Picea smithiana

RHS Plant Profile
Morinda spruce

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Morinda spruce visionspictures.com
Morinda spruce visionspictures.com

Other common names

Indian spruce, prickly fir, West Himalayan spruce

Synonyms

Picea morinda

Conifers Trees
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An evergreen conifer, up to 30m high at maturity, with spreading branches curving upwards at the tips, and pendent branchlets with sparse, flexible dark green needles. Produces greenish cones, to 10cm long, that mature to purple-brown

Position

Full sun

Soil Types

Clay, Loam, Sand

Max Height

Higher than 12 metres

Max Spread

wider than 8 metres

Size

Time to Maturity
20–50 years
Max Spread
wider than 8 metres
Max Height
Higher than 12 metres

Growing Conditions

Clay Loam Sand
Moisture
Moist but well–drained
pH
Acid or Neutral

Position

Full sun
Aspect
South–facing or West–facing
Exposure
Exposed or Sheltered
Hardiness

Hardiness Ratings

All ratings refer to the UK growing conditions unless otherwise stated. Minimum temperature ranges (in degrees C) are shown in brackets

  • H1A: under glass all year (>15C)
  • H1B: can be grown outside in the summer (10 - 15)
  • H1C: can be grown outside in the summer (5 - 10)
  • H2: tolerant of low temperatures, but not surviving being frozen (1 to 5)
  • H3: hardy in coastal and relatively mild parts of the UK (-5 to 1)
  • H4: hardy through most of the UK (-10 to -5)
  • H5: hardy in most places throughout the UK even in severe winters (-15 to -10)
  • H6: hardy in all of UK and northern Europe (-20 to -15)
  • H7: hardy in the severest European continental climates (< -20)
H5

Colour & Scent

Season Stem Flower Foliage Fruit
Spring
Summer
Autumn
Winter

Botanical Details

Family
Pinaceae
Native to GB/Ireland
No
Foliage
Evergreen
Habit
Columnar upright
Genus
Picea are evergreen trees with rigid, needle-like leaves arranged singly all round the shoots, and narrow, leathery-scaled cones borne near the ends of the shoots
Name Status
Correct
Plant Range
NE Afghanistan to C Himalaya

How to Grow

Cultivation

Grow in any deep, moist but well-drained, neutral to acidic soil in full sun. See conifer cultivation for more advice

Propagation

Propagate by grafting in winter

Suggested planting locations and garden types

  • Architectural
  • Low Maintenance

Pruning

No pruning required

Pests

May be susceptible to adelgids, red spider mite and conifer aphid

Diseases

May be susceptible to honey fungus