Spruce - types and varieties. Decorative Christmas trees: description of types and options for use in landscape design What is a soft Christmas tree called?
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All over the world they are called Pinophyta - Pine. We usually call them Coniferous trees. A distinctive feature of the taxa is Needles, Needles.
Remember the children's song: “What grows on the Christmas tree? Cones and needles" Coniferous tree with large needles: spruce, pine, fir, cedar, larch. Who has more needles - spruce or pine? Can you always distinguish spruce from pine, and fir from cedar?
Which pine tree has the longest and largest needles? Coniferous tree with large needles
North American pine Long Pine Leaf. As its name suggests, Longleaf pine has the largest needles. The needles reach a length of 45 cm, hanging gracefully on the short branches of a mature tree. Once mature, the needles remain on the tree for ten years or more.
It is also called Swamp pine, Southern pine, yellow pine, Georgia pine, and pinyon pine. This marvel, a conifer with large needles, grows from southern Virginia to Florida and west to Mississippi.
What are pine needles?
Pine needles are the leaves of a pine tree. The leaf begins its growth in dense tufts of pine branches. Over the course of three to five years, the needles mature. Some fall off at the end of the ripening period, others stay on the tree for many years. On a coniferous tree, needles grow in different lengths. With an average needle length of, say, 10 cm, some needles will be 8 cm and others will be 12 cm.
About a hundred species of pine trees grow in the modern world. Most conifers live in the Northern Hemisphere. Conifers that grow in Australia, New Zealand and South Africa are not native to these areas; they were introduced into these areas.
Which coniferous species have large needles? — Coniferous trees with large needles
- Benguet pine (Pinus insularis), needles 23 cm, grows in the Philippines, Burma and southern China.
- Chir pine (Pinus roxburghii), needles 20 -30 cm long, grow in the Himalayas
- Guatemala pine trees (Pinus pseudostrobus), needles about 40 cm long, grow in Mexico and Central America.
- Telecote or Mexican yellow pine (Pinus procumbens), has needles up to 30 cm, grows in Mexico.
- Montezuma pine (Pinus montezumae) with needles up to 38 cm, grows in Mexico and Guatemala. Some are grown in Southern California.
- Canary Island pines (Pinus canariensis) with 20 - 30 cm needles, are native to the Canary Islands, but some grow in Southern California.
- Torrey pine (Pinus torreyana), also called Del Mar Pine or Soledad Pine. The needles of these trees are up to 35 cm in length. Its natural habitat is a nature reserve north of San Diego and on Santa Rosa Island.
- Digger pine (Pinus sabiniana) from California, 20-30 cm needles.
- Coulter pine trees (Pinus coulteri) have on average 25 cm long needles.
- Jeffrey pine (Pinus jeffreyi), with needles 15-25 cm.
Tall slender spruce trees with a pyramidal crown are common coniferous plants of forests, which can often be seen in park area, both in urban landscaping and among homestead landscapes. A bunch of various types and varieties, the presence of dwarf and slow-growing forms allows these plants to be successfully planted in a flower garden, rock garden and on, in mixed compositions with other woody plants.
Types of fir trees
The genus Spruce (Picea) includes up to 45 species, which naturally grow in cold and temperate climates, on sandy and rocky soils, and less often in wetlands. The center of origin is considered to be the harsh mountainous terrain of China. The plants are quite unpretentious, drought-resistant, most tolerate the harshest winters without loss, some species are quite tolerant of excessive soil moisture and air pollution.
As soon as you decide on the type and variety of spruce, we recommend reading our article “”, it will help you grow an excellent tree from a spruce seedling.
Norway spruce (Picea abies)
A large tree, growing up to 50 m in height, characterized by a pyramidal crown with a pointed apex. The branches are directed to the sides or obliquely downwards, raised at the ends. The needles are juicy green, glossy, tetrahedral in shape, up to 2.5 cm long. The cones are oblong, greenish or purple when immature. The hardy local species is widespread in the European part up to the Urals, and usually does not cause problems in acquisition and care.
Acrocona
A bright, slow-growing variety that appeared at the end of the 19th century in Finland. The crown forms a wide pyramid, is located low, reaches a height of 4 m, with a diameter of 2.5–3 m. Young plant compact, round in shape. The difference between Akrokona is early, abundant and very colorful fruiting; immature lilac-crimson cones appear in abundance at the ends of skeletal branches and wonderfully decorate the plant.
The needles are dark green in tone, with delicate hanging young growths of a herbaceous hue, which makes a striking contrast. An excellent choice for landscaping small gardens and solitary plantings on the lawn.
Ohlendorffii
Dwarf spruce with a compact crown comes from Germany. By the age of ten it reaches 1–2 m, develops slowly, and grows 3–6 cm annually. The crown is wide, first round, then pyramidal in shape, multi-peaked. The branches are dense, spread to the sides and raised at the ends, densely covered with fine green needles, sometimes with a golden tint. The variety is shade-tolerant, unpretentious, suitable for creating mixborders or decorating rocky hills.
Frohburg
Swiss original weeping spruce with a straight, slender trunk. The plant is medium-sized; by the age of ten it can grow up to 2–4 m. The branches are sloping, fall to the ground, and spread with age, forming a kind of lush trail, which looks unusual and attractive.
