Medicinal plants. Norway spruce description, useful properties of needles Where spruce grows in which zone

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 can 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 beautiful flowering perennials

Trees with needle-like foliage of a rich green hue look interesting in combination bright flowers single and perennial plants. Ideal for creating compositions japanese anemones, pansies, aquilegia, phloxes 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 greens in summer time, without fading under the sun's rays, and the winter period, 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 of landscape design.
4. Fluffy branches are convenient to use in the manufacture of 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 The most widespread are 3 types of firs:

1. ordinary– 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 needle colors, from golden to rich green, on branches collected in pyramidal or pillow-shaped crowns, makes conifers of this species welcome guests in garden plots.
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. Sizaya- 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 the most popular are dwarf and medium-sized representatives of conifers.

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 Norway 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 decorative effect. The dwarf plant does not have a clearly defined trunk. 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.

Spruce trees with spreading crowns are able to create shady area for relaxation, filled with a special atmosphere of home comfort and unity with wild nature

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 bewitching 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 in the 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.

Graceful beauty "Blue Diamonds" with high thin barrel and neatly shaped conical crown is often used for mixed mixborders

Help diversify your collection weeping species oil. Given their commitment to aquatic environment, conifers can be safely used in the design of the coast.

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 is a win-win option when implementing non-standard solutions in garden compositions

Canadian spruce is more adapted to our climate. It is famous for its frost resistance and unpretentiousness in care. It is interesting for landscape design in that it has a decorative conical crown shape, gives small increase and harmoniously fits into the design of even very small areas.

"Piccolo" - a bright, elegant variety with emerald green needles, cast in sunshine slight bluish tint, looks impressive in group plantings

Against the background of solid green "sisters", Picea pungens "Maigold" stands out advantageously, which replenished the collection of varietal beauties in 1988. It will look great as a tapeworm.

Young shoots sparkling in the sun make the coniferous beauty "Maygold" look like a queen wrapped in a golden mantle

The crown of a 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 spruces different types and varieties.

It will also be useful material on coniferous compositions in garden landscape design:

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, arrangement of ordinary or conifers in the near-trunk area will help.

Juicy needles of a dark shade will emphasize the beauty of a flowering shrub located nearby. Apart from flowering plants shrubs with unusually colored foliage will be a good addition to the coniferous beauty:,.

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:

1. Landing time. Ephedra is better to plant in early spring or at the beginning of 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.
2. 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.
3. 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, the planting pit should first be enriched 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.

By following these simple rules when selecting varieties and composing plant 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

Tall slender spruces with a pyramidal crown are common coniferous plants forests, which can often be seen in the park area, and in urban landscaping, and among backyard landscapes. A wide variety of species and varieties, the presence of dwarf and slow-growing forms make it possible to successfully plant these plants in a flower garden, rockeries and on, in mixed compositions with other woody plants.

Types of firs

The genus Spruce (Picea) has up to 45 species that, under natural conditions, grow in a cold and temperate climate, on sandy and stony soils, less often in wetlands. The center of origin is considered the harsh mountainous terrain of China. Plants are quite unpretentious, drought-resistant, most tolerate the most harsh winters, some species are quite tolerant of excessive soil moisture and air pollution.

As soon as you decide on the type and variety of spruce, we advise you to read our article "", it will help you grow an excellent tree from a spruce seedling.

Norway spruce (Picea abies)

A large tree, growing up to 50 m in height, is characterized by a pyramidal crown with a pointed top. The branches are directed to the sides or obliquely down, raised at the ends. The needles are juicy green, glossy, tetrahedral, up to 2.5 cm long. The cones are oblong, greenish or purple in the immature state. A hardy local species distributed in the European part up to the Urals, usually does not cause problems in acquisition and care.

Acrocona (Acrocona)

Bright slow-growing variety that appeared at the end of the 19th century in Finland. The crown forms a wide pyramid, is located low, reaches a height of 4 m, with a diameter of 2.5–3 m. The young plant is compact, rounded. The difference between Acrocona is early, abundant and very colorful fruiting, immature cones of lilac-raspberry color appear in abundance at the ends of skeletal branches and adorn the plant remarkably.

