Decorative spruce: description of species and varieties. Norway spruce, or European What cones did the spruce have description

Description

Norway spruce (Picea abies)- tree 30 - 35 m high, crown diameter 6 - 8 m. Under favorable conditions it can grow up to 50 m. Needles are needle-shaped, tetrahedral, 1-2 cm long, dark green. Annual growth is 50 cm in height, 15 cm in spread. Up to 10-15 years old it grows slowly, then quickly. Have ate ordinary the crown is conical, with spaced or drooping branches that rise at the end, remains sharp until the end of life. The bark is reddish brown or gray, smooth or fractured, of varying degrees and nature of fracturing, relatively thin. Shoots are light brown or rusty yellow, glabrous. Sensitive to air pollution and dryness. Shades well. Durability 250 - 300 years.

The size:	height 15-20 m, diameter 6-8 m.
Root system:	superficial, widely spread, highly branched; deep on drained soil.
Growth rate:	low until 10-15 years, then accelerates to 70 cm per year, after 100-120 years, growth slows down again.
Light:	sun, partial shade, shadow.
Soils:	moderately moist loams, light soils with a slightly alkaline reaction of the environment (see).
Watering:	during dry periods, watering is required.
Winter hardiness:	USDA zone 3 (see).
Fruit:	cones 10-15 cm long and 3-4 cm thick, light green, brownish brown when mature.

Planting and caring for spruce ordinary

Do not allow soil compaction and moisture stagnation. The landing site should be away from groundwater. It is imperative to make a drainage layer, in the form of sand or broken brick 15-20 cm thick. If spruces are planted in groups, then the distance for tall spruces should be from 2 to 3 m. The depth of the planting pit is 50-70 cm.

It is important that the root collar is at ground level. You can prepare a special soil mixture: leaf and turf land, peat, and sand in a ratio of 2: 2: 1: 1. Immediately after planting, the tree must be watered abundantly with 40-50 liters of water. It is advisable to add fertilizer (100-150 g of nitroammofoska, root 10 g per 10 l, etc.).

Ate does not like dry hot weather, so in the hot season they need to be watered once a week, about 10-12 liters per tree. Shallow loosening (5cm). For the winter, sprinkle peat around the trunk with a thickness of 5-6 cm, after winter, the peat is simply mixed with the ground, not removed. Ate can also be planted in winter.

Fertilizer can be applied about 2 times a season for conifers.

Usually spruce does not need pruning, but if they form hedge pruning is allowed. As a rule, diseased and dry branches are removed. It is best to carry out pruning in late May - early June, when the period of active sap flow ends.

To protect decorative forms of spruce from autumn and winter frosts, they can be covered with spruce branches. (cm. , ).

The traditional Christmas tree spruce with a beautiful crown and fluffy branches has long become commonplace. Perhaps, in Europe it is difficult to find an estate where at least one Christmas tree did not grow, and many summer residents try to plant this fluffy beauty in the center of the garden in order to dress it up on the eve of New Year's celebrations, thereby creating a cozy pre-holiday atmosphere on the site. Coniferous tree spruce ( Picea) belongs to the Pine family (Pinaceae). The genus unites about 50 species distributed in the cold and temperate zones of the Northern Hemisphere, with more than half of all species growing in the mountains of Central and Western China. In this article you can familiarize yourself with photos, names different types oil, as well as their botanical characteristics and learn about the correct agricultural techniques for growing these trees.

What does a spruce look like: photo and botanical characteristics

Fir trees are beautiful, slender evergreen trees. Most of the species look like real giants - these are large, 60-90 m high, plants with a trunk diameter of 1.5-2 m, reaching an age of 500-600 years. All ate is very similar: the trunks are straight, the branches are arranged in tiers and are collected in whorls, the crowns are pyramidal. The bark is gray-brown, smoother in young plants, and rough and rough in old ones. The needles are small, needle-like, tetrahedral or flat, arranged spirally. The color of the needles is green or gray-green. Male "flowers", carrying pollen, are single, are formed in the axils of the upper needles on last year's branches, female - also single, appear at the ends of old branches. Hanging cones, cylindrically elongated or ovoid. Young cones are green or purple, while mature ones are brown or brown-gray. They ripen by the end of the first year and fall off without crumbling. See how spruce trees look in the photo in their natural habitat:

Fir-trees rarely grow as solitary specimens, isolated from other specimens, predominantly forming large forest populations. In dry places, rich spruce forests are formed - "green moss" with a thick moss cover and an abundance of edible cap mushrooms. Damp areas grow dense, but oppressed spruce forests - "long moss" with a rare cover of sedges and sphagnum mosses. Along the valleys of small rivers and along the streams, there are the most beautiful spruce forests - "logs" with sparsely standing trees and lush grass. But, as a rule, spruce forests are quite dense and shady, which does not allow the formation of a dense grass cover and leads to a lush growth of mosses. In nature, ate is extremely unpretentious and hardy - they are able to grow in almost any conditions. The vast majority of species are frost-hardy. Below is a description of the most popular types of spruce with photos and names.

Popular types and varieties of spruce: photos, names and descriptions

Picea abies- Norway spruce, or European.

The most common coniferous plant in Central and Northern Europe. The species range is extensive and does not cover only the British Isles and the North German Plain. European spruce - slim shade tree with a pyramidal crown and horizontally spaced branches collected in whorls. The trunk is cleared slowly, and often the lower branches are preserved even in mature plants. Older specimens reach a height of 30-50 m and have a trunk thickness of up to 2 m. The bark peels off with thin scales and, depending on the variety, has a different color - from red-brown to gray. As you can see in the photo, the needles of the spruce tree are needle-shaped, small (1-2 cm long), prickly, green:

Hanging cones, cylindrically elongated or ovoid. Young cones are green-purple, mature ones are brown. Ripen by the end of the first year. Fall off without scattering. In nature, Norway spruce (Picea abies) is highly variable. "Witch brooms" can develop both on the leading shoot and on the lateral branches. Less common are natural mutations that completely change the natural shape of this spruce. This diversity has allowed in recent years to cultivate and introduce into nurseries, and then into gardens a large number of plants with different habit: type of branch arrangement, crown shape and color of needles. This type of spruce is absolutely frost-hardy.

Recommended varieties of common spruce:

Picea abies Asgosop

Common spruce variety. Large size. The crown is wide-pyramidal. The color of the needles is green. At a young age, fresh growths can be damaged by late recurrent frosts. After the growing season, it forms bright crimson cones at the ends of the growths. After complete rooting, it actively grows. Annual growths are more than 30 cm. Fully frost-resistant.

Picea abies Pusch(synonym - Picea abies Asgosopa Nana)

Common spruce variety. Dwarf. There is no exact version of its origin. According to one of them, it is believed that she was selected from the seedlings of the Asgosop spruce. As in P. abies Asgosopa, in spring it forms crimson cones at the ends of growths. The crown of this variety of common spruce is broad-pyramidal. It grows more actively in width than in height, Annual increments do not exceed 10 cm. At the age of 10, it can reach a height of 1 m and a diameter of 1.5 m. The needles are small, green. Fully frost resistant.

Picea abies Aurea

Large-sized variety of common spruce. During the growing season, growths for 1.5-2 months are painted in a bright golden color. The needles, especially in young specimens, can burn in the sun. Annual increments are similar to those of a common spruce. Tapeworm. Fully frost resistant.

Picea abies Aurea Magnifica

Large-sized variety of common spruce. The crown is pyramidal. In the spring, during the growing season, the growths are colored yellow-golden. This color, changing its intensity, remains practically throughout the year. After complete rooting, annual growths are more than 30 cm. Fully frost-resistant.

Picea abies Aurea WB (synonym - Goldnugget)

Minisort of Norway spruce, "Witch's Broom", found on Picea abies Aurea. Compact, round-oval shape. Annual growth is 3-6 cm. Pay attention to the photo - this variety of ordinary spruce turns bright yellow in October:

During the summer, the needles are green. Fully frost resistant.

Picea abies Wagu Mazayta

Micro-variety of common spruce. Compact spherical shape. The color of the needles is stable, green. Annual growth is 2-3 cm. Possible size at 10 years of age is 20-30 cm in diameter. Fully frost resistant.

