Picea orientalis, commonly known as the Oriental spruce is a species of spruce native to the Caucasus and adjacent northeast Turkey.

Description

It is a large coniferous evergreen tree growing to tall (exceptionally to 57 m), and with a trunk diameter of up to 1.5 m (rarely up to 2.3 m).

Cultivation

It is a popular ornamental tree in large gardens, valued in northern Europe and the USA for its attractive foliage and ability to grow on a wide range of soils. It is also grown to a small extent in forestry for Christmas trees, timber and paper production, though its slower growth compared to Norway spruce reduces its importance outside of its native range. P. orientalis and the cultivars 'Aurea' and 'Skylands' have gained the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit. A frequently seen ornamental cultivar is Picea orientalis 'Aureospicata', which has gold-coloured young foliage in the spring.

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Picea orientalis - Caucasian Spruce 01-3.jpg|Picea orientalis forest, Giresun, Turkey

Higland Kümbet - Kümbet Yaylası, Giresun 2019-01.jpg|Trees in habitat, Giresun, Turkey

Picea orientalis - Oriental spruce.jpg|Mature trees, Trabzon, Turkey

Picea orientalis - Doğu Ladini - Oriental Spruce 01.JPG|Foliage at the top of a young tree, Giresun, Turkey

Periparus ater - Coal tit, Giresun 2018-08-16 1.jpg|Foliage and cones (with a coal tit), Giresun, Turkey

Male Cones of Picea orientalis 'aurea'.JPG|Pollen cones of cultivar 'Aurea'

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References

  • Gymnosperm Database
  • Picea orientalis - information, genetic conservation units and related resources. European Forest Genetic Resources Programme (EUFORGEN)