The needles are of a dark green tone, on tender hanging young growths of a grassy shade, which is a catchy contrast. Great choice for landscaping small gardens and solitary plantings on the lawn.

Ohlendorffii (Ohlendorffii)

Dwarf spruce with a compact crown comes from Germany. By the age of ten, it reaches 1–2 m, develops slowly, grows annually by 3–6 cm. The crown is wide, first rounded, then pyramidal, multi-topped. The branches are dense, spread out to the sides and raised at the ends, densely covered with fine green needles, sometimes with a golden hue. The variety is shade-tolerant, unpretentious, suitable for making mixborders or decorating rocky hills.

Frohburg

Swiss original weeping spruce with a straight, slender trunk. The plant is medium-sized, by the age of ten it can grow up to 2–4 m. The branches are sloping down, fall to the very ground, spread with age, forming a kind of lush train, which looks unusual and attractive.

The needles of a light green tone, short, hard. Immature cones are greenish crimson, growths are emerald green, oblong-rounded. A stunning variety for solitary plantings, it gives a graceful vertical accent to compositions and is of interest to fans of unusual ornamental plants.

Serbian spruce (Picea omorika)

Tall tree of narrowed conical or columnar shape with a pointed top. The needles are flattened, glossy, dark green in color, marked on the wrong side with two silver-white dashes. The cones are small, bluish-black in color.

A beautiful stable species is unpretentious to soils, tolerates air pollution well, under natural conditions it is common in the mountainous terrain of the Balkan Peninsula.

Nana

The dwarf variety is characterized by a dense rounded crown in young specimens, then the crown becomes broadly conical with a pronounced pointed apex. The height of an adult plant is not more than 3.5 m and a width of about 2 m, develops in a moderate to undersized varieties pace, by ten years it reaches one and a half meters.

The main branches are directed obliquely upwards, covered with radially directed glossy emerald-colored needles with a distinct bluish tint and light stripes on the wrong side. It is planted in oriental-type gardens, thanks to its spectacular blue tint and compactness is successfully used to create contrasting woody compositions.

Peve Tijn

The undersized sport of the previous variety is selected by Dutch breeders. The cone-shaped wide crown is very dense, with a flat, dense surface. Gives growths of 5-6 cm per year, by the age of ten it reaches a little more than one and a half meters in height. The needles are golden green with a blue or silver tint. An attractive color combination is especially pronounced on annual growths and in plants planted in open sunny areas.

Canadian spruce or gray spruce (Picea glauca)

A powerful tree reaches a height of 25–30 m, grows more moderately in culture - no higher than 10–15 m, in nature it is common in the forests of North America. The crown is dense, the main branches in young plants are raised, in adults they are directed downwards. The needles are dense, bluish-green. The buds are small, light green, turning brown when ripe.

Alberta Globe

A miniature round-shaped plant becomes domed in adulthood. By the age of ten, the diameter of a dense crown is about 30 cm, with annual growths of 2-3 cm, over the years, a lush conifer grows in width up to 0.7 m and reaches 1 m in height.

The needles are light green, elegant, densely covering the thick side branches, forming a bumpy continuous surface. A wonderful variety for planting in rockeries or flower beds looks good in homogeneous groups.

Conica (Conica)

slow growing variety Canadian selection differs in a dense conical krone of the correct form. In adulthood, it grows no higher than 2 m with a width at the base of about one and a half meters. The surface is flat, dense, the branches are directed upwards. Needle elastic needles of juicy green color are located radially.

Konika does not need shaping pruning, it is wonderful for arranging mixborders, decorating rocky hills and growing in containers. The plant is stable, prefers sparse penumbra, growths are prone to spring burns.

