From childhood to Christmas and New Year people are accustomed to smelling spruce branches. Mixing with the smell of tangerines, this fragrant coniferous aroma was a harbinger of a miracle, gifts, new experiences and the New Year.
For many centuries, Spruce personified the symbol of a new cycle. In ancient times, remaining evergreen, Spruce was an allegory of eternal youth and immortality, longevity and fidelity.
For the same reasons, spruce "spruce" has been and remains in many villages a sign of a bygone life. During the move funeral procession"lapnik" of spruce branches is thrown under the feet, saying goodbye to the departed. Their age has ended, but passed into eternity.
In Scandinavia, spruce was used for ritual fires. Resinous firewood gave the fire a unique strength.
names of spruce
The word "Spruce" comes from the old Slavic word "jedlъ", which means "prickly".
The first mention of this tree in Russian scriptures appeared in the 11th century. One-root words are found in all languages of the Slavic group.
The Latin name for Spruce is Picea, which means resinous.
Where does El grow?
Spruce forests are found throughout Russia. Basically, these are dense, dense thickets with a small amount of undergrowth.
Despite the fact that Spruce develops best on open space, there are her shade-tolerant counterparts.
The most common type of tree is Common Spruce. It is found in the European part of Russia, in Finland and northern Europe. Spruce groves are found in Siberia and the Urals.
Fellow Spruce Common can be found in the Caucasus and the Far East, in Kuril Islands and Sakhalin. Even in North America and China, individual species of this prickly fragrant tree grow.
What does El look like?
Spruce is a tall stately tree with a straight strong trunk and a dense crown. The branches are arranged in the form of a pyramid and have prickly needles. The bark of Spruce is dense and covered with scales.
The height of Spruce can reach 30 meters, while the volume of the trunk of many species exceeds 1.5 meters.
The average life expectancy of a tree is 250 - 300 years. There are centenarians of 600 years of age.
After 10 - 15 years of life, the tree changes root system, getting rid of the main root. That is why in the forest you can meet these wind-blown giants with uprooted roots.
When does spruce bloom?
Female flowers form small cones, which, after pollination, turn into those same spruce decorations.
Male flowers form elongated catkins that scatter pollen in May.
In October, seeds ripen in cones and become the prey of forest rodents. fluffy squirrels tend to prepare seeds for the winter.
Healing properties of spruce
For medicinal purposes, spruce cones, needles and resin are used.
Daily use of 3-4 spruce needles for a month can restore immunity and increase resistance to a number of viral diseases.
A few spruce branches placed in a vase in a room can kill harmful bacteria in the room, leaving a pleasant aroma in the air.
Fir cones are rich in tannins and essential oils. They also contain copper, manganese, aluminum, iron.
Essential oils are used in the fight against acute respiratory infections and diseases of the upper respiratory tract.
Spruce kidney syrup is prescribed for microinfarctions.
A decoction of pine needles is used for inhalation to treat tonsillitis and sinusitis.
Spruce resin or resin has antiseptic properties and can be used as part of ointments for healing wounds and ulcers.
Spruce Applications
spruce wood- the most common material for construction and fuel. The wood is also used to make paper.
spruce wood very soft and straight. Despite its widespread use in construction, untreated wood is short-lived and rots quickly. That is why spruce wood is treated with antiseptics and mordants.
At the same time, Spruce wood is part of many modern materials, such as fiberboard, chipboard, glued laminated timber and others.
The musical properties of spruce wood have been noticed for a long time, so soundboards, bodies and other details are made from this fragrant tree. musical instruments.
Contraindications
Despite the huge number of useful properties, preparations from Spruce have contraindications. Inhalations from spruce needles are contraindicated in patients with asthma.
In the presence of individual intolerance to the substances contained in spruce cones and needles, it is necessary to be careful when using Spruce for medicinal purposes.
Too frequent use of decoctions and drinks from Spruce can be dangerous for the kidneys.
In ancient times, on New Year's holidays, Spruce was hung with its roots up, and not installed in a corner, as in modern times.
In Scandinavia, spruce branches cover the paths followed by the corteges of rulers.
Blue Spruce has gained its distribution in cities not only because of the beauty of the needles, but also due to resistance to polluted air.
From the dead spruce root, young shoots can grow, which later become real trees. Thus, the tree clones itself.
In Sweden, a similar tree grows, whose age is approaching 10 thousand years.
Spruce cones are often depicted on flags different countries. This fruit symbolizes a high goal and peak.
Make you think. Is the two-week presence of a Christmas tree in the house worth such sacrifices? It is even sadder to observe a picture after the New Year, when the discarded former "green beauties" flaunt everywhere. There is an alternative option to purchase a live Christmas tree. She will delight you with her appearance even after the end of the winter holidays. No, this is not an artificial tree, but a decorative spruce in a pot. Caring for her is a little more difficult, but in the end you will get a real beauty in your garden.
Choosing a Christmas tree
Spruce in a tub is a great way to slow down the clearing of coniferous forests. In addition, it ceases to be fragrant after a couple of days, and crumbling needles now and then dig into the heels. This cannot be said about the planted spruce. Decorative species amaze with their diversity, even the most sophisticated gourmet will be able to choose a plant to their liking.
If you decide to buy a Christmas tree and plant it yourself, pay attention to its root system. Her condition will be a harbinger of the plant. In conifers, it is predominantly deep. If, due to its length, the tree does not fit in a pot, find a large container or plant it in open ground. In no case do not shorten the root of the plant, otherwise it will live no longer than a cut spruce. Decorative dwarf beauty has a more compact root system. Therefore, this species is excellent for growing in a pot.
When buying an already planted Christmas tree, keep in mind that in a cramped container, the roots of the plant form quite tightly. Having chosen a suitable tree, do not rush to pay. Ask the seller to take it out of the pot to show the root. There are unscrupulous traders who cut off the disturbing part and sell the plant. And what will happen to such a tree, we wrote above.
Decorative fir tree in a pot. Care and its features
On the eve of the New Year holidays, it's time to go for the symbol of the New Year. But what to do after the spruce is bought? The description of the tree will help you learn the features of growing and caring for this plant.
Conifers grow rather slowly, so they can be in a tub for several years. To do this, you need to properly contain spruce in a pot. How to care for such a plant is described below.
Spruce in a pot should be watered at least 3 times a week, best option- in one day. To do this, spend 2-3 liters of water. Carefully make sure that the earth in the pot does not dry out, and this may be if the air in the apartment is dry.
Remember that a decorative spruce in a pot cannot be more than two weeks in a heated room. Caring for her at room conditions is simple: regular watering and high humidity. After the New Year holidays, send the winter beauty to the balcony or other cool but well-lit place. A sharp temperature drop can harm the plant, so it must first be hardened. To do this, leave the tree for several nights in a room where about 7 degrees below zero. Insulate the pot to prevent the root system from freezing. Use hay, straw and other materials.
To improve the growth of the tree and its condition, transplant the plant every 2-3 years. Choose a pot a few centimeters wider than the previous one.
Spruce, like all plants, requires regular watering, which stops with the onset of real frosts. In the spring, it is recommended to fertilize the soil, and feed the tree with a complex that is brought along with water.
We carry out a forming pruning
This question arises for everyone who sets out to grow spruce in a pot: “How to care for a plant so that it acquires nice shape? The answer is simpler than it seems. To get a lush tree of symmetrical shape, it is necessary to regularly carry out shaping pruning. This procedure is carried out in early spring in dry weather, when the plant has not yet entered the phase of active growth. When pruning, stick to the natural shape of the crown and shorten only too long bare branches. Thus, branching will be stimulated, and you will get a beautiful lush tree. You need to cut the branch immediately after the joint, from which new branches will go.
Important! It is impossible to prune a weak or diseased tree, as after the procedure it may not recover and begin to dry. Shorten the branches only to the green needles, as the stiff part does not produce new shoots.
