Picea omorika

Picea omorika, the Serbian spruce<ref name="iucn status 12 November 2021"/> (in Template:Langx, Template:IPA, "Pančić's spruce"),<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> is a species of coniferous tree endemic to the Drina River valley in western Serbia, and eastern Bosnia and Herzegovina, with a total range of only about 60 ha, at Template:Convert altitude. It was originally discovered near the Serbian village of Zaovine, on Mount Tara, in 1875, and named by the Serbian botanist Josif Pančić;<ref name=farjon>Farjon, A. (1990). Pinaceae. Drawings and Descriptions of the Genera. Koeltz Scientific Books Template:ISBN.</ref><ref name=rushforthc>Rushforth, K. (1987). Conifers. Helm Template:ISBN.</ref><ref name=rushforth>Rushforth, K. (1999). Trees of Britain and Europe. Collins Template:ISBN.</ref> the specific epithet Template:Lang is simply the Serbian word for the tree (other spruces are Template:Lang in Serbian).

Description

It is a medium-sized evergreen tree growing to Template:Convert tall, exceptionally Template:Convert, with a trunk diameter of up to Template:Convert, and a conic crown; the crown is very narrow on high altitude trees, broader at lower altitudes.<ref name=rushforthc/> The shoots are buff-brown, and densely pubescent (hairy). The leaves are needle-like, 10–20 mm long, flattened in cross-section, dark green above, and with two glaucous blue-white stomatal stripes below. The cones are Template:Convert long, fusiform (spindle-shaped, broadest in the middle), dark purple (almost black) when young, maturing dark brown 5–7 months after pollination, with stiff scales.<ref name=farjon/><ref name=rushforthc/><ref name=rushforth/>

The tallest specimen in the wild currently known is 30.2 m tall;<ref name="MT1">Template:Cite web</ref> older claims of trees up to 50 m tall are now unverifiable.<ref name="MT1"/> In cultivation, the tallest currently known is 33 m tall, in the Arboretum Mustila in Finland,<ref name="MT2">Template:Cite web</ref> with another not far behind at 31.5 m at Murthly Castle in Scotland.<ref name="MT3">Template:Cite web</ref>

Ecology

Because of its limited range, it is not a major source of nutrition to wildlife, but does provide cover for birds and small mammals. Prior to the Pleistocene ice ages, it had a much larger range throughout most of Europe.<ref name=farjon/>

• Foliage, showing the glossy green upper side of the needles
  Foliage, showing the glossy green upper side of the needles
• Foliage, showing the glaucous blue-green stomatal stripes on the underside of needles
  Foliage, showing the glaucous blue-green stomatal stripes on the underside of needles
• Immature female cone
  Immature female cone
• Mature female cone
  Mature female cone
• Although some trees are very slender, this is not invariable; many are broader, such as this cultivated tree in France
  Although some trees are very slender, this is not invariable; many are broader, such as this cultivated tree in France
• Cultivar 'Pendula'
  Cultivar 'Pendula'

Cultivation

Outside its native range, Serbian spruce is of major importance as an ornamental tree in large gardens, valued in northern Europe and North America for its very attractive crown form and ability to grow on a wide range of soils, including alkaline, clay, acid and sandy soil, although it prefers moist, drained loam. The crown shape is heritable, with high altitude seed sources retaining the narrow crown in cultivation, and lower altitude sources their broader crown.<ref name=rushforthc/>

It is also grown to a small extent in forestry for Christmas trees, timber and paper production, particularly in northern Europe, though its slow growth makes it less important than Sitka spruce or Norway spruce. In cultivation, it has produced hybrids with the closely related black spruce (named as P. × mariorika),<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> and also with Sitka spruce.<ref name=farjon/><ref name=rushforthc/>

AGM cultivars

The following cultivars have gained the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit:<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

• Picea omorika 'Nana'<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> – a dwarf form
• Picea omorika 'Pendula'<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> – a weeping form

External links

• Template:Commons category-inline
• Picea omorika – information, genetic conservation units, and related resources. European Forest Genetic Resources Programme (EUFORGEN)