stature where exceptional trees have been recorded reaching up to 180 feet (54 meters) tall. Michigan Big Tree: 140 feet (42 meters) in height, Marquette County. The Eastern Hemlock is very slow growing but is a very long-lived tree (600 plus years), another trait that makes this tree special.

    • The Eastern Hemlock trees grow straight trunks and slender flexible branches that form flat sprays, drooping at the ends; the leader shoot droops slightly. Mature trees form a massive pyramidal, ragged crown of densely foliated branches; the trunk is markedly tapered, narrowing on the upper portion of tall trees. Lower branches persist near the ground in open locations.
    Eastern Hemlock Tree Distribution Map

    Habitat and Preferences – The Eastern Hemlock tree thrives in cool, moist, highly acidic sites where it is typically associated with yellow birch; occurs in low ridges where sandy soils are too infertile for hardwoods or upland areas where heavy soils impede downward water movement or lowland areas with a relatively high water table. It occurs singly or in groups in stands of northern hardwoods (sugar maple, beech, basswood, yellow birch, red maple); it is rarely found in pure stands.

    • Often is the dominant conifer along stream banks and the lower slopes of hillsides, is highly shade tolerant, and may exist in shaded forests up to 50 to 100 years or more, gradually reaching the overstory. Another common name is Canada Hemlock, which is referenced in the scientific name.
    Eastern Hemlock Leaves (Needles)

    Eastern Hemlock Tree Leaves (Needles) are glossy, flexible and dark green on the topside, measuring roughly .7 inches (1.4 cm) long. Needles are arranged spirally around the shoot, sometimes appearing twisted. The unique needles compared to other conifers are flat with rounded tips, and the blade narrows abruptly at the base to a short thread like petiole (attachment).

    Eastern Hemlock Needles – Underside

    Eastern Hemlock needles undersides show conspicuous white bands of stomata (pores that facilitate gas exchange while retaining water and facilitating photosynthesis); needles persist on the tree for approximately three years.

    Eastern Hemlock Underside Foliage showing Spring Pollen Cones (male)

    The Eastern Hemlock is monoecious, meaning possessing both male and female pollinators. The tiny male pollen cones are attached to the axils (crotch where a leaf meets the stem). Appearing in spring, the male pollen cones have a short stalk, are light-yellow and are filled with clusters of pollen scales that pollinate the female seed cones by wind or animal disturbances.

    Easter Hemlock Tree Branch

    Eastern Hemlock branches tend to droop at the ends and tiny cones face downwards from the tips of stems. The twig stems are pale brown with tiny hairs appearing on the new growth, but later lose hairs in the autumn and winter.

    Eastern Hemlock Seed Cone (female)

    The tiny female seed cones of the Eastern Hemlock measure from .5 to .8 inches (1 to 2 cm) long, ripening in autumn of the first season, turning reddish brown. Margins of scales are rounded and smooth or faintly toothed.

    Eastern Hemlock Tree Bark (Young to Mature)

    The Eastern Hemlock tree bark is thick, reddish-brown or gray and is deeply divided into broad, flat-topped scaly ridges.

    Historical Significance of the Eastern Hemlock Tree in Michigan and North America

    At the turn of the century, settlers extracted tannic acid from the bark of the Eastern Hemlock trees used to tan animal hides for leather making. Tanneries popped up in Michigan and many other eastern regions of the United States. Communities grew around the Hemlock forests as it was easier and less expensive to transport the hides than to transport the heavy bark. The work was hard manual labor. People living next to a tannery endured the constant stench of curing leather and stagnant pools of waste material. Streams became heavily polluted as tanning liquors, lime solutions, flesh, and hair were discharged directly into them. Hillsides with wasted, dead, rotting wood tarnished the beauty of the environment. With the introduction of other methods for tanning hides, the tanbark industry disappeared.