Transplanting a Christmas tree from a pot to the garden
After the tree has successfully wintered, it can be transplanted into the garden. The best time to transplant is spring. To do this, prepare a hole that will be slightly larger than a pot. Before planting, you need to fertilize the ground, so put compost on the bottom. Remove the tree from the pot and plant it in the hole. Then water generously.
What can replace the tree?
In addition to Christmas trees, other conifers are also grown in pots: pine, fir, holly, sciadopitis and others. These trees reach small size, and grow very slowly, which is a good substitute if you are not satisfied with a decorative spruce in a pot. Caring for a pine or fir is the same as for a Christmas tree. The only difference is that pine can withstand quite severe frosts if the tree is first hardened.Glauca Globosa. The height does not exceed one and a half meters. The needles are bluish in color, frost-resistant and unpretentious.
Montgomery. The height of such a spruce is about two meters. It tolerates drought, frost and pruning well. Spruce has an unusual color. Blueish needles at the tips of the branches, more green - closer to the trunk.
(Picea pungens) is undoubtedly the most famous and probably the favorite plant for every gardener. A common synonym for prickly spruce - spruce blue, although not all specimens of this species have blue needles. Surprisingly beautiful silhouettes of these fir trees adorn central parks and streets, as well as significant areas of city buildings. For these beauties, they spared no space and landed on small summer cottages six acres, wanting to see a "Christmas tree" in his yard, which later occupied half of the territory. At the end of the XX century. prickly spruce has become a symbol of success and prosperity.
Therefore, today many owners of large plots are striving to plant blue fir trees to the maximum. Love for them, of course, well-deserved, this is a very spectacular and rather trouble-free plant.
One of the advantages This spruce has a high dust and gas resistance, which makes it grow well on busy highways, where all other conifers do not survive. Blue spruces are not as badly damaged by pests as, for example, pines. Yes, and they get sick much less frequently than the same common spruce, especially with proper planting and care.
The natural habitat of blue spruce is located in the west of North America and extends from southeast Idaho south through the states of Utah and Colorado to Arizona and New Mexico. It grows most often in mountain valleys at an altitude of about 2000-3000 m, located along rivers and streams, on moist soil.
The tree is very tall, grows up to 35-40 m and reaches the age of 600-800 years, especially if it is in its homeland. Grows best on loamy or sandy, fairly fertile soil. Although Prickly Spruce is quite shade tolerant, trees grown in the shade look less decorative due to the loss of brightness of the needles and the large distances between whorls of branches. It grows slowly at a young age, and after 10 years the growth rate increases significantly. The plant tolerates shearing and crown shaping very well, which makes the spruce more lush. Like any species popular in landscaping, prickly spruce has many forms that differ in height, crown structure, needle length, and its intensity.
coloring and other indicators. We will briefly dwell on the most common ornamental varieties and, of course, touch on the possible problems of their cultivation.
Decorative varieties
The most widely used in landscaping is the form "Glauca". Almost all tall non-selective trees with a blue tint of needles pass under this name. The crown is beautiful, symmetrical, conical. Spruce grows up to 15-20 m in height and usually has more than 30 cm of growth per year. The needles on the branches last more than 3-5 years. Propagated by both seeds and cuttings. Very resistant to urban conditions form. It has high winter hardiness and frost resistance. It is better to plant in large areas, as spruce looks bulky in small areas.
Click to enlarge!
"Glauca Globosa', Gray Spherical, - "Glauca Globosa".
Very widely used in landscaping and loved by landscape designers, site owners.
Compact, neat, blue dwarf form of prickly spruce, which usually grows up to 1 m in height and up to 1.5 m in diameter. It looks very decorative both when growing a tapeworm, and in a group with other plants. The "Glauka Globoza" grafted onto stems of different heights looks original.
"Hopsi" - "Hoopsii".
One of the most beautiful and bluest forms of prickly spruce. Amazing silver-blue color remains and does not fade even in winter.
Despite the high cost of this form, compared to the "Glauca" form, 'Hoopsii' spruce is in high demand, due not only to the beauty of this form, longer needles, but also to more moderate growth.
‘Holsey’ grows more slowly and is more often used as a Christmas tree on the plots. At the age of more than 20 years, it grows up to 8-10 m in height. In young years, in order to avoid a curvature of the spruce trunk, it is worth leveling it with a stick that fixes the top of the plant.
‘Montgomery’ - "Montgomery".
Dwarf, slow-growing form of prickly spruce, the growth of which is no more than 5-6 cm per year. Even after 30 years, the height of this form and the diameter
crowns - 1.8 m. The needles are very beautiful, silver-blue, up to 20 mm in length, they remain on the branches for a long time. Great tree for landscaping.
Prickly spruce "Montgomery"
For planting on the site as a Christmas tree, I would recommend "Fat Albert", with a dense, cone-shaped crown, but not growing more than 3-4 m in height.
Dwarf forms look interesting on the site, which can be planted in rockeries, compose a composition with other conifers, these are such relatively recently bred forms as Mrs Cesarini(1981, USA), "Lucky Strike"(1983, Holland) and others.
Prickly spruce "Mrs. Cesarini"
Dwarf. Annual growth is about 2.5 cm. It grows a little over 1 m in height. The crown is cushion-shaped, very dense, of irregular shape. Branches are short and dense. The needles are bluish-green, on young shoots - light green. Witch's broom.
Prickly spruce "Lucky Strike"
Dwarf. At 10 years old, height 1.2 m, width 0.8 m. The crown is vertical, dense, irregular. The branches are very short, dense. The needles are dense, short, green. Fruits abundantly. Young cones are red, protruding, then brownish, drooping.
Prickly spruce "Nidiformis Kalous"
Dwarf. The central leader is poorly developed. Branches outstretched. The needles are blue. Can be grafted onto a stem.
Prickly spruce "Oldenburg"
Tree of medium size, powerful. Annual growth 10-15 cm. Grows up to 10 m tall. The crown is dense, wide-conical. The needles are bluish-gray.
Prickly spruce "Blaukissen"
Dwarf form. Annual growth is about 2.5 cm. Dimensions at 10 years old: 90 cm high and 1.8 m wide. The crown is oval, very dense, even. Twigs are short and dense. The needles are blue, especially on young shoots.
Prickly spruce "Blue Trinket"
low tree. The crown is compact wide-conical. The branches are horizontal, arranged in regular tiers. The needles are short, hard, grayish- blue color, matte.
Prickly spruce "Brynek"
Miniature variety. The crown is dense, hemispherical, flattened. The needles are grayish-green. Witch's broom. It is grafted onto a stem.
Prickly spruce "Christmas Blue"
Tree of medium size. The crown is very regular, conical. The needles are silver-blue.
Prickly spruce "Edith"
Medium height. At 10 years old, the height is about 2 m. The crown is pyramidal, rather even. The needles are thin, short, silver-blue. Good alternative to "Hoopsii".
Prickly spruce "Fat Albert"
The crown is pyramidal, even. Height 3-4.5 m. The needles are bright blue when blooming, then turning green, less than 1 cm long.
Prickly spruce "Filip's Blue Compact"
Dwarf. Very beautiful. The crown is wide-pyramidal, dense and even. The needles are blue.
Prickly spruce "Frieda"
Dwarf. At 10 years old, height 1.2 m, width 0.6 m. The crown is round, irregular, very dense. The needles are bluish-green. Witch's broom.
Prickly spruce "Hermann Naue"
Dwarf. At 10 years old, it reaches 0.5 m in height and 0.7 m in diameter. The crown is cushion-shaped, of indefinite shape. There is no central leader. The branches are short, variously directed. The needles are grayish-blue. It bears fruit at an early age, numerous cones at the ends of the branches look very impressive. Similar variety "Early Cones", which grows much more slowly.
When landscaping the site, you should also pay attention to spruces with unusual shape crowns such as "Glauca Pendula", "Glauca Procumbens". Forms with a narrow pyramidal crown and branches pointing upwards began to enjoy well-deserved attention: ‘Fastigiata’ Clseli Fastigiata), as well as "Iseli Foxtail"(1965, USA) and "Blue Totem".
