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Tree · Pinaceae family

Picea omorika

Picea omorika

Full sun to part shade in a garden 3–4 m × 1–2 m to −34 °C

In short a 10-second read

SunFull sun to part shade
in a garden after 10 years3–4 m
in the wild up to 20 m
spacing 3 m
PlantingMarch–April, September–October
WinterNo winter protection

Where to plant and how much to water

Sun, soil and water.

It grows best in full sun to part shade, in average soil.

Sun

Sun6 hours or more
Part shade3–6 hours
Shadeunder 3 h

Soil

tolerates any pH
acidicneutralalkaline
averageloamyclaygravelly

Watering

regularly until establishedat the base, not on the leavesless when it rains

Frost

−34 °C
no winter protectiongreen in winter too

How much space it takes

Mature size.

The mature plant next to a person (175 cm).

1 m2 m3 m4 m5 m6 m7 m8 m9 m10 m11 m12 m13 m14 m15 m16 m17 m18 m19 m20 m15–20 mspread 3–4 m
15–20 m× spread 3–4 m

Plant 3 m apart.

Reaches maturity in about 20–50 years. The final size depends on the cultivar and the spot — we give the range from smallest to largest.

Calendar

Through the year.

Months for Central Europe. The line shows the current month.

The year at a glance

Planting: JanuaryPlanting: FebruaryPlanting: MarchPlanting: AprilPlanting: MayPlanting: JunePlanting: JulyPlanting: AugustPlanting: SeptemberPlanting: OctoberPlanting: NovemberPlanting: DecemberFeeding: JanuaryFeeding: FebruaryFeeding: MarchFeeding: AprilFeeding: MayFeeding: JuneFeeding: JulyFeeding: AugustFeeding: SeptemberFeeding: OctoberFeeding: NovemberFeeding: DecemberJanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec
PlantingFeeding
Now, in October: a good time for planting (container plant, root-balled).
JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec

Planting

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec

container plant: March–April, September–October; root-balled: March–April, September–October

Feeding

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec

May–June

Feeding

Nutrition.

Horn meal

up to 55 g/m² a year, if the soil needs it · May–June

JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec

Pests and diseases

Common problems and what to do.

The most common problems in Central Europe. Protection is listed from the gentlest option.

What you will see

Needles are faded, greyish to rusty brown, and laced with fine webbing.

How to protect

  1. Prevention
    • Water the tree sufficiently; wash mites off the leaves/needles with a strong jet of water.
  2. BiologicalSpare predatory mites and other natural enemies; do not use broad-spectrum insecticides.
  3. Gentle spray winter dormancy; in season as neededUltra-fine horticultural oil in winter dormancy against overwintering eggs; in season, oil at a low concentration spares predatory mites.
Softwood spider mitepest

What you will see

Needles are faded, greyish to rusty brown, and laced with fine webbing.

How to protect

  1. Prevention
    • Water the tree sufficiently; wash mites off the leaves/needles with a strong jet of water.
  2. BiologicalSpare predatory mites and other natural enemies; do not use broad-spectrum insecticides.
  3. Gentle spray winter dormancy; in season as neededUltra-fine horticultural oil in winter dormancy against overwintering eggs; in season, oil at a low concentration spares predatory mites.
More about this problem

What you will see

Colonies of aphids on shoots and the undersides of leaves, sticky honeydew and sooty mould.

How to protect

  1. Prevention
    • Check plants at least twice a week during fast growth.
  2. By hand early morningWash aphids off with a strong jet of water; remove badly infested curled shoots.
  3. BiologicalEncourage ladybirds, hoverflies and lacewings; limit ants, which protect aphids.
  4. Gentle spray repeat as neededInsecticidal soap or horticultural oil, thoroughly, including the undersides of leaves.
Aphidspest

What you will see

Colonies of aphids on shoots and the undersides of leaves, sticky honeydew and sooty mould.

How to protect

  1. Prevention
    • Check plants at least twice a week during fast growth.
  2. By hand early morningWash aphids off with a strong jet of water; remove badly infested curled shoots.
  3. BiologicalEncourage ladybirds, hoverflies and lacewings; limit ants, which protect aphids.
  4. Gentle spray repeat as neededInsecticidal soap or horticultural oil, thoroughly, including the undersides of leaves.
More about this problem

European softwood bark beetle

Ips typographus
pest

What you will see

The first sign on a standing tree is frass (brown sawdust) at the base of the trunk and entry holes, often with resin flow (on a tree weakened by drought, resin may not appear). Then the needles change colour and drop, and the bark falls off. An infested tree can no longer be saved.

How to protect

  1. Prevention
    • Prevention = remove what attracts the bark beetle: process windthrown and felled timber promptly so that the beetle cannot breed in it.
    • Monitor: in high-risk places (old infestation spots, fresh clearings, sunlit stand edges) check trees for frass and entry holes; check pheromone traps every 7–14 days.
  2. By hand before the adults emergeSanitation: remove infested timber from the stand as soon as possible (before the adult beetles emerge) or debark it; removal alone without prompt processing does not count. Fell and sanitise an infested standing tree.
  3. By hand fell trap trees by the end of MarchTrap trees: a felled, limbed tree propped up and covered with branches; check occupancy and add more when full. Pheromone traps are for monitoring flight and cleaning up remaining infestation spots.
  4. Chemical — only when nothing else helpsDiscuss chemical sanitation of infested timber (only by a contractor) with a professional forester; a product authorised in your country against bark beetles.
European softwood bark beetlepest

What you will see

The first sign on a standing tree is frass (brown sawdust) at the base of the trunk and entry holes, often with resin flow (on a tree weakened by drought, resin may not appear). Then the needles change colour and drop, and the bark falls off. An infested tree can no longer be saved.

How to protect

  1. Prevention
    • Prevention = remove what attracts the bark beetle: process windthrown and felled timber promptly so that the beetle cannot breed in it.
    • Monitor: in high-risk places (old infestation spots, fresh clearings, sunlit stand edges) check trees for frass and entry holes; check pheromone traps every 7–14 days.
  2. By hand before the adults emergeSanitation: remove infested timber from the stand as soon as possible (before the adult beetles emerge) or debark it; removal alone without prompt processing does not count. Fell and sanitise an infested standing tree.
  3. By hand fell trap trees by the end of MarchTrap trees: a felled, limbed tree propped up and covered with branches; check occupancy and add more when full. Pheromone traps are for monitoring flight and cleaning up remaining infestation spots.
  4. Chemical — only when nothing else helpsDiscuss chemical sanitation of infested timber (only by a contractor) with a professional forester; a product authorised in your country against bark beetles.
Sources (7)

Frequently asked

Quick answers.

Does Picea omorika tolerate shade?

It tolerates part shade (3–6 hours of sun), but not full shade.

How much space does Picea omorika need?

At maturity 3–4 m wide and 15–20 m tall; recommended spacing 3 m.

Softwood spider mite — what can you do?

Water the tree sufficiently; wash mites off the leaves/needles with a strong jet of water. Spare predatory mites and other natural enemies; do not use broad-spectrum insecticides.

Aphids — what can you do?

Check plants at least twice a week during fast growth. Wash aphids off with a strong jet of water; remove badly infested curled shoots.

Sources (14) Checked 24 October 2026

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