Red Spruce

Picea rubens

Found in spruce-fir forests; northern hardwood forests; mountain balds; rich cove forests; dry forests and woodlands; forests and woodlands. Weakley, Flora of the Southeastern United States (2025), Northern Tier edition What its natural habitat tells you

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Native to West Virginia. How scores work Is it native here?

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Height: 60–70 feet
Spread: 10–18 feet
Light: Deep shade, Full sun, Partial shade
Soil moisture: Usually moist

Space about 14 ft apart from its recorded spread. Enter your bed size for a count

Will it fit your yard?

Picea rubens — cone photograph — Keith Kanoti, Maine Forest Service, Bugwood.org · CC BY 3.0 · Original photograph

At a glance

Life cycle: Woody perennial
Leaves: Evergreen
Bloom: May to June
Fruiting season: October

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Recorded in 8 West Virginia counties.

Natural habitats

Places it grows wild. Not a planting requirement. Each habitat page lists the plants and wildlife also found there.

1 of 6

Spruce-fir forests

Cool, evergreen forests of red spruce and Fraser fir on the highest mountains.

Northern hardwood forests

High mountain forests of beech, yellow birch and sugar maple, including boulderfield forests.

Mountain balds

Treeless grassy or shrubby summits and ridges in the high mountains.

Rich cove forests

Sheltered, moist mountain hollows and lower slopes with deep, fertile soil.

Dry forests and woodlands

Forests and open woodlands on dry ridges and slopes, often oak or pine.

Forests and woodlands

Forest or woodland where the source does not say how moist or dry.

All habitats

Also found with this plant

Wildlife whose habitat models include habitats this plant grows in, in West Virginia. Shared habitat, not food. 120 animals.

American Goldfinch
Carduelis tristis
Birds. 3 shared habitats
American Kestrel
Falco sparverius
Birds. 3 shared habitats
American Robin
Turdus migratorius
Birds. 3 shared habitats
Chipping Sparrow
Spizella passerina
Birds. 3 shared habitats
Common Nighthawk
Chordeiles minor
Birds. 3 shared habitats
Common Raven
Corvus corax
Birds. 3 shared habitats
Cooper's Hawk
Accipiter cooperii
Birds. 3 shared habitats
Dark-eyed Junco
Junco hyemalis
Birds. 3 shared habitats
European Starling
Sturnus vulgaris
Birds. 3 shared habitats
Great Horned Owl
Bubo virginianus
Birds. 3 shared habitats
Northern Cardinal
Cardinalis cardinalis
Birds. 3 shared habitats
Olive-sided Flycatcher
Contopus cooperi
Birds. 3 shared habitats
Purple Finch
Carpodacus purpureus
Birds. 3 shared habitats
Red-tailed Hawk
Buteo jamaicensis
Birds. 3 shared habitats
Sharp-shinned Hawk
Accipiter striatus
Birds. 3 shared habitats
Turkey Vulture
Cathartes aura
Birds. 3 shared habitats
American Crow
Corvus brachyrhynchos
Birds. 2 shared habitats
Baltimore Oriole
Icterus galbula
Birds. 2 shared habitats
Belted Kingfisher
Megaceryle alcyon
Birds. 2 shared habitats
Black-and-White Warbler
Mniotilta varia
Birds. 2 shared habitats
Black-capped Chickadee
Poecile atricapillus
Birds. 2 shared habitats
Black-throated Blue Warbler
Dendroica caerulescens
Birds. 2 shared habitats
Black-throated Green Warbler
Dendroica virens
Birds. 2 shared habitats
Blackburnian Warbler
Dendroica fusca
Birds. 2 shared habitats

All wildlife of West Virginia

Ecological relationships

Who uses this plant?

What these records mean

101CaterpillarsGenus host records with ranges including WV

Genus host records with ranges including WV · Picea

Abagrotis alternataGreater Red Dart, Mottled Grey Cutworm
Amorbia humerosanaWhite-Lined Leafroller Moth
Anavitrinella pampinariaCommon Gray, Cranberry Spanworm
Argyrotaenia occultanaFall Spruce Needle Moth
Argyrotaenia pinatubanaPine Tube Moth
Argyrotaenia velutinanaRed-Banded Leafroller Moth, Jack Pine Tube Moth
Besma quercivorariaOak Besma
Callophrys niphonPine Elfin
Campaea perlataPale Beauty, Fringed Looper
Caripeta angustiorataBrown Pine Looper Moth