Sanders Blue (Sander's Blue)

Spruce Canadian variety Sanders Blue (Sander's Blue)

The famous blue variety is one of the best in its color group. It develops slowly, growing by 4–5 cm per year. By the age of ten, it reaches 0.7 m in height and 1.3–1.5 m in diameter. The crown is conical, regular, becomes loose in shading.

The needles are bright, fresh silvery blue color, on young growths of a more saturated color, on old branches - bluish-green, because of which the surface seems to be colored unevenly, which is especially noticeable on specimens growing in the shade. Sometimes reversions may appear - completely green branches, which are carefully cut at the trunk in early spring so as not to spoil the overall impression.

Engelman spruce or weeping spruce (Picea engelmanii)

Slender conifers up to 50 m high in nature grow on poor soils of the Rocky Mountains of North America. The crown is cone-shaped, wide, with sloping branches, covered with sharp bluish-green needles on growths, darkening at the base of the branches. The cones are small, oblong-conical, up to 7 cm long, burgundy before maturation.

Bush Leys (Bush's Lace)

A beautiful unusual variety with a straight trunk and a pyramidal loose crown. The young plant actively produces growths - 20-30 cm per year, growing up to 7 m in height and about 1.8 m in diameter. The skeletal branches are raised at the base, drooping at the ends, the lower branches lie on the ground, forming a lush plume.

The main color is bluish-green, spectacular large increments are bright, contrasting, silver-blue. Looks best on its own open areas, in the shade loses color saturation and attractive shape, growing unevenly.

Snake

A tall tree with a sparse crown and bluish-green needles, silvery in growths. Skeletal branches practically without lateral branching, characterized by an increase from the top, horizontally directed, prostrate, slightly raised at the ends. A rare variety, mainly grown by lovers of the exotic, magnificent as a tapeworm, it adds sophistication to oriental and rocky gardens.

Prickly or blue spruce (Picea pungens)

A species common in culture, beautiful and frost-resistant, tolerates air pollution well. It is distributed in the mountainous areas of North America, grows up to 30–40 m in height, is characterized by a dense, broadly pyramidal crown, evenly developed. Skeletal branches are directed horizontally, spread out and raised at the ends.

Young shoots are bright brown, bare. The needles are gray, with age it becomes more and more green color. The advantage of the species is its tolerance to excess moisture and the ability to develop well in lowland areas.

Hermann Naue

Dwarf showy variety of cushion shape, without a pronounced central stem, with numerous lateral branches directed towards different sides. By the age of ten, a compact plant reaches half a meter in height and up to 0.7 m in diameter. The needles are bluish-gray, bright. Numerous oblong cones of light brown color, appear in many at the ends of the shoots already in early age and serve as a wonderful decoration.

The Blues (The Blues)

A stunning blue sport of Glauca Pendula. The plant is medium-sized - no higher than 2.5 m and up to 1 m in diameter, with a straight stem and a drooping top. The branches are horizontally spread, the ends are directed downwards. The needles are long, silver-blue, as if covered with hoarfrost, growths are bright blue. Successfully grafted onto the trunk.

Hoopsi (Hoopsii)

The classic form of gray spruce was bred in the USA in 1958. The lush beauty does not require a huge plot, in maturity it grows up to 10–12 m and no more than 3–4 m in width. It develops quickly - 15-20 cm per year, the branches are strong and resilient, do not break during snowfalls. The crown is harmonious, pyramidal, with outstretched, densely packed skeletal branches and multiple lateral branches, diversified.

The needles are large, up to 2.5 cm long, saturated blue in color, light blue on growths. Small purple buds serve as an additional color accent. Looks great in single landing and alleys, as well as in colorful compositions of conifers.

Black spruce (Picea mariana)

A large tree with a narrow pyramidal crown, under natural conditions it grows up to 20–30 m, in culture it does not exceed 3 m by the age of ten. The needles are short, bluish-green, dense. Twigs are brick-brown, covered with reddish pubescence. The winter-hardy, unpretentious species does not differ in huge selection diversity, numbering only 6-7 varieties.