Prickly spruce "Glauca Pendula"
The central leader is weak, crooked, and may droop at the top. Skeletal branches hanging down with raised ends. Hanging branches. The needles are silver-blue.
Prickly spruce "Glauca Procumbens"
Dwarf, prostrate. There is no central leader, it can be replaced by side branches. Skeletal branches are long, open, with rising ends, similar to swirling waves. Hanging branches. Gray needles. Sports from "Koster". To preserve the creeping form, vertical shoots must be removed.
Prickly spruce "Glauca Prostrata"
Grows slowly. Crown indefinite form. Usually it is prostrate, the branches are creeping and raised above the ground. An old type specimen (Germany), however, has a vertical stem 6 m high. Creeping variety, rarely giving vertical shoots - "Gotelli Prostrate".
Prickly spruce "Fastigiata" and its variety "Iseli Fastigiata"
Prickly spruce "Fastigiata" was bred in the 60s of the last century in the USA. In height, the trees of this variety reach the same height as the trees of the wild form. Prickly spruce "Isabeli Fastigiata" ("Iseli Fastigiata") has a narrow pyramidal crown with oblique ascending branches. The upper branches are almost pressed against the trunk, characteristic long apical shoots depart from them. The needles are bluish-green. Other narrow cultivars are 'Iseli Foxtail' (1965, USA) and 'Blue Totem'.
"Koster"(until 1885, Holland). Glauca Group. Prickly spruce "Bonfire" - a tree with a neat pyramidal crown. The branches are whorled, strictly horizontal. The needles are 2025 mm long, silvery, protecting the color in winter. The basis for the variety "Bonfire" was initially genetically heterogeneous material.
Thus, now there are many interesting decorative forms of prickly spruce on the market, but, having planted them on the site, do not forget that, like any plant, they can suffer from underwatering or wetting of the roots, poor soils, deepening of the root collar during planting, as well as the impact of diseases and pests.
New variety of blue spruce Plcea pungens "Blue Dlamant"
This variety, like most varieties of prickly spruce, was bred in America in 1990, and most recently appeared in European and in our nurseries.
The variety is distinguished by very thin, delicate sky-blue needles, an even, wide-conical shape and slow growth. During the year, the plant grows only 10 cm in height, a 10-year-old plant has a height of 1 meter and a width of 0.6-0.8 m, so adult plants are very expensive.
mature plant reaches a height of 5-7 m. The branches form regular dense tiers around the trunk from the very ground to the very top, the plant is very dense and fluffy, has a natural beautiful shape and does not need special molding.
Prefers a sunny location, well-drained and slightly acidic soil.
E le is one of the most famous genera of conifers. Its representatives are long-lived trees, the age of some known specimens exceeds 600 years.
Classification
The genus Spruce combines from 40 to 50 species. The difference is due to the fact that several subspecies of spruce are distinguished by some scientists into separate species. The genus received its scientific Latin name Picea from the word "resin". Literally, the name of the spruce can be translated as "tarry" or "resinous". The genus belongs to the Pine family (Pinaceae), which in turn belongs to the class of conifers. All conifers growing on Earth are included in the type of gymnosperms that survived their heyday millions of years ago. Spruce is one of the oldest representatives of the kingdom of flora, which has survived to this day. In the photo: European / ordinary spruce >
area
The natural habitats of all representatives of the Spruce genus are limited to temperate and cold climate zones, where they form spruce forests or mixed biocenoses with deciduous tree species - oak, beech. Some species of spruce grow together with fir.
Spruce: description and morphological features
The life form of spruce is a tree, occasionally a shrub with a monopodial type of branching. The root system is pivotal, but over time, the main root dies off, only adventitious roots remain, forming a fibrous root system. The roots are located close to the surface, occupying a large area around the tree. Because of this feature, spruce often suffers: during strong winds, the tree is uprooted.
Trees are characterized by a main, pronounced trunk, from which horizontal or drooping branches of the second order extend. The leaves of the plant look like needles. In cross section, they are tetrahedral, in some species of spruce - flat, sitting on pads. The needles are located one by one in a spiral order - this is a sign of the archaic structure. The life span of a needle is several years, after which it falls off, and characteristic traces remain on the branches.
Cones spruce cylindrical, hanging, ripening in a year. Their size is 10-15 cm, depending on the type or variety of spruce. Mature cones retain their shape and do not crumble. After the seeds ripen, scales open in them, allowing the seeds to get enough sleep. Spruce uses air currents and wind (aerochoria) to distribute seeds. Each seed has a wing to improve aerodynamic properties.
Since spruce belongs to gymnosperms, it forms only seeds, it cannot bloom and form fruits. Therefore, the expression "spruce blossoms" is often used only so that people who are not related to biology understand what is at stake. In this case, the word "blooms" is more logical to write in quotation marks.
Spruce: common species, varieties, forms
Among the many natural species, selected varieties and forms, consider some.
Picea abies - European spruce - varieties and varieties
Norway spruce (synonym - European - Picea abies)
- a tree that in natural conditions reaches 45 m. Spruce has a beautiful pyramidal crown shape, decorative all year round, slowly growing. Many varieties of spruce with different shades of needles have been bred, various form crowns and different sizes, including creeping and dwarf varieties:
"Aurea" - with bright yellow young needles;
"Argentea" - with grayish-blue young shoots;
"Reflexa" - with drooping branches;
"Globosa" - a form with a round crown;
"Pumila Nugra" - a dwarf form with spherical crown and tender shoots that remain light green for a long time;
'Nana', 'Humlis' and 'Mariae Orfiiae' are dwarf trees with pin-shaped crowns;
"Hornibrookii" - a dwarf form with a flat crown;
"Columnaris" - tall tree with a pin-shaped crown.
We recommend reading:
North American spruce species
Prickly spruce
refers to North American spruce species, the range of which did not go beyond the continent. But in recent decades, along with many types of spruce, whose homeland is America, it began to be cultivated in other countries of the world. In the photo: Prickly spruce with young cones >
Prickly spruce (Picea pungens) is the most widely cultivated species of American coniferous plants. The most famous forms of prickly spruce with needles of silver and blue colors. These forms are called silver spruce
(Picea pungens f.argentea) and gray spruce
(f.coerulea). From these two forms, breeders have bred more than 70 different varieties of prickly spruce:
"Blue kiss" - a dwarf form with a spherical crown and blue needles;
"Blue perl" - a miniature variety with blue needles and a round crown shape;
"Blue trinket" - undersized form, with grayish-gray needles and a conical crown;
"Edith" - a variety of medium size, pyramidal shape with short silvery needles;
"Fat Albert" - a tall variety with a pyramidal shape and bright blue needles (especially on young shoots);
"Maigold" - a medium-sized variety is interesting in that the needles on young shoots are lemon yellow, or cream;
"Hermann Naue" dwarf variety with a crown that does not support outlines and grayish-blue needles. The highlight of the variety is in the early numerous appearance of cones, which give the spruce variety a special charm.
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In the photo on the left Canadian spruce - Picea canadensis
. It is inferior to its relative in terms of the number of varieties bred (there are about 30 of them), but it is not inferior in beauty and decorativeness. The most famous varieties:
"Desi`s white" - medium size, conical shape, young shoots are light yellow, almost white;
"Sander`s blue" high grade spruce, conical crown shape, gray-blue needles;
"Rainbow`s end" dwarf form with a cone-shaped crown;
"Zuckerhut" - undersized variety with bright green needles and a pyramidal crown;
"Blue planet" - a dwarf variety with a spherical shape and green-gray needles.
Canadian spruce has many synonymous names: gray spruce (Picea glauca), white spruce (P.alba), arctic spruce (P.arctica) and others. 
Black spruce - Picea nigra or P.mariana - interesting with bright buds, which are purple in color with burgundy stripes in the immature state (pictured right > ) . Representatives of the Black Spruce species perfectly tolerate adverse conditions, and can grow even in wetlands, as well as on soils with poor drainage. There are several forms of black spruce, including dwarf varieties.