Show all 101

Caripeta divisataGray Spruce Looper Moth
Celypha nr.Celypha Moth
Cenopis directanaChokecherry Leafroller Moth
Choristoneura conflictanaLarge Aspen Tortrix
Choristoneura fumiferanaSpruce Budworm Moth
Choristoneura pinusJack Pine Budworm
Choristoneura rosaceanaOblique-Banded Leafroller Moth, Rosaceous Leaf Roller
Cladara limitariaMottled Gray Carpet, Yellow-Lined Conifer Looper, Yellow-Lined Forest Looper, Black-Angled Wave
Clepsis persicanaWhite Triangle Tortrix
Dasychira vagansVariable Tussock Moth
Dioryctria disclusaWebbing Coneworm
Dysstroma truncataMarbled Carpet
Eacles imperialisImperial Moth, Imperial Spiny Caterpillar
Ectropis crepusculariaThe Small Engrailed, Saddleback Looper
Elaphria versicolorVariegated Midget
Epirrita autumnataThe Autumnal Moth, November Moth
Eucopina tocullionanaWhite Pine Cone Borer
Eufidonia notatariaPowder Moth
Eupithecia miserulataCommon Eupithacia, Common Pug
Eupithecia palpataSmall Pine Looper, Palpata Pug
Eupsilia sidusSidus Sallow
Eutrapela clematariaCurved-Tooth Geometer, Purplish Brown Looper
Exoteleia pinifoliellaPine Needle Miner
Feralia comstockiComstock's Sallow
Feralia jocosaJocose Sallow, The Joker
Feralia majorMajor Sallow, Pine Sallow
Gerdana caritellaGerdana Moth
Glena cribratariaDotted Gray
Hesperumia sulphurariaSulphur Moth
Hyalophora cecropiaCecropia Silkmoth, Cecropia Moth
Hydriomena divisariaBlack-Dashed Hydriomena, Transverse-Banded Looper
Hydriomena renunciataRenounced Hydriomena
Hypagyrtis unipunctataOne-Spotted Variant
Hypoprepia fucosaPainted Lichen Moth
Hypsopygia intermedialisRed-Shawled Moth
Idia aemulaCommon Idia
Idia americalisAmerican Idia
Iridopsis vellivolataLarge Purplish Gray
Korscheltellus gracilisConifer Swift Moth, Graceful Ghost Moth
Lambdina fervidariaCurve-Lined Looper Moth
Lambdina fiscellariaHemlock Looper, Western Oak Looper
Lithophane innominataNameless Pinion
Macaria bisignataRed-Headed Inchworm
Macaria exauspicataSpeckled Granite
Macaria minorataMinor Angle
Macaria signariaPale-Marked Angle, Spruce-Fir Looper, Dusky Peacock
Malacosoma disstriaForest Tent Caterpillar
Melanchra pictaPainted Arches, Zebra Caterpillar Moth
Melanolophia canadariaCanadian Melanolphia, Variable Redmarked Looper
Melanolophia signatariaSignate Melanolphia
Nematocampa resistariaFilament Bearer, Horned Spanworm Moth
Nemoria mimosariaWhite-Fringed Emerald
Nepytia canosariaFalse Hemlock Looper Moth, Evergreen Span Worm
Nepytia semiclusariaPine Conelet Looper
Orgyia leucostigmaWhite-Marked Tussock Moth
Orthosia hibisciSpeckled Green Fruitworm Moth, Speckled Green Quaker
Packardia geminataJeweled Tail Slug Moth
Palthis angulalisDark-Spotted Palthis
Panthea acronyctoidesBlack Zigzag, Tufted Spruce Caterpillar
Panthea furcillaEastern Panthea, Tufted Pine Panthea
Paralobesia palliolanaSpruce Mlcromoth
Pero morrisonariaMorrison's Pero
Phlogophora periculosaBrown Angle Shades
Plagodis fervidariaFervid Plagodis
Plagodis pulverariaAmerican Barred Umber, Barred Umber
Probole amicariaFriendly Probole
Prochoerodes lineolaLarge Maple Spanworm Moth
Protoboarmia porcelariaPorcelain Gray, Dashedlined Looper
Pyrrhia exprimensPurple-Lined Sallow, Purple-Lined Sun Moth
Scoparia penumbralisDark-Brown Scoparia
Sparganothis sulfureanaSparganothis Fruitworm Moth, Sulfur Leafroller, False Yellow-Head
Sparganothis unifascianaOne-Lined Sparganothis
Sphinx gordiusApple Sphinx
Spiramater lutraDarling Mamestra, Splashed Arches, Otter Spiramater, Otter Arches
Synanthedon piniPitch Mass Borer
Syndemis afflictanaFall Dead-Leaf Roller, Gray Leafroller, Black-and-Grey Banded Leafroller
Syngrapha aliasSpruce Looper, Hooked Silver Y
Taniva albolineanaSpruce Needleminer Moth
Tetracis cachexiataWhite Slant-Line
Thyridopteryx ephemeraeformisEvergreen Bagworm Moth
Xestia badicollisWhite Pine Cutworm, Northern Variable Dart, White Pine Dart, Northern Pine Dart
Xestia dilucidaDull Reddish Dart, Reddish Heath Dart
Xestia elimataSouthern Variable Dart, Southern Pine Dart
Xestia praeviaEarly Conifer Dart, Praevia Dart
Zale minereaColorful Zale
Zanclognatha cruralisEarly Zanclognatha, Early Fan-Foot
Zanclognatha protumnusalisConifer Zanclognatha, Complex Fan-Foot
Apotomops wellingtoniana
Epinotia septemberana
Nemapogon variatella
Xenotemna pallorana