Nana

The dwarf plant is characterized by a dense rounded flattened crown with flat surface. The main branches are horizontally directed, completely covered with lateral diversified branches. It develops slowly, growing at 3–5 cm per year. In adulthood, it reaches no more than half a meter in height and about 1 m in diameter.

The needles are short, bluish-green, on the shoots of the current year of a spectacular bright green color, contrasting. An unpretentious compact variety will serve as a wonderful element of a flower garden and rockery, grows well in a container culture.

Aurea (Aurea)

By the age of ten, a slow-growing pyramidal tree grows no higher than 1.5–2 m, then growth accelerates, and an adult plant reaches 5–7 m. The branches are open, drooping at the ends, densely covered with short needles of a bluish-green tone with cream tips. Growths are much lighter, golden yellow. The elegant ephedra looks great both in colorful heterogeneous compositions and as a tapeworm.

Siberian spruce (Picea obovata)

A slender spruce with a narrow cone-shaped crown growing low from the ground is considered one of the most resistant species. The growing shoots are light brown in color, with slight pubescence. Glossy needles are sharp, up to 3 cm long, dark green. The species is in many ways similar to European spruce, but develops more slowly, reaching a height of no more than 35 m. Distributed in forests and mountainous areas of Siberia, China, Mongolia and northern Europe.

Glauca (Var. glauca)

A medium-sized variation with a pyramidal crown 10–12 m high grows intensively - 20–25 cm per year. Skeletal branches are widely spread, directed obliquely upwards, the central stem is even, pronounced. The needles are elastic, linear-needle-shaped, tetrahedral, silver-blue, very effective. Glauka is highly frost-resistant, unpretentious and quite shade-tolerant. Used as a solitaire, for group landings and bookmark alleys.

Eastern spruce (Picea orientalis)

A common species grows in the mountainous terrain of the Caucasus and northern Turkey. The tree is large, up to 60 m in height. The dense pyramidal crown is symmetrically developed, with branches raised at the base, sloping at the ends. It grows up to 20 cm per year, young trees develop much more slowly.

The needles are short, hard, dense green tone. Cones of a catchy reddish-purple hue, oblong narrowed shape, 6–8 cm in size. Spruce prefers light soils, does not develop well on heavy soils, freezes slightly in harsh dry winters.

Nutans (Nutans)

A beautiful tree in the form of an uneven pyramid, formed by unevenly growing branches, horizontally spread and raised at the ends. Lateral branches droop. At first it grows moderately, in adulthood it grows more intensively, growing at 20–30 cm per year. Mature trees can reach 18–20 m in height, with a diameter of 7–9 m.

The needles are needle-like, very dense and short, about 1 cm long, dark green, glossy. Young shoots are bright green. Immature buds are showy, reddish-purple, mature buds are brown. A fairly large conifer requires sufficient space, usually grown in a single planting.

Aureospicata (Aureospicata)

Gorgeous oriental spruce obtained by German breeders at the end of the 19th century. A medium-sized tree in adulthood reaches 10–15 m, characterized by a wide pyramidal crown, slightly loose. The lowered branches are unevenly arranged, raised at the ends, the side branches hang down beautifully.

The needles are thin, very short, dark green. Greenish-yellow bright growths, as well as small raspberry-colored cones, give the ephedra a special attraction. An elegant tree is rightfully considered one of the best representatives of the species.

Spruce mariorika (Picea x mariorika)

Obtained by crossing black and Serbian spruce in Germany at the beginning of the 20th century, later a few were bred, but very interesting varieties. It is a large plant up to 30 m high, with a wide pyramidal crown. The branches are horizontally directed, covered with flat bluish-green needles, with distinctive silvery stripes on the wrong side. Cones are small - up to 5 cm long, in an immature form of purple color.

Machala

Czech dwarf variety, up to half a meter high and about 1 m wide, cushion-shaped. The branches are diversified, horizontal, dense, raised from the base. Prickly needles up to 1.5 cm long, silver-blue in color, lighter from the inside. The origin remains the subject of heated debate - various sources claim that an interesting variety was not obtained from Serbian spruce, but from Jezek or, according to another version, Sitka.

