Botanical Name: Picea mariana (P. Mill.) B.S.P

Family: Pinaceae.

Synonyms: Abies mariana Miller; Picea brevifolia Peck; P. mariana var. brevifolia (Peck) Rehder; P. nigra (Aiton) Link; Pinus nigra Aiton; black spruce; bog spruce; swamp spruce; shortleaf black spruce.

Origin: Native to North America. Canada: all provinces; France: St. Pierre and Miquelon; USA: Alaska, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Michigan, Pennsylvanis, New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, Rhode Island, Massachusetts, Vermont, New Hampshire and Maine.

Botanical Description: A tall evergreen tree with a characteristic cone shape up to 25-meters (30 to 90ft) high. Has a straight trunk with a narrow pointed crown. Bark is gray-brown and drooping; twigs not pendant, rather slender, yellow-brown, pubescent. Leaves are stiff, 4-angled or sided in cross section, rigid, pale blue-green, glaucous, stomates on all surfaces, apex mostly blunt-tipped

Oil Extraction: Essential oil is obtained by steam distillation of the needles and twigs. The oil is colorless to pale yellow mobile liquid. Yield 2 to 3%.

Aroma Profile: Has a fresh, sweet-balsamic top note. The middle note is sweet-fruity, balsamic. The dry out is faintly sweet and balsamic.

Major Constituents: α-pinene, β-pinene, bornyl acetate.

Adulterants: Not typically adulterated.

Regulatory Status: None. 172.510.

Aromatherapy: Clarifying, uplifting, harmonizing

Blends well with: Cedarwood, cypress, lavender, juniper, pine, lavandin, rosemary.

Safety Data: Non-toxic, non-irritant, non-sensitizing.