Gozd smreke in kranjske krhlike je razširjen na manjših do srednje velikih površinah skoraj povsod po Sloveniji. Relief je zelo različen: od razgibanega kraškega skalnatega reliefa do umirjenih gladkih površin. Najpogosteje je na srednje strmih do strmih pobočjih. Prevladujejo karbonatne kamnine: apnenci, dolomitni apnenci kot navaljen grušč ob vznožju pobočij in kot ostanki ledeniških moren. Tla so pretežno rendzine s prhninastim humusom, redkeje plitva do srednje globoka rjava pokarbonatna tla. Fitocenoza je razširjena v različnih klimatskih razmerah Slovenije. Na splošno ji ustreza humidna klima; za njen ugodni razvoj mora biti povprečno letno vsaj 1200 mm padavin.

Diagnostična kombinacija rastlinskih vrst
Drevesna plast: navadna smreka (Picea abies), rdeči bor (Pinus sylvestris), evropski macesen (Larix decidua), bukev (Fagus sylvatica).
Grmovna plast: Berberis vulgaris, Clematis alpina, C. vitalba, Daphne mezereum, Erica carnea, Fraxinus ornus, Lonicera alpigena, L. xylosteum, Rhamnus fallax, Rubus saxatilis, Sorbus aucuparia.
Zeliščna plast: Anemone trifolia, A. nemorosa, Aposeris foetida, Betonica alopecuros, Buphthalmum salicifolium, Calamagrostis varia, Carex alba, Cirsium erisithales, Cyclamen purpurascens, Euphorbia amygdaloides, Galeobdolon flavidum, Gentiana asclepiadea, Hellborus niger subsp. niger, Hepatica nobilis, Homogyne sylvestris, Huperzia selago, Maianthemum bifolium, Melampyrum sylvaticum subsp. sylvaticum, Melica nutans, Mercurialis perennis, Orchis mascula s. lat., Oxalis acetosella, Polygala chamaebuxus, Polygonatum verticillatum, Prenanthes purpurea, Salvia glutinosa, Senecio ovatus, Vaccinium myrtillus, Valeriana tripteris, Veronica urticifolia.

Gozd smreke in kranjske krhlike je lahko sekundarnega porekla, nastal bodisi s sadnjo ali pa na opuščenih pašnikih. Lahko je tudi del dolgotrajnega naravnega razvoja, kot vmesna stopnja med gozdom črnega bora in malega jesena in bukovim gozdom.

Sestoji smreke in kranjske krhlike so enodobni oziroma enomerni. Drevje je pogosto slabše kakovosti, zato imajo gozdovi na splošno manjšo gospodarsko vrednost.

Združbo smreke in kranjske krhlike uvrščamo v zvezo Vaccinio-Piceion.

The Rhamno fallici–Piceetum grows in smaller to medium large areas almost everywhere in Slovenia. The land configuration is very diverse, ranging from rocky karst to moderately smooth surfaces. Most often, it grows on medium steep to steep slopes. Carbonate bedrock such as limestone and dolomite limestone predominates, most frequently as deposited gravel at the foot of slopes or as remnants of glacial moraines. Soils are mostly rendzic Leptosols with moder humus with occasional shallow to medium deep chromic Cambisol. The community appears in various climate conditions, but generally it grows in a humid climate where the annual precipitation amounts to 1,200 mm. In the broader area of distribution of the Rhamno fallici–Piceetum, the Asplenio–Piceetum Kouch 1954 also occurs locally.

Diagnostic combination of plant species
Tree layer: Picea abies, Pinus sylvestris, Larix decidua, Fagus sylvatica.
Shrub layer: Berberis vulgaris, Clematis alpina, C. vitalba, Daphne mezereum, Erica carnea, Fraxinus ornus, Lonicera alpigena, L. xylosteum, Rhamnus fallax, Rubus saxatilis, Sorbus aucuparia.
Herb layer: Anemone trifolia, A. nemorosa, Aposeris foetida, Betonica alopecuros, Buphthalmum salicifolium, Calamagrostis varia, Carex alba, Cirsium erisithales, Cyclamen purpurascens, Euphorbia amygdaloides, Galeobdolon montanum, Gentiana asclepiadea, Hellborus niger subsp. niger, Hepatica nobilis, Homogyne sylvestris, Huperzia selago, Maianthemum bifolium, Melampyrum sylvaticum subsp. sylvaticum, Melica nutans, Mercurialis perennis, Orchis mascula s. lat., Oxalis acetosella, Polygala chamaebuxus, Polygonatum verticillatum, Prenanthes purpurea, Salvia glutinosa, Senecio ovatus, Vaccinium myrtillus, Valeriana tripteris, Veronica urticifolia.

The forests of Rhamno fallici–Piceetum can be of secondary origin, growing either by deliberate planting or self-regeneration on abandoned meadows. They can also be part of a long-lasting natural development as an intermediate stage between the Fraxino orni–Pinetum nigrae forest and the Ostryo-Fagetum forest.

The forests of the Rhamno fallici–Piceetum are even-aged and even height. The trees are often of inferior quality and the forests are generally of minor economic importance.

The Rhamno fallici–Piceetum is classified in the alliance Vaccinio–Piceion.

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Zupančič M. 1999: Smrekovi gozdovi Slovenije. Dela SAZU 36, 222 s.