Picea Omorika Nana

Picea Omorika Nana or Dwarf Serbian Spruce is an evergreen conifer prized for its compact size and good foliage. Exceptionally hardy and easy to grow, this shrubby dwarf conifer is an excellent candidate for small gardens.

Densely-branched, with a bushy habit, young Picea Omorika Nana will have a more spherical shape, which, as it matures, forms a wide conical outline. It has the broadest needles of all European spruce species. In the spring, when new growth appears, the needles are a pale bluish colour. As they mature the needles turn to dark, glossy green with a silvery underside, creating an attractive bicolored effect.  Dwarf Serbian Spruce produces miniature egg-shaped cones that emerge at the tips of the branches.

Undemanding and versatile, Dwarf Serbian Spruce will perform well in almost any conditions. This ornamental dwarf conifer prefers moist but well-drained soil and full sun. It will grow in both acidic and alkaline soil. Even though the frost will not bother this cultivar, the cold, drying winds might, which is why it will appreciate a sheltered spot in your garden. Tolerates alkaline soils, clay, and sand.

Picea Omorika or Serbian Spruce grew in large parts of Europe before the ice age, after which it was driven back to Serbia and Eastern Europe. Fully hardy in the United Kingdom, this conifer can survive even if the temperatures are lower than 20 degrees below zero. Its good constitution and remarkable performance earned this compact variety the Award of Garden Merit by Royal Horticultural Society.

Dwarf Serbian Spruce, as the name indicates, remains small even when fully developed. With a slow growth rate, this conifer can achieve a height of 3.5 to 4 metres, with 2.5 metres of width at the base of the tree. Considering that it’s a long-lived variety, it might take a few decades before this conifer reaches its maximum size.  No pruning required.

As it provides texture and architectural value throughout the year, Picea Omorika Nana is an excellent candidate for mixed shrub borders. Its compact size makes it ideally suited for both small spaces, grown as a focal plant, and large gardens, where it can be planted en masse for a low-maintenance evergreen screen.

You might also be interested in our full selection of evergreen conifers.