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The ultimate survival tree of a Boreal Forest is the Spruce tree. With its many uses and applications, the Spruce tree ranks high on versatility and practicality from a survival standpoint. From food to fuel, there are so many uses for Spruce in wilderness survival.
One of the complications of living so far North is the lack of wild foods throughout the long Winters. Here in Alaska, the only green that stays year round, regardless of the temps, is the evergreen. The evergreen that dominates our landscape here is the Spruce tree.
My wild food journey began shortly before moving to Alaska. Where we lived in Georgia, it was green year round with abundant wild foods. We landed in Fairbanks in March, at the very end of Winter. It was a completely different landscape and I was completely unknowing of the foods in the forests surrounding me.
The first forage to catch my eye was the abundant Spruce trees that lined the forest behind our cabin. I dove headfirst into researching everything about them. In addition to research, I also began experimenting with the flavor profile of the different species ( White and Black Spruce). Spruce continues to be a tea that I enjoy on a daily basis and one of the first foraging harvests of the season every year.
Other Helpful Articles:
- Wild Medicine of the Boreal Forest: 20 Foraging Plants
- Backcountry Water Purification: The Ultimate Survival Guide
- How To Master Campfire Cooking
The History of Spruce in Wilderness Survival
Spruce trees have a long history of use by humans. Alaska Natives for instance, use this tree in such a variety of ways that we can learn from. They create cordage from the roots of the Spruce to lash their birch bark baskets and canoes. Summer dwellings were covered with spruce branches and the wood was and still is used as fuel for many Alaskan homes.
Spruce has long been a cure for Scurvy, a condition caused by a lack of Vitamin C. Scurvy has long been associated with sailors and soldiers because they survived on simpler rations. When the gold rush hit Alaska, many of the settlers suffered from Scurvy because of their lack of access to fruits and vegetables during the harsh Winters. One of the solutions: the age old remedy of Spruce.
Spruce gum is a chewing material made from the resin of the spruce tree. Spruce resin was chewed originally by Native Americans and then introduced to early American pioneers. This is something that I continue to enjoy on my hikes through a Spruce forest.
Homes built by early settlers were often constructed with spruce trees, as they are easy to harvest and are abundant.
The spruce tree shares a long history with humans, as we have built our homes from them, consumed them as food and medicine, and heated those same homes with fire fueled by Spruce. It has always been a tree used for wilderness survival, long before “wilderness survival” was a term.
How To Identify Spruce Trees
Spruce trees are relatively easy to identify and every species is edible. There is one toxic look a like to the untrained eye and that is the Yew tree. We don’t have any species of Yew here in Alaska so I’ve never personally encountered this issue. They do look similar to the Fir tree, but are different in a few aspects.
- The needles of the Spruce tree are attached individually to the branches.
- The individual needles are sharply pointed, square shaped, and easily roll between the fingers.
- Spruce cones hang pointed down towards the ground and are a bit on the small side.
- The scales on a Spruce cone are thinner and smoother than those of Pine.
There are different species of Spruce and each looks just slightly different, but still mostly the same. The Black and White Spruce here in Alaska have different appearances. The Black Spruce that are so abundant in the forest behind my cabin are tall and lanky. Their foliage is a bit thinner than the White Spruce that has thicker foliage. Black Spruce also have darker green foliage than White Spruce.
The Many Uses of Spruce In Wilderness Survival
The versatility of spruce is what makes it such an ultimate survival tree. Not every type of wood is equal when it comes to building material, firewood, or cordage. The fact that Spruce can be used in so many ways is why it is so handy.
A Building Material
Though Spruce is considered a soft wood, it is very strong and sturdy. Its lightweight nature, combined with its strength, make it an ideal wood for structural building and framing. Spruce trees also tend to grow very straight, another important component in structure building. Because of its strength, it has the ability to take on external stresses and last for years.