Jezo or Ayan spruce (Picea jezoensis)

A wonderful coniferous tree, reaching 30–50 m in height in nature, grows no higher than 8–10 m in culture by the age of thirty. Under natural conditions, the species is distributed on Far East and the Korean Peninsula, in China and Japan, it is considered extremely winter-hardy, grows near rivers, loves sprinkling of the crown, shade-tolerant.

The crown is pyramidal, the skeletal branches are directed obliquely upwards. Flat needles up to 1.5–2 cm long, blunt or with a small point, dark green, with bluish-white stripes below, last up to 10 years. The needles fit snugly to the twigs, tend to bulge in good light, which gives the plant a light silvery tone. Cones are oval-oblong, up to 8 cm long, purple-crimson or light green when unripe.

Nana Kalous

Dwarf squat plant without a pronounced central conductor, rounded, about 1 m in diameter. Skeletal branches are evenly spaced, directed horizontally and obliquely upwards, lateral branches are short, growing in abundance. Tousled needles with a bluish underside are bright, attractive. Very nice shape, looks good on alpine slides, in the foreground of mixborders.

Groups of spruce varieties by growth strength

Under natural conditions, the vast majority of spruce species are large trees height up to 30–50 m. For hundreds of years of cultural cultivation, breeders have obtained luxurious tall varieties ideal proportions, as well as many very decorative medium and dwarf forms.

Undersized varieties

Blue Pearl (Blue Pearl)

Dwarf conifer with a rounded crown, which eventually becomes cushion-shaped or wide-conical. By the age of ten, it reaches half a meter in height and 0.8 m in diameter, grows slowly - 2–3 cm per year.

The branches are dense, multidirectional, the lateral branches are located vertically, forming a convex textured surface. The needles are radially arranged, stiff and prickly, bluish-blue in tone, creating an attractive contrast with the red bark of the shoots.

Lucky Strike

A charming dwarf Christmas tree with a pyramidal crown reaches 1.2 m in height and 0.8 m in diameter by the age of 10, and does not exceed 2 m in adulthood. Dense branches are unevenly arranged, directed horizontally or obliquely upwards. The glossy needles are dark green, the growths are bright, yellowish. Purple cones appear early and in abundance, they are large, directed vertically, turning brown and drooping over time.

Goblin

attractive dwarf form Norway spruce resembles a bright green lush tussock. The central conductor is not pronounced, short skeletal branches are covered with many vertically directed side branches, completely covered with short sticking needles of a juicy green hue, especially bright on young growths.

It develops slowly, growing at 2–2.5 cm per year, and reaches a height of 0.4 m by the age of ten. The variety was obtained from the well-known cushion variety Nidiformis (Nidiformis).

Medium-sized varieties

Kruenta

The stunning "red" variety of Norway spruce is winter hardy and drought tolerant. It develops at a moderate pace, reaches 2–4 m by the age of ten. The crown is dense, regular pyramidal in shape, with skeletal branches obliquely raised upwards and drooping side branches.

A notable feature is large purple-crimson growths, which eventually acquire a green color. Immature buds are bright, raspberry-lilac. Effective combination crimson and green tones makes this conifer exceptionally elegant, invariably attracting looks.

Pendula Bruns (Pendula Bruns)

The original medium-sized plant, growing up to 4–5 m tall, rarely up to 10 m, develops at a moderate pace - annually 7–10 cm in height and about 3 cm in width. The crown is narrowed, about 1.2–1.7 m in diameter, with a straight central conductor, curved upward to varying degrees. The branches are directed downwards, pressed against the trunk and slightly raised at the ends, growing from the ground itself, forming a wide dense plume.

Spiny narrow needles of dark green color, on the wrong side with two silvery stripes. Cones are small, reddish-purple when unripe. To maintain a spectacular even and narrow shape, the trunk is tied up until it reaches a height of 1.5–2 m. The variety does not develop well on too moist, dense soils.

