Wood: In the
coniferous forests of Canada and the northern US this is an important timber
tree. The wood is light but strong for its weight, soft, straight-grained
and resilient. It is primarily used for paper pulp as it is readily available
and has soft fibers. It is also used for boxes, crates, lumber and other
products. The Native Americans used the pliable, tough roots to lace their
birchbark canoes.
Wildlife:The seeds are an important source of food for grouse and other birds. Red squirrels cut the young leader shoots and cones. The bark may be stripped by black bears to access the sweet sapwood. Trunks are often deformed when porcupines eat the bark.
Horticulture: The white spruce makes an excellent windbreak in Iowa as it withstands heat, cold, drought and wind. It makes a good hedge plant as it tolerates crowding, but is also a good specimen plant. The Black Hills spruce (Picea glauca var densata), a smaller, more compact form, is available for the smaller yard. Picea glauca var. aurea is a golden yellow form of the species. The dwarf white spruce, 'Conica,' is a very slow-growing, but popular, broadly-conical cultivar with light green foliage.
