Picea likiangensis
Common Name(s):
Previously known as:
- Abies likiangensis
- Phonetic Spelling
- PY-see-uh ly-kee-ang-EN-sis
- Description
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Lijiang spruce is a large coniferous, needled evergreen tree that grows 60-90 feet tall and 25-40 feet wide with a broad conical habit and pyramidal crown. Its needle-like leaves are dark green to bluish-green, and it bears strikingly beautiful purple cones 1.5-5 inches long that ripen to pale brown. Its bark is pale gray and scaly, but as the tree matures, it develops fissures. This conifer belongs to the pine family (Pinaceae) and is native to South-Central China, the Eastern Himalayas, Myanmar, Qinghai, and Tibet. The specific epithet likiangensis means "of Lijiang," a mountainous range in Yunnan, Western China. French missionary and botanist Père Jean-Marie Delavay discovered this spruce in 1884.
Lijiang spruce prefers full sun to partial shade, moist, well-drained, humus-rich, slightly acidic soil, cool summers, and is hardy in zones 4 to 7. It is intolerant of heat and humidity.
This large conifer is best planted in a park where it can grow to its full potential. In spring, Lijiang spruce is one of the most ornamental spruces due to its colorful male and female cones. Unfortunately, this species is vulnerable due to logging. It is also not widely found commercially.
Insects, Diseases, and Other Plant Problems: Monitor for aphids, bagworms, spider mites, and pine needle scale. Reportedly, this spruce does not age gracefully and is prone to losing branches
- See this plant in the following landscape :
- Cultivars / Varieties:
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- Tags:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
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- Tags:
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Attributes:
- Genus:
- Picea
- Species:
- likiangensis
- Family:
- Pinaceae
- Uses (Ethnobotany):
- This conifer's wood is used for poles, construction, making furniture, and pulp. The bark produces resin, and the leaves provide essential oils.
- Life Cycle:
- Woody
- Country Or Region Of Origin:
- Bhutan to China and Northern Myanmar
- Distribution:
- Native: China South-Central, East Himalaya, Myanmar, Qinghai, and Tibet
- Wildlife Value:
- Attracts birds.
- Dimensions:
- Height: 60 ft. 0 in. - 90 ft. 0 in.
- Width: 25 ft. 0 in. - 40 ft. 0 in.
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Whole Plant Traits:
- Plant Type:
- Tree
- Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
- Needled Evergreen
- Habit/Form:
- Broad
- Conical
- Erect
- Oval
- Pyramidal
- Growth Rate:
- Medium
- Maintenance:
- Low
- Texture:
- Medium
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Cultural Conditions:
- Light:
- Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
- Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
- Soil Texture:
- High Organic Matter
- Soil pH:
- Acid (<6.0)
- Neutral (6.0-8.0)
- Soil Drainage:
- Good Drainage
- Moist
- Available Space To Plant:
- 24-60 feet
- NC Region:
- Mountains
- Piedmont
- USDA Plant Hardiness Zone:
- 4a, 4b, 5a, 5b, 6a, 6b, 7a, 7b
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Fruit:
- Fruit Color:
- Brown/Copper
- Purple/Lavender
- Red/Burgundy
- Display/Harvest Time:
- Fall
- Fruit Length:
- > 3 inches
- Fruit Width:
- 1-3 inches
- Fruit Description:
- Initially, the male pollen cones are rosy-red, mature to yellow, and measure up to 1 inch long. The female seed cone matures in shades of red, brown, or dark purple. Each cone measures about 1.5-5 inches long and 0.75-1.5 inches wide and is ovoid to cylinder-like. At first, the seed cones are erect, but once pollinated, they become pendulous. The seeds are grayish-brown with a pale brown wing and purplish spots. The cones are pollinated in April to May. The seeds mature in September to October.
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Flowers:
- Flower Description:
- Non-flowering
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Leaves:
- Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
- Needled Evergreen
- Leaf Color:
- Blue
- Green
- Leaf Type:
- Needles
- Leaf Shape:
- Linear
- Hairs Present:
- No
- Leaf Length:
- < 1 inch
- Leaf Width:
- < 1 inch
- Leaf Description:
- The needle-like leaves are dark green to bluish-green, linear, straight, and can measure 0.25 to 0.6 inches long and 0.04 to 0.06 inches wide. On the upper side of the branches, the needles are directed forward. Each needle has 4-7 stomatal lines on the upper surface and 0-4 on the underside. The apex is acute or obtuse.
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Bark:
- Bark Color:
- Light Brown
- Light Gray
- Surface/Attachment:
- Fissured
- Scaly
- Bark Plate Shape:
- Irregular
- Bark Description:
- The pale gray to grayish-brown, scaly bark becomes fissured as it matures.
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Stem:
- Stem Color:
- Brown/Copper
- Gold/Yellow
- Gray/Silver
- Stem Is Aromatic:
- No
- Stem Surface:
- Hairy (pubescent)
- Stem Description:
- The stems are pale yellow to brownish-yellow and turn gray to grayish-yellow, with sparse hairs.
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Landscape:
- Landscape Theme:
- Asian Garden
- Winter Garden
- Design Feature:
- Shade Tree
- Attracts:
- Songbirds
- Resistance To Challenges:
- Deer
- Rabbits