The needles are light green in color, short and stiff. Immature cones are greenish-crimson, growths are emerald green, oblong-round in shape. A stunning variety for solitary plantings, it gives compositions an elegant vertical accent and is of interest to lovers of unusual ornamental plants.
Serbian spruce (Picea omorika)
A tall tree with a narrowed conical or columnar shape with a pointed top. The needles are flattened, glossy, dark green in color, marked on the reverse side with two silvery-white lines. The cones are small, bluish-black in color.
This beautiful, stable species is unpretentious to soils, tolerates air pollution well, and under natural conditions is distributed in the mountainous areas of the Balkan Peninsula.
Nana
The dwarf variety is characterized by a dense, rounded crown in young specimens, then the crown becomes broadly conical with a pronounced pointed tip. The height of an adult plant is no more than 3.5 m and a width of about 2 m; it develops at a pace that is moderate for low-growing varieties; by the age of ten it reaches one and a half meters.
The main branches are directed obliquely upward, covered with radially directed glossy needles of emerald color with a distinct bluish tint and light stripes on the underside. Planted in oriental gardens, thanks to its spectacular blue tint and compactness, it is successfully used to create contrasting woody compositions.
Peve Tijn
The undersized sport of the previous variety was selected by Dutch breeders. The cone-shaped wide crown is very dense, with a smooth, dense surface. It grows by 5–6 cm per year, reaching just over one and a half meters in height by the age of ten. The needles are golden-green with a blue or silver tint. The attractive color combination is especially pronounced on annual growths and in plants planted in open sunny areas.
Canadian or gray spruce (Picea glauca)
A powerful tree reaches a height of 25–30 m; in cultivation it grows moderately – no higher than 10–15 m; in nature it is widespread in the forests of North America. The crown is dense, the main branches of young plants are raised, and those of adults are directed downwards. The needles are thick, bluish-green. The cones are small, light green, turning brown when ripe.
Alberta Globe
The miniature, round-shaped plant becomes dome-shaped in maturity. By the age of ten, the diameter of the dense crown is about 30 cm, with annual growth of 2–3 cm; over the years, the lush conifer grows in width up to 0.7 m and reaches 1 m in height.
The needles are light green, elegant, densely covering the dense side branches, forming a bumpy continuous surface. A wonderful variety for planting in rockeries or flower beds, it looks good in homogeneous groups.
Conica
A slow-growing variety of Canadian selection, it is distinguished by a dense conical crown of regular shape. In adulthood, it grows no higher than 2 m with a width at the base of about one and a half meters. The surface is smooth, dense, the branches are directed upward. Spiny elastic needles of juicy green color are located radially.
Konica does not require formative pruning and is wonderful for arranging mixborders, decorating rocky hills and growing in containers. The plant is resistant, prefers sparse partial shade, growths are susceptible to spring burns.
Sanders Blue
Canadian spruce variety Sanders Blue (Sander's Blue)
The famous blue variety is one of the best in its color group. It develops slowly, growing 4–5 cm per year. By the age of ten it reaches 0.7 m in height and 1.3–1.5 m in diameter. The crown is conical, regular, and becomes loose in the shade.
The needles are bright, fresh silvery blue color, on young growths the color is more saturated, on old branches it is bluish-green, which is why the surface appears unevenly colored, which is especially noticeable on specimens growing in the shade. Sometimes reversions may appear - completely green branches, which are carefully cut out from the trunk in early spring so as not to spoil the overall impression.
Engelmann spruce or weeping spruce (Picea engelmanii)
Slender conifers up to 50 m high naturally grow on the poor soils of the Rocky Mountains of North America. The crown is cone-shaped, wide, with sloping branches covered with sharp bluish-green needles on the growths, darkening at the base of the branches. The cones are small, oblong-conical, up to 7 cm long, burgundy in color when ripe.
Bush's Lace
A beautiful unusual variety with a straight trunk and a pyramidal loose crown. The young plant actively produces growth - 20–30 cm per year, growing up to 7 m in height and about 1.8 m in diameter. The skeletal branches are raised at the base, drooping at the ends, the lower branches lie on the ground, forming a lush trail.
The main color is bluish-green, the spectacular large growths are bright, contrasting, silver-blue. It looks best solitary in open areas; in the shade it loses its richness of color and attractive shape, growing unevenly.
Snake
A tall tree with a sparse crown and bluish-green needles, silvery on growths. The skeletal branches are practically without lateral branching, characterized by growth from the apex, horizontally directed, spread out, slightly raised at the ends. The variety is rare, mainly grown by exotic lovers, excellent as a tapeworm, adding sophistication to oriental and rocky gardens.
Prickly or blue spruce (Picea pungens)
A common cultivated species, beautiful and frost-resistant, tolerates air pollution well. Distributed in the mountainous areas of North America, grows up to 30–40 m in height, characterized by a dense, wide-pyramidal crown, evenly developed. The skeletal branches are directed horizontally, spread out and raised at the ends.
Young shoots are bright brown, bare. The needles are gray, becoming increasingly green with age. The advantage of the species is its tolerance to excess moisture and the ability to develop well in low-lying areas.
