The Sitka spruce is Alaska’s state tree, but it cannot represent the state in the Grove of State Trees in Washington, DC due to its unsuitable climate. The Alaska cedar has replaced it in the grove. The Sitka spruce is the tallest spruce in the world and its wood is used in various industries. It also provides shelter and food for wildlife.
The Sitka Spruce became Alaska’s state tree in 1962, three years after Alaska became the 49th state in the union in 1959. Despite its official status as a state symbol, it was not possible to allow the Sitka spruce to represent the state in a special grove in Washington, DC, which consists of the official trees of all states. That’s because Sitka spruce does well in the humid climate of the Alaskan coast, but would do poorly in the climate of the nation’s capital.
In the Grove of State Trees at the United States National Arboretum, Alaska cedar has become the replacement for Sitka spruce. As the official state tree of Alaska, cedar also grows well in Alaska’s humid climate, but it is better than spruce at also thriving in different types of conditions. In Alaska, Sitka spruce and Alaska cedar grow together in forests.
The strong, lightweight lumber supplied by Alaska State Tree is of high quality and used in many industries. It has been used in airplanes, including the Mosquito, a British bomber that flew in World War II, and the Spruce Goose of the late 1940s. The wood has also been used in gliders, boats, oars, guitars, ladders and building construction. It is also used in papermaking.
The Alaska State Tree is the tallest spruce in the world. In its natural rainy habitat, it can reach over 200 feet (nearly 61 meters). Alaska’s oldest Sitka spruce trees reached over 8 feet (2.43 meters) in diameter. Some of these secular fir trees have reached an age of 700 years. It goes by a number of other names, including silver spruce, yellow spruce, coastal spruce, Sitka spur, western spruce, and tidal spruce. Its scientific name is Picea sitchensis.
A stand or forest of Sitka spruce grows densely and provides a shady, protective shelter for wildlife, including foxes and deer. Some falcons, including the sparrowhawk, like to nest in the tree and also find it a good hunting area. The tree also provides shelter and food for other types of birds, including siskin and crossbill.
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