Growzone: 4 - 7
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Plant Options
| Bare Root Prices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Height | 25-99 | 100+ |
| 12" - 18" | Available Spring 2027 - Email to Join the Waitlist | Available Spring 2027 - Email to Join the Waitlist |
| Potted Prices | ||
| Height | 1-50 | 50+ |
| 18" - 24" | $22.00 | $21.00 |
| 2' - 3' | $31.50 | $29.50 |
| 3' - 4' | SOLD OUT (42.00) | SOLD OUT (42.00) |
| 4' - 5' | SOLD OUT (52.50) | SOLD OUT (52.50) |
Description
Description
The Serbian Spruce is a medium to fast-growing (2+ feet per year) evergreen that has a needle that is 1 inch long and is dark green on the top and silver on the bottom. It never drops its needles and holds them for up to 10 years. It has small purple seed cones that are very unique. It is a native of a small area of Serbia and Yugoslavia where it grows on limestone hillsides along the Drina river.
It can grow to 50+ ft tall and 20+ ft wide and like other spruce trees, it is wind firm and has a tough flexible wood. Heavy snow and ice storms cause little damage to this tree. Deer will normally not eat this species unless nothing else is available.
This tree has become more acceptable in the Midwest and has adapted better than originally thought. It has a hardiness rating zone of 4-7 and has withstood -38F and strong winds with no winterburn or problems in Iowa. It can tolerate a high pH soil (9+) and still grows very well. It adapts well alongside gravel roads.
The Serbian Spruce does not like wet feet so it needs an area that is well-drained or on a slope where excess water can drain. It enjoys 25” or more of rainfall per year. As with all spruce trees, very sandy soil should be avoided. No known fungal diseases or insect pests have been reported for this tree.
We recommend spacing in a single row 12 ft apart, a double row 16 ft apart, or multiple rows 20+ ft apart with trees staggard from the other rows. A 2ft tall potted tree should be over 9 ft tall after 5 years provided it is planted in good soil with adequate moisture and weed and grass control around the base with no mulch.
The Serbian spruce in Iowa is doing very well and is a highly recommended windbreak tree from Iowa east to the Atlantic. It would do best on the inside rows of windbreaks or on high pH soil where its striking color and growth can be appreciated along with the windbreak protection.