Answer to March 4, 2010 Mystery Tree

Picea or Spruce Family. Picea pungens var. glauca is the Colorado Blue Spruce. Picea abies is the Norway Spruce but there are over 40 varieties. The older trees can appear more open and kind of lacy looking as in this picture.

Picea is derived from the Latin word pix, which means pitch.  Spruce can grow large and generally have a symmetrical and pyramidal shape. The needles are often flat, but sharp. They are different from the flat and soft tipped Fir needles and do not grow in bunches like Pine needles.

The cones shown here hanging down.