spruce pine
- noun
- /spruːs paɪn/
- Specialized
:
pino de costa
- Unlike most pines, the spruce pine has a shrubby form and is adapted to coastal conditions.
Examples
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The bark of the spruce pine peels away in small, square plates revealing its characteristic pattern.
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The spruce pine is easily recognized by its reddish-brown bark and two needles per bundle.
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We spotted a tall spruce pine on the rocky shoreline during our hike.
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The spruce pine thrives in the coastal regions of Oregon.
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Several spruce pines were planted in the park last spring.
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On our camping trip, we admired the beautiful spruce pine trees lining the forest trail.
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Many birds find shelter in the branches of the spruce pine that grow along the coast.
Synonyms
3
9.9
A pine tree with two needles in each cluster that grows in western North America
A pine tree from the northwest coast of North America with needles in pairs and reddish scaly bark
A small pine tree that grows near the sea with twisted branches and can live in salty air
Surface Forms
Morphology
The noun is a straightforward compound where 'spruce' modifies 'pine', so a learner who knows both words can infer it refers to a kind of evergreen tree (a pine with spruce-like characteristics). While finer details (boggy habitat or wood quality) are not predictable from the parts, the basic referent as a tree species is compositionally clear.
Etymology
The name spruce pine may come from how the tree looks on the coast: though it is a pine, its bark and shape can look a little like a spruce, so people called it spruce pine. That's why the name means a 'pine that looks spruce-like'.