Serbian spruce
Picea omorika
Family: Pinaceae
What it is like
A medium sized tree. It grows to 26 m high. It has a slender, graceful form. The lower branches droop and turn up at the ends. The needles are single, flattened and flexible. They are 10-20 mm long with a blunt point. There are 2 lines of white dots along the upper surface. The needles spread widely on both sides of the twig. The twigs are hairy. The seed cones are oval and 4-6 cm long. They are purplish black and taper to a short stalk. The scales are rounded and tightly fitting.
There are between 30 and 40 species of Picea.
Where it is found
It suits temperate regions. In the Balkans it grows on limestone slopes between 800-1600 m altitude. It can tolerate alkaline soils and air pollution. It is hardy. It suits hardiness zones 4-9. Arboretum Tasmania.
Countries/locations it is found in
Australia, Balkans, Bosnia, Britain, Canada, Europe, North America, Serbia, Slovenia, Tasmania, USA
How it is used for food
Edible parts
Flowers, inner bark, seeds, tea
How it is grown
It grows slowly.
Its other names
Local names
Omorika, Pančićeva smreka