Edible Parts: Flowers  Inner bark  Seed  Seedpod  Shoots
Edible Uses: Condiment  Drink  Gum  Tea

Young male catkins - raw or cooked. Used as a flavouring[172]. Immature female cones - cooked. The central portion, when roasted, is sweet and syrupy[172]. The cones are 1 - 4cm in diameter[82]. Inner bark - cooked[257]. It is usually harvested in the spring and can be dried, ground into a powder and then used as a thickener in soups etc or added to cereals when making bread[172, 213]. An emergency food, it is only used when all else fails. Seed - raw[172]. The seed is about 2 - 4mm long[229] and is too small and fiddly to be worthwhile unless you are desperate[172]. A refreshing tea, rich in vitamin C, can be made from the young shoot tips[172, 213]. A tea is also made from the needles and the bark[21, 102]. A gum obtained from the bark is collected in considerable quantities and used for chewing[82, 177]. Hardened blobs make an excellent chewing gum[226]. It should be aged for 3 days or more before using it[102]. The best gum is obtained from the southern side of the tree[46]. Another report says that the gum, called 'spruce gum', is a resinous exudation collected from the branches[183]. A source of 'spruce oil', used commercially for flavouring[183]. The young twigs are boiled with molasses, sugar etc and then fermented to produce 'Spruce beer'[183, 257]. The beer is ready to drink in a week and is considered to be a good source of minerals and vitamins[226].

Plants For A Future can not take any responsibility for any adverse effects from the use of plants. Always seek advice from a professional before using a plant medicinally.
Antiinflammatory  Disinfectant  Kidney  Odontalgic  Poultice  Salve  Skin  Stomachic  
TB  Vitamin C  Vulnerary

A poultice of the inner bark has been applied to inflammations[222, 257]. A tea made from the inner bark is a folk remedy for kidney stones, stomach problems and rheumatism[222]. An infusion of the roots and bark has been used in the treatment of stomach pains, trembling and fits[257]. A resin from the trunk is used as a poultice and salve on sores to promote healing[222, 257]. The resin can be mixed with oil and used as a dressing on purulent wounds, bad burns, skin rashes, scabies and persistent scabs[257]. The resin can be chewed as an aid to digestion[257]. A decoction of the gum or leaves has been used in treating respiratory infections and kidney problems[257]. An infusion of the leaves has been used as a bath or a rub in treating dry skin or sores[257]. A decoction of the young twigs has been used in the treatment of coughs[257]. A decoction of the cones has been drunk in the treatment of diarrhoea[257]. A decoction has been used externally as a gargle to treat sore throats[257]. The cones have been chewed to treat a sore mouth and toothaches[257].

Disinfectant  Dye  Gum  Pitch  String  Waterproofing  Wood

A yellow-orange dye is obtained from the cones[106]. Various native North American Indian tribes made a string from the long roots of this species and used it to stitch the bark of their canoes, to sew baskets etc[226, 257]. The pitch obtained from the trunk has been used as a sealing material on the hulls of canoes[257]. Wood - light, soft, not strong[82, 171]. It weighs 28lb per cubic foot[235]. Since it is a smaller tree than the other spruces, it is not an important lumber source for uses such as construction[226]. However, it is widely used for making boxes, crates etc[226], and is valued for its use in the pulp industry to make paper, plus it is also used as a fuel[171, 229].

Special Uses

Scented Plants