    Today, the Hemlock tree is no longer as common in Michigan, in part due to the heavy cutting during the heyday of the tanbark industry. Despite all of this, in some regions, the Eastern Hemlock has made a comeback. I can vouch for this, an old tannery used to be a mile from my home along a creek that flows into Lake Michigan where, today, many Hemlocks are seen thriving. Also today, the timber is harvested for lumber and wood pulp and supports an abundance of wildlife.

    Tamarack (Larch) Tree

    Eastern or American Tamarack “Larch” Tree (Larix laricina)

    The Tamarack tree is special because of several unique traits, but mainy because it is a deciduous conifer, meaning, it is a cone-bearing tree that sheds all of its needles every autumn, but also puts on a beautiful display of color before it sheds its needles!

    Tamarack “Larch” Tree Size and Shape

    • The Tamarack or Eastern Larch is a fast-growing medium sized tree reaching from 40 to 70 feet (12 to 21 meters) in height with a spread of 15 to 30 feet (4.5 to 9 meters) wide. Michigan Big Tree: 69 feet (21 meters) long, Lake County.
    • The Tamarack has a straight trunk of little taper, forming an open, pyramidal crown of horizontal branches; in closed stands the crown narrows. It is shade intolerant and is a relatively short-lived tree.
    American Tamarack Distribution Map

    Habitat – The native Larch “Tamarack” tree is primarily relegated to cold, wet, poorly drained sites including swamps, bogs, lakeshores or wet beach thickets because it can’t compete with other species that are more vigorous and better competitors on the drier, more nutrient-rich upland sites. It is seen most commonly along the forest edge or sphagnum bogs associated with Black Spruce.

    Note: European and Japanese varieties, “Larix decidua” and “Larix leptolepis” have been planted in Michigan as ornamentals and in forest plantations for faster stouter growth habit.

    American Larch “Tamarack” Tree Dangling Branches

    The long slender flexible branches are also a unique feature of the Larch tree showing orange-brown stems, turned dark brown, supporting the lengthy needle clusters dangling freely in the wind.

    Eastern Larch “Tamarack” Tree Needle Bundle

    Tamarack “Larch” Tree Leaves (Needles) also display unique traits compared to other conifers. They are light green in color measuring from 1 to 2.5 inches (2.5 to 5 cm) long. The needles are slender, soft, flexible and needle-like growing in bundles of 10 to 20 from a single short spur. They are also uniquely one of the few deciduous conifers in the forest losing needles in the fall following the seasonal color change of striking orange-yellow tones.

    Autumn Colored Larch “Tamarack” Tree Source
    Eastern Larch (Tamarack) Tree Leaves and Pollen Cones (male)

    Tamarack “Larch” tree pollen cones are male pollinators releasing pollen to the female seed cones by wind or animal disturbance, typically in May. The male pollen cones of the Larch tree are composed of yellow-gold clusters consisting of many short-stalked scales and are spirally arranged about the twig.

    American Tamarack Seed Cone (female)

    The Larch “Tamarack” tree female seed cones are small and globular to egg shaped measuring 1/2 to 3 inch (1.3 to 7.5 cm) long; are arranged spirally around branches of the upper crown; purple at first, then greenish turning brown at ripening in autumn of the first season; persistent on the tree for a year. Scale margins are smooth and curved; bracts (thin protectors) are not visible as with some larch varieties.

    Eastern Larch “Tamarack” Tree Bark

    Tamarack (Eastern or American Larch) tree bark is thin, scaly, with long irregular strips; colored brownish-gray with dark reddish inner bark.

    Historical Significance of the Tamarack “Larch” Tree in North America

    This ancient, cold-tolerant deciduous conifer tree dates back 65 million years. Valued by Indigenous peoples for its flexible, durable wood and roots used in snowshoes, canoes, and medicine, the tree was essential for early settlers’ shipbuilding and infrastructure. Known for its fall color change and bog-dwelling nature, it still thrives today in northern North America. 

    Balsam Fir Tree Source

    Balsam Fir Tree (Abies balsamea)

    Balsam Fir is the only true native fir tree in Michigan commonly found in the Upper Peninsula and Northern Lower Peninsula. It is renowned as a premier Christmas tree for its long persistent needles that are not readily shed and superior spicey scent. It is exceptionally hardy in cold climates and recognized by its narrow, pyramidal shape and flat, deep-green needles with “racing stripes,” and upright, purplish-brown cones. 

