Picea rubens Sarg. Red Spruce A native of eastern N. America, where it was once used, along with its ally the Black Spruce (P. mariana), to make a spruce-beer. Its timber has been put to use for flooring and such like in north-eastern states of America, and also made into paper pulp. Height to about 25m (80ft) or more. Flowers open in May, male and female both about 2-3cm (4/5-1 1/5in) long. Cones are up to 5cm (2in) long with rounded scales, very similar in size and shape to P. mariana but these fall from the tree as soon as they open, whereas P. mariana cones persist for many years. Needles are 4-sided with light bands on each face and a more yellow-green than those of P. mariana. Bark is dark purplish-brown, breaking into small curved plates. Z3.