Hermann Naue
Dwarf spectacular variety cushion-shaped, without a pronounced central stem, with numerous lateral branches directed in different directions. By the age of ten, the compact plant reaches half a meter in height and up to 0.7 m in diameter. The needles are bluish-gray, bright. Numerous oblong cones light brown, appear in abundance at the ends of shoots at an early age and serve as a wonderful decoration.
The Blues
A stunning blue sport of the Glauca Pendula variety. The plant is medium-sized - no higher than 2.5 m and up to 1 m in diameter, with a straight stem and drooping top. The branches are horizontally spread, the ends are directed downwards. The needles are long, silver-blue in color, as if covered with frost, the growths are bright blue. Successfully grafted onto a standard.
Hoopsii
The classic form of gray spruce was developed in the USA in 1958. Curvy beauty does not require a huge area, in maturity it grows up to 10–12 m and no more than 3–4 m in width. It develops quickly - 15–20 cm per year, the branches are strong and elastic, and do not break during snowfalls. The crown is harmonious, pyramidal, with outstretched, densely packed skeletal branches and multiple lateral branches, diversified.
The needles are large, up to 2.5 cm long, rich blue in color; the growths are light blue. Small purple bumps serve as an additional color accent. Looks great in single plantings and alleys, as well as in multi-colored compositions of conifers.
Black spruce (Picea mariana)
A large tree with a narrow pyramidal crown, in natural conditions it grows up to 20–30 m, in cultivation by the age of ten it is no higher than 3 m. The needles are short, bluish-green, and dense. The branches are brick-brown, covered with reddish pubescence. Winter-hardy unpretentious appearance does not have a huge selection diversity, numbering only 6–7 varieties.
Nana
The dwarf plant is characterized by a dense, rounded-flattened crown with a smooth surface. The main branches are horizontally directed, completely covered with lateral branches directed in different directions. It develops slowly, growing 3–5 cm per year. In adulthood, it reaches no more than half a meter in height and about 1 m in diameter.
The needles are short, bluish-green, on the shoots of the current year they have a spectacular bright green color, contrasting. An unassuming compact variety will serve as a wonderful element of a flower garden and rock garden; it grows well in container culture.
Aurea
A slow-growing tree of a pyramidal shape by the age of ten grows no higher than 1.5–2 m, then growth accelerates, and an adult plant reaches 5–7 m. The branches are outstretched, drooping at the ends, densely covered with short bluish-green needles with cream tips. The growths are much lighter, golden yellow. The elegant conifer looks great both in colorful, diverse compositions and as a solitaire.
Siberian spruce (Picea obovata)
A slender spruce with a narrow cone-shaped crown growing low to the ground is considered one of the most resilient species. Growing shoots are light brown in color, with slight pubescence. The glossy needles are sharp, up to 3 cm long, dark green in color. The species is in many ways similar to Norway spruce, but develops more slowly, reaching a height of no more than 35 m. It is distributed in the forests and mountainous areas of Siberia, China, Mongolia and northern Europe.
Glauka (Var. glauca)
The medium-sized variation with a pyramidal crown 10–12 m high grows intensively – 20–25 cm per year. The skeletal branches are widely spread, directed obliquely upward, the central stem is smooth and clearly defined. The needles are elastic, linear-needle-shaped, tetrahedral, silver-blue, very impressive. Glauka is highly frost-resistant, unpretentious and quite shade-tolerant. Used as a tapeworm, for group plantings and alleys.
Eastern spruce (Picea orientalis)
A common species grows in the mountainous areas of the Caucasus and northern Turkey. The tree is large, up to 60 m in height. The dense pyramidal crown is symmetrically developed, with branches raised at the base and sloping at the ends. It grows up to 20 cm per year, young trees develop much more slowly.
The needles are short, hard, thick green in color. The cones are a striking reddish-purple hue, oblong, narrowed in shape, 6–8 cm in size. Spruce prefers light soils, does not develop well on heavy soils, and freezes slightly in harsh, dry winters.
Nutans
A beautiful tree in the shape of an uneven pyramid, formed by unevenly growing branches, horizontally spread and raised at the ends. The side branches hang down. At first it grows moderately, in adulthood it grows more intensively, growing 20–30 cm per year. Mature trees can reach 18–20 m in height, with a diameter of 7–9 m.
The needles are needle-like, very thick and short, about 1 cm long, dark green, glossy. Young shoots are bright green in color. Immature cones are showy, reddish-purple, mature ones are brown. A fairly large conifer requires sufficient space; it is usually grown in a single planting.
Aureospicata
The magnificent oriental spruce was obtained by German breeders at the end of the 19th century. A medium-sized tree in maturity reaches 10–15 m, characterized by a wide pyramidal crown, slightly loose. The drooping branches are located unevenly, raised at the ends, the side branches hang beautifully.
The needles are thin, very short, dark green. The greenish-yellow bright growths, as well as small crimson-colored cones, make the conifer especially attractive. An elegant tree is rightfully considered one of best representatives kind.
