Picea omorika aka Serbian Spruce

Picea omorika, also known as Pančić spruce or Serbian spruce, is a coniferous tree that is native to the Drina River valley in western Serbia and eastern Bosnia and Herzegovina. Its range covers only about 60 hectares, at an altitude of 800-1,600 meters. This tree was discovered in 1875 near the Serbian village of Zaovine by the Serbian botanist Josif Pančić, who named it after himself, and the specific epithet "omorika" simply means "the tree" in Serbian. Serbian spruce is a medium-sized evergreen tree that can grow up to 20 meters tall, exceptionally 40 meters, with a trunk diameter of up to 1 meter. It has needle-like leaves that are flattened in cross-section, dark blue-green above, and blue-white below. The cones are fusiform, 4-7 centimeters long, dark purple when young, and mature to a dark brown color 5-7 months after pollination, with stiff scales. Outside its native range, Serbian spruce is highly valued as an ornamental tree in large gardens in northern Europe and North America, thanks to its very attractive crown form and its ability to grow on a wide range of soils, including alkaline, clay, acid, and sandy soil. Although it prefers moist, drained loam, it can adapt to various growing conditions. Moreover, Picea omorika is a rare houseplant that can be easily grown and needs regular watering to thrive. It prefers long-lasting, direct light and should be less than 1 foot away from a window. When repotting, it is recommended to use well-draining soil, and it shouldn't need added fertilizers if you repot each time it doubles in size. Picea omorika belongs to the Picea genus and is native to southwestern Europe.