Spruce, Serbian
Picea omorika
Pinaceae - Pine
Description
Leaves: Needles borne singly; about 1/2" to 1" long; sharp-pointed; evergreen; dark green above; silver- green bands beneath; somewhat flattened in cross-section but ridged.
Twigs/buds: Twigs dark green on top, whitish-green underneath, hairy.
Flowers/fruit: Monoecious. Fruit a papery cone that hangs down; 1-1/4" to 2" long; reddish brown when mature; scale edges rounded, entire.
Bark: Dark brown; thin, scaly.
Wood: Popular as an ornamental, though sometimes harvested as timber in Europe and the U.S.; similar to P. abies; little information available.
General: Native to southeastern Europe. Potentially a large tree. Fairly tough tree adapted to a wide variety of soils and sites. Likes some shelter; fairly cold hardy; shade tolerant.
Landscape Use: Very desirable spruce with nice foliage. Rarely planted in Utah, but deserves more use. Doing well at the LDS Conference Center in SLC and at the Utah Botanical Center. Zones 4-7.
Cultivars: 'Expansa', 'Machala', 'Nana', 'Pendula'.
Characteristics
General
| Family | Pinaceae - Pine |
|---|---|
| Cultivar Availability | Yes |
| Hardiness Zone | 4-7 |
| Type | Conifer |
| Utah Native | No |
Growth
| Growth Rate | Low |
|---|---|
| Mature Height | High |
| Longevity | High |
| Is Good Under Power Lines | No |
| Crown Shapes | Pyramidal |
Ornamental
| Bark | No |
|---|---|
| Fall Color | No |
| Flowers | No |
| Foliage | Yes |
| Fruit | No |
Tolerance
| Shade | High |
|---|---|
| Salt | Medium |
| Drought | Medium |
| Poor Drainage | Low |
| Alkalinity | Medium |
| Transplanting | Medium |