Taxonomy

Division:

Coniferophyta | - Conifers

Family:

Pinaceae

Genus:

Picea

Species:

Picea pungens

USDA Symbol:

PIPU

Growth Characteristics

Life Cycle:

Perennial

Growth Habit:

Tree

Height:

2300 cm

Light Requirements:

Part Shade

Drought Tolerance:

Medium

Bloom Months:

apr,may,jun

Wildlife Benefits

Caterpillars:

★★☆☆☆ Recorded caterpillar host plant (HOSTS Database)

Keystone Species Ranking

Caterpillar Keystone:

★★★★★ Butterfly & moth species supported by this genus (NWF)

Host Plant for Caterpillars

Reported Fauna Sightings

Garden & Ecology Notes

Wildlife Value:

birds, small mammals

Deer Resistant:

Yes

Fragrant:

Yes

Fire Notes:

Thin bark and shallow roots make it highly susceptible to fire damage; typically killed by moderate to severe fire.

Soil Requirements

Soil Type:

rich, well-drained loamy soil

pH:

5.5 - 7.0 (slightly acidic to neutral)

Drainage:

excellent drainage required

Moisture:

consistently moist

Notes:

Prefers cool, moist environments in native range

Propagation & Germination

Stratification:

Cold/moist stratification required — 30–60 days

Germination Time:

14–28 days

Notes:

Seeds require light for germination. Cold stratification improves germination rates significantly.

The above propagation data sourced from Claude AI