Shropshire & Tallamy 2025, Lepidoptera of North America north of Mexico, ZooKeys 1261 (ODbL)

0BeesSoutheastern regional records

0Specialist beesPollen specialists

6BirdsRecorded genus food-resource interactions; not a state feeding claim

Recorded genus food-resource interactions; not a state feeding claim · Picea

Dendragapus obscurusDusky Grouse
Falcipennis canadensisSpruce Grouse
Loxia curvirostraRed Crossbill
Loxia leucopteraWhite-winged Crossbill
Pinicola enucleatorPine Grosbeak
Spizelloides arboreaAmerican Tree Sparrow

Hurlbert, Olsen, Sawyer & Winner 2021, Avian Diet Database, Scientific Data 8: 260 (CC0)

Direct food only: birds recorded eating this genus across North America. Caterpillars on host plants also feed nesting birds. NC Native Plant Society: butterfly gardening

No records yet · Ants · Beetles · Flies · Adult butterflies / moths · Other wasps · Other insects

Growing and identification

Plant details

Family: Pinaceae
Hardiness: Zones 2a–5b
Soil pH: Acidic
Flower color: Yellow
Growth rate: Moderate
Growth habit: Single stem
Foliage color: Green
Fruit begins: October
Fruit ends: October

Safety has not been reviewed for this plant; check toxicity and thorns before planting.

Growing sources and scope

Bloom · “May to June” · Weakley, Flora of the Southeastern United States (2025), Carolinas & Georgia edition (ranked first; USDA PLANTS differs) · Carolinas and Georgia
Flower color · “Yellow” · USDA PLANTS · Nationwide species characteristics; local growing conditions may vary
Foliage color · “Green” · USDA PLANTS · Nationwide species characteristics; local growing conditions may vary
Fruit begins · “October” · Weakley, Flora of the Southeastern United States (2025), Carolinas & Georgia edition (ranked first; NC Extension Plant Toolbox, USDA PLANTS differ) · Carolinas and Georgia
Fruit ends · “October” · Weakley, Flora of the Southeastern United States (2025), Carolinas & Georgia edition (ranked first; NC Extension Plant Toolbox, USDA PLANTS differ) · Carolinas and Georgia
Growth habit · “Single stem” · USDA PLANTS · Nationwide species characteristics; local growing conditions may vary
Growth rate · “Moderate” · USDA PLANTS · Nationwide species characteristics; local growing conditions may vary
Hardiness · “Zones 2a–5b” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox
Height · “60–70 feet” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox (ranked first; USDA PLANTS differs)
Leaves · “Evergreen” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox
Life cycle · “Woody perennial” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox
Light · “Deep shade (less than 2 hours to no direct sunlight); Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day); Partial shade (direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox
Soil · “Moist” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox
Soil pH · “Acidic” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox
Spread · “10–18 feet” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox

Also known as

He Balsam

Conservation status

West Virginia rank	S4
Global rank	G5
WV status	Not verified
Federal status	Not verified

Conservation source Global and federal source

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Red Spruce

At a glance

Natural habitats

Also found with this plant

Who uses this plant?

Plant details

Conservation status

Will it fit your yard?

Sources

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