Caucasian Spruce
Picea orientalis
Family: Pinaceae
What it is like
Bloom Color: Red. Form: Pyramidal.
Picea orientalis is an evergreen Tree growing to 20 m (65ft) by 5 m (16ft) at a fast rate. See above for USDA hardiness. It is hardy to UK zone 5. It is in leaf all year, in flower in May, and the seeds ripen from October to November. The species is hermaphrodite (has both male and female organs). Suitable for: light (sandy), medium (loamy) and heavy (clay) soils. Suitable pH: mildly acid, neutral and basic (mildly alkaline) soils. It can grow in semi-shade (light woodland) or no shade. It prefers moist soil.
Height (m): 20
Where it is found
Found in pure stands or mixed with beech, pine and hornbeam, especially on shaded slopes, preferring deep protected ravines with adequate soil moisture at elevations of 300 - 2100 metres.
E. Europe to W. Asia.
Conservation Status:
Countries/locations it is found in
How it is used
Food
Rating: 2
Young male catkins - raw or cooked. Used as a flavouring. Immature female cones - cooked. The central portion, when roasted, is sweet and syrupy. Inner bark - dried, ground into a powder and then used as a thickener in soups etc or added to cereals when making bread. An emergency food, it is only used when all else fails. Seed - raw. Too small and fiddly to be worthwhile unless you are desperate. A refreshing tea, rich in vitamin C, can be made from the young shoot tips.
Inner bark: the bark that is found just beneath the tough outer bark of trees and shrubs.
Seed: includes nuts, cereals, peas and beans.
Tea: the various herb teas that can be used in place of tea, plus the genuine article.
Medicine
Rating: 0
Vitamin C: Plants good for their vitamin C content
Other
Rating:
Tannin is obtained from the bark. Turpentine is obtained from the bark and branches. Wood - soft, white, easily cleaves, light, durable, has a good resonance. Used for construction, furniture etc. It is also valued for its use in the pulp industry to make paper.
Resin: Used in perfumery, medicines, paints, soap making etc. This also includes turpentine, which is extracted from many resins and used as a preservative, water proofer etc,
Tannin: An astringent substance obtaied from plants, it is used medicinally, as a dye and mordant, stabilizer in pesticide etc.
Wood: A list of the trees and shrubs that are noted for having useful wood.
Scented Plants: Plants noted for their scent
How it is grown
Landscape Uses:Pest tolerant, Screen, Specimen. Likes abundant moisture at the roots, if grown in drier areas it must be given a deep moist soil. Tolerates poor peaty soils. Succeeds in wet cold and shallow soils but is not very wind-firm in shallow soils. Prefers a pH between 4 to 6. Dislikes shade. Intolerant of atmospheric pollution. Resists wind exposure to some degree. In some upland areas, especially over granitic or other base-poor soils, growth rate and health have been seriously affected by aluminium poisoning induced by acid rain. Plants are strongly outbreeding, self-fertilized seed usually grows poorly. They hybridize freely with other members of this genus. There are a number of named forms selected for their ornamental value, most of these are dwarf cultivars. Young trees are slow growing at first but from the age of about 5 - 6 years they can grow up to 1 metre a year and this can be maintained for the next 70 years or so. Growth virtually ceases by the time the tree is 90 - 100 years old. Increases in girth follow the same pattern as height increases. Trees probably do not live much longer than 100 years in Britain. They are occasionally planted on a small scale in Europe as a timber tree. Trees should be planted into their permanent positions when they are quite small, between 30 and 90cm. Larger trees will check badly and hardly put on any growth for several years. This also badly affects root development and wind resistance. The bruised leaves have a resinous aroma. Special Features: Not North American native, Inconspicuous flowers or blooms.
Propagating it: Seed - stratification will probably improve germination so sow fresh seed in the autumn in a cold frame if possible. Sow stored seed as early in the year as possible in a cold frame. A position in light shade is probably best. Seed should not be allowed to dry out and should be stored in a cool place. Prick out the seedlings into individual pots when they are large enough to handle and grow them on in the greenhouse or cold frame for their first winter. They can be planted out into their permanent positions in early summer of the following year, or be placed in an outdoor nursery bed for a year or so to increase in size. They might need protection from spring frosts. Cuttings of semi-ripe terminal shoots, 5 - 8cm long, August in a frame. Protect from frost. Forms roots in the spring. Cuttings of mature terminal shoots, 5 - 10cm long, September/October in a cold frame. Takes 12 months. Cuttings of soft to semi-ripe wood, early summer in a frame. Slow but sure.
Best place to grow: Woodland Garden Canopy;
Habit: Tree
Hardiness: 4-7
Growth: Fast
Soil: Light (sandy), medium, heavy (clay)
Shade: Semi-shade, no shade
Moisture: Moist