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On the left photo Red spruce - Picea rubra
- a symbol of Nova Scotia, in nature it can reach a height of 40 meters. Several decorative forms have been bred: "Nana" (short), "Virgata". Red spruce has the Latin synonymous name Picea rubens. It is especially common in new terminology.
The symbol of Alaska is Sitka spruce - Picea sitchensis
. The tree is used in landscape design as a solo tree or in groups with deciduous and coniferous trees. This type of spruce is resistant to air pollution, and excess moisture in the soil. A wild specimen is shown in the right photo. >
Eurasian spruce species
Siberian spruce - Picea obobata
(bottom left photo). Due to taxonomic proximity to the common spruce, some botanists consider the Siberian spruce to be a subspecies of the common spruce. As one of the arguments, the facts of frequent mutual crossing of these two species and the natural appearance of many forms are given.
Serbian spruce - Picea omorika
- an endemic species that grows only in the valley of the Drina River, in mountainous areas at an altitude of 800 to 1700 m. Despite the narrow natural range, representatives of the species are widely distributed due to cultivation in gardens, parks and household plots. Varieties with bright yellow shoots "Aurea", dwarf ones: "Exspansa", "Karel" and "Minima" have been bred. Variety with a pin-shaped crown and shiny green needles "Gnom". In the photo: Serbian spruce, wide pin shape >
Eastern spruce - Picea orientalis
- a common species in the mountain forests of Asia Minor and the Caucasus. It can grow at altitudes exceeding 2000 meters. Due to poor frost resistance, they are cultivated only in places with suitable climatic conditions. The species is characterized by very small needles (5 mm) and a conical narrow crown. <
Photo on the left
Korean spruce Picea koraiensis , whose range is the Far East, is similar in structure to Siberian spruce, but is adapted to a milder and more humid climate and does not withstand severe frosts. Sometimes Korean spruce is classified as a subspecies of Koyama spruce, an endemic species that grows only on the island of Honshu. Other scientists attribute the Korean spruce to the form of the Siberian spruce. But the conducted chromosomal analysis testifies to the large internal differences between them, despite the external similarity.
Photos used in the text from Wikimedia Commons
Prickly spruce(Picea pungens) is undoubtedly the most famous and probably the favorite plant for every gardener. A common synonym for prickly spruce - spruce blue, although not all specimens of this species have blue needles. Surprisingly beautiful silhouettes of these fir trees adorn central parks and streets, as well as significant areas of city buildings. For these beauties, they spared no space and planted them in small summer cottages of six acres, wanting to see a “Christmas tree” in their yard, which later occupied half of the territory. At the end of the XX century. prickly spruce has become a symbol of success and prosperity.
Therefore, today many owners of large plots are striving to plant blue fir trees to the maximum. Love for them, of course, well-deserved, this is a very spectacular and rather trouble-free plant.
One of the advantages This spruce has a high dust and gas resistance, which makes it grow well on busy highways, where all other conifers do not survive. Blue spruces are not as badly damaged by pests as, for example, pines. Yes, and they get sick much less frequently than the same common spruce, especially with proper planting and care.
The natural habitat of blue spruce is located in the west of North America and extends from southeast Idaho south through the states of Utah and Colorado to Arizona and New Mexico. It grows most often in mountain valleys at an altitude of about 2000-3000 m, located along rivers and streams, on moist soil.
The tree is very tall, grows up to 35-40 m and reaches the age of 600-800 years, especially if it is in its homeland. Grows best on loamy or sandy, fairly fertile soil. Although Prickly Spruce is quite shade tolerant, trees grown in the shade look less decorative due to the loss of brightness of the needles and the large distances between whorls of branches. It grows slowly at a young age, and after 10 years the growth rate increases significantly. The plant tolerates shearing and crown shaping very well, which makes the spruce more lush. Like any species popular in landscaping, prickly spruce has many forms that differ in height, crown structure, needle length, and its intensity.
coloring and other indicators. We will briefly dwell on the most common ornamental varieties and, of course, touch on the possible problems of their cultivation.
Decorative varieties
The most widely used in landscaping is the form ‘Glauca’. Almost all tall non-selective trees with a blue tint of needles pass under this name. The crown is beautiful, symmetrical, conical. Spruce grows up to 15-20 m in height and usually has more than 30 cm of growth per year. The needles on the branches last more than 3-5 years. Propagated by both seeds and cuttings. Very resistant to urban conditions form. It has high winter hardiness and frost resistance. It is better to plant in large areas, as spruce looks bulky in small areas.
Click to enlarge!
‘Glauca Globosa’, Gray Spherical, - ‘Glauca Globosa’.
Very widely used in landscaping and loved by landscape designers, site owners.
Compact, neat, blue dwarf form of prickly spruce, which usually grows up to 1 m in height and up to 1.5 m in diameter. It looks very decorative both when growing a tapeworm, and in a group with other plants. ‘Glauka Globoza’ looks original, grafted onto stems of different heights.
‘Hopsi’ - ‘Hoopsii’.
One of the most beautiful and bluest forms of prickly spruce. Amazing silver-blue color remains and does not fade even in winter.
Despite the high cost of this form, compared to the ‘Glauca’ form, ’Hoopsii’ spruce is in high demand, which is due not only to the beauty of this form, longer needles, but also to more moderate growth.
‘Holsey’ grows more slowly and is more often used as a Christmas tree on the plots. At the age of more than 20 years, it grows up to 8-10 m in height. In young years, in order to avoid a curvature of the spruce trunk, it is worth leveling it with a stick that fixes the top of the plant.
'Montgomery' - 'Montgomery'.
Dwarf, slow-growing form of prickly spruce, the growth of which is no more than 5-6 cm per year. Even after 30 years, the height of this form and the diameter
crowns - 1.8 m. The needles are very beautiful, silver-blue, up to 20 mm in length, they remain on the branches for a long time. Great tree for landscaping.
Prickly spruce ‘Montgomery’
For planting on the site as a Christmas tree, I would recommend ‘Fat Albert’, with a dense, cone-shaped crown, but not growing more than 3-4 m in height.
Dwarf forms look interesting on the site, which can be planted in rockeries, compose a composition with other conifers, these are such relatively recently bred forms as ‘Mrs. Cesarini'(1981, USA), 'Lucky Strike'(1983, Holland) and others.
Prickly spruce ‘Mrs. Cesarini'
Dwarf. Annual growth is about 2.5 cm. It grows a little over 1 m in height. The crown is cushion-shaped, very dense, of irregular shape. Branches are short and dense. The needles are bluish-green, on young shoots - light green. Witch's broom.
Prickly spruce ‘Lucky Strike’
Dwarf. At 10 years old, height 1.2 m, width 0.8 m. The crown is vertical, dense, irregular. The branches are very short, dense. The needles are dense, short, green. Fruits abundantly. Young cones are red, protruding, then brownish, drooping.
Prickly spruce ‘Nidiformis Kalous’
Dwarf. The central leader is poorly developed. Branches outstretched. The needles are blue. Can be grafted onto a stem.
Prickly spruce ‘Oldenburg’
Tree of medium size, powerful. Annual growth 10-15 cm. Grows up to 10 m tall. The crown is dense, wide-conical. The needles are bluish-gray.
Prickly spruce ‘Blaukissen’
Dwarf form. Annual growth is about 2.5 cm. Dimensions at 10 years old: 90 cm high and 1.8 m wide. The crown is oval, very dense, even. Twigs are short and dense. The needles are blue, especially on young shoots.
Prickly spruce ‘Blue Trinket’
low tree. The crown is compact wide-conical. The branches are horizontal, arranged in regular tiers. The needles are short, hard, grayish-blue, matte.
Prickly spruce ‘Brynek’
Miniature variety. The crown is dense, hemispherical, flattened. The needles are grayish-green. Witch's broom. It is grafted onto a stem.