Picea abies berry garden

Mini-variety of ordinary spruce. Very compact, rounded shape. Annual growth is 2-3 cm. Fully frost-resistant. A rare variety.

Picea abies blatny

Micro-variety of common spruce. Round shape. The needles are soft, green. Annual growth within 3 cm, Fully frost-resistant.

Picea abies Bobek

Common spruce variety. Dwarf. It is characterized by an irregular form of branch growth. The needles are tough, green. Annual increments vary from 3 to 10 cm. Fully hardy.

Picea abies Botanica Liberec

Mini-variety of ordinary spruce. Very compact, rounded shape. The needles are deep green. Annual growth 3-6 cm, Fully frost-resistant.

Picea abies Bouchalka

Mini-variety of ordinary spruce. Compact, rounded, slightly irregular shape. The needles are tough, green. Annual increments vary from 3 to 5 cm. Fully hardy.

Picea abies Brno(synonyms - Minuta WB, Minima Kalous WB)

Micro-variety of common spruce. Very dense round-oval shape. Annual growth is within 1-2 cm. Fully frost-resistant.

Picea abies Cervena Skala

Micro-variety of common spruce. Very compact, rounded shape. Annual growth is within 1-3 cm. Fully frost-resistant.

Picea abies Clanbrassiliana

Common spruce variety. Dwarf. Dense, round-conical shape. Annual growths are 8-12 cm. In North America, specimens are known that have reached 1.5 m in height. Fully frost resistant.

Picea abies Dado

Picea abies Dubenec

Mini-variety of ordinary spruce. Compact, round-oval shape. The needles are tough, green-blue. Annual growth is within 3-5 cm. Fully frost-resistant.

Picea abies dumpy

Mini-variety of ordinary spruce. Rounded, slightly loose shape. The needles are green. Annual increments vary from 3 to 5 cm. Fully hardy.

Picea abies Echiniformis

A dwarf form of common spruce, which is very close in terms of the size of annual increments to mini-varieties. They vary within 3-6 cm. Compact, rounded shape. The needles are tough, green. Fully frost-resistant.

Picea abies Formanek

The creeping form of the common spruce. Dwarf. Highly popular variety Czech selection. To give it a more interesting shape, it is recommended to tie the leading shoot to a vertical support. The needles are soft, green. Annual increments range from 8-15 cm. Fully frost-resistant.

Picea abies Frohburg

Medium-sized variety of ordinary spruce. Weeping cascading shape. The branches are located close to the trunk. Annual increments are within 15-20 cm. The needles are green. Fully frost resistant.

Picea abies Gamshutte

Mini-variety of ordinary spruce. Rounded, slightly flattened shape. The needles are green-blue. Annual increments vary from 3 to 5 cm. Fully hardy.

Picea abies Gold Drift

Medium-sized variety of ordinary spruce. Weeping, yellow-coniferous form found among seedlings of the common spruce Inversa. Annual growth is within 10-15 cm. Fully frost-resistant.

Picea abies Hasin

Micro-variety of common spruce. Rare enough in our gardens. Very compact, rounded shape. Annual growth is within 1-3 cm. Fully frost-resistant.

Picea abies Hiiumaa

Micro-variety of common Estonian spruce selection. Very rare in our gardens. Dense, rounded shape. Annual growth is within 1-3 cm. Fully frost-resistant.

Picea abies Holub Gold

Medium-sized variety of ordinary Czech breeding spruce. The needles are soft, yellow-golden throughout the season. Annual growth is within 10-15 cm. Fully frost-resistant.

Picea abies Holub 1

Micro-variety of ordinary Czech spruce selection. Dense, rounded-oval shape. The needles are tough, completely blue before the growing season, subsequently acquiring a bluish-green color. Annual growth within 2 cm. Rare variety. Fully frost resistant.

Picea abies Hradok

Micro-variety of common spruce. Rare in our gardens. Very compact, rounded shape. Annual growth is within 1-3 cm. Fully frost-resistant.

Picea abies Humilis

Medium-sized variety of ordinary spruce. It is characterized by an irregular growth pattern. The needles are very tough, green. Annual increments vary from 10 to 20 cm. Fully hardy.

Picea abies Husarna

Mini-variety of ordinary spruce. Rounded, slightly flattened shape. The needles are green-blue. Annual increments vary from 2 to 5 cm. Fully hardy.

Picea abies Inversa

Large-sized variety of common spruce. Weeping form... A very beautiful and popular variety among gardeners. After complete rooting, annual increments vary within 20-40 cm. The needles are tough, green. Fully frost resistant.

Picea abies Jana

Mini-variety of spruce of ordinary Czech selection. Very dense, rounded shape. With age, it takes on a more oval shape, reaching a size of 30 by 40 cm. Growing in the sun, it shows the qualities corresponding to this variety much better. Fully frost resistant.

Picea abies Johanka

Mini-variety of ordinary spruce. Rounded, slightly nested shape. The needles are green. Slow growing variety. Annual increments vary from 2 to 5 cm. Fully hardy.

Picea abies Kevon

Mini-variety of ordinary spruce. Rounded oval shape. The needles are bluish-green. Slow growing variety. Annual increments vary from 2 to 5 cm. Fully hardy.

Picea abies Kirzhach

Mini variety. Natural mutation of common spruce. Found by one of the authors in the forests of the Vladimir region. At the time of introduction into the garden, it had a rounded-oval shape measuring 20 by 30 cm. The crown was located on a trunk, 30 cm from the ground. After 16 years of growing in the garden, it has reached dimensions of 1.5 m wide by 1.0 m in height. Has no clear leader. Multi-vertex. Fully frost resistant.

Picea abies Kuba

Micro-variety of common spruce. Very compact, rounded shape. Annual growth is within 1-3 cm. Fully frost-resistant. A rare variety.

Picea abies Lhota

Mini-variety of ordinary spruce. Compact, rounded shape. The needles are tough, green. Annual increments vary from 3 to 5 cm. Fully hardy.

Picea abies Little Gem

Micro-variety of common spruce. A very beautiful and popular variety. Round shape. Annual growths are 1-3 cm. At 15 years of age, it is 50-60 cm in width and 30-40 cm in height. Fully frost resistant.

Picea abies loreley

Common spruce variety. Dwarf. Creeping form of growth. By fixing the leading one to the vertical support, as well as one or two auxiliary shoots, you can achieve a beautiful cascade growth form. The terminal growths of the descending branches tend to grow in the vertical direction. At the age of 15, the crown diameter can be 1.5 m in size. Fully frost-resistant.

Picea abies Luua Pari

A dwarf spruce variety of ordinary Estonian selection. Has 2 different shapes growth. It can develop as a pyramidal dwarf tree. In Estonia, there are 30-year-old specimens 3 m high by 1.5 m wide. It can also have a dense, rounded-oval shape, which shows weak signs of pyramidal growth with age. Fully frost resistant.

Picea abies Malecek

Micro-variety of Czech selection. Compact, rounded shape. Annual increments within 3 cm per year. The needles are tough, green. Fully frost resistant.

Picea abies Maracana

Micro-variety of common spruce. Compact, round, very dense shape. Annual increments of 2-3 cm per year. The needles are tough, green. Fully frost resistant.

Picea abies Mikulasovice

Mini-variety of spruce of ordinary Czech selection. Dwarf, very dense, conical shape. The needles are tough, dark green. Annual growth is 2-5 cm per year. The cushion form of this variety is much less common. Fully frost resistant.

Picea abies Mionsi

Micro-variety of common spruce, Very compact, dense, round shape. The needles are tough, green. Annual growths are 1-2 cm. Fully frost-resistant.

Picea abies Most

Micro-variety of common spruce. Compact, rounded shape. The needles are tough, green. Annual growth of 1 cm. Fully frost-resistant.

Picea abies Muhlerin

Mini-variety of ordinary spruce. Compact, round-oval shape. The needles are tough, bluish-green. Annual growth is 3-5 cm. Fully hardy.

Picea abies Od Goly

Micro-variety of common spruce. Compact, rounded shape. The needles are tough, green. Annual growth within 3 cm. Fully frost-resistant.

