Serbian spruce (Picea omorika) is non-toxic to dogs and is safe to keep in homes with pets as long as precautions are taken.
What is Serbian spruce?
Family | Pinaceae – Pine |
Botanical name | Picea omorika |
Common names | Serbian spruce, Bosnian spruce, Omorica |
Mature height | 50 – 60 feet (15-18 metres) |
Needle retention | Good |
Scent | Citrus |
Native to | Southeastern Europe |
Toxicity | Non-toxic |
A close relative of the Norway spruce, the Serbian spruce is a medium-sized evergreen with dark green leaves on the top and silver blue on the underside. Serbian spruce grows in a narrow pyramidal shape, with branches that curve upwards and leaves are approximately 1.25 – 2.5 cm (1/2 – 1 inch) long, and rounded at the tip.
As a narrower tree, the Serbian spruce can fit into smaller corners than the Norway spruce. The leaves impart a citrus smell when crushed.
Related: Caring for a Christmas tree
Safety
While Serbian spruce is non-toxic to dogs, care must be taken to keep pets safe.
- Always secure the tree to a wall with fishing wire to prevent it from being toppled over.
- Unplug Christmas tree lights when they are not in use, or there is nobody there to supervise.
- Do not place edible decorations on the Christmas tree.
- Take care with tree preservers, aspirin or fertilisers in the tree water bowl, due to their toxicity and do not let pets drink out of the water reservoir.
- Place breakable objects higher up on the tree and non-breakable ones lower down.
- Avoid angel hair tinsel which can be injested and cause a linear foreign body obstruction.
- Clean up dropped needles regularly.
- Do not use fake snow on the tree.
Toxicity of common Christmas trees
Common name |
Scientific name |
Toxicity level |
Norway spruce | Picea abies | Non-toxic |
Blue spruce | Picea pungens | Non-toxic |
Serbian spruce | Picea omorika | Non-toxic |
White spruce | Picea glauca | Non-toxic |
Nordmann fir | Abies nordmanniana | Non-toxic |
Fraser fir | Abies fraseri | Non-toxic |
Douglas fir | Pseudotsuga menziesii | Non-toxic |
Noble fir | Abies procera | Non-toxic |
Balsam fir | Abies balsamea | Non-toxic |
Grand fir | Abies grandis | Non-toxic |
Scotch pine | Pinus sylvestris | No information available |
White pine | Pinus strobus | No information available |
Virginian pine | Pinus virginiana | Toxic |
Norfolk Island pine, house pine | Araucaria heterophylla | Non-toxic |