Hardly anyone expects fruit on a conifer, perhaps perhaps the bright berries of a yew tree. But the spruce also bears fruit - its cones. The four to five millimeter seeds with their wings ripen there.
What are the fruits of a spruce tree?
The fruit of the spruce is the cone, which is approx. 10 to 15 cm long and 3 to 4 cm thick. Numerous winged seeds ripen in the cones, which are about 4 to 5 mm in size and have wings about 1.5 cm long and 6 to 7 mm wide.
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 black-violet. As they ripen, they become brown and resinous and droop. Then they are about a centimeter 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 approximately centimeters long.
How do I distinguish pine cones from spruce cones?
The distinction between fir and spruce is not that 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 sides and are significantly softer.
The fir bark is relatively smooth and gray to whitish, later it becomes cracked. A spruce tree, on the other hand, has brownish to reddish bark that turns gray-brown as it ages. In addition, the bark is barky with thin scales.
The difference between these trees becomes particularly clear in the cones. While pine cones stand upright and only drop the ripe seeds, ripe spruce cones hang with their tips down. When the seeds ripen, the cones fall off.
Can I use the seeds from my spruce for sowing?
If you want to grow your own spruce directly from seeds, then you need a lot of patience. After a year, your tree will only be about one meter tall. To test which seeds are capable of germinating, sprinkle the seeds into a container of water and wait a while. Seeds that float on water are deaf and cannot germinate.
Germinable seeds are best sown directly outdoors in spring. Clear the soil of weeds beforehand and loosen it a little. Cover the seeds only thinly with soil. Then put a germination aid over it. Perforated, transparent plastic containers such as old yoghurt pots are suitable for this. This means the seedlings cannot be damaged or eaten by animals.
The most important things in brief:
- Fruit=cones
- approx. 10 to 15 cm long, 3 to 4 cm thick
- contains numerous winged seeds
- Seeds: approx. 4 to 5 mm large, wings approx. 1.5 cm long, 6 to 7 mm wide
Tip
Barren seeds are often lighter in color than the fertile ones. You can see this even without putting the seeds in water first.