Prickly spruce ‘Christmas Blue’
Tree of medium size. The crown is very regular, conical. The needles are silver-blue.
Prickly spruce ‘Edith’
Medium height. At 10 years old, the height is about 2 m. The crown is pyramidal, rather even. The needles are thin, short, silver-blue. Good alternative to 'Hoopsii'.
Prickly spruce ‘Fat Albert’
The crown is pyramidal, even. Height 3-4.5 m. The needles are bright blue when blooming, then turning green, less than 1 cm long.
Prickly spruce ‘Filip’s Blue Compact’
Dwarf. Very beautiful. The crown is wide-pyramidal, dense and even. The needles are blue.
Prickly spruce ‘Frieda’
Dwarf. At 10 years old, height 1.2 m, width 0.6 m. The crown is round, irregular, very dense. The needles are bluish-green. Witch's broom.
Prickly spruce ‘Hermann Naue’
Dwarf. At 10 years old, it reaches 0.5 m in height and 0.7 m in diameter. The crown is cushion-shaped, of indefinite shape. There is no central leader. The branches are short, variously directed. The needles are grayish-blue. It bears fruit at an early age, numerous cones at the ends of the branches look very impressive. A similar variety is 'Early Cones', which grows much more slowly.
When landscaping the site, you should also pay attention to spruces with an unusual crown shape, such as ‘Glauca Pendula’, ‘Glauca Procumbens’. Forms with a narrow pyramidal crown and branches pointing upwards began to enjoy well-deserved attention: ‘Fastigiata’ Clseli Fastigiata), as well as 'Iseli Foxtail'(1965, USA) and 'Blue Totem'.
Prickly spruce ‘Glauca Pendula’
The central leader is weak, crooked, and may droop at the top. Skeletal branches hanging down with raised ends. Hanging branches. The needles are silver-blue.
Prickly spruce ‘Glauca Procumbens’
Dwarf, prostrate. There is no central leader, it can be replaced by side branches. Skeletal branches are long, open, with rising ends, similar to swirling waves. Hanging branches. Gray needles. Sports from ‘Koster’. To preserve the creeping form, vertical shoots must be removed.
Prickly spruce ‘Glauca Prostrata’
Grows slowly. Crown of indefinite shape. Usually it is prostrate, the branches are creeping and raised above the ground. An old type specimen (Germany), however, has a vertical stem 6 m high. Creeping variety, rarely giving vertical shoots - ‘Gotelli Prostrate’.
Prickly spruce "Fastigiata" and its variety "Iseli Fastigiata"
Prickly spruce "Fastigiata" was bred in the 60s of the last century in the USA. In height, the trees of this variety reach the same height as the trees of the wild form. Prickly spruce ‘Isabeli Fastigiata’ (‘Iseli Fastigiata’) has a narrow pyramidal crown with oblique ascending branches. The upper branches are almost pressed against the trunk, characteristic long apical shoots depart from them. The needles are bluish-green. Other narrow varieties are ‘Iseli Foxtail’ (1965, USA) and ‘Blue Totem’.
Prickly spruce "Bonfire"
‘Koster’(until 1885, Holland). Glauca Group. Prickly spruce "Bonfire" - a tree with a neat pyramidal crown. The branches are whorled, strictly horizontal. The needles are 2025 mm long, silvery, protecting the color in winter. The basis for the variety "Bonfire" was initially genetically heterogeneous material.
Thus, now there are many interesting decorative forms of prickly spruce on the market, but, having planted them on the site, do not forget that, like any plant, they can suffer from underwatering or wetting of the roots, poor soils, deepening of the root collar during planting, as well as the impact of diseases and pests.
New variety of blue spruce Plcea pungens ‘Blue Dlamant’
This variety, like most varieties of prickly spruce, was bred in America in 1990, and most recently appeared in European and in our nurseries.
The variety is distinguished by very thin, delicate sky-blue needles, an even, wide-conical shape and slow growth. During the year, the plant grows only 10 cm in height, a 10-year-old plant has a height of 1 meter and a width of 0.6-0.8 m, so adult plants are very expensive.
An adult plant reaches a height of 5-7 m. The branches form regular dense tiers around the trunk from the very ground to the very top, the plant is very dense and fluffy, has a natural beautiful shape and does not need special molding.
Prefers a sunny location, well-drained and slightly acidic soil.
Blue spruce - varieties
Great selection of decorative finishes garden plot- planting blue spruce. There are many varieties of this coniferous tree and every gardener can easily pick up a tree to his taste and needs.
general information
The original habitat of the blue spruce is considered to be North America
North America is believed to be the original home of blue spruce. In nature, this tree grows in the highlands, which is why it is well adapted to low temperatures and gusty winds. In Russia, this type of tree is widely used as an ornamental tree.
Blue spruce has gained popularity not only due to its beauty, but also due to its unpretentiousness in care.
The main difficulty arises only at the very beginning of tree growth. Further, it practically does not require human intervention. The key to good growth is the competent determination of the landing site. Almost all varieties of blue spruce do not like shady areas, some like loose soil, and a few varieties can even grow in rocky areas.
Varieties of blue spruces
Over the years of selection, many varieties of this tree have been obtained. For your suburban area, you can choose a tall spreading tree or a low compact tree. Especially popular with Russian gardeners are:
blue diamond
This variety is characterized by a conical crown, a long trunk. It grows slowly, about 15 centimeters per year. Mature trees reach seven meters.
walburn
There are many varieties of blue spruce
Low spruce with good frost resistance. Most often they are planted in stone gardens. The shape of the crown is spherical with a diameter of up to one meter.
Biolobok
Max Height of this variety of blue spruce two meters. The crown grows unevenly, the branches are short and stiff. In young trees, the shoots have a golden color, which landscape designers are very fond of using.
Iseli Fastigiata
The branches of this variety stretch upwards forming a pyramidal crown shape. Reach a height of ten meters. This variety is able to tolerate drought, but painfully refers to wetlands. It is used in a single landing and as a hedge.
Montgomery
A feature of the variety is a pillow-shaped crown that takes the form of a cone over time. Trees grow no more than two meters tall and grow extremely slowly. The younger the tree, the lighter the needles.
In seedlings, the color is closer to silver than blue. This variety is very susceptible to care and, without proper handling, quickly loses its decorative effect.
Glauka Misty Blue
The crown has a regular conical shape with neat tiers of branches. The trees are tall, reaching twenty meters in height.
aurea
The main feature of this variety is the golden color of the needles of young trees. The crown is dense. The branches grow horizontally and in large numbers. Frost-resistant variety that loves bright sun.
Bonfire
There is a Dutch variety of blue spruce
A Dutch variety of blue spruce with a pyramidal crown shape. This variety expensive pleasure. It grows slowly, but reaches ten meters in height. The girth of the crown of an adult tree reaches 3-4 meters.
Fat Albert
Trees of this variety have a conical crown shape and reach four meters in height. Growth is fast. It can be planted both separately and as part of a group of trees. He loves the sun and does not tolerate marshy soil.
Hupsi
Suitable for cultivation exclusively in the garden. The branches of the tree are evenly spaced and form a beautiful crown. The width of the crown of an adult tree reaches four meters. The tree grows relatively quickly, adding 10-20 centimeters per year.
blue totem
Trees reach 4-5 meters in height. Crowns in diameter reach one meter and have a conical shape with branches tightly adjacent to the trunk. Frost-resistant variety that loves the sun and moist soils.
blue pearl
Belongs to the class of dwarf firs. It grows extremely slowly and reaches a maximum of 1.5 meters in height. It has a spherical shape, which can become conical with age. This variety is unpretentious to watering and can grow in clay areas.
Blue keychain
The trees have a compact conical crown. The height of adult firs reaches 7-8 meters. The branches are arranged in regular tiers and form a crown from the very base. It is unpretentious to growing conditions, but feels best in moist sunny areas.