    Balsam Fir Christmas Tree Nursery Source

    Balsam Fir Tree Habitat

    Characteristic of the cold, wet Boreal Forest of Canada, but occurs in a variety of sites native to Michigan from cold, poorly drained swamps to well drained uplands. The tree is less tolerant of poorly drained condition, and is more tolerant of warmer and drier climates than the spruces; is more common in the northern regions of the state. This tree is highly shade tolerant where seedlings are often found in the understory.

    Balsam Fir Distribution Map Source

    Balsam Fir Tree Size and Shape

    • The Balsam Fir tree is slow-growing and relatively short-lived; is typically medium-sized reaching up to 40 to 80 feet (12 to 24 meters) high with a 15 to 25 foot (4.5 to 7.6 meter) spread. Michigan Big Tree: 155 feet (35 meters) tall, Ontonagon County.
    • Balsam Fir is more slender in form at maturity than other fir trees spreading pyramidal with a narrow, spire-topped crown. Branches diverge from trunk at right angles, the lower branches often spread and droop. In closed stands, dead branches persist below the live crown.
    Balsam Fir Branchlet and Needles

    Balsam Fir tree needles measure about 1 inch (2.5 cm) long, are flat (can not roll between fingers compared to spruces) and are blunt tipped. They are lustrous, dark green above, and pale beneath in contrast due to numerous white lines of stomata. Balsam Fir needles are very aromatic when crushed or brushed against. Needles are arranged in two rows on either side of the twig, curving upwards with a narrow empty space along the top of the twig giving them a flatter appearance in comparison to spruces.

    Fir Tree Needle Attachment

    Needles are attached directly to the twig without a peg (as with the spruce trees) leaving a round, flush scar when shed.

    Balsam Fir Tree Seed Cones

    Balsam Fir tree seed cones grow from 2 to 4 inches (5 to 10 cm) long, are oblong and more slender than White Fir cones. Like all firs, they sit upward erect upon branches and they grow only on the upper crown of the tree. They ripen in autumn of first season, and upon releasing seeds, they disintegrate thereafter leaving only the central spire (see drawing). Cones are dark gray-purplish and very resinous.

    • Balsam Fir is monecious, meaning both male and female reproductive cones are produced on the same tree.
    Balsam Fir Pollen Cones (male) Source

    Balsam Fir male pollen cones are small (1/4 to 1 inch) egg-shaped to cylindrical, found in dense clusters on the underside of branches in the middle-to-upper crown. Appearing in spring, they are colorful ranging from yellow and green to red, purple, or blue before releasing yellow pollen to the female seed cones and later turning brown. 

    Young Balsam Fir Tree Bark with Blisters

    Balsam Fir bark is thin and smooth on young trunks, colored pale grayish-brown marked by raised resin blisters. The blisters disappear as the bark becomes rougher, thicker, and broken into irregular reddish-brown scales on older mature trees. 

    Balsam Fir Tree Health Benefits

    Balsam Fir is sometimes called Blister Fir. If you were to pierce open the blisters, a clear sap drips out without harming the tree. The sap is meant to protect the Balsam Fir tree from damage and is very rich in antioxidants and other healthy compounds. The sap can then be put directly onto wounds or be used in a poultice. There are also quite a few health benefits using the needles and twigs which are highly marketed.

    The solutions derived from Balsam Fir are anti-inflammatory, anti-fungal, anti-viral; treats ulcers, inflammation, diabetes, liver, lowers cholesterol; the Journal of the American Chemical Society found that the tree compounds “exhibited significant cytotoxic activity against cancer cell lines.”

    Native Americans smoked the root or bark then inhaled the fumes to treat respiratory infections and colds. Today, you can buy Balsam Fir incenses to use for the same purpose.