Spruce mariorika (Picea x mariorika)
Obtained by crossing black and Serbian spruce in Germany at the beginning of the 20th century; later, a few but very interesting varieties were bred. It is a large plant up to 30 m high, with a wide pyramidal crown. The branches are horizontally directed, covered with flat bluish-green needles, with distinctive silver stripes on the underside. The cones are small - up to 5 cm long, purple in color when immature.
Machala
Czech dwarf variety, up to half a meter high and about 1 m wide, cushion-shaped. The branches are diversified, horizontal, dense, raised from the base. The spiny needles are up to 1.5 cm long, silver-blue in color, lighter on the inside. The origin remains the subject of heated debate - various sources claim that the interesting variety was obtained not from Serbian spruce, but from Iez or, according to another version, Sitka.
Iezskaya or Ayanskaya spruce (Picea jezoensis)
A wonderful coniferous tree, in nature reaching 30–50 m in height, in cultivation by the age of thirty it grows no higher than 8–10 m. Under natural conditions, the species is common in the Far East and the Korean Peninsula, China and Japan, is considered extremely winter-hardy, grows near rivers , loves sprinkling of the crown, shade-tolerant.
The crown is pyramidal, the skeletal branches are directed obliquely upward. Flat needles up to 1.5–2 cm long, blunt or with a small point, dark green, with bluish-white stripes below, last up to 10 years. The needles fit tightly to the branches; in good lighting they tend to puff up, which gives the plant a light silvery tone. The cones are oval-oblong, up to 8 cm long, in an immature state, purple-crimson or light green.
Nana Kalous
A dwarf, squat plant without a pronounced central conductor, round, about 1 m in diameter. The skeletal branches are evenly spaced, directed horizontally and obliquely upward, the lateral branches are short and grow in abundance. The tousled needles with a bluish underside are bright and attractive. Very nice shape, looks good on alpine slides, in the foreground of mixborders.
Groups of spruce varieties by growth vigor
In natural conditions, the overwhelming majority of spruce species are large trees up to 30–50 m high. Over hundreds of years of cultural cultivation, breeders have obtained luxurious tall varieties of ideal proportions, as well as many very decorative medium-sized and dwarf forms.
Low growing varieties
Blue Pearl
A dwarf conifer with a rounded crown, which over time becomes cushion-shaped or broadly conical. By ten years it reaches half a meter in height and 0.8 m in diameter, growing slowly - 2-3 cm per year.
The branches are dense, multi-directional, the side branches are located vertically, forming a convex textured surface. The needles are radially arranged, hard and prickly, bluish-blue in color, creating an attractive contrast with the red bark of the shoots.
Lucky Strike
A charming dwarf Christmas tree with a pyramidal crown reaches 1.2 m in height and 0.8 m in diameter by the age of 10, and does not exceed 2 m in adulthood. Dense branches are unevenly located, directed horizontally or obliquely upward. The glossy needles are dark green, the growths are bright, yellowish. Purple cones appear early and in abundance, they are large, directed vertically, and over time they turn brown and droop.
Goblin
The attractive dwarf form of Norway spruce resembles a bright green, lush tussock. The central conductor is not pronounced, the short skeletal branches are covered with many vertically directed lateral branches, completely covered with short protruding needles of a juicy green hue, especially bright on young growths.
It develops slowly, growing 2–2.5 cm per year, and reaches a height of 0.4 m by the age of ten. The variety was obtained from the famous cushion-shaped variety Nidiformis.
Medium-sized varieties
Cruenta
This stunning “red” variety of Norway spruce is winter-hardy and drought-tolerant. It develops at a moderate pace, reaching 2–4 m by the age of ten. The crown is dense, of a regular pyramidal shape, with skeletal branches raised obliquely upward and drooping side branches.
A notable feature is the purple-crimson large growths, which over time acquire a green color. Immature buds are bright, raspberry-purple. Spectacular combination crimson and green tones make this conifer exceptionally elegant, invariably attracting looks.
Pendula Bruns
An original plant of medium size, growing up to 4–5 m in height, less often up to 10 m, develops at a moderate pace - annually 7–10 cm in height and about 3 cm in width. The crown is narrowed, about 1.2–1.7 m in diameter, with a straight central conductor, curved upward to varying degrees. The branches are directed downward, pressed against the trunk and slightly raised at the ends, growing from the ground itself, forming a wide, dense trail.
The needle-like narrow needles are dark green in color, with two silver stripes on the reverse side. The cones are small, reddish-purple when immature. To maintain a spectacular, even and narrow shape, the trunk is tied up until it reaches a height of 1.5–2 m. The variety does not develop well on dense soils that are too moist.
Christmas Blue
A slow-growing tree in maturity reaches a height of 3–4 m with a width across about 1.5–2 m. The main difference is the ideal proportions of the conical crown with a flat surface. The skeletal branches are directed horizontally, evenly covered with lateral branches growing in different directions.
The needles are elastic, radially arranged, silver-blue, exceptionally pure in tone. It grows best in open areas and is successfully grown in groups and to create dense blue hedges.
Tall varieties
Iseli Fastigiata
A beautiful prickly spruce grows up to 10–12 m, the growth rate is intense - about 20 cm per year, by the age of ten it reaches 3 m. The crown is neat, harmonious conical shape, does not tend to grow too much, the base width of an adult tree is about 3 m. The branches are directed obliquely upward, lateral branches and growths directed vertically.