The application of Spruce in wilderness survival looks like simple or elaborate bushcraft shelters. The main wood of the trunk can be the main structure and the branches can be overlain to provide a barrier from the elements.
A Source of Heat
Spruce is not the most popular choice of firewood if you have the option of birch or other wood. It has a relatively low BTU so it burns rather quickly and lets off embers easily. But Spruce in wilderness survival is an excellent source of firewood because of its abundance.
The benefits of using Spruce is that it splits easily and burns quickly, which is important if you are in need of having a fire quickly. You can’t miss it. Identifying Spruce, harvesting, splitting, and starting a fire can be done in a pinch if needed.
Cordage for Lashing
Young Spruce trees (roughly 8 ft tall) are perfect specimens for harvesting roots to make cordage. This cordage has a long history of use by Native Americans, Russians, and Europeans alike. The strong and flexible nature of Spruce root makes excellent cordage that can be used in making baskets, tying structures together, and any other use of cordage in a wilderness survival scenario.
Food and Medicine
Spruce has a long history of providing food and medicine for us humans. All species of Spruce are edible, though members of the Yew species look similar and are toxic.
Spruce is exceptionally high in Vitamin C, a remedy to Scurvy which plagued early settlers. A tea of this tree helps keep Scurvy at bay. It also helps in fighting coughs and colds, as Spruce is a natural expectorant. It is also antifungal, antimicrobial, and antiseptic, which explains its excellent use in medicine.
Spruce tips also make excellent jellies, syrups, and teas. The syrups are particularly tasty in certain beverages. Though the application of Spruce in wilderness survival scenarios is mostly just the tea. The tea can provide a much needed break from the monotony of plain water while giving a boost of essential vitamins and minerals, especially when surviving on simple rations.
How to Harvest Spruce Tips
Harvesting Spruce tips is very simple, just pluck them off with your fingers.
In early Spring, you’ll notice new growth on Spruce trees. These Spruce tips are a lighter shade of green than the rest of the tree. As soon as they begin to shed the brown “husk,” they are ready to be harvested for maximum potency. These tips will contain higher amounts of vitamins and minerals. A few things to keep in mind for harvesting Spruce tips:
- Only take new growing tips from mature Spruce trees (think 8 ft or more).
- Never harvest more than 20% of the tree.
- You shouldn’t pick a tip from the apical meristem or the very top of a young tree as this will stunt its growth.
- Only harvest tips from healthy and abundant Spruce trees.
Technically Spruce can be enjoyed year round, whether its fresh growth or not. I enjoy a nice cup of Spruce tea whenever I’m out in the forest in Winter, long after the Spruce tips have matured.
Harvesting Spruce Roots for Cordage
There are many applications of the cordage that can be made from Spruce in wilderness survival. From lashing a bushcraft shelter to baskets for carrying, cordage is an important tool to help you survive and thrive in the wilderness. Harvesting Spruce roots is easier than you might think as well. To harvest Spruce roots:
- Find a young Spruce tree (less than 8ft tall).
- Start lightly digging in the soil about 2 feet from the trunk until you hit a root. (They should be thin about an inch or less).
- Follow the length of the root, lightly digging it up, but do not yank it.
- Trim the length needed, and if needed, find another root to get the amount of cordage needed.
Conclusion on Spruce in Wilderness Survival
When viewing it from a wilderness survival standpoint, Spruce is a great option to have around when needed. It’s versatile, strong, and nutritious. All things that we need to survive in the wilderness.
From making delicious and nutritious teas that ward off Scurvy, to building shelters and cordage, and firewood, this tree is a gold mine to any bushcraft or wilderness survival enthusiast. Learning the skills of identifying and harvesting Spruce now could save you in the future.
Don’t forget to harvest responsibly, caring for the forest that provides for us in return. In doing so, you’ll have mature and healthy Spruce trees to return to and can harvest again.
Take note of the great survivalists of the past, the early settlers and indigenous wisdom. The forest has all we need if we know where to look.