Many of the species have a beautiful crown
blue wonder
Belongs to the class of Canadian blue spruce. Each year, the tree grows 10 centimeters and reaches a maximum height of 2 meters. The crown of the tree is lush and soft forming a cone. Loves the sun's rays, but is prone to spring sunburn.
Bismarck
A tree with a straight trunk and a cone-shaped crown. Belongs to the class of dwarfs and reaches a maximum height of half a meter. Frost tolerance and drought tolerance are good. Propagated mainly by seeds and cuttings.
Moerheimy
Strong growing tree with a narrow conical shape. It is distinguished by uneven growth, for a year the tree adds 10-15 centimeters and reaches a maximum height of ten meters. The color of the needles is the same all year round. The needles are 30mm long and are attached to each other.
The branches are short and grow horizontally. It is best to plant this variety into fertile soils. Excess as well as lack of moisture adversely affects the growth of the tree. It can grow in the shade, but the sun has a positive effect on the overall dynamics and appearance of the tree. Frost-resistant. However, at an early age, it requires increased attention and care.
When choosing a tree, in addition to height, it is customary to pay attention to the shape. The classic pyramidal shape looks very aesthetically pleasing and beautiful.
Planting and caring for blue spruce
Start growing spruce own site can be done in several ways:
- Plant seeds;
- Plant cuttings;
- Use seedlings.
There are three ways to start growing spruce on your own plot.
With any method, growing a beautiful tree is not difficult, but a certain procedure must still be followed.
We plant seeds
Seeds should be collected from the cones of the variety of interest in winter time. Next, you need to store the collected cones in a warm place until they open. When the cone opens, take out the seeds, dig in wet sand and leave in the refrigerator until spring. At the time of planting, treat the seeds with a solution of potassium permanganate and plant in soil from a mixture of peat and garden soil. It is necessary to deepen the seeds by no more than 1-2 cm. Further, until the moment of germination, it is necessary to water the earth abundantly.
On the site, dig holes at a distance of about 30 centimeters from each other and lay drainage on the bottom. Next time you need to transplant spruces in the third year of growth and plant them at a distance of one meter.
We plant cuttings
The method of growing a new tree from a branch of a vending variety is considered even simpler than growing from seeds. Branches of adult fir trees collected from the top in spring are suitable. Clean the stalk from the needles and soak in a solution of manganese. Further, the order is similar to planting seeds: a hole is dug, drainage is laid. Sprinkle the branch first with soil, and add sand on top.
Pour abundantly and cover the stalk with a film or burlap. To speed up growth, water the cuttings four times a day. For winter, arrange the cutting with sawdust.
We plant seedlings
At the time of transplanting a seedling from a pot into open ground pay attention to the location of the root neck
This planting method can be used with any variety of blue spruce. It is in this way that it is possible to get a luxurious tree in the shortest possible time.
At the time of transplanting a seedling from a pot into open soil, it is worth paying attention to the location of the root neck. It should remain at the same level as in the pot. Although blue spruces love the sun, it is advisable to keep the seedlings in the shade for the first time after planting.
Watering blue firs
Initially, care requires effort and time. It is necessary to water the plant every day and regularly spray the crown of the tree.
Blue spruces are moisture-loving plants that love abundant watering at least twice a day. Morning and evening. Irrigation must be done by sprinkling. When planting spruce on the lawn, you can combine watering cycles. Use only warm water.
We fertilize the soil
It is not recommended to take organic matter as a fertilizer. Also, spruces have a negative attitude towards an overabundance of dressings. If you fertilize spruce abundantly in summer, it is at greater risk of freezing in winter. During the first five years, the trees are fed with mineral fertilizers.
One of the proven fertilizers can be called "Kemira wagon".
It is necessary to start the fertilization process immediately after the snow melts. Pour fertilizer into the near-trunk circle and lightly tamp into the ground. Trees older than five years do not need fertilizer.
We carry out trimming of fir trees
In the Russian climatic zone, the crowns of fir trees are usually neat and symmetrical in themselves. The pruning procedure is still carried out - diseased and broken branches are removed.
When a hedge is formed from fir trees, the crown of trees is also formed. Pruning is done in the summer, after the growth of the shoots has ended. The initial pruning is done almost immediately after planting.
Crown formation is possible during the first seven years
Crown formation is possible during the first seven years, then this process will be impractical. Do not prune trees in the fall, as this can cause the pruned branches to freeze.
It is also not necessary to treat the cut points with a healing var. Tree highlights enough resins.
Preparing blue spruce for winter
Almost all varieties of blue spruce are frost-resistant. It is necessary to prepare for winter in the presence of young trees and undersized varieties. It is necessary to press the branches against the tree trunk to prevent them from breaking with a mass of snow.
Using blue spruce as an ornamental is an inexpensive alternative to other ornamental trees. Spruces fit perfectly into landscape design, can be planted both in groups and individually. Some varieties look advantageous as a hedge.
If you intend to grow blue spruce yourself, then difficulties will arise only at the initial stage of cultivation. In the future, blue spruces do not require careful maintenance and it is only necessary to treat them with fungicides and insecticides to protect them from fungal diseases and insects.
While watching the video, you will learn about growing blue spruce.
Summing up, we can say that blue spruce is spectacular and unpretentious plant ideal for growing in Russian climatic conditions. It is definitely worth planting a couple of three of these trees on your suburban area, because by planting a blue spruce on your site you emphasize the sophistication and sophistication of your garden.
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In the open spaces former Union prickly spruce Picea pungens was planted in the central squares in front of the buildings public institutions, on private plots it was a rarity. This long-lived North American plant began to be actively cultivated on our continent just over a century ago. In nature, there are more than fifty different varieties. A beautiful plant, known to most gardeners as "blue" spruce, reaches 30 m in height, grows rather slowly, with an annual growth of 5–8 cm.
The needles of different types of wood can be blue, gray, silver-green, up to 4 cm long. The tree is the most prickly of the entire family of known spruce counterparts. The trunk of an adult plant is powerful, straight up to 1.5 m in diameter, the branches from it go straight or rise at a slight angle. The needles from the lower branches fall off with a lack of light, remain only on branches and lateral growths of 5–6 years of age, although the plant does not lose its decorative effect.
Spruce has gained popularity with its unpretentiousness and vitality in harsh urban conditions. Due to the wax coating on the needles, it perfectly tolerates the polluted air of cities and does not require additional processing for the crown.
The root system of prickly spruce is the same as that of all spruce trees - fibrous, suction roots are located close to the soil surface. This must be taken into account when planting a plant on the site. It will not tolerate constant tillage near itself, and even more so under the crown.
Varieties of spruce prickly (blue)
Decorative varieties of prickly spruce have a little more than two dozen plants, and all of them are always popular. Young plants must be covered in winter, protecting them from freezing. In the summer, young spruce trees need weekly watering in the near-stem circle. It is also necessary to apply mineral fertilizers there, but not nitrogen fertilizers, since an excess of such dressings reduces the winter hardiness of the tree. Young plants, as well as adults, are susceptible to attack by aphids and the fungus, which damages the needles.
Prickly spruce
Picea pungens Blue Diamond
- Prickly spruce "Blue Diamonds" Picea pungens "Blue Diamond" (blue diamond) is a relatively new variety. A tree with a high, slender trunk and a uniform conical crown grows slowly, young growth is no more than 10–15 cm per year.
The needles of an unusual color of pale blue decorate any area. Spruce does not reach large sizes (5–7 m), so it can be used as a tapeworm in mixed mixborders, as an option - as a natural barbed hedge along the edges of the site. The plant loves windless, open and sunny places, feels great on fertile and drained soils with a slightly acidic reaction, propagated by cuttings, frost-resistant. - Prickly spruce "Waldbrun" Picea pungens "Waldbrun" - dwarf winter-hardy variety, which is great for decorating rocky gardens, mixed rockeries in contrast with other garden dwarfs and rock gardens. The tree develops into a loose ball of short prickly twigs with bright blue, gray or greenish-blue thick soft needles, grows slowly.
