Cones Cones are made up of scales attached to a center stalk. In between the overlapping scales the seeds can be found. The difference in cones can be seen by the scales. Pine cone scales are woody in nature, with a rigid feel. In contrast, spruce cones have thinner scales than pine cones, which gives them a less rigid feel.
Rigidity varies greatly within the spruces.
The margins of the scales can be used to differentiate species of spruce and pine. Some pine scales have a small prickle on each scale to further help identification. A number of pines will retain their cones for many years. Fir cones are erect, unlike the pendulous cones of most spruce trees. You will see these erect center stems near the top of the fir tree.