The needles are bluish-green, with a pleasant, fresh tone; in sunny areas the blue tint is more pronounced. One of the best tall, narrow varieties, allowing you to successfully grow a luxurious blue spruce even in a limited space.
Columnaris
The tall natural form of Norway spruce is found in the wild in Scandinavian countries. The narrow columnar crown is formed by short skeletal branches and horizontally located lateral branches densely covered with dark green glossy needles.
The plant is large, reaches 12–17 m in maturity, develops quickly, and gives growth of up to 30 cm per year. Young trees tend to freeze and burn in the sun. Used to create alleys and solitaire planting.
Video about the variety of types and varieties of spruce trees
Various varieties of spruce trees are widely used in landscaping, for decorating front entrances, arranging dense emerald or blue hedges, single or group plantings, in mixborders and rockeries. The incredible variety of varieties will not only satisfy the most demanding demand, but can also seriously captivate the gardener, turning him into a passionate collector of wonderful evergreens.
Spruce is called a “mathematical tree” - because of the geometrically correct silhouette of the crown. It is believed that the roofs of temples and houses in Asian countries are copied from the spruce crown. Let's try to understand the wide variety of species and varieties of this beauty.
Description of spruce
Spruce (Latin Picea, English spruce or fir-tree) is an evergreen tree with a superficial root system. The branching of the crown is monopodial, the branches often come together, forming whorls. Shoots are elongated and shortened. The leaves are narrow, needle-shaped (needles), have one vein. The needles are tetrahedral, on each side there is a white stripe, the needles are located singly. In bark, wood and pine needles there are resin ducts containing essential oil. The cones are unisexual, male cones are collected in groups, female cones ripen in one growing season. The cones are drooping and do not fall apart.
The plant is shade-tolerant, but with a lack of light it develops one-sidedly and unevenly. Moisture-loving, tolerates slight waterlogging. In the first years of life it grows very slowly. It does not tolerate gas pollution and urban conditions well, and the life expectancy of needles is reduced. Fir trees grow best on light sandy loam and podzolic soils.
Varieties of fir trees
- Norway spruce (European) – Picea abies. Distributed in Western Europe and the European part of the CIS. The height of the tree is 30-50 m, the diameter of the trunk is up to 2.5 m, the crown is up to 8 m. It lives up to 300 years. It is of great economic importance.
- Siberian spruce ( Picea obovata). Distributed in the northeastern part of Russia and Western Siberia. The height of the tree is up to 25 m, the diameter of the trunk is a meter or more. It has subspecies: lutescens, Krylova, lucifera, cerulea (Siberian blue spruce).
- Eastern spruce (Picea orientalis). Distributed in the Caucasus. Height up to 50 m, width up to 10 m. Lives up to 500 years. Very undemanding.
- Prickly spruce (Picea pungens), also known as blue spruce. Distributed in the mountains of North America, widely used as an ornamental species in the CIS and Western Europe. Height up to 45 m, width up to 10 m. In landscape design, blue spruce is used for group plantings in parks. Lives up to 100 years.
- Ayan spruce (small-seeded, Iezskaya, Komarova, Kamchatka, Yezonskaya) - (Picea jezoensis). Distributed in the Far East. Height up to 50 m, width up to 10 m. Lives up to 350 years. It reduces background noise well in park areas.
- Schrenk spruce, or Tien Shan (Picea schrenkiana). Grows in the Tien Shan, Dzungarian Alatau, China, Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan. Up to 60 m in height, trunk up to 2 m in diameter. Slow-growing species in youth, which allows it to be used to create hedges.
- Glen spruce, or Sakhalin spruce (Picea glehnii). Grows in the forests of Southern Sakhalin and on the island. Hokkaido (Japan). Tree up to 30 m in height. It has very small needles (6-12) mm. The Japanese call it red spruce.
- Korean spruce (Picea koraiensis). Grows in the Far East and North Korea. Height up to 40 m, trunk diameter up to 1 m. It has three varieties: pungsanensis, tonaiensis, koraiensis. Promising for landscaping as a very hardy species.
- Red spruce (Picea rubens). Grows in the Appalachian Mountains of North America. Grows up to 30 m, trunk diameter up to 1.5 m. Lives up to 400 years. It is rarely used in our country.
- Serbian (Balkan) spruce (Picea omorika). Grows in the Balkans, in a small area. Height up to 40 m, width up to 5 m, trunk up to 1 m. Lives up to 300 years. Very decorative, widely used in landscape design.
- Engelmann spruce (Picea engelmanii). Grows in the mountains of North America. Height up to 50 m, trunk up to 1 m. Lives up to 400 years. It is planted mainly singly.
- Canadian spruce (gray, white) (Picea glauca). Homeland - North America. Height 20 to 40 m, trunk up to 1 m, width up to 1.2 m. Lives up to 500 years. Many dwarf varieties.
- Black spruce (Picea mariana). Grows in North America. Height up to 30 m, trunk up to 0.5 m. Natural hybridization with red spruce and gray spruce. It features beautiful purple buds.