    All rights reserved © Fossillady 2026

    Home

  • Two Most Common Native Michigan Cedar Trees

    Eastern Red Cedar Tree

    Michigan shares many types of conifer trees with the Eastern and Midwestern regions of the United States and Canada. The following photo essay features identification information, photos and interesting facts about two native Cedar trees of Michigan! Identifying traits include, leaves, form, size, habitat, seed cones, pollinator cones or bark.

    • For information about the 5 most common Pine trees of Michigan, click HERE.
    • For information about the 4 most common Spruce trees of Michigan, click HERE.
    • For information about 3 Unique Conifer trees of Michigan, click HERE

    Eastern Red Cedar Tree (Juniperus, virginiana)

    Habitat and Location

    The abundance of this tree has increased markedly due to widespread forest disturbances, and in some cases, elimination by humans of old-growth forests in southern Michigan and many other location. I see them in large numbers along stretches of freeway in southern Michigan and within the sand-dune valleys along the shores of Lake Michigan and also the forested property around my home. Seeds are disseminated widely by birds so these Red Cedars are typically found under large trees in many different forests. The Red Cedar tree is actually a false cedar, but is rather a type of Juniper tree native to Michigan and much of eastern North America. It is a member of the Cypress family and is often referred to as eastern red cedar, red juniper, or Virginian juniper. 

    Red Cedar Distribution Map (USDA Database)

    Namesake – The Eastern Red Cedar (Juniperus virginiana) is called “Red Cedar” because of its reddish-brown bark, dull red heartwood and pleasant aroma, which reminded early European settlers of the true cedar trees in their homelands. Special Note: This species was also called “baton rouge” or “red stick” by French settlers which the capital city of Louisiana was named after.

    • Red Cedar Juniper trees are shade-intolerant, but deer-resistant and drought resistant preferring well-drained, sandy or gravely soils in open areas including old fields and pastures, open hillsides, fence rows, rocky slopes, sand dunes or borders of lakes, streams and swamps.
    Eastern Red Cedar Tree

    Eastern Red Cedar Size and Shape

    • The Eastern Red Cedar tree is a very slow growing, long-lived, small to medium-sized tree measuring 40 to 60 feet (12 to 18 meters) tall with an 8 to 20 foot (2.5 to 6 meter) spread, depending on location. Michigan Big Tree: 50 feet(15 meters) tall, Grand Traverse County.
    • Forms vary from pyramidal, columnar or pear-shaped crown and are densely foliated. The trunk tapers and is irregular (not perfectly round) in cross section, often with two or more secondary trunks. Older trees may shed lower branches.
    Eastern Red Cedar Two Types of Foliage

    Eastern Red Cedar Tree Foliage – The Eastern Red Cedar trees possess two types of foliage. The younger foliage near tips of branches is needle-like and prickly. The adult foliage is scale-like and hugs tight to the stem which serves to reduce water loss and allows the tree to thrive in harsh, dry, or sun-exposed conditions.

    Red Cedar Tree Close-Up of Scale-Like Foliage

    Red Cedar leaves (scales) measure about 1/4 to 1/2 inch (.6 to 1.3mm) long; are rounded, covered by closely overlapping, dark green, scales in alternate pairs, sort of like the braiding of hair.

    The Red Cedar foliage changes color, typically turning from green to shades of bronze, purple, or reddish-brown during winter. This color shift acts as a natural, protective “sunscreen” against low temperatures, caused by the production of a pigment called rhodoxanthin.

    Eastern Red Cedar Tree Seed Cones

    Eastern Red Cedar tree female seed cones are tiny and round, less than .5 inches in diameter, are somewhat fleshy; are green at first, turning blue at maturity looking more like little blueberries. Interesting fact; the fleshy cones of junipers are used in preparation of gin to give it a distinctive flavor.

