Spruce or pine?

[GammErik]

Hello!
If I have a plank, is there a good and safe way to tell the difference if the plank is made of spruce or pine?

 

[hagaby]

It can be difficult to see the difference, but there are a few things that distinguish them. A pine tree has a reddish core, which a spruce does not have; a spruce often has grayish twigs with some cracks in them.

 

[GammErik]

The pine's twigs are probably a bit coarser than the spruce's, too?

 

[haavard]

Maybe on average, but large spruce branches are coarser than small pine twigs.

 

[Bror]

The spruce's branches are often small and round, the pine's are often slightly elongated. Newly sawn or planed, the spruce is lighter. You can also use your nose and smell a freshly sawn surface, there is a clear difference in scent between spruce and pine.