- Brewer spruce (Picea breweriana). It grows in a small area in the mountains of North America. One of the most ancient species. Height up to 40 m, trunk up to 1.5 m. Distinguished by weeping branches. Lives up to 900 years. Used as a tapeworm in large areas.
- Likiangensis purple spruce (Picea likiangensis purpurea). Synonym: Lijiang fir. Grows in the mountains of China. Height up to 50 m, width up to 10 m. Has purple-violet cones.
Spruce species such as Alcocca spruce (Picea alcoquiana); Japanese spruce, or graceful spruce (Picea torono); Maksimovich spruce (Picea maximowiczii) - are endemic to Japan. The bicolor spruce (Picea bicolor) used in landscaping is a cultivar of the Alcocca spruce.
Wilson spruce (Picea wilsonii), Meyer spruce (Picea meyeri), Chinese spruce (Picea brachytyla) are endemic to China.
Growing spruce
Many gardeners ask the question: “How can I propagate spruce myself? And how to grow spruce from seeds?
All types of spruce trees reproduce by seeds, which begin to germinate in the year of sowing. For better germination, seeds are stratified using low temperatures. IN natural environment the seeds fall off, they are covered with snow and they become stratified for 2-3 months. IN artificial conditions It is necessary to tie the seeds in a gauze bag and keep them in a cool room until sowing, at a temperature of +4-6C. Sowing of spruce is carried out in the spring, when spring frosts have passed, to which spruce is very sensitive.
Before sowing, seeds must be treated with a growth stimulant to increase germination energy. For example, the drug "Epin-extra". Sowing is carried out to a depth of 1.5-2 cm.
In the nursery, spruce is grown in the formation department, periodically replanting and increasing the feeding area with each replanting. Areas in which plants are grown at different growth periods are called schools.
According to the period of cultivation in the school department, spruce is classified as slow-growing and remains in it for 8 years.
The period of stay in the first school is 4 years, then at this place there is not enough food for the seedling. This leads to a delay in the development of roots and crowns. Therefore, the seedlings are dug up and transplanted to another place in the second school, where the plants are kept until subsequent transplantation. Plants are being planted square way, with an area of 0.7*0.7 m per seedling.
In the third school, our Christmas trees will remain for another 2-4 years, planting scheme 1*1 m, for uniform development of the root system. When transplanting, seedlings are planted at the root collar (it is permissible to deepen it to 2 cm below ground level, leaving a reserve for soil shrinkage). Root system should be straightened, without bending the roots. If individual roots have grown too much, they can be trimmed with pruning shears. After planting, the soil is trampled down well and watered so that there are no voids left.
Except seed propagation from a cone, many varieties of Christmas trees are cut from cuttings to speed up the propagation of planting material, less often grafted. Grafting is also used to obtain standard forms of spruce.
Cuttings are harvested from trees no younger than 5 years old. They are grown in greenhouses, pre-treated with growth stimulants: “Kornevin”, “Heteroauxin”.
Planting and care
Optimal planting of spruce trees is carried out in the autumn-winter period. How further south region, the later the trees are planted, the growing season of the seedling should be completed by the time planting begins.
The size of the planting hole depends on the size of the Christmas tree. The width and depth of the hole when planting a seedling with an open root system should be 20-30 cm larger than the size of the roots; they should not touch the bottom and walls of the hole. We recommend planting coniferous plants with a clod of soil, this promotes better survival. When planting a plant with a clod, the hole should be 0.5-0.8 m wider and 0.1-0.3 m deeper than the clod.
If we plant large spruce trees, then metal carcass carefully cut from the coma in the hole; the burlap does not need to be removed, just untie the knot around the root collar. It is good to treat such trees after planting with the “Lignohumate” stimulant, and then repeat this treatment approximately once every 2 weeks for a year, only at above-zero temperatures.
Gardeners are often interested in: “How to plant a blue spruce correctly? How to care for blue spruce? Caring for blue spruce varieties is the same as for all spruce trees. But fertilizing should be carried out blue spruces it is necessary regularly so that the needles do not fade. For example, the drug “Florovit for conifers”, “Green Needle”. Planting blue spruce on the site should be done in a sunny place.
For all types of Christmas trees, the first fertilizing with fertilizers is carried out no earlier than the following autumn after planting. Especially for plants with an open root system, there is a risk of burning the roots.
You should not water the spruce heavily, as this will lead to rapid infection with fungal infections. If you are not sure about the amount of watering, it is better to purchase a moisture meter; its scale will show whether watering is needed or not.
You only need to trim the spruce yourself if the branches are broken, or if you are forming hedge. Spruce trees are formed in the nursery, but you can pluck out quickly elongating shoots so that the plant does not become bare, and trim fast-growing side shoots, but only during the period of active growth.
The most common diseases of spruce trees include: conifer shutte, necrosis necrosis of the bark, tracheomycosis wilt (fusarium), root and stem rot, and canker.
All of them attack weakened trees in dense plantings, when the root collar is deepened during planting.
Control measures are universal: timely removal of dried branches, disinfection of wounds with a solution of copper sulfate and subsequent covering of the wounds with oil paint. Seasonal preventive treatment with one of the following drugs: “Abiga-pik”, “HOM”, “kuproxate”, 1% Bordeaux mixture. If there is prolonged rain in the summer, then another treatment is added.
