The histological events during adventitious bud and somatic embryo development in explants from Picea omorika seedlings cultivated in vitro have been examined. Meristematic activity in the superficial layers of cotyledons led to bud primordia formation. Bud primordia had characteristic zonal organization with needle primordia arising on the flanks of the meristem. Somatic embryo initial was formed on the cotyledon surface after an unequal transversal division of a cell. The smaller, apical cell gave rise to apical dome and later on secondary, filamentous suspensor while the larger vacuolated cell presented primary suspensor.