In an adult plant, the “ball” in diameter reaches 1 m. To increase the height of the plant, if necessary for the composition, the upper branches of the tree are tied up, giving them a growth angle. The maximum height of spruce is 80 cm. The variety does not impose special requirements on soils, it does not tolerate stagnant water under the roots, therefore, when preparing a planting pit, you need to take care of good drainage. It grows in partial shade, but it is preferable to plant it in a sunny place.
In winter, to keep the plant in a healthy state, it is necessary to shake the snow out of the core of the ball so that the sun does not burn out the bark and needles of the spruce through the ice crust. The variety tolerates well the adverse effects of spring frosts and all-season polluted atmosphere. - Prickly spruce "Bialobok" Picea punges "Bialobok" is a variety of Polish selection. A low tree of two meters in height, the crown of which is formed unevenly, so there will never be two similar trees in a group planting. The trunk is often straight, solid short shoots depart from it. The plant became popular due to the unusual color of young shoots. Against the background of the main color of the needles (silver-blue), an increase with a golden-yellow color of the needles grows.
Spruce is frost-resistant, but before reaching the age of 3 years in winter, it must be covered from cold winds and frosts. Soils should be fertile, spruce requires medium moist soil without excessive moisture. In partial shade, the plant loses its decorative effect. Since it grows slowly, it can be an excellent decoration for coniferous mixborders, in a flower bed with dwarf deciduous ornamental shrubs, or as a tapeworm in contrast to the general garden solution. Propagated by seeds that ripen at the end of the summer season, the cuttings take root well. - Prickly spruce Picea pungens "IseliFastigiata" is a compact variety that owners of small plots like to decorate their possessions with. A tree with raised well-leafed branches develops into a narrow compact pyramid up to 10 m. Bright blue needles, a variety undemanding to soil composition, are not afraid of drought, and do not tolerate excessive watering.
It looks spectacular alone, but is also actively used to form hedges. - Prickly spruce Picea pungens "Montgomery" in its "youth" has a cushion shape, which over the years changes to a wide cone up to 1.8 m. Due to its slow growth, it often adorns beautiful landscape compositions, as an emphasis on contrast with ornamental shrubs, it is planted in mixborders.
The needles are silver-blue in young shoots and bright blue in old branches, very stiff and prickly. In the shade, spruce loses its decorative effect, does not like dense and heavy soils, one of the few representatives of the species that requires loosening in the trunk circle and sprinkling. When landing in a sunny place, you need to constantly water the plant. You can form a crown with annual pruning, at the end of the season, removing unnecessary growth buds.
- Prickly spruce "Aurea" Picea pungens "Aurea" outwardly similar to Norway spruce, but different golden color needles of young growth. The predominant shade is dark green. It is distinguished by a dense crown with a large number of horizontal branches of white or light brown color. The tree is light-loving, winter-hardy, it is often used for spectacular single landings.
- Prickly spruce Picea pungens "Koster" is an old variety of Dutch selection of a pyramidal shape. This tree is often planted in group plantings of parks, while single plants will decorate any garden. Propagated only by grafting onto a rootstock, it is considered an expensive variety of prickly spruce. The plant grows slowly, losing its lower branches with age, reaches a height of 10 m and a crown width of 3–4.5 m.
Branches of young growth enliven the overall silver-blue color of the needles with orange-brown spots, pleasing to the eye with decorative effect. The plant requires good lighting, does not tolerate swampy and excessively moist soils, even for adult specimens, protection from the wind is necessary. Under adverse conditions, the spruce trunk bends, losing its majestic beauty. - Prickly spruce "Oldenburg" Picea pungens "Oldenburg" is a tree with a crown up to 8 m in diameter. It is a semi-dwarf form with young branches, waxy and bright orange-brown. Old bluish-gray needles live up to 9 years.
The plant quickly gains in growth, adding up to 35 cm every year when creating optimal growing conditions. He loves the sun, does not tolerate partial shade, loses its decorative effect and the strength of young growth on constantly waterlogged soils. Worthy endures the wind, despite the superficial root system. Optimal for the urban landscape, as it tolerates pollution, moreover, it is drought-resistant, while there is no need for shelter for the winter. Spruce is used for single plantings and in the formation of small decorative groups. - Prickly spruce "Fat Albert" Picea pungens "Fat Albert" has a wide conical dense crown with a pleasant blue color often planted needles. It grows quite quickly, by the age of 10 years it reaches 4 m in height. In growing this tree, it is important to preserve the leading apical shoot. It actively develops on fertile and slightly acidic soils, without stagnant moisture and in well-lit places. It winters well, in the summer it requires additional watering in dry weather. Spruce is used to decorate park areas in group plantings, ideally fit into the landscape of small gardens.
- Prickly spruce Picea pungens "Hoopsii" is an ornamental variety for garden cultivation, leading its history from the middle of the last century. It is distinguished by a uniform arrangement of branches in the crown with a diameter of up to 4.5 m. The growth of young shoots from 10 to 20 cm per year ensures the impeccable beauty and density of the crown of the variety.
A young growth of bright reddish-brown shades with stiff needles directed towards the end of the branch. Cones, appearing already at the age of 3–4 years, enhance the decorative effect of this variety with their bright crimson color. The maximum tree height is 12–15 m, it is photophilous and winter-hardy, does not tolerate waterlogging, and copes well with urban gas pollution. It is used for single landings or planted with tape along the edges of the tracks.
Not all varieties of prickly spruce can be grown from seed. Some plants are grafted and sold immediately on the trunk.
Seed propagation requires the stasis of seeds (pre-germination), and then planting in wet sand with further rooting of seedlings in containers. Cutting gives top scores: plant branches are rooted, previously kept in special solutions for the development of the root system.
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Spruce is the "queen" of the forest, leading the popularity rating among landscape artists. This sacred tree, which acts as a talisman of the site and a powerful source of bioenergy, is valued not only for its unique healing properties, but also for its extraordinary decorative effect.
Needle foliage of emerald, dark green and even blue shades is able to transform plant compositions, giving a unique zest to the landscape design of the site.
Options for using spruce in landscape design
Few can remain indifferent to the luxury of color and the frozen beauty of conifer needles. It is not surprising that spruce is used quite often in landscaping the site. It looks great as container plantings for framing. garden paths and in the design of rocky gardens.
Ephedra is ideal for creating multi-level compositions, harmoniously combined with undersized shrubs and flowering perennials.
Trees with needle-like foliage of a rich green hue look interesting in combination bright flowers one and perennials. Perfect for creating compositions: Japanese anemones, pansies, aquilegia, phlox and hostas. conifers- an ideal basis for creating evergreen sculptures that can make the appearance of the garden richer and more colorful.
Among the main advantages of using spruce in the design of the site, it is worth highlighting:
1. Ephedra will delight with the saturation of shades of needle green in the summer, without fading in the sun, and in the winter, contrasting with the whiteness of the snow.
2. Phytoncides secreted by the plant are able to productively purify the air, having a healing effect on the human body.
3. Spruce is great for any style landscape design.
4. Fluffy branches are convenient to use when making crafts: creating paintings, herbariums, New Year's compositions.
But spruce, like any other plant, has its drawbacks. For example, this conifer is able to grow strongly, darkening the territory and depleting the soil. Therefore, for the design of gardens, species of spruces that have a dwarf form are used.
Spruce is also convenient because it is easy to trim. Thanks to this, even an experienced gardener has no problems with giving the crown a unique shape.
It is advisable to plant spruce along the fence. In a short period of time, the conifer grows magnificent forms, and its thick paws form a solid and dense wall.
Varietal variety of decorative forms
There are more than 20 types of fir trees in modern parks and gardens. The main thing when choosing the type of conifer is the configuration of its crown and the size of the plant in adulthood.
In landscape design most widespread received 3 types of firs:
1. Ordinary- a type species represented by more than 50 garden forms. Undersized forms created on its basis reach a height of 1.2 m, and medium-sized ones - 3 meters or more. A wide palette of color needles from golden to rich green, on branches collected in pyramidal or pillow-shaped crowns, makes conifers of this species welcome guests in garden areas.