Christmas Blue

A slow-growing tree in adulthood reaches a height of 3-4 m with a width of about 1.5-2 m in diameter. The main difference is the ideal proportions of a conical crown with a flat surface. Skeletal branches are directed horizontally, evenly covered with lateral branches growing in different directions.

The needles are elastic, radially arranged, silver-blue, exceptionally pure tone. Grows best in open areas, successfully grown in groups and to create dense blue hedges.

Tall varieties

Iseli Fastigiata (Iseli Fastigiata)

A beautiful prickly spruce grows up to 10–12 m, the growth rate is intensive - about 20 cm per year, reaches 3 m by the age of ten. The crown is neat, harmonious conical in shape, does not tend to grow too much, the base of an adult tree is about 3 m wide. up, lateral branches and increments are directed vertically.

The needles are bluish-green, of a pleasant fresh tone, in sunny areas the blue tint appears more strongly. One of the best tall, narrow varieties that allows you to successfully grow a luxurious blue spruce even in a limited space.

Columnaris (Columnaris)

The high natural form of Norway spruce is found in the wild in the Scandinavian countries. The narrow columnar crown is formed by short skeletal branches and horizontally arranged side branches densely covered with dark green glossy needles.

The plant is large, reaches 12–17 m in adulthood, develops rapidly, gives growths of up to 30 cm per year. Young trees tend to freeze and burn in the sun. Used to create alleys and solitary planting.

Video about the variety of species and varieties of spruces

Various varieties of spruces are widely used in landscaping areas, for decorating front porches, arranging dense emerald or blue hedges, single or group plantings, in mixborders and rockeries. Incredible varietal diversity will not only satisfy the most fastidious demand, but also can seriously captivate the gardener, turning him into a passionate collector of wonderful evergreens.

(Picea abies Karst.)

European spruce or common spruce - an ordinary miracle!

Spruce (Picea) is a genus of coniferous evergreen trees of the pine family. Spruce is one of the main forest-forming species in our country and one of the most powerful trees. In Russia, European or common spruce grows in northern and middle lanes the European part of the country, in the south to the central black earth belt of the forest-steppe, in the east it reaches the Urals; Siberian spruce is common in the Urals and Siberia. Spruce grows in wet places, on rich loamy soils, in parks.

Spruce growth does not stop throughout the life of a tree, and by the age of 150-200 it can reach a height of 50 meters and a trunk diameter of 80-100 cm. In total, about 40 species of spruce are known, all of which grow in the Northern Hemisphere. Spruce is frost-resistant, withstands winter up to -52 ° C, although young Christmas trees

do not tolerate spring and autumn frosts, young branches may freeze slightly.

Most the best holiday in the year we meet with a Christmas tree or sprigs of spruce, bringing a fresh smell of needles and a feeling of freshness into our house. Spruce is a coniferous tree with a cone-shaped crown, pointed, flattened-tetrahedral needles, male and female cones, dark brown seeds with long wings. Seeds remain viable for 8-10 years.

Spruce, like other representatives of the pine family, highlights great amount phytoncides that kill any harmful microflora in the air. In the spruce forest, there is always clean, fresh, almost sterile air - that's why many sanatoriums try to locate in coniferous forests so that the round-the-clock stay of a person there has its healing effect.

The scientific name of the genus picea is from the Latin word pix, meaning "resin", which is abundantly secreted by all plants of the pine family. The scientific name of the species is abies, which translates from Latin as "spruce". The Russian name of the genus "spruce" is of Indo-European origin.

Spruce has long been used by the people for the treatment various diseases. WITH therapeutic purpose spruce needles, young shoots, young cones are used as medicinal raw materials. They contain tannins, vitamin C, carotene, essential oil, resin, mineral salts of iron, chromium, copper, aluminum, manganese.

