red spruce

noun

1. a spruce, Picea rubens, of eastern North America, having reddish-brown bark and cones and yielding a light, soft wood used for pulp, in the construction of boxes, etc.

Word History and Origins

Origin of red spruce¹

First recorded in 1770–80

Example Sentences

Forest Service, has been working to restore the red spruce ecosystem on 2,500 acres of land in Monongahela that had been mined for coal.

From New York Times

Right now, park managers are still finding new red spruce saplings around the park, which is a good sign.

From New York Times

A 2008 study found hardwoods in Vermont, such as the iconic sugar maple, had migrated upslope to cooler territory occupied by red spruce and paper birch, both of which had declined.

From Washington Post

Gnarled red spruce trees, after which the mountain is named, grow deformed on one side, shorn by punishing westerly winds that tear over the ridge.

From New York Times

He described areas where balsam and red spruce “grow like prison bars … where it’s almost impenetrable.”

From Washington Times