spruce

Wood Explorer

Western spruces: Englemann and Sitka have similar properties

Two major spruces are found in the western forests of the United States. Engelmann spruce (Picea engelmannii) is found throughout the Rocky Mountains, from Alberta to Arizona. It’s named after George Englemann, who discovered this species in the mid-1800s. Sitka spruce (Picea sitchensis) is found primarily within 50 miles of the Pacific Coast, from Alaska to northern California. The name comes from Sitka Island, where the tree was discovered in 1892; Sitka spruce is also Alaska’s state tree.
By Gene Wengert, February 17, 2023 | 9:20 am CST
Southern-yellow-pine.jpg

Wood Explorer

Southern Yellow Pine: Why some people prefer spruce

Southern yellow pine (SYP) consists of four major species: loblolly, slash, longleaf and shortleaf. They grow abundantly throughout the 13 southern states. In fact, over 15 billion board feet of lumber are produced every year when the economy is strong. Some of the growing sites have been harvested five times over the past 200 years.
By Gene Wengert, January 17, 2016 | 9:00 am CST
Metropolitan Museum of Art

Custom

Who Invented the First Wood Piano?

Early pianos were often crafted with cypress, spruce or pine for the soundboard and hardwoods like hickory, beech and maple for pins and bridges. Piano inventor Bartolomeo Cristofori likely used these materials when he created the first piano in 1720.
By Michaelle Bradford, May 6, 2015 | 3:28 pm CDT

Press Releases

Sino-Forest to Acquire 266,000 Acres of Plantation Forests

Sino-Forest Corporation announced today that certain PRC subsidiaries of its wholly-owned subsidiary have entered into master agreements for the purchase of plantation forests in Shaanxi and Yunnan provinces with Bolin Forestry Co., Ltd. and Yuangao Forestry Development Co., Ltd.
By admin, August 16, 2011 | 9:12 am CDT
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