A compact cone of red spruce is less than 5 cm long. It is hanging down when ripe, as in any other spruce. By looking at the cones, one can easily tell a spruce from a fir from the distance. Differently from spruces, all firs have their cones standing up on the branches, like candles. A fir cone falls apart leaving its bare axis upright on the branch, while a spruce cone falls down intact.