Picea omorika 'Karel'

RHS Plant Profile

Siberian spruce 'Karel'

Conifers Shrubs

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A slow-growing, dense and bushy dwarf conifer, making a rounded cushion of dark green, needle-like foliage to 1m tall. Suitable for a container or rock garden

Position

Full sun

Soil Types

Chalk, Clay, Loam, Sand

Max Height

0.5-1 metres

Max Spread

0.5-1 metres

Size

Time to Maturity: 10–20 years
Max Spread: 0.5-1 metres
Max Height: 0.5-1 metres

Growing Conditions

Chalk Clay Loam Sand

Moisture: Moist but well–drained
pH: Acid or Alkaline or Neutral

Position

Full sun

Aspect: East–facing or 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): H7

Colour & Scent

Season	Stem	Flower	Foliage	Fruit
Spring
Summer
Autumn
Winter

Botanical Details

Family: Pinaceae
Native to GB/Ireland: No
Foliage: Evergreen
Habit: Bushy
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: Accepted

How to Grow

Cultivation

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

Propagation

Propagate by grafting or hardwood cuttings

Suggested planting locations and garden types

City and courtyard gardens
Patio and container plants
Rock garden
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