Picea abies Ohlendorfii

Common spruce variety. Dwarf. Pyramidal shape. The needles are tough, green. Annual growth is within 5-10 cm. Fully frost-resistant.

Picea abies Palecek WB

Mini-variety of ordinary spruce. Dense, rounded shape. The needles are tough, green-blue. Annual growth is 3-5 cm. Fully hardy.

Picea abies Parsonii(synonym - Zwergnase)

A micro-variety of common spruce. Dense, rounded shape. The needles are tough, green-blue. Annual growth is within 2-3 cm. Fully frost-resistant.

Picea abies Pavelka

Micro-variety of ordinary Czech spruce selection. Dense, rounded-oval shape. The needles are tough, green. Annual growth is 2-3 cm. Fully frost-resistant.

Picea abies Pekarek

Micro-variety of common spruce. Dense, rounded shape. The needles are tough, green. Annual growth within 3 cm. Fully frost-resistant. A rare variety.

Picea abies Pet Kamenu

Micro-variety of ordinary Czech spruce selection. Dense, rounded shape. The needles are tough, green. Growths are 2-3 cm. Fully frost-resistant.

Picea abies Prokopka

Micro-variety of common spruce. Dense, rounded shape. The needles are soft, green. Annual growths are 1-2 cm. Fully frost-resistant.

Picea abies Reflexa

Common spruce variety. Weeping form. Branches are rigid, flowing. The needles are green. Annual growth is 15-40 cm. Fully frost-resistant. Very decorative.

Picea abies Rydal

Large-sized variety of common spruce. During the growing season for 7-10 days, the growths are painted in a juicy raspberry color, after which they turn green again. The needles are soft, the branches are thin. Fully frost resistant.

Picea abies slavice

Micro-variety of common spruce. Very dense, rounded shape. The needles are tough, green. Annual growths are 1-2 cm. Fully frost-resistant. Very rare.

Picea abies Sonneberg

Micro-variety of common spruce. Quite dense, rounded shape. The needles are tough, green-blue. Annual growth within 3 cm. Fully frost-resistant.

Picea abies Strapac

Common spruce variety. Dwarf. It is characterized by uneven growth of branches. The branches themselves are thick, the needles are tough, dark green. Annual growth within 10 cm. Fully hardy, Rare variety.

Picea abies Suncrest

Mini-variety of ordinary spruce. Very dense, rounded shape, with age it becomes wide-conical, multi-peaked. The needles are tough, green-blue. Annual growth 3-7 cm. Fully frost-resistant,

Picea abies Super Majxner

Micro-variety of common spruce. Very dense, rounded shape. The needles are tough, green-blue. Annual growth of 2-3 cm, Fully frost-resistant.

Picea abies Svata Mari

Micro-variety of common spruce. Dense, rounded shape. The needles are tough, green-blue. Annual growth within 3 cm. Fully frost-resistant.

Picea abies Svojek

Micro-variety of common spruce. Dense, rounded shape. The needles are tough, green. Annual growth is 2-3 cm. Fully frost-resistant.

Picea abies Truba 5

Micro-variety of common spruce. Dense, rounded-oval shape. The needles are tough, green. Annual growth of 2-3 cm, Fully frost-resistant.

Picea abies Uplaz

Picea abies Van Bemmel's Dwarf

Micro-variety of common spruce. Very dense, rounded shape. The needles are tough, green, Annual growth is 1 cm. Fully frost-resistant. Collection decoration.

Picea abies Vermont Gold

Mini-variety of ordinary spruce. Found on Picea abies Repens. Flat-round, creeping shape. After vegetation it turns completely golden. It retains this color throughout the season. Annual growth is within 3-8 cm. Planted in the sun can burn. Recovers quickly. Fully frost resistant.

Picea abies Visel

Micro-variety of common spruce. Very dense, rounded shape. The needles are tough, green-blue. Annual growth is 2-3 cm. Fully frost-resistant.

Picea abies Vyrov

Micro-variety of common spruce, Very dense, round shape. The needles are tough, green. Annual growths are 1-2 cm. Fully frost-resistant.

Picea abies WB on Pigmaea

Micro-variety of common spruce. Very dense, rounded shape. The needles are tough, green. Annual growths are 1-2 cm. Fully frost-resistant.

Picea abies Wichtel

Micro-variety of common spruce. Very dense, rounded shape. Very dense branching, tough green needles. Annual growth of 1 cm. Fully frost-resistant. Collection decoration.

Picea abies Willi's Zwerg

Common spruce variety. Dwarf. Wide-pyramidal, multi-vertex shape. The needles are tough, green. Annual growth within 10 cm. Fully frost-resistant.

Picea abies Zadusi

Picea abies Zahori

Mini-variety of ordinary spruce. Dense, rounded shape. The needles are tough, green. Annual growth is 3-6 cm. Fully frost-resistant.

Picea abies Zajecice

Mini-variety of ordinary spruce. Dense, rounded shape. The needles are tough, green. Annual growth is 3-7 cm. Fully frost-resistant.

• Picea abies Zvihadlo. Mini-variety of ordinary spruce. Dense, rounded shape. The needles are tough, green. Annual growth is 2-5 cm. Fully frost-resistant.
• Picea abies Cukrak. Micro-variety of common spruce. Very compact, rounded shape. Annual growth is within 1-2 cm. Fully frost-resistant. Rare in our gardens.
• Picea abies Kobliha. Micro-variety of common spruce. Rare in our gardens. Very compact, rounded shape. Annual growth is within 1-3 cm. Fully frost-resistant.
• Picea abies minuta(synonyms - Brno, Minima Kalous WB). Micro-variety of common spruce. Very dense round-oval shape. The needles are tough, green. Annual growth is within 1-2 cm. Fully frost-resistant.
• Picea abies Pitzi 2. Micro-variety of common spruce. Very dense, rounded shape. The needles are tough, green-blue. Annual growth is 2-3 cm. Fully frost-resistant.
• Picea abies Zadverice. Micro-variety of common spruce. Very dense, rounded shape. The needles are tough, green. Annual growth is 2-3 cm. Fully frost-resistant.

These photos show varieties of ordinary spruce trees, with a description of which you could familiarize yourself with above:

Picea asperata- Rough spruce

It grows on moist, buried, drained soils in western China. Evergreen tree up to 40 m in height. The crown is dense, broadly conical. Branches are horizontally arranged, somewhat falling at the ends. When describing this type of spruce, it is worth noting the rough, brown bark. Needles up to 2 cm, bluish-green, slightly silvery. Brownish-brown cylindrical cones 10 cm in size.The species is practically untested, conditionally winter-hardy under conditions middle lane... May be damaged by recurrent frost. Poor landing in the shade. In the past few years, several dwarf varieties of this spruce have been planted in Russian gardens. After 3 years of testing, it can be argued that the varieties are completely frost-resistant, being under the snow cover. Recommended variety of rough spruce:

Picea asperata Mongolei

Micro-cultivar of rough spruce. Very compact, rounded shape. Pay attention to the photo - the needles of this type of spruce are tough, almost blue:

Annual growths 1-3 cm. Tested in the middle lane for 3-4 years, Suffers planting in light shade. Fully frost-resistant under snow cover. Recently, the species identification of this variety has been clarified.

Picea engelmanii- Engelman Spruce

One of the most beautiful blue firs. Forms forests in the mountains of western North America. Close to Picea pungens - barbed spruce. Spectacular evergreen tree with a dense narrow-pyramidal crown, reaching a height of 20-50 m. The branches are collected in dense whorls, the branches are slightly drooping. The needles are needle-like, thin, straight, 15-25 mm long, bluish-green, more tender than that of prickly spruce. Hanging cones, cylindrical-ovate, 4-8 cm long. Young cones are green, mature ones are light beige. Ripen by the end of the first year. Fall off without scattering. In recent years, the gardens of Europe introduced enough dwarf forms of this spruce. The gardens of Russia were no exception. Its varieties Jasper, Tomschke, Talbot Lake, Hobo, Pocahontas are compact and spectacular. A very unusual variety is Snake. The twig-like branches of this cultivar are similar to those of the more famous common spruce cultivar Cranstonii. Recommended varieties of Elgelman spruce:

Picea engelmanii Jasper

Engelman spruce mini-variety. Dense, rounded flattened shape. The needles are tough, green-blue. Annual growth is within 3-7 cm. Fully frost-resistant.

