The Serbian Spruce (Picea omorika, in Serb: Панчићева оморика, Pančićeva Omorika) is a rare, local spruce, endemic to the Drina river valley in western Serbia and eastern Bosnia near Višegrad. It was originally discovered in the village of Zaovine on the Tara mountain in 1875, and named by the Serbian botanist Josif Pančić. It is a medium-sized evergreen tree growing to 20-35 m tall, exceptionally to 40 m tall, and with a trunk diameter of up to 1 m.

Serbian Spruce planted in a park in Denmark

The shoots are buff-brown, and densely pubescent (hairy). The leaves are needle-like, 10-20 mm long, flattened in cross-section, and dark blue-green above, and blue-white below. The cones are 4-7 cm long, fusiform (spindle-shaped, broadest in the middle), dark purple (almost black) when young, maturing dark brown 5-7 months after pollination, and have stiff scales.

Outside of its native range, Serbian Spruce is of major importance in horticulture as an ornamental tree in large gardens, valued in northern Europe and the USA for its very attractive crown form and ability to grow on a wide range of soils, including alkaline, clay, acid and sandy soil. It is also grown to a small extent in forestry for christmas trees, timber and paper production, particularly in northern Europe.

German name: Serbische Fichte; Czech name: smrk omorika).

External links

• Gymnosperm Database