Picea orientalis is also known as the Caucasian or Oriental spruce. They are a large tree native to the Caucasian mountains and northeastern Turkey. The oriental spruce’s attraction is in it’s dark green foliage, (the shortest of needles of any spruce), and the fact that it’s able to grow in a variety of soil types. Rated hardy through zone 4, there are some very interesting cultivars available but these are generally rated as hardy through zone 5.
I have the miniature Picea orientalis`MountVernon on order for this spring. This is a very small globe which I will use in a container. With luck, this cultivar will reach 8 inches in height and 14 inches in width after ten years.
I am very excited about watching the development of Picea orientalis "Spring Frost" , which reaches 6’ tall by 4’ wide in ten years. I have had this little plant for a year and a half. One thing I particularly like is that the bright yellow new growth contrasts beautifully with the rich green of the old growth. The color holds pretty much all summer, although a bit faded towards the end of the season. This is a new cultivar and it is still quite rare in the trade. Growth is about 4-6 inches a year and it will take a pyramidal form eventually.
Picea orientalis ‘Skylands’ can be a wonderful specimen in the gardens.. As I’ve referenced before, my plant was badly damaged by rabbits the first year I had it and there is some question in my mind whether it will be able to regain its shape. The other problem with this tree is that it likes sun, but can burn in the winter until it gains some maturity. Once again I forgot to wrap it in burlap this fall but will get to that as soon as temps rise a bit. Skylands can eventually make a large specimen… ten year height is in the ten foot range.
In my first post of this series, I included some of the Picea abies cultivars. I have a few more in the gardens that I’ll mention. First of all, Picea abies ‘Compressiana’ is a large cultivar growing about a foot a year. It’s shape is reminiscent of a narrow arborvitae.
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Picea abies ‘Mucronata’ is a dwarf whose form is best described as mounded. Its growth is quite irregular and it eventually forms a leader with several sub-leaders. I have several in the gardens and have experimented with pruning in a pom-pom shape on one which was getting too large for its home… the plant works quite well like this and unlike some of the other plants treated in this manner, its growth is slow enough that maintaining the form will be quite easy.
Originally found as a witch’s broom on a bird’s nest spruce (Nidiformis), Picea abies ‘Little Gem’ is a treasure. It has a lush, soft green appearance and forms a good sized bun. While totally hardy, it does burn easily and I lost my first specimen which had gotten about two feet wide, because of burning. I have grown another almost that large and every fall I throw a burlap sack over it and it looks great. Another caution… don’t remove the protection too soon as the roots need to be providing water to the plant to prevent burn and the frost needs to be out of the ground. I presume this plant would do find outside of winter sun and wind… perhaps on the north side of a building. Mine is presently being buried by a much larger tree and I need to try transplanting it this spring.
Another odd little tree that I’ve been growing for twenty years is a Picea mariana cultivar whose name I’ve misplaced long ago. This looks a lot like a Dwarf Alberta spruce but wider when compared to its height than the Dwarf Albertas. The marianas are commonly called Black Spruce which are native to the northern North Americas.
Picea sitchensis 'Papoose' is a fairly recent purchase for me. It starts growing as a globe shape for years, but eventually will develop a leader and become pyramidal. It's a slow grower at one and a half inches per year. The needles are quite stiff and sharp. Color is also a draw on this one, with green needles having a silver blue underside giving much the same effect as the Serbian spruces. This plant was first discovered in a forest on Vancouver Island.
Picea sitchensis 'Papoose' is a fairly recent purchase for me. It starts growing as a globe shape for years, but eventually will develop a leader and become pyramidal. It's a slow grower at one and a half inches per year. The needles are quite stiff and sharp. Color is also a draw on this one, with green needles having a silver blue underside giving much the same effect as the Serbian spruces. This plant was first discovered in a forest on Vancouver Island.
The last group of spruces that I am growing is Picea omorika or the Serbian spruces. With an ultimate height in the neighborhood of 30 to 50 feet and only a 15' foot width, these trees have a special look about them. They remind me of a P. Buckley Moss painting with their accentuated height and drooping form of the branches.
I have what I believe to be the species in the garden, but the ones I'm most excited about are the 'Pendula' cultivars. The branches hang gracefully off the central trunk in an artistic way that emits grace and sophistication. The needles portray a bicolor effect as seen here in the species...
Another weeping serbian that I'm experimenting with is Picea omorika 'Berliner's Weeper'. This is yet another very narrow serbian with a ten year size of 14 feet tall by 4 feet in width. Once it is established, the leader will grow two feet per year. It also has the silver reverse needles with blue/green on top and time will tell regarding how it differs from 'Pendula'.
I believe this leaves only one cultivar of the Picea growing in our gardens that I haven't discussed in these first four conifer posts... that being Picea omorika 'Nana'. I have been growing several of these for years and under the proper light conditions they make a perfect specimen about 8 feet tall. These are globe shaped when young but eventually become pyramidal. In the second photo, I have removed lower branches which were shaded out by a magnolia which is now gone. I am shearing the top to create a globe shape...
Next conifer post I'll start on the pines... Larry
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