Picea engelmanii talbot lake

Micro-variety of Engelman's spruce. Very dense, rounded shape. The needles are tough, green-blue. Annual growth within 3 cm. Fully frost-resistant. These photos show the types of spruce, the description of which is presented in this section:

Picea glauca- Gray spruce, or Canadian.

It grows in the east of North America. The natural form is similar to the common spruce, but forms a looser crown due to some "infantilism" of the branches and branches. The needles are 8-18 mm long, bluish-green and rather slender, with an unpleasant odor. Cones are oblong, small, 3-6 cm long and 1-2 cm wide. Young cones are green, mature light brown. In culture, the natural form is rarely grown due to its large size and poor tolerance to the sun in the spring. But varietal varieties are very popular. The shape of the crown and the arrangement of branches of cultivars are varied, but in the gardens, pyramidal and spherical "dwarfs" prevail. The winter hardiness of the varieties is high, but they can be actively damaged by the rays of the spring sun. It is better to plant all varieties in partial shade, and in hot periods provide additional sprinkling of their crowns. In order to care for these spruces in the way that proper agricultural technology suggests, before the onset of the growing season, all varieties of this type should be treated against fungal diseases. copper-containing preparations.

Recommended varieties for planting in gardens: pyramidal-columnar - Conica, Conica Blue, Sanders Blue, Daisy's White, Sport, Zuckerhut; spherical - Cecilia, Dendrofarma Gold, Elf, Minitip, Blue Planet, Burning Well.

Recommended varieties of spruce with gray:

Picea glauca Alberta Globe

Micro-variety of Canadian spruce. Very compact, wide pyramidal shape. This variety has dark green needles. Annual growths are 1-2 cm. Fully tolerant to sunlight. Frost resistant.

Picea glauca cecilia

Mini-variety of Canadian spruce. Compact, spherical shape. The needles are tough, dark green. Annual growth 3-6 cm, Fully frost-resistant.

Picea glauca conica

Shirokopyramidalny variety of Canadian spruce. The needles are dark green. Annual growth within 3 cm.In the gardens of the middle zone, planted in the sun, it can burn in early spring... This often leads to the loss of decorativeness of individual branches or the death of the entire plant. Fully frost resistant.

Picea glauca Conica Blue

Mini-variety of Canadian spruce. Compact, narrow-pyramidal crown shape. Blue needles, annual growth within 3-5 cm, completely frost-hardy.

Picea glauca Daisy's White

Mini-variety of Canadian spruce. Dense, narrow pyramidal shape. The needles are soft, green. Annual growths are within 3-5 cm. At the end of May, for 7-10 days, it stains the growths in a cream color. When describing this type of spruce, it is worth noting that it is very shade-tolerant and frost-hardy.

Picea glauca Dendrofarma Gold

Micro-variety of Canadian spruce. "Witch's Broom" found on the Picea glauca Alberta Globe. Dense, spherical shape. The needles are soft, green. Annual growths within 2-3 cm, In the same time frame as Picea glauca Deisy’s White, stains the growths in a yellow-cream color. Landing in partial shade is recommended. Fully frost resistant.

Picea glauca Sander's Blue

Mini-variety of Canadian spruce. Dense pyramidal shape. Annual growth within 3 cm. More tolerant to sunlight than P. glauca Conica. Fully frost resistant.

Picea glauca sport

Micro-variety of Canadian spruce. Narrow oval, somewhat pyramidal shape. Below are photos, names and descriptions of other varieties of spruce.

Other types of spruce: photo, name and description

Picea jezcensis- Ayan spruce

A very ancient type of spruce. Grows on the mountain slopes of the Far East. A conical tree up to 40 m in height. The needles are 1-2 cm long, pointed, two-colored, green above, gray-gray below, blue. Cones are oval-cylindrical, light brown, 5-7 cm long. In culture, it is preferable to plant it in partial shade. Responsive to crown sprinkling. It has been observed in Russian gardens for the last 3-4 years. Recommended varieties of ayan spruce:

Picea jezoensis Compacto

Mini-variety of ayan spruce. Compact, rounded shape. The needles are very prickly, silvery-green-blue. Annual growth within 3 cm. Fully frost-resistant.

Picea jezoensis Marianske Lazne

Mini-variety of ayan spruce. Compact, rounded shape. The needles are prickly, silvery-green-blue. Annual growth is 3-7 cm. Fully frost-resistant.

Picea mariana- Black spruce

It grows on marshy soils and forms forests in North America and Canada. The description of this type of spruce is similar in appearance to the gray spruce, or Canadian, but has more gray needles. The crown is uzkokeglevidnaya, uneven, branches and branches are thin. The needles are 6-18 mm long, from green to bluish-green, rather thin and very dense. Cones are ovoid, small - 2-3.5 cm long. Young cones are dark purple, mature ones are gray-brown. Has varieties with different types the location of the branches and the shape of the crown. Most varieties are pyramidal and spherical "dwarfs" with green or gray needles.

Previously, only one Nana variety could be found in gardens. In the last 3-4 years, the range of cultivars has expanded. During this time, the following varieties of black spruce have been tested: Nana, Bessneri, Doumetii, Aurea.

Recommended varieties of black spruce:

Picea mariana Beissneri

Medium-sized variety of black spruce. Compact conical shape. The needles are soft, green-blue. Annual growth within 15 cm. Hardy. Spring burning of individual branches is possible.

Picea mariana Nana

Micro-variety of black spruce. Dense, rounded shape. The needles are tough, green-blue. Annual growth within 3 cm. Fully frost-resistant and sun-tolerant.

Picea obovata- Siberian spruce

Forms vast forests from Northern Europe to Kamchatka and Manchuria. Outwardly, it is similar to ordinary spruce, but has a narrower crown and slightly drooping branches. The branches are dense. The needles are 10-18 mm long, matte. Cones are cylindrical-ovate, 6-8 m long. Young cones are purple, mature ones are gray-brown. Very hardy and frost-resistant. It has a few, but very decorative cultivars. Recommended varieties of Siberian spruce:

Picea obovata Bruj

Micro-variety of Siberian spruce. Quite dense, rounded shape. The needles are soft, green. Annual growth within 5 cm. Fully frost-resistant.

Picea obovata Kandinka

Micro-variety of Siberian spruce. Round shape. The needles are soft, green. Annual growth is within 3-5 cm. Fully frost-resistant.

Picea omorika- Serbian spruce

A rare species that grows on the steep limestone slopes of the mountains of Bosnia and Serbia. Outwardly, it is similar to Siberian spruce, but differs in the shape of the crown and the color of the needles. Crohn narrow-pyramidal, almost columnar. The branches are short, spaced apart and raised at the ends. Young branches are brown, pubescent. Compressed needles, 8-18 mm long and 2 mm wide, shiny, dark green above and gray-gray below. Cones are ovate oblong, small (3-6 cm long), shiny, brown. Bears fruit from an early age. Highly decorative and frost-resistant. It has numerous cultivars, it is mainly a variety of dwarf forms.

Recommended varieties of Serbian spruce with photos and descriptions:

Picea omorika Berliner Weeper

Weeping form of Serbian spruce. The needles are green-blue, Annual growths are within 5-7 cm. The variety is rare in our gardens. Fully frost resistant.

Picea omorika chocen

Micro-variety of Serbian spruce. Very compact, rounded shape. The needles are tough, green-blue. Annual growth within 3 cm. Fully frost-resistant.

Picea omorika Cindarella

A dwarf variety of Serbian spruce. Oval-rounded shape. The needles are small, gray-green. Annual growth is within 6-9 cm. Fully frost-resistant. A very beautiful, recognizable variety, which is still rare in our gardens.

Picea omorika de ruyter

Dwarf. Dense, narrow pyramidal shape. The needles are tough, green-blue. Annual growth is about 8-15 cm. There is no exact information on its final size, but at 25 years old its possible size is 3.5-4.0 m. Fully frost-hardy.

