Oriental Spruce Data Sheet

• Common name: Oriental spruce

• Latin name: Picea orientalis

• Genus: Picea

• Height: 45 m (145 ft)

• Type: Evergreen

• Hardiness: Zone 7–8

• Conservation status: Least concern

Picea orientalis, commonly known as the Oriental spruce, is a conifer native to Asia Minor.

It is a large conifer, 45 m (145 ft) tall, with a trunk diameter up to 1.5 m (60 in). The bark is brown and may peel as the tree ages. The leaves are needle-like, very short, rhombic, 6–8 mm long, and dark green. The cones are conical, 5–9 cm (2–4 in) long and 1.5 cm (half an inch) broad at the base when closed, red to purple at first, ripening to dark purple at 5–7 months.

It can live up to 150 years.

The Oriental spruce is grown as a Christmas tree, though not as extensively as the Norway spruce. It is also used to produce timber and paper.

This tree was given the Award of Garden Merit by the Royal Horticultural Society, which means it performs reliably in the garden. It is highly valued for its attractive foliage and it can grow on a wide variety of soils. It provides excellent shade. It tolerates dry conditions better than Norway or Sitka spruce.

Pre Germination

These seeds need no pretreatment or stratification before sowing. Fill trays or pots with quality compost and firm down gently. Spread seeds across the surface; around 25 in a 10 cm pot is ideal. Cover with 3 mm of compost and gently firm down.

Keep compost damp, not soaking wet or dried out. Place pots or trays on a warm windowsill or in a warm conservatory. Germination should occur at 2–5 weeks.

Post Germination

When seedlings appear, keep them in a well-ventilated area to reduce the risk of damping off disease. Place in a bright location such as a windowsill. Ensure seedlings never dry out. Water logging should also be avoided; young trees hate wet feet. These seedlings are fairly delicate but should give you few problems. They can be separated into their own 4" pots at 15–20 weeks; by this stage they are frost hardy and can stay outside. Fertilization is not required up to this point. During spring and summer we advise using an NPK 10-10-10 fertilizer every 4 weeks.

CAUTION: Slugs and snails love juicy young pines and spruce.

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