The Engelmann spruce (fig. 15) is a mountain tree ranging from British
Columbia to Arizona and New Mexico. It is common along the summit and on
the east side of the Cascade Range and occurs on the northeastern and
eastern slopes of Mount Rainier at elevations of from 3,500 to 6,000
feet.
This tree requires a moist soil and prefers cool northern exposures. Up
to 5,000 feet it commonly grows in sheltered basins at the head of
canyons and in stream valleys. At its upper limits it is common on flats
and depressions and about lakes on level summits. It avoids steep
mountain sides and exposed situations.
[Illustration: FIG. 14.--Grand fir (_Abies grandis_).]
The Engelmann spruce is easily distinguished from its associates by its
stiff, bluish-green pointed leaves, which prick the hand when they are
grasped. In the mountain parks it is a handsome tree 50 to 60 feet high.
When it stands apart from other trees the lower branches are thick and
long and extend to the ground. The crown is very broad at the base, but
narrow and spirelike at the top. The Engelmann spruce reaches its best
development at low elevations, where it often grows in dense, pure
stands. Under these conditions it reaches a height of 100 feet. The bole
is straight and free from limbs and the top is short and compact.
[Illustration: FIG. 15.--Engelmann spruce (_Picea engelmanni_).]
The young cones are massed in upright green and purple clusters at the
tips of the upper branches. They are notable for the purity and
brilliance of their coloring. As they mature they become pendant and
fade to a light brown. The seed is produced in abundance nearly every
year, although small and seedling trees are not usually numerous.
The wood is soft, white, compact, and even grained. It is free from
pitch and odor. It is valuable for boxing, cooperage, and certain kinds
of finish. It is also an excellent material for the tops of violins and
other stringed instruments. The Engelmann spruce is, however, of little
importance as a timber tree on account of its scarcity and the scattered
stands in which it grows. It is a long-lived tree unless attacked by
fire, to which it is very vulnerable.
[Illustration: FIG. 16.--A group of yellow cypresses (_Chamaecyparis
nootkatensis_) on the high slopes of Mount Rainier National Park,
altitude about 6,000 feet.