Picea omorika frohnleiten

Compact dwarf. Dense, wide-pyramidal shape. The branches grow in a strictly vertical direction. Pay attention to the photo - the needles of this type of spruce are tough, green-blue, silver:

Annual growths are 10-12 cm. Fully frost-resistant.

Picea omorika Fusch

Mini-variety of Serbian spruce. Compact, rounded shape. The needles are green. Annual growth is 3-5 cm. Fully hardy.

Picea omorika hallonet

Mini-variety of Serbian spruce. Dense, rounded, cushion-shaped. The needles are soft, green-blue. Annual growths are 4-7 cm. Fully frost-resistant.

Picea omorika havel 2

Micro-variety of Serbian spruce. Very compact, rounded shape. The needles are tough, green-blue. Annual growths are 1-2 cm. Fully frost-resistant.

Picea omorika Kuschel

Mini variety or Serbian. Dense, rounded shape. The needles are hard, dark, blue-green. Annual growth is about 5 cm. Fully hardy.

Picea omorika minima

Mini-variety of Serbian spruce. Slightly loose, round-oval, cushion-shaped. The needles are hard, dark, blue-green. Annual growths are 5-8 cm. Fully frost-resistant.

• Picea omorika Miriam. Mini-variety of Serbian spruce. Dense, rounded shape. The needles are green-blue. Annual growth is 3-6 cm. Fully frost-resistant.
• Picea omorika Nana. Dwarf. Very dense, beautiful pyramidal shape. The needles are tough, green-blue. At 20 years of age, the height is 3 m. Fully frost-resistant.
• Picea omorika Pendula. Medium-sized variety of Serbian spruce. Very dense, broadly oval, drooping shape. A distinctive feature of this variety is the ability of several leading shoots independently, without support, to maintain the vertical-horizontal direction of growth. The needles are dark green-blue. Annual growth is 30-50 cm. Height of adult plants can reach 7-9 m. Solitaire. A very decorative variety. Fully frost resistant.
• Picea omorika Peve Tijn. Mini-variety of Serbian spruce. Dense, spherical shape. The needles are tough, green-blue in color, during the summer they change their color to golden. Annual growth is 3-8 cm. Fully hardy.
• Picea omorika Pimoko. A popular mini-variety of Serbian spruce. Very dense, spherical shape. The needles are tough, green-blue. Annual growth is within 5 cm. With age, it grows more in width than in height. At 25 years old, it reaches a size of 2 m wide by 1 m in height. Fully frost resistant.
• Picea omorika Radloff. Dwarf. Dense, flowing shape, Soft needles, green-blue. To give the plant a more vertical direction of growth, the leading shoot must be tied to a support. Annual growth within 10 cm. Fully frost-resistant.
• Picea omorika Valenta. Mini-variety of Serbian spruce. Compact, round-oval shape. The needles are slightly tough, green-blue. Annual growth is within 5-7 cm. Fully frost-resistant.
• Picea omorika Wodan. A dwarf variety of Serbian spruce. Dense, narrow pyramidal shape. Irregular branch growth is observed. The needles are very tough, dark green. Annual growth is within 7-10 cm. Fully frost-resistant.
• Picea omorika Zuckerhut. A dwarf, possibly a medium-sized variety of Serbian spruce. Very dense, beautiful pyramidal shape. The needles are soft, green-blue. At 20 years old, the height can be 5-6 m. Fully frost-resistant.
• Picea omorika Pendula Bruns. A full-grown variety of Serbian spruce. Very dense, columnar, cascading shape. A distinctive feature of this variety is the ability of the leading shoot independently, without support, to maintain a vertical direction of growth of 20-40 cm, The height of adult plants can reach 10 m. Solitaire. A very decorative variety. Fully frost-resistant - P. omorika Slavia. Mini-variety of Serbian spruce. Dense, rounded shape. The needles are tough, green-blue. Annual growth is 3-5 cm. Fully hardy.

Picea orientalis- Eastern spruce

Forms the mountain forests of the Caucasus and Asia Minor at an altitude of 1000 to 2500 m. Often Nordmann with undergrowth of evergreen holly, laurel cherries, rhododendrons and ivy. This type of spruce is outwardly similar to common spruce, but has some species differences. The crown is densely branched. The branches run down to the ground and are whorled and irregular. Young branches are light brown, almost white. The needles are dark green, glossy, short, 6-8 mm long, and very densely spaced. As shown in the photo, the cones of this variety were cylindrical-ovoid, 6-9 cm long:

Young buds are purple, ripe buds are purple. One of the few spruce trees that winter hard in the northern temperate zone. In her cultivars, freezing and burning of young growths, and sometimes whole branches, is possible. Particularly dangerous is the battle from the snow of the sun's rays on the days of February and March. In this regard, all oriental spruce varieties planted in such conditions are considered to be conditionally wintering. Despite this, in recent years, positive experience has been gained in cultivating oriental spruce varieties.

Recommended varieties of oriental spruce:

Picea orientalis Aureospicata

A dwarf, possibly medium-sized variety of oriental spruce. Pyramidal, pointed shape. Similar in habit and color of young growths to Picea orientalis Aurea. In the spring, for 2-3 weeks, it paints the growths in a golden yellow color. Annual increments are within 10-5 cm. Limited winter hardy. Landing in partial shade is recommended.

Picea orientalis Juwel

Picea orientalis Minima Welle

Mini-variety of oriental spruce. Rounded cushion shape. The needles are green. Annual growth is within 3-5 cm. Planting in partial shade is recommended. Limited winter hardy.

Picea orientalis Schoven Horst

Mini-variety of oriental spruce. Rounded cushion shape. The needles are green. Annual growth is within 3-5 cm. Planting in partial shade is recommended. Limited winter hardy.

Picea orientalis Spring Grove

Mini-variety of oriental spruce. Rounded cushion shape. The needles are green. Annual growth is within 3-5 cm. Planting in partial shade is recommended. Limited winter hardy.

Picea orientalis Tom Thumb Gold

Micro-variety of oriental spruce. Found on Eastern Skylands spruce in the US, the witch's broom has a round-tiered shape. In the spring, the needles turn golden for the whole season. Annual growth is within 3-5 cm. Planting in partial shade is recommended. Planted in the shade loses its golden color and may even die over time, but planting in the sun is also destructive for it, especially at a young age. A very decorative and popular variety. Limited winter hardy.

Picea pungens- Colorado spruce

The most common type of blue spruce in the culture. In nature, it grows in the Rocky Mountains, Utah and Colorado at an altitude of 2000-3500 m above sea level. Evergreen tree 30-50 m high. The crown is pyramidal. The whorls of the branches are markedly separated. The branches of young growths are light yellow-brown. This type of spruce got its name because of its hard, prickly, dense needles of gray or green color, 2-3 cm long. The cones are oblong-cylindrical, 6-10 cm long. Young cones are green, mature ones are light gray-beige. In culture, it is extremely resistant and absolutely frost-resistant. It has many varieties of different habits with a different type of branch arrangement, crown shape, color of needles.

Mini-variety of spruce barbed. Rounded oval shape. The needles are hard, blue. Annual growth is within 5-7 cm. Fully frost-resistant.

Picea pungens Byczkowski

A pyramidal variety of spruce prickly Polish selection. The needles are blue-green. At the end of May, for 2-3 weeks, it stains the growths in a white-cream color. Annual growth is within 10-12 cm. Fully frost-resistant.

Picea pungens Fruchlings Gold

Dwarf. A pyramidal variety of barbed spruce. The needles are blue. At the end of May, for 2-3 weeks, it stains the growths in a white-cream color. Annual growth is within 10-12 cm. Fully frost-resistant.

Picea pungens hermann naue

Dwarf. Rounded oval shape. The needles are green-blue. Forms crimson cones at the ends of growing branches. Annual growth is within 10-15 cm. Fully frost-resistant.

