Short answers, pulled from the story.
The spruce tree possesses a tiny peg-like structure called a pulvinus that remains attached to the twig long after the needle has fallen. This botanical anomaly defines the genus Picea and separates it from all other members of the family Pinaceae.
The oldest recorded spruce tree is the Norway spruce clone known as Old Tjikko in Dalarna, Sweden, which has survived for 9,550 years. This ancient organism is a vast network of stems that have layered themselves over millennia, predating the construction of the Great Pyramid of Giza.
The Norway spruce of the Paneveggio Violins Forest in the Dolomites has been used for centuries to make musical instruments, including those supposedly made by the leading violin-maker Antonio Stradivari. This species is preferred by luthiers for its ability to vibrate and resonate to create rich, complex tones.
The Wright brothers built their first aircraft, the Flyer, using spruce wood to achieve flight. This choice allowed the machine to be both lightweight and strong enough to fly, establishing spruce as the standard material for wooden aircraft construction.
Captain Cook made alcoholic sugar-based spruce beer during his sea voyages to prevent scurvy in his crew. The fresh shoots of many spruces serve as a natural source of vitamin C, which was essential for the health of sailors on long expeditions.
The sacred golden Sitka Spruce known as Kiidk'yaas was felled in 1997 by the Haida people. This tree was revered for its spiritual significance and represents the sacred status of the spruce to indigenous peoples across the Northern Hemisphere.