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A comparison of Colorado blue spruce (left) and ponderosa pine (right). The spruce needles are individually attached to the twigs while the pine needles are in clusters called fascicles. NDSU photo.
Correct tree identification is a challenge but it is critical.
As I sat down to write this column, I realized that it might be a bit confusing. As a scientist and a communicator, I try to be precise and specific in my word choice. That’s a great goal, but it’s not always attainable when working in natural systems. Scientifically, there’s always an exception. Nevertheless, I hope you find this…