Picea pungens Iseli Fastigiata

Medium-sized variety of prickly spruce. Most often, it is narrow-pyramidal, but wide-pyramidal specimens are also found. The needles are prickly, blue. Annual growth is 20-25 cm. Fully frost-resistant. In order to avoid collapse and breakage of branches in snowy winters, it is recommended to fix them.

• Picea pungens Jablonec. A dwarf variety of prickly spruce. Rounded-oval, with age, perhaps a little pyramidal in shape. The needles are tough, blue. Annual growth within 15 cm. Fully frost-resistant.
• Picea pungens Maigold. Dwarf. A pyramidal variety of barbed spruce. The needles are blue. At the end of May, for 2-3 weeks, it stains the growths in a white cream color. Annual growth is within 10-12 cm. Fully frost-resistant.
• Picea pungens Mecki. A dwarf variety of prickly spruce. It is characterized by uneven growth of branches. The shape is close to conical. Annual growth within 15 cm. Fully frost-resistant.
• Picea pungens Nimetz. A dwarf variety of prickly spruce. Pyramidal shape. The needles are blue. At the end of May, for 2 weeks, it stains the growths in a white-cream color. Annual growth is within 10-12 cm. Fully frost-resistant.
• Picea pungens Olo. Micro-cultivar of spruce barbed. Very dense, rounded shape. The needles are blue-green, Annual growth within 3 cm. Fully frost-resistant.
• Picea pungens Ossario. A dwarf variety of prickly spruce. Rounded oval shape. The needles are hard, blue. Annual growth within 15 cm. Fully frost-resistant.
• Picea pungens Pendens. Large-sized variety of prickly spruce. Dense fastigiate form, In the early years it can have a flattened shape, but with age it actively pushes the conductor in the vertical direction. The needles are gray-blue. Annual growth within 30 cm. Solitaire. Fully frost resistant. Perhaps there are two different cultivars, named the same - Pendens.
• Picea pungens Saint Mary's Broom. Mini-variety of spruce barbed. Rounded oval shape. The needles are hard, blue. Annual growth within 5-7 cm. Fully frost-resistant,
• Picea pungens The Blues. A dwarf, weeping variety of prickly spruce. The "witch's broom" that gave birth to this cultivar was found on P. pungens Glauca Globosa, but it is bluer and bluer than that of the mother plant. To give the cultivar a more interesting shape, it is necessary to fix the leading shoot at an angle of 45-60 degrees. Annual growth within 15 cm. Fully frost-resistant.
• Picea pungens Waldbrunn. Mini-variety of spruce barbed. Rounded-tiered, flat shape. The needles are blue. Annual growths are 5-8 cm. Fully frost-resistant.

Picea sitchensis- Sitkha spruce

Grows along west coast North America. It is considered one of the largest among spruce trees, reaching 50 m in height. The shape is pyramidal, pointed. The needles are two-colored, green-blue. Immediately after the growing season, it acquires rich silvery shades. Cones are brown, up to 10 cm long. Prefers moist soils and high humidity air. In recent years, her cultivars have been successfully tested in our gardens. Mandatory conditions their correct cultivation is regular sprinkling of crowns, as well as two-time treatment for fungal diseases with copper-containing preparations: in the spring, before the beginning of the growing season, and before winter. Recommended varieties of Sitka spruce: Below is described how to grow spruce in the garden and how to care for these trees.

How to grow a spruce and how to care for a tree in the garden

When growing spruces, keep in mind that these are shade-tolerant, but light-loving plants. Just on open place they take on a typical crown shape. In shaded areas and in dense plantings, they are not very decorative. An important condition for growing spruce of all types is the presence of light, fertile, loamy, slightly acidic soils. Also, these trees can develop quite successfully on any soil, including poor sandy loam and heavy loamy, but will be less lush. Dwarf varieties should not be grown in overly rich soils - they may lose their typical crown shape.

Adult specimens have a powerful, branched root system and do not need additional feeding. Young plants can be fed in the spring after the snow melts on wet ground with complex or combined mineral fertilizer of a weakened concentration. Top dressing with fresh manure and faeces is categorically unacceptable.

The transplant should be carried out either in the spring before the buds bloom, or in the fall. Plants with actively growing shoots take root poorly. Deepening of the root collar is permissible, but undesirable. Young plants tolerate transplanting easily. Large specimens can be transplanted only after preliminary preparation of the root ball. To do this, 6-12 months before transplanting, the plant is dug several times around the circumference of the crown, cutting off the roots, resulting in a dense root ball. When caring for a spruce after planting, abundant watering is necessary, and with a spring transplant and spraying until rooting.

Adult ate is very resistant to both waterlogging and drought, but it is undesirable to grow varietal forms in extreme conditions. Correct planting and caring for spruce trees are shown in these photos:

Most species are frost-resistant. Young summer spruce growths often suffer from late frosts, but grow back easily. To avoid loss of shape due to heavy snow, it is recommended to tighten multi-stemmed specimens for the winter when leaving during the cultivation of spruces. Creeping (elfin) varieties are often blown out from heavy sleet and ice accumulating near the ground. Therefore, in order to care for spruce trees in the garden in the way that proper agricultural technology suggests, branches of creeping forms must be laid on trellises raised above the ground.

For effective garden designs, learn about the use of fir trees in landscaping.

The use of fir trees in the landscape design of the garden (with photo)

Spruce is one of the main conifers used in gardening in regions with long and frosty winters. The most common spruce is common, which has become the main "coniferous accent" in the compositions of northern parks. The use of prickly spruce in garden design is very popular - this is a favorite component for decorating compositions. public buildings and memorials. Other types of spruce are rare guests of parks and gardens. The dominance of common and prickly spruce over other species is quite justified, since they are not only the most hardy, but also have a considerable number of various garden forms. The use of fir trees in landscape design is truly universal. Varieties with a classic pyramidal crown shape are used to create alleys, planted singly as dominants and in groups to divide the space into zones. Spherical and dwarf pyramidal forms include small gardens, rockeries and mixborders in complex compositions. Creeping and spreading varieties are indispensable for background plantings and for grafting on boles. Spruce is one of the best conifers for creating hedges, it lends itself perfectly to shearing. The formation of more compact specimens is possible by plucking out the central buds of lateral shoots in the fall and shortening similar shoots in the summer.

Seeds of most species freshly dropped from the cones are capable of immediate germination. Seeds with hardened integuments need to awaken the embryo, which requires a period of even low temperatures within 1-2 months. There are several ways to germinate spruce seeds. The simplest of them is podzimny sowing in a ridge to a depth of 1.5-2 cm with mulching to a height of 1-1.5 cm.In the spring, after the emergence of shoots, the plants are sown (planted with a pinch of the root) or left on the ridge until autumn or the next spring.

Snowing, i.e. sowing seeds in boxes in autumn or winter, followed by carrying them out under the snow until spring. In the spring or early summer, after the emergence of shoots, the plants are laid out in a ridge or left in boxes until autumn.

Before seed, many apply the cold stratification method. To do this, at the end of winter, seeds are mixed with large, clean, slightly damp sand, sawdust or sphagnum moss, placed in plastic bags and stored in a refrigerator or basement at a temperature of +3 to +5 ᵒС for 1-3 months. Another option is to plant seeds in boxes or bowls. The earthen mixture should be clean, light, consisting of rotted leaf land, peat and coarse sifted sand in a ratio of 3: 1: 1. After sowing, the seeds are stored in a refrigerator or basement at a temperature of +3 to +5 ᵒС for 1-3 months. During this period, it is necessary to maintain an even moderate level of substrate moisture and avoid temperature fluctuations. After passing through stratification, the seeds stored in bags are washed and sown in boxes or bowls. Crops are exposed to light in a warm place (+ 18 ... + 23 ° С), where they germinate. A prerequisite growing spruce from seeds is keeping the seedlings in the light, but not in the sun, and watering sparingly. If the seedlings are excessively thickened, then a pick is required. If the seedlings develop normally, then when the heat comes, they are taken out into the garden and, after hardening (gradual accustoming to the sun and fresh air), are planted in a ridge for growing.

Varietal varieties during seed reproduction weakly repeat the characteristic features, and it is very difficult to determine them in the first year. For propagation of varietal forms, a vegetative method is used.

