Spruce

The Norway spruce, Picea abies, is an upright-growing, evergreen tree of the spruce genus (Picea) native to Europe and Asia with a conical silhouette. Picea abies reaches heights of up to 40m. The trunk has a reddish-brown, fine-scaled bark, which tends to turn grey in mountainous areas. The needles are sharp-pointed and square in cross-section. The common spruce develops carmine-red to yellow flowers between May and June. The woody "pine cones" develop from the inflorescences over the course of months. see also Piceae turiones recentes.

Uses: Spruce needle oil, Piceae aetheroleum: Fir fragrance aroma in room sprays
Industry: Spruce bark is used for leather tanning due to the tannins it contains. Also used as timber

Naturopathy: Picea abis, together with other species of the genus Abies or Picea, is the parent plant of:

• Picea aetheroleum, the officinal spruce needle oil
• Piceae turiones recentes, the extract from the fresh spruce tips.

Cosmetics.

• The essential oil from fresh needles, twig tips or branches is listed under the INCI designation"Picea excelsa leaf oil (INCI)".
• The extract from the buds is referred to as"Picea excelsa leaf oil (INCI)".
• The extract from the needles is referred to as "Picea excelsa leaf extract (INCI)".

Irritation of skin and mucous membranes, allergic contact dermatitis, also contact urticaria due to contact with the needles. Rarely type I allergy to spruce pollen.

1. https://arzneipflanzenlexikon.info/fichte.php

2. Montag A (2023) Plants and skin. Springer-Verlag GmbH. S. 513-516