Spruce preparations have diuretic, diaphoretic, choleretic, antiscorbutic, analgesic, wound healing effects. For the preparation of preparations, they take fresh or outdoor needles, since when the needles were eaten in heat, the content of vitamin C in it quickly drops. Spruce branches can be stored in the room for no more than 10 days, lowering the lower ends into the water.

Spruce useful properties. Useful properties of needles

Spruce needle oil, added to water for inhalation, miraculously relieves cough, facilitates the separation of sputum, treats purulent otitis media and tonsillitis. The infusion of young needles has the same effect, which, in addition to its bactericidal action, is a source of vitamins.

With a lack of vitamin C - beriberi, as an antiscorbutic agent,

in acute and chronic respiratory diseases - tonsillitis, bronchitis, tracheitis, bronchial asthma:
- 40 g of chopped spruce needles pour a glass of boiling water, boil for 20 minutes, insist, then strain. The resulting infusion is drunk during the day for 1 / 3 ÷ 1 / 2 cups.

This infusion of spruce needles is very useful after serious illnesses, with dry and cracking skin. Infusion of needles has a diuretic and antimicrobial effect, as it contains essential oil, beneficial features needles are used for treatment of diseases of the kidneys and urinary tract .

It is also possible prepare a vitamin infusion from fresh needles:

- 4 cups of spruce needles pour 0.5 l cold water, add citric acid, insist 2 - 3 days in a dark place, strain. Drink 1 glass a day for 2 - 3 doses with beriberi.

Spruce cones medicinal properties . A decoction of immature spruce cones (harvested in June-September) is used to prevent infectious diseases.

With angina, tonsillitis, laryngitis, sinusitis, rhinitis:

- Pour 50 g of crushed cones with a glass of water, boil for 30 minutes on low heat, then strain. Apply 5-6 times a day as a rinse or instill a few drops in both nostrils.

For the treatment of rheumatism, nervous and skin diseases it is good to use coniferous baths.

At skin diseases, gout and joint lesions in rheumatism:

1. 500 g of the tops of young branches with buds pour 2.5 liters of water, boil for 30 minutes, then add the decoction to a bath of warm water;
2. Pour 500 g of crushed needles into 2.5 liters of water, boil for 10 minutes, then leave for 12 hours, strain, add to a bath of warm water.

Watch a short video about the beneficial properties of needles Let's treat the tree! :

Boils, pustules, ulcers and wounds that are difficult to heal are dealt with with the help of an ointment, which is prepared from spruce resin, wax and butter. For the same purpose, you can use dry spruce resin powder.

WARNING:

It is contraindicated to use spruce preparations for gastritis, gastric and duodenal ulcers!

In the pharmaceutical industry, synthetic camphor is extracted from spruce, which is part of balms for rubbing joints with rheumatism and arthritis, as well as drugs prescribed for heart diseases. Turpentine, purified in a special way, is also used in official medicine for the preparation of warming, analgesic ointments - turpentine ointment, "Efkamon" ointment and balms - "Tiger" balm. Ready-made extracts are commercially available for those that have a relaxing, calming effect in the treatment of nervous and cardiovascular diseases.

Spruce wood is soft, but strong and resilient, used in the manufacture of furniture, in construction for interior decoration, paper, musical instruments are made from it.

Turpentine, rosin, tar are obtained from spruce wood, tannins from the bark, and oil from cone seeds. Terpinhydrate is obtained from turpentine - a substance with an expectorant effect, it is used in the form of tablets for the treatment of chronic bronchitis.

Tar, obtained from wood, is widely used in the form of 10-30% ointments for the treatment of eczema, lichen, and other skin diseases.

So diverse medicinal properties possesses - an ordinary miracle!

Get to know her better and use the beneficial properties of pine needles to maintain and improve health!

Spruce is a coniferous evergreen tree of the pine family. This is a riddle about her: "Winter and summer in one color." The message will take a closer look at these interesting tree, will talk about where it grows and how it is used in the national economy.

Description

Christmas tree is slender tree, which can grow up to 35 meters high. The first 10 years it grows very slowly - a few cm per year, then the growth rate increases, but after 100-120 years it slows down again. It has a pyramidal (triangular) crown with a sharp top. The branches are located densely along the entire trunk. It is often difficult to see spruce paws.