Finally, learn how to propagate spruce by cuttings and layering.

How to propagate a spruce: methods of propagation by layering and cuttings

It is very difficult to propagate natural forms vegetatively, varietal ones are much easier. Easier than others, varieties of species with thin branches reproduce, for example, gray spruce (Canadian) and black spruce. Horizontal layering is a way of spruce propagation that does not damage the mother plant, but does not guarantee the preservation of the pyramidal crown shape typical for spruce. As a rule, lopsided or creeping plants grow from rooted branches. Reproduction by horizontal layers is quite promising for varieties with a drooping and flattened crown. Buried branches take root within two or even three years.

Cuttings from young varietal plants with a compact densely branched crown take root relatively well. Cuttings taken from wild species, especially from old specimens, root very poorly.

Early spring - the moment of awakening of the buds - is most suitable for propagation of spruce by cuttings. You can do this in the summer after the end of the first growth wave, but in this case, the cuttings never have time to form roots and hibernate only with influx of callus, which is fraught with freezing. In columnar and narrow-pyramidal forms, only vertical shoots are taken; in creeping varieties, on the contrary, any, except for those tending upward; in spruce trees with a free, oval or spherical crown, the choice of the cutting does not matter.

The prepared cuttings are placed in a substrate consisting of coarse washed sand with possible additions of perlite, vermiculite, high-moor peat, crushed sphagnum moss or fine sifted coniferous bark.

The temperature during spring propagation of spruce trees is initially maintained at + 15 ... + 18 ᵒС, and after budding is brought to + 20 ... + 23 ° С. It is undesirable to raise it above +25 ° С, it is unacceptable above + 30ᵒС.

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The most common coniferous tree in Europe is the European spruce or common spruce, this species grows almost everywhere, with the exception of the North German Plain and the islands of Britain.

Description of European spruce

Norway spruce reaches a height of 50 meters with a trunk 1 meter wide. A slender tree with a dense pyramidal crown. Has horizontal or drooping branches that descend low along the trunk. Branches are collected in whorls. If there is enough light around, the lower branches persist for a long time. In youth, the tree has a smooth brown bark.

Over the years, the bark becomes rough, scaly. It takes on a gray or brown color. Shoots are yellow or brown. May be covered with red hairs. The needles were very hard and green in color.

The needles usually have a flattened four-sided shape and a length of 1-3 cm. The life cycle of needles is 7 years.

Spruce wood of a yellowish-white color is characterized as soft, shiny, light. The roots are horizontal, superficial, so trees can turn out from the ground in strong winds.

Norway spruce is the fastest growing among all spruces. Young spruce trees grow slowly, but the older the tree, the faster it grows. For a year, a spruce can grow up to half a meter. By the 250th anniversary, the spruce begins to dry out, some specimens live up to 500 years.

It is known that since ancient times, people have used various plants for medicinal purposes, and European cones were no exception, although many have forgotten about their healing properties. For example, the purity of the air directly depends on the number of cones. Some are sure that if you hold a spruce fruit between your palms, you can quickly get rid of the negative energy that accumulates in the body. By applying the bump to the bruised area after the bath, you will speed up the healing of superficial wounds and reduce pain. From an energy point of view, among other things, a fence made of fir trees throughout the site prevents negative charges from entering your zone.

Needles, cones, young spruce shoots contain essential oils, resin, vitamin C, salts of chromium, iron, aluminum, manganese. An interesting fact is that spruce is the record holder among flora in terms of vitamin C.

For chronic and acute diseases of the respiratory organs, coniferous decoctions can be used, which are also useful in case of a lack of vitamin C in the body. This decoction is prepared in this way: forty grams of pine needles are taken for one glass of water. The resulting mixture is boiled for 20 minutes and insisted. This broth is consumed during the day for 2-3 doses. Spruce cones tincture is useful for both adults and children. Inhalations with spruce broths are very useful.

Well, jam is rightfully considered the most delicious use of spruce cones. For him, you need to collect cones in the first decade of July. The recipe is as follows: we need 1 kg of cones, 10 glasses of water, 1 kg of sugar. We sort out the cones, wash them from needles and branches. Fill in cold water and leave for a day. After that, pour sugar into the solution, bring to a boil. We are waiting for all the sugar to dissolve. We put the cones in the hot syrup and continue to cook, stirring occasionally. The jam is ready as soon as you see that the buds have fully opened.

Norway spruce is the most common conifer tree v western sector forest zone of Eurasia. Simply put, this is our usual Christmas tree, well known to everyone. But even in the familiar, the familiar, the everyday one can find the new and the unknown.

Norway spruce, or European

Ordinary spruce is also called European spruce. Although in Western and Central Europe, the tree grows only in the mountains. This spruce is most common in Northern Europe, Belarus, in the north of Ukraine. And, of course, in the north of European Russia, where it forms significant forests.

In the east, closer to the Urals, and in the very north of the forest zone, ordinary spruce is replaced by a closely related species - Siberian spruce. The species is close, but still different - with shorter and prickly needles, smaller cones, less height. And the ability to survive in harsher climates.

The view is different, but still close. Ate common and Siberian interbreed, forming viable hybrids. They even talk about a special transitional form - Finnish ate.

If you carefully examine the cones of common and Siberian spruce, you can notice the differences that are considered species characteristics. The edge of the scales in the Siberian spruce is rounded and smooth, and in the common one - with small denticles, notches.

Spruce belongs to the pine family. Indeed, despite the obvious differences, these trees have a lot in common. In addition to green needles, which persist for several years, common spruce combines dioeciousness with pine - both male and female cones ripen on the same tree. The structure and origin of cones, the structure of pollen and seeds, the processes occurring during pollination and fertilization are also similar.

There are many differences. Unlike pine, spruce trees are capable of growing tall and slender trees, regardless of whether they grow in a dense forest or in an open place. The fact is that common spruce grows mainly with its apical bud. It is she who gives the longest shoots - from 30 to 50 cm annually.

Moreover, the spruce grows with its top all its life. True, on condition - if the apical kidney is not damaged. Or the shoot bearing this bud has not been removed for some reason. In this case, the apical function is taken over by one of the lateral kidneys. But the tree will never grow tall and slender.

The top of the spruce is always crowned with a "crown" of buds: one apical and several lateral. In the spring they sprout. And a whorl is formed. Just like Scots pine. And the age of a young spruce is also easy to determine by counting the number of these whorls and adding 5-7 years. During the first years of life, whorls on the tree are not formed.

Lateral branches also grow annually, but much less than the top. Moreover, on the lateral branch of the spruce, lateral shoots grow every year - already relative to this branch itself. These are also whorls, only not complete - the branches do not go off in all directions, but close to one plane. A spruce branch is formed, which we usually call a spruce paw.

Spruce shoots, unlike pine, are of only one type - elongated. Let me remind you that, in addition to the annually growing elongated shoots, there are also shortened ones, only a couple of millimeters long. A pair of pine needles grows on them. Together with the needles, these shoots fall off after 2 - 3 years, or a little more.

Spruce needles grow directly on an elongated shoot. The needles, much shorter than pine needles, dot the entire shoot, arranged in a spiral. A needle sits on a leaf cushion. When it falls, a leaf trail remains on the bark.

Spruce needles are flattened-tetrahedral, with a prickly top. The length of the needles is 1 - 2 cm. It stays on the tree longer. Under natural conditions, the lifespan of the needles is up to 10 - 12 years. True, in trees growing in conditions of increased air pollution, the needles change much earlier.

Norway spruce, like other representatives of this genus, tolerates shading well. Therefore, even in a dense spruce forest, the crown of the tree remains highly developed. Only the lowest branches dry up from a lack of light. The crown of a spruce growing in an open place is usually pyramidal. Branches grow on the trunk almost to the ground.

The developed crown provides the tree with nutrients well. After all, the more leaves (needles) on a tree, the more sugars are produced during photosynthesis. But such a crown can cause serious problems for the tree.

In winter we have a lot of snow. Even birch trees without leaves often bend or even break under its weight. Ate ordinary heavy snowfalls do not cause much trouble. Thin, but strong and flexible branches also bend under the weight of snow. And dump it!