2. Prickly- more than 70 varieties are represented in the culture. Most of them are medium and tall trees up to 40 meters high with a beautiful cone-shaped crown. Although there are also dwarf forms up to 2 m high. The needles are very prickly: hence the name of the species. It can be bluish-white, blue-steel, silver and bluish-green.
3. Gray- has more than 20 decorative forms. The name of the species was due to the ash-gray color of the bark and the bluish shade of the needles. Dwarf forms of this species have a spherical and nest-shaped crown, and tall ones have a cone-shaped crown. The color palette of needles is quite wide, ranging from yellowish-golden and gray-blue to bright green.
Spruces, like any plants, are divided into three groups: dwarf, medium and tall. When landscaping household plots, dwarf and medium-sized representatives of conifers are most popular.
Among the variety of coniferous ornamental plants in landscape design, creeping and dwarf varieties are especially popular.
Dwarf varieties
Among the low-growing forms are plants, the size of which in adulthood is several times smaller in comparison with the original maternal species. For example, in natural conditions, common spruce, referred to as Picea abies, is a 50-meter beauty with a neatly decorated crown, the width of which reaches 8-10 meters.
The decorative form of this tall conifer, known as Picea abies "Nidiformis" or "cushion" spruce, reaches no more than two meters in height with a crown width of 2-3 meters.
The main advantage of dwarf forms of conifers is the minimum annual growth of young shoots, which in most cases is limited to 10-15 cm.
Among modern varieties created on the basis of common spruce, conifers are famous for the greatest decorative effect, the crowns of which have a nest-like or spherical shape.
For the formation of low borders and the design of rocky gardens, the miniature shrub Picea abies "Nidiformis" is perfect.
Dwarf spruce "Nidiformis" in adulthood reaches a height of only 40 cm, forming a spreading crown with a diameter of up to one meter.
Fan-shaped thin graceful shoots "Nidiformis" are decorated with soft and short needles of a delicate emerald shade.
No less attractive is Little Gem. Shoots extending from the middle of the crown, framed by dark green thin needles, form a neat hemispherical "pillow". It looks especially interesting in the form of a standard form planted in a floor container or flowerpot.
The branches of the miniature beauty Picea abies "Little Gem" are framed by soft short needles of a rich dark green hue.
Picea abies "Will's Zwerg" has a beautiful narrow-conical dense crown shape. The plant is interesting due to the soft green shade of young needles covering the milky shoots, which contrasts favorably against the background of the dark green of old needles. An evergreen shrub well suited to small backyard gardens.
Spruce "Will's Zwerg" looks interesting in group compositions and as a tapeworm when arranging gardens with a small area.
The Glauka Globoza, bred by selective breeding, is famous for its extraordinary decorativeness. dwarf plant does not have a clearly defined stem. Its sprawling branches, dotted with millions of thin needles of an elegant silver-blue hue, form a beautiful spherical crown. The cones that form on the branches, reminiscent of New Year's decorations, give the tree a special attraction.
The blue beauty "Glauca Globosa" is often used to decorate urban landscapes, often acting as an elegant addition to park alleys.
It is impossible to ignore the low-growing varieties picturesquely creeping along the ground. The miniature "Nana" resembles soft pillow, and "Echiniformis" is identified with a kolobok, round shapes which act as an original frame for garden paths.
Most types of spruces are shade-tolerant in themselves, but often their dwarf forms are very sensitive to a lack of light.
Medium-sized species
When creating a backyard design, it is also customary to use medium-sized conifers, the height of which reaches no more than 15 m. A low single tree with a clearly defined crown looks picturesque against the backdrop of a lawn "carpet" or house walls. A spectacular snag or white stone will help to complete the picture.
Fir trees with spreading crowns are able to create a shady area for recreation, filled with a special atmosphere of home comfort and unity with wildlife.
Blue spruce is one of the most popular types of conifer, revered by designers not only for its unpretentiousness in care, but also for the mesmerizing change of shades of needle foliage throughout the year. Only 20% of the representatives of this species have a pronounced color of the sky, the rest are rich in green and gray tones.
Blue beauties are not able to withstand temperature fluctuations northern regions and feel comfortable only in temperate latitudes. Spruce with blue needles looks advantageous along the garden paths, against the background wooden buildings or stone buildings.
A striking representative of this species is Picea pungens "Blue Diamond", which means "blue diamond" in translation.
The graceful beauty "Blue Diamonds" with a tall thin trunk and a neatly shaped conical crown is often used for mixed mixborders.
Weeping spruce species will help diversify the collection. Given their aspiration to the aquatic environment, conifers can be safely used in the design of the banks of reservoirs.
Full-sized weeping spruce trees reach a height of 10-15 meters with a width of 2-3 meters. Thin branches, hanging down, bend around the twisted trunk of the plant, giving it a weeping shape.
Serbian spruce "Glauka Pendula" with flexible thin shoots hanging along the trunk - a win-win option for implementation non-standard solutions in garden arrangements.
Canadian spruce is more adapted to our climate. Konika is famous for its frost resistance and unpretentiousness in care. It is interesting for landscape design in that it has a decorative cone-shaped crown, gives a small increase in a year and harmoniously fits into the design of even very small areas.
Young shoots sparkling in the sun make the coniferous beauty "Maygold" look like a queen wrapped in gold.
mantle The crown of the tree, reaching a height of 6 m, has a loose pyramidal shape. Creamy-yellow needles on young shoots gradually change their color after a few weeks, acquiring an equally attractive bluish-green hue.
Conifer combinations
If the area of \u200b\u200bthe site allows, then to create a picturesque and original picture, it is better to use spruce trees of different types and varieties.
Tall trees successfully fit into any landscape as tapeworms, more compact forms of conifers can be safely combined with other plantations.
To make the conceived composition harmonious and attractive, masters of landscape art are advised to take into account a number of key points:
- The composition should not be too colorful. For a group of three conifers, use two colors. When composing a composition of five evergreens, use only three colors.
- When composing a multi-level composition, including 20-30 plantings, place the elements in groups, selecting them by color.
- The spruce-shrub ensemble requires competent placement of accents: the foreground is occupied by undersized plants, the back - by medium-sized conifers.
- To avoid the feeling of density of Christmas tree plantings, the arrangement of conifers of an ordinary or Mauritanian lawn in the near-trunk area will help.
Juicy needles of a dark shade will emphasize the beauty of the nearby flowering shrub. Apart from flowering plants a good addition to the coniferous beauty will be shrubs with unusually colored foliage: weigela, mock orange, barberry.
Spruces are perfectly combined with other coniferous varieties and flowering perennials, creating a picturesque picture that looks elegant at any time of the year.
Proper fit and care is a guarantee that coniferous beauties will delight their presentable appearance almost all year round.
Wanting to decorate your site with one or more spruces, experienced gardeners advise you to follow certain rules:
Landing time. Ephedra is best planted in early spring or early autumn, when the plant has not yet entered or has already passed the phase of vigorous growth. In order to preserve young shoots from frost and rodents, it is advisable to mulch the near-trunk zone with peat for the winter.
Location. Under natural conditions, spruce develops well near the river valley, where it receives enough moisture to feed a powerful root system. But at the same time, she does not like wetlands, and therefore needs drainage.
Soil composition. All types of spruces love fertile alkaline and acidic soil. They are intolerant of heavy soil types. When planting a conifer in depleted soil landing pit it is first worth enriching by adding 100 g of complex mineral fertilizer. With a lack of oxygen and nutrition, the plant may even die.
It should be borne in mind that spruce strongly affects the flowers and shrubs surrounding it, so it is better to place it at a small distance from sun-loving plants. Do not plant conifers close to each other, because with their branches they will limit the access of sunlight.
Observing these simple rules when selecting varieties and composition of herbal compositions, you can create a cozy and picturesque design on your site that will delight the eye throughout the year.
Video instruction: we equip a hedge of fir trees
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