At young tree the bark is smooth gray-brown in color, in the old bark it becomes gray and peels off in thin plates. The needles are dark green and shiny, sharp and prickly. The needles are much shorter than those of pine, up to 3 cm long.

They firmly hold on the branches for 7-10 years. But in urban conditions, with strong smoke in the air, the life expectancy of the needles is greatly reduced: it falls off after 3 years.

The root system of spruce is located close to the surface, so a strong wind can knock down a tree.

Spruce is a long-liver, she lives 250-300 years.

Where does it grow

She grows throughout the Northern Hemisphere. It can be found in Central and Northern Europe. It is ubiquitous in Russia: in Siberia, the Urals, the Far East, the Caucasus, steppe zone. It also grows in China and Japan.

In total there are 50 kinds oil. The most common: Siberian, European, Caucasian, Canadian, white, red, black.

The Christmas tree is the basis of the taiga. It grows in mixed forests, adjoining well with pine, oak, linden, aspen, hazel. It also forms pure spruce forests, which have a number of features:

• it is damp and dark here;
• the soil is completely covered with moss;
• dense thickets of blueberries, lingonberries, oxalis, cuckoo flax grow under spruce paws.

Growing conditions and reproduction

In order for spruce to grow well, it needs the following conditions:

• Shadow. This is a tree not very fond of the sun, young Christmas trees often get sunburned in open places.
• Sufficient hydration. Christmas tree does not tolerate drought well.
• Temperate climate. The wood is cold hardy not afraid of frost but it does not grow well in the southern regions, where the summer is too hot and long,
• The soil should not be too dense, moderately fertile.

Spruce is a monoecious plant. This means that male spikelets and female cones grow on the same tree. Propagated by seeds whose germination is very good. Cones open in late November - early December, the seeds fall out, they are picked up by the wind and spread far around the neighborhood.

In early spring, the seed awakens and begins to grow. The main condition for the sprouts to take root and develop well is a warm spring, because they die during spring frosts.

Use in the national economy

Spruce plantations can often be seen in sanatoriums. Because their needles emit phytoncides that purify and disinfect the air. Also, spruce often becomes the basis of landscapes in personal plots.

Quality musical instruments are made from this tree. Soft wood is used to make paper, rayon, and smokeless powder. Get resin, tar, rosin, turpentine.

Spruce cones are widely used in traditional medicine. Healers believe that the tree is a donor tree, if you lean against it and stand like that for several minutes, it will give a person energy and strength.

forest guest waiting for the new year kids.

How much joy she brings, filling the house with a special forest smell and pleasing the eye with her beauty!

If this message was useful to you, I would be glad to see you

Description

Norway spruce (Picea abies)- tree 30 - 35 m high, crown diameter 6 - 8 m. favorable conditions can grow up to 50 m. The needles are needle-shaped, tetrahedral, 1-2 cm long, dark green. Annual growth 50 cm high, 15 cm wide. Up to 10-15 years it grows slowly, then quickly. At Norway spruce the crown is cone-shaped, with spaced or drooping, rising branches at the end, remains sharp until the end of life. The bark is reddish-brown or gray, smooth or fissured, of varying degrees and nature of fissuring, relatively thin. Shoots are light brown or rusty yellow, glabrous. Sensitive to pollution and dry air. Tolerates shade well. Durability 250 - 300 years.

Planting and caring for spruce ordinary

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

It is important that the root neck is at ground level. You can prepare a special soil mixture: sheet and sod 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 apply fertilizer (100-150 g of nitroammophoska, root 10 g per 10 l, etc.).

Spruces do not like dry hot weather, so during the hot season they need to be watered once a week, about 10-12 liters per tree. Carry out shallow loosening (5 cm). 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. Spruces can be planted in winter.

Approximately 2 times a season, fertilizer for coniferous plants can be applied.

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

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