Wholesale Serbian Spruce Trees

Wholesale Serbian Spruce Trees PennsylvaniaAn elegant specimen, Serbian spruce deserves a more prominent place in commercial and residential landscapes. It can be used in groups, as a single specimen, or even as an evergreen street tree. It has utility as a natural screen and selections with a narrow habit are suitable for even small urban landscapes. Serbian spruce represents a welcome alternative to the all-to-common Norway and Colorado spruce.

Name: Picea omorika

Common name: Serbian spruce

Hardiness: Zone 4

Mature height: 50 feet to 60 feet

Mature spread: 20 feet to 25 feet, variable

Classification: Evergreen tree

Landscape use: Specimen, screening, group planting, evergreen street tree

Ornamental characteristics: Short ascending or drooping branches form a narrow, very graceful, spire-like habit; ½-to 1-inch long, flat needles are lustrous dark green above, distinct silvery stomatal bands beneath

Picea omorika is a medium sized, fast growing evergreen tree with a slender, columnar, upright growth habit. The leaves of the plant are needle like, 10 – 20 millimeters long, flattened in cross section and dark blue green above and blue white below. The trunk may achieve a diameter of 1m. Non showy purple monoecious flowers appear in spring. The cones are 4 – 7 centimeters long, spindle shaped, dark purple when young maturing to dark brown 5 -7 months after pollination in autumn.

Picea omorika, commonly known as the Serbian Spruce, is endemic to the Drina River valley in eastern Bosnia and Herzegovina near Visegrad and western Serbia. It was originally discovered near the village of Zaovine on the Tara Mountain in 1875, and named by the Serbian botanist Josif Pancic. P. omorika was introduced into the UK in 1889. It is considered to be endangered in its native environment according to ‘The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species‘

The etymological root of the binomial name Picea is derived from the Lain Pix meaning ‘pitch or tar’ in reference to the Spruce trees resin. Omorika is derived from the Serbian meaning Spruce.

Picea omorika may be useful to the landscape architect as a dramatic avenue tree, due to its upright, columnar habit, similar to that of the Italian Cyprus. Due to its tolerance of urban pollution it is suitable for use as a street tree. It may also be useful when space is restricted, assuming light conditions are acceptable. It needs to be sheltered from cold drying winds.