It is necessary to ensure that the lower branches do not go deep into the soil; then it is better to cut them off. The needles under the crown need to be disinfected with drugs: “DNOC”, “nitrafen”.
Spruce has a lot of pests: shoot gall midges, shoot moths, hermes, sawflies, needle beetles, spruce moths, wood-boring beetles, spider mite, silkworms.
Control measures: preventive spraying in the spring, during the summer of butterflies, during the growth of young shoots with one of the insecticides: “spark”, “actellik”, “Decis Profi”, “fufanon”. When repeated treatments, the drugs must be changed among themselves.
If you see flight holes of wood-boring beetles on the trunk or sawdust spilling out of the wound, then inject the Actellik drug drop by drop from a syringe into the hole and cover the wound with plasticine. It is necessary to regularly inspect conifers for damage to the trunk. If you have coniferous stumps on your property, remove the bark from them and burn them, and treat the stump with a wood antiseptic.
Care work in the autumn-winter period consists of tying the paws of wide-crowned spruce trees so that they do not break under the weight of snow, covering the roots of young seedlings with spruce branches, sawdust, and snow. If the winter is snowless, it is better to cover young spruce trees with agrofibre or spunbond.
It is important to cover the grafting site of the grafted forms of spruce, to protect them from strong wind to prevent injury to the scion.
Canadian spruce and its varieties need to be shaded in the spring from sunburn thin agrofibre.
Spruce trees in landscape design
We will not give a detailed description of the varieties often used in landscaping, but we will consider the most interesting varieties.
Type: common spruce (European). Varieties: Acrocona, Cupressina, Goblin, Frohburg, Palacek, Echiniformis, Inversa, Gold Drift, Nidiformis, Procumbens, Little Gem, Will*s Zwerg, Pusch, Maxwellii, Pumila Glauca, Virgata, Vermont Gold, Pygmaea, Hasin, Waldbrund, Ohlendorffii , Formanek, Blue Tron.
Type: Canadian spruce (gray, white). Varieties: Alberta Globe, Blue Planet, Tennis Ball, Skra, Conica, Daisy*s White, Piccolo, Sanders Blue, Dendrofarma Gold, Echiniformis, Green Planet, Skrzat.
Type: Serbian spruce (Balkan). Varieties: Wana, Pimoko, Kamenz, Berliner*s, Weeper, Wodan, Pendula, Peve Tijn, Machala, Nana.
Type: prickly spruce. Varieties: Maigold, Glauca Globosa, Blaukissen, Hoopsii, Koster, Pali, Glauca, Edith, Bialobok, Hermann Naue, Hoto, Donna's Rainbow, Iseli Fastigiata, Fat Albert, Oldenburg, Lucky Strike, Baby Blue Eyes, Wendy, Montgomery, Early Cones , Benno, Nimetz, Blue Horizon.
Among other types of spruce, pay attention to the following varieties: oriental spruce “Aureospicata”, “Professor Langner”, “Tom Thumb Gold”; black spruce “Nana”, “Beissneri”; Engelmann spruce “Pendula”, “Bush*s Lace”, “Virgata”, “Snake”; Sitka spruce “Rom”, “Thomas”.
Conclusion
It just so happens that spruce in landscape design is the most attractive, festive coniferous species. It’s a rare site without a prickly beauty. Let it bring holiday and magic to your garden.
Literature:
- Khrzhanovsky V.G. Botany ed. graduate School – 1974.
- Treyvas L.Yu. Atlas-determinant. Diseases and pests coniferous plants ed. Fiton – 2010.
- Sheshko P.V. Encyclopedia of landscape design ed. Astrel – 2008.
- Kholyavko V.S. Dendrology and fundamentals of green building ed. Higher school - 1976.
- Catalog of plants recommended by the Union of Polish Nurseries Warsaw _ 2007.
- Lorberg tree nursery catalog ed.82
Coniferous trees give the impression of majestic representatives of the flora and give the garden area a more solemn appearance. However, not every gardener can decide to plant such a massive tree, and then dwarf varieties of spruce will be an excellent alternative. Compact types fit comfortably in a summer cottage, do not take up much space and fit well into the exterior of the garden.
Peculiarities
Depending on the species, dwarf spruce trees can be of different sizes. Thus, full-grown crops reach a height of 3 m, semi-dwarf - 30 cm, dwarf - 8-15 cm, mini-dwarfs - 38 cm, and micro-dwarfs do not grow higher than 3 cm. This conditional classification, but it allows the gardener who owns small area, make the right choice.
Externally, dwarf spruce trees look the same as their tall relatives, only they are presented in miniature. These specimens do not take up much space and allow you to create garden compositions throughout the year. Decorative species winter well, and on New Year's Day they can be used as a Christmas tree in a pot.
The disadvantages of dwarf spruce trees include their vulnerability to fungi, but this problem is easily solved by timely removal of dry branches and treatment with fungicides.
The disadvantages of miniature varieties include their tendency to fade faster under the influence of sun rays, as well as the fragility of some species.
Types and varieties with descriptions
Most often, plant growers prefer to purchase the following types of dwarf spruce trees for planting.