    Red Cedar male pollen cones appear in spring, are tiny, colored brown with pollen scales containing yellow pollen sacs. Each Eastern Red Cedar tree is either male or female (diocecious), unlike most conifers which have both male and female pollinators on the same tree (monoecious),

    Eastern Red Cedar (Juniperus, virginiana) Tree Bark

    Red Cedar bark is reddish-brown to ash-gray in older trees; is fibrous exhibiting long, narrow fringed strips which easily peel; trunk is not perfectly round on older trees. The wood of the Eastern Red Cedar is well known as very aromatic and highly resistant to rot making it ideal for fence posts, cedar chests, pencils, veneers and furniture making. The inner wood color is redder than the Northern White Cedar.

    “Tree of Life”: Many Pacific Northwest Indigenous groups view the Western Red Cedar tree as a sacred, generous entity, using it for shelter, clothing, and medicine. The Cherokee believed the creator placed spirits of ancestors in red cedars, and they carried the wood for protection. 

    Norhtern White Cedar Tree (Arborvitae)

    Northern White Cedar Tree “Arborvitae” (Thuja occidentalis)

    The Northern White Cedar tree is actually a false cedar belonging to the Cypress family as with the Eastern Red Cedar tree. It has become one of the most popular “arborvitae” landscaping plants with over a hundred various cultivars; is often used for screens and hedges. It is the most important winter food for deer providing shelter in swamp stands as well. Landscapers need to protect this tree during winter months.

    Northern White Cedar Distribution Map

    Location and Habitat

    The native Northern White Cedar tree is often found in pure stands that were established following fire; it is abundant on sites with calcareous soils and high water tables and also the gravelly shores, dunes and ridges of Lakes Michigan and Huron; is not found in upland areas with deep, acid soils. The White Cedar prefers characteristic cold, poorly drained swamps with moving water, forming nearly impenetrable, pure stands in such swamps. Also occurs on upland sites of dry, calcareous soils often over limestone bedrock; is somewhat shade tolerant.

    Northern White Cedar Tree/Arborvitae Tree Size and Shape

    • The White Cedar or Arborvitae is a small to medium-sized tree measuring from 30 to 50 feet (10 to 15 meters) tall with a 10 to 15 foot (3 to 4.5 meter) spread.
    • The Northern White Cedar tree is a slow growing and relatively long-lived tree. Open-grown trees exhibit a dense, wide-based, columnar crown reaching the ground. Only older trees will shed lower branches. The trunk is much tapered, sometimes twisted or leaning, often divided into 2-3 secondary stems. Michigan Big Tree reaches height of 111 feet (34 meters), Leelanau County.

    The Northern White Cedar shows two types of scale-like leaves; one being more narrow than the other as seen in illustration above. Color is typically blue-green to yellowish green, often becoming brown at the tips in winter; leaves are strongly aromatic when crushed.

    Northern White Cedar Seed-Cone (female)

    White Cedar female seed cones are small measuring about 1/2 inch (1.3 cm) long. They are composed of 7 to 12 scales, colored pale brown, shaped oval-oblong and have a short-stalk. They ripen in early autumn of the first season, persisting on the branch throughout the winter.

    Northern White Cedar Pollen Cones (male)

    Northern White Cedar “Arborvitae” tree is monoecious containing both male and female cones; female seed cones are wind or animal pollinated by the male pollen cones, as with most conifers. The male pollen cones develop in fall and expand during April and May realeasing pollen to the female seed cones and later wither away. The male pollen cones are barely visible at the ends of new shoots; are round and yellowish with scales.

    White Cedar “Arborvitae” Tree Bark

    White Cedar bark is thin, light reddish brown to grayish on older trees; breaks into long, thin strips with connecting shredded ridges on older trees. The inner wood is whiter than the Eastern Red Cedar, but both are aromatic and resistant to rot; the wood is used in construction such as fencing, poles or furniture making.

    The “Tree of Life”: Native American tribes, including the Haudenosaunee, Algonquin, and Ojibwe, revered the tree. The name “Arborvitae” was given in the 16th century after Native populations taught French explorer Jacques Cartier to use the foliage as a tea, rich in Vitamin C, to cure his crew of scurvy.

    These Native American tribes considered the White Cedar tree sacred, and often associated it with prayer, healing, and protection. 

    All rights reserved © Fossillady 2026

    Home

Categories