Morinda Spruce Picea smithiana
Other Common Name(s):
- Phonetic Spelling
- PY-see-uh smith-ee-an-uh
- Description
-
The Himalayan Spruce is grown in average, medium moisture, well-drained soils in full sun. Its best performance is in climates with somewhat cool summers. Plants may struggle in locations that experience high heat and humidity.
This plant is a tall, pyramidal, needled conifer with horizontal branching and drooping branchlets. It's needle-like green leaves surround the branches and are four-angled in cross-section. The tree bark is a scaly gray. Its shiny, brownish-purple, female cones are pendulous (loosely hanging). It has the longest needles of any spruce.
Although there are no serious insect or disease problems, spruces are generally susceptible to needle and stem rust, canker, trunk and root rot. Yellow-headed spruce sawfly, spruce budworm, and eastern spruce beetle are problems in some areas. Spider mites are common.
- See this plant in the following landscape:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
-
- Tags:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
-
- Tags:
-
-
Attributes:
- Genus:
- Picea
- Species:
- smithiana
- Family:
- Pinaceae
- Life Cycle:
- Woody
- Country Or Region Of Origin:
- Western Himalayas from Afghanistan to Nepal and Tibet.
-
-
Whole Plant Traits:
- Plant Type:
- Tree
- Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
- Needled Evergreen
- Habit/Form:
- Erect
- Horizontal
- Weeping
- Appendage:
- Prickles
-
-
Cultural Conditions:
- Light:
- Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
- Soil Drainage:
- Good Drainage
- USDA Plant Hardiness Zone:
- 6a, 6b, 7a, 7b
-
-
Flowers:
- Flower Color:
- Brown/Copper
- Purple/Lavender
- Flower Size:
- > 6 inches
- Flower Description:
- Purple cones ripen to shiny brown
-
-
Leaves:
- Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
- Needled Evergreen
- Leaf Color:
- Green
- Leaf Feel:
- Smooth
- Leaf Type:
- Needles
- Hairs Present:
- No
- Leaf Length:
- 1-3 inches
- Leaf Description:
- 4 sided dark green non prickly needles
-
-
Bark:
- Bark Color:
- Light Brown
- Bark Description:
- Breaks into irregular plates
-
-
Stem:
- Stem Color:
- Brown/Copper
- Gray/Silver
- Stem Is Aromatic:
- No
- Stem Description:
- Pendulous (drooping) when young with glabrous (smooth) texture
-
-
Landscape:
- Landscape Theme:
- Winter Garden
- Design Feature:
- Specimen