- Ordinary. Medium-sized species reach a height of 3 m, and low-growing ones - 1.2 m. Different varieties can have needles of different colors from golden to poisonous green. The crown is cushion-shaped or pyramid-shaped, which looks very aesthetically pleasing in garden design.
- Prickly. Miniature forms are not often found in this variety, and they are limited to a height of 2 m. A special feature is the very sharp needles. This species has needles in bluish, steel, silver, and greenish shades.
- Gray. The name of the species was determined by the ash-gray color of the trunk and the bluish tint of the needles. Dwarf varieties are characterized by a spherical or nest-like shape. The color of the needles varies from golden through blue to lush green.
Most famous dwarf varieties in agricultural technology are the following.
- Nidiformis. The common spruce is nest-shaped, which at 10 years of age reaches a height of 0.4 m. The needles are light green.
- Little Gem. Another variety of common spruce, which has a semicircular shape. Grows up to 0.5 m. Often used as a standard form.
- Will's Zwerg. The tree reaches a height of 1.2 m. Young needles have a delicate green tint and contrast very well with old dark green needles.
- Pygmaea. This type of Norway spruce has an elegant round crown 2.5 m in diameter, and the tree grows up to 1.5 m. The needles are painted light green.
- Formanek. This common variety has recumbent branches and no trunk. It has a one-sided crown, and its height reaches 0.5 m. The color of the needles is similar to the classic tall species.
- Glauca Globosa. This variety belongs to the group of thorny spruce trees. Can grow up to 3 m in height and width. The needles are thick, pale blue in color.
- Push. A variety of prickly spruce that attracts gardeners with its unusual fruits - pale pink cones. Gradually, the shade of the cones turns into crimson, and the ripe fruits have a brown-brown color. This tree rarely reaches 1 m in height and is often grafted onto a standard tree, on which its growth depends.
- Canadian spruce. This bluish variety includes many subspecies. At the age of 60 years, the height of the plant does not exceed 4 m. The needles tend to fade in the sun or fly off. In some species, the needles have a soft yellow color, which by summer is filled with a light green tint.
- Serbian spruce. The height of the specimen is up to 3.5 m, and the diameter of the crown is 2.5 m. The needles of this species are painted in two colors, dark green on top and light blue below.
Before choosing a variety, the gardener needs to study the prospects of an adult plant and decide how suitable the variety is for a particular garden plot. Perhaps you should take into account not only the size of the future tree, but also its external features and combination with other garden plantings.
So, varieties are suitable for rock gardens Nidiformis, Little Gem, Canadian spruce. For container growing, experienced gardeners recommend choosing Canadian varieties again, as well as species common spruce. For small gardens and cottages for group or single plantings, you can choose Will" s Zwerg, Pygmaea, Serbian spruce Nana. There are species that grow well on rocky hills, these include Formanek, Glauca Globosa, Nana.
In addition, when choosing a seedling, give preference to a specimen grown in a Russian nursery - it is more adapted for growing in our harsh conditions. The buyer should consider how much time he is willing to spend on maintaining the tree. For example, if the garden owner does not have time to wrap the plant at the end of winter to protect it from burns, then it is better to abandon some varieties of Canadian dwarf spruce.
Take into account the climatic conditions of the region. Most species are considered frost-resistant, and blue conifers also have high drought resistance compared to other varieties.
Landing
The most favorable time for planting a coniferous tree is early spring or early autumn. To prevent the young specimen from becoming a victim of frost or rodents, it is important to mulch it with peat before the cold weather. In nature, spruce grows well near river valleys, but they do not like very swampy areas. Therefore, when choosing a place for planting, also take these criteria into account and, if necessary, take care of drainage.
Fertile alkaline and acidic soil is suitable as soil. Dwarf forms do not tolerate heavy types of soil. Before planting the sprout, it is recommended to add 100 g of complex mineral fertilizer to the selected area. Consider neighboring plantings as well.
For example, many flowers and shrubs cannot develop without the sun, and a spruce planted nearby will block their vital light.
The process of planting a shoot is as follows:
- dig a hole in the area and arrange a drainage layer;
- remove a specimen of dwarf spruce from the pot along with a lump of earth and plant it in the prepared hole;
- make sure that the tree stands level;
- fill it up free space soil, water and mulch this area.
Care
Dwarf forms are usually watered once a week with 10 liters of water. Moreover, it is better to supply young sprouts with water in small doses several times a day so that they evenly absorb moisture. To improve biological processes, it is recommended to spray trees warm water. If the spruce is already mature, then it will live without watering for two weeks in a non-arid climate.
Dwarf specimens are adversely affected by overfeeding. When applying fertilizers, do not exceed the dosage specified in the instructions. Be careful with growth stimulants - do not overdo it, otherwise the dwarf form will turn into a tall crop. Trees require annual pruning, which occurs in April. During the procedure, all branches that are broken and injured during the winter are eliminated, and the crown is also cleared away.
If pruning has a decorative purpose, then it is usually done in June, after the active growth phase has passed. It is important to treat all cuts with garden varnish, since dwarf spruce trees are very unstable to infection. Young specimens do not withstand low temperatures well, and therefore they are covered with spruce branches before frost. For adult Christmas trees additional protection will not need.