But strong winds with a large windage of the crown often turn the tree completely upside down. This is also facilitated by the characteristics of the spruce root system. Only until the age of fifteen does a taproot grow on the tree. And then lateral roots grow actively, lying in the upper layer of the soil. Such roots cannot keep a tall tree in a strong wind. And the forest giants are crumbling.

European spruce lives up to 250 - 300 years. It's just that you will hardly be able to find such trees in the forest. Is it somewhere in a nature reserve. Most of the spruce is cut down before the centenary.

Never chopped spruce forest leaves an unforgettable experience! I had to visit such a forest many years ago. This is in the north-west of the Vologda region, almost on the border with Karelia, in the upper reaches of the Andoma river. The associations are ... fabulous. It seems that Baba Yaga is about to look out from behind a nearby tree. Or Goblin.

Powerful columns of fir trees go up tens of meters. Their diameter at the butt is more than a meter. The branches are hung with the beards of the lichen. Quiet in such a forest and gloomy. The soil, dead wood, including whole trunks of huge spruces that have fallen from old age or the wind - everything is covered with a thick layer. Only blueberries grow from shrubs, and even then not everywhere.

Where it is lighter - near a forest stream, for example - some herbs appear. The white stars of the European septenary are sparkling. And in places where groundwater is close, green mosses are replaced by marshes.

On fresh stumps in a clearing under the forest road, which had already reached these places, one can count the annual rings, which the botanists of our expedition did not hesitate to do. There were 250 - 300 rings.

As a result of the expedition, in which I worked then, the Verkhneandomsky state reserve was created. The array of indigenous spruce forests was taken under protection. What is there now - I can't say ...

Norway spruce is much more demanding than pine soil conditions... It will not grow on dry sands or on a raised bog. She also does not tolerate droughts. Therefore, already in the south of the forest zone it is less common.

Trees spend winter in a state of hibernation, when life processes slow down. Coniferous trees are no exception. The stomata on the needles are tightly closed - you need to save water. The roots cannot provide enough of it for the tree, the roots practically do not absorb water in the cold soil.

However, at temperatures above -5 degrees, photosynthesis still begins in the needles. But such temperatures are not typical for our winters.

But then spring comes and everything begins to change rapidly. Even at the turn of the seasons, at the time, poetically named by M.M. Prishvin "", on dry sunny days, spruce cones open, pouring seeds carried by the wind. In May, with the arrival of heat, the buds first swell, and then the buds open, giving rise to new vegetative shoots.

Consider the spruce paws during this time. At the ends of the branches, large buds swelled, covered with pale yellow caps of soil scales. In some places, these scales have already moved apart, or even fallen off. From under them, a brush of light green needles is born. This is a young escape.

Young needles differ from old ones not only in color. They are soft and not prickly at all. If the "brush" is ripped off and chewed, a sour taste is felt. And no resinous aftertaste and aroma.

Young shoots grow rapidly. In May - early June, they still differ from the old ones in the color of their needles. But with the arrival of real summer, the growth of shoots stops, the needles harden and acquire their usual properties.

Generative buds also bloom almost simultaneously with vegetative buds. Modified shoots of the common spruce appear from them - its female and male cones. The spruce "blooms". This happens almost simultaneously with the flowering of the bird cherry.

Of course, biologists correct - conifers do not bloom, they do not have a flower. But nevertheless, the similarity is great, especially when you consider that the cones at this time look very spectacular.

There is a separate article about "blooming" of spruce in more detail.

It is usually quite difficult to consider young spruce cones, since they are located in the upper part of the crown. Unless you're lucky ... Small yellowish or reddish male cones (or male spikelets) appeared on the tops of last year's shoots. In sacs under the scales, a huge amount of pollen matures.

Pollen grains of Norway spruce, like pine, have air sacs, due to which they specific gravity small. The pollen is carried away by the wind, covers the leaves of trees, grass. If it rains, yellow pollen is clearly visible in the puddles.

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Spruce Cones - Strobuli Piceae

Norway spruce - Picea abies (L.) Karst.

Pine family - Pinaceae

Botanical characteristics. Tall tree (20-50 m) with a pointed crown. The bark is reddish-brown or gray, flaky with thin scales; young branches are brownish or reddish, glabrous or slightly pubescent with strongly protruding leaf marks, buds are ovoid-conical, pointed, brownish. Leaves (needles) are tetrahedral, pointed, shiny, bright or dark green, 20-25 mm long, 1-1.5 mm wide, densely cover the branches. Anther cones are elongated-cylindrical, 20-25 mm long, surrounded by light green scales at the base. Seed cones pendulous, first red, then green, mature - brownish, 10-16 cm long, 3-4 cm wide. Seed scales are ligneous, yellow, obovate, convex, notched along the edge, dentate; the covering scales are located at the base of the seed, in mature cones - in the form of barely noticeable leathery films. Seeds are dark brown, with a wing 3 times longer than them. Pollination occurs in May-June.

Spreading. Common spruce is widespread throughout the forest zone of European Russia, forming pure and mixed forests. In the Cis-Urals, it is gradually replaced by a closely related species - Siberian spruce (Picea obovata Ledeb.), A forest-forming species of the Ural and Siberian taiga.

Habitat. Forms vast clear and mixed forests, often with birch and pine. Spruce is widely planted in urban and roadside plantings, while, along with domestic species some foreign forms are also cultivated, which are especially decorative, for example, blue spruces of North American origin.

Procurement of raw materials, primary processing, drying. Raw materials are harvested by cutting off or cutting off the cones with a pruner in the summer until the stage of seed ripening, and dried on shelves under awnings. Collection of fallen cones (!) Is inadmissible.

Standardization. The quality of whole and crushed raw materials is regulated by GF XI.

External signs.Whole raw materials. Oval-cylindrical, elliptical or oblong in outline cones up to 14 (16) cm long, up to 5 cm wide (after opening), formed by spirally arranged small covering scales, in the axils of which large seed scales sit up to 25 mm in length and 18 mm in width (y P. obovata - up to 15 mm in length and 11 mm in width), in rhombic outlines (at P. obovata - obovate), at the apex wavy and gnawed-toothed (in P. obovata with rounded solid edge). At the base of each seed scale, there are two seeds covered with a membranous wing. Astringent, bitter taste.

Shredded raw materials. Pieces of cones of various shapes, Brown color passing through a sieve with holes of 10 mm diameter.

Numerical indicators.Whole raw materials must contain at least 0.2% essential oil (according to GF XI; distillation time 1.5 h); humidity no more than 13%; total ash no more than 8%; cones in which half of the seeds have spilled out, no more than 20%; other parts (needles, small twigs) no more than 5%; organic impurity no more than 1%, mineral - no more than 0.5%. V shredded raw materials, in addition, the content of particles that do not pass through a sieve with openings with a diameter of 7 mm should not exceed 3.5%, and particles that pass through a sieve with openings with a diameter of 0.5 mm should not exceed 30%.

Chemical composition. Essential oils, vitamin C, tannins, resins, mineral salts, phytoncides.

Pharmacological properties. The sum of biologically active substances of spruce cones and young shoots has antimicrobial, antispasmodic, diuretic, choleretic and antiscorbutic effect.

Medicines. Broth, ointment. "Pinabin".

Application. A decoction of young shoots in milk is prepared at the rate of 30.0 shoots per 1 liter of milk. Cook for 10 minutes, filter and consume during the day.

For the healing of wounds, ulcers, abscesses, an ointment made from spruce resin with melted lard is used.

In the form of decoctions and infusions, cones are used to treat diseases of the respiratory tract and bronchial asthma in the form of inhalation.

They drive away from the "paws" essential oil and dissolve it in fatty peach oil. Such a solution called "Pinabin" in the form of drops is used as an antispasmodic and bacteriostatic agent for kidney stone disease and renal colic.

In addition, spruce needles contain a significant amount ascorbic acid... The people have long used the "legs" of ate (as well as other conifers) to obtain a drink, saturated with vitamin C. Such a drink was treated for scurvy, they drank it to prevent vitamin deficiency, especially at the end of winter and early spring, when there were no other vitamin-containing greens yet.