Closeup of Green or Unripe Seed Cone on a Norway Spruce (Picea Abies), June in Wisconsin

Photo of Norway Spruce (Picea abies)

A closed yellow-green seed cone with diamond-shaped overlapping scales, some resin oozing out, spruce foliage in background

Taken on Jun. 30, 2021

This photo shows a closeup of the green / unripe seed cone of a Norway spruce (Picea abies), a non-native conifer widely planted in landscaping in North America. The exposed surfaces of the cone scales look roughly diamond shaped, and there are some isolated bits of resin oozing out around a few parts of the cone, although overall the cone is not covered in much resin.

These cones will ripen to a brownish color and open.

The foliage on the right side of the pic is relatively new young growth, and as such has a lighter green color than most of the foliage of this species does throughout most of the year. Note also that the angle that the needles make with the twig, especially on the mature needles farther back on the twig, tends to be closer to perpendicular with the twig, and not angling forward as much as on many spruce (Picea) species.

Photographer & Copyright

Photo Source

Public Domain

Inclusion in Plant ID / Comparison Guides

This photo is featured in 1 plant ID/comparison guide:

collage of Norway Spruce and Caucasian Spruce

Norway Spruce (Picea abies) vs. Caucasian Spruce (Picea orientalis)

Updated January 16th, 2023

These two species are easily confused; both are tall and have dark green foliage and similar bark. They are easily told apart by needles and twigs, cones, and form. Both are widely planted in landscaping in Eastern North America, with Norway spruce more common. Norway spruce has widely established in the wild whereas Caucasian spruce has generally not done so. Both species are shade-tolerant; Norway spruce is more tolerant of poor drainage.

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