Which coniferous tree has red cones. The evergreen centenarians of the earth are conifers. National favorite - spruce
Pine is the most valuable softwood in the territory Russian state. Its height reaches up to 40 meters. The trunk is strong, noticeable among other woody plants with its brown color. The base of the pine is covered with thicker bark. It is not by chance that nature intended it.
The density of the bark performs the protective function of the plant. Thus, the coniferous beauty is saved in the summer from overheating and from emerging fires. Outwardly, the pine looks real chic tree. Its needles attract attention with their juicy green color.
It is collected in numerous bundles of 2-3 needles and reaches a length of 4 to 7 centimeters. The needles themselves are graceful, have a noticeable longitudinal strip. AT autumn period some share coniferous needles falls off.
The rest is covered with a layer of wood wax. The stomata of the needles close, thereby stopping breathing. This allows you to save the tree strength for the duration of the entire winter period. What else is interesting about the coniferous beauty?
Pine cones. Photos of interesting fruits
It is difficult to find a person who does not know that cones grow on a pine tree. Their size can be compared with a large walnut. If the bump is old, then it Brown. It is woody to the touch, and its scales are loose and bristle in different directions.
Few people know that pine is one of the most ancient trees. common cone with seeds inside is the seed of an evergreen plant. Female pine fruits are called megastrobils, male - microstrobils.
How a cone is born
It all starts with a small red ball. This is a pine germ that appears in May, when young shoots begin to break out of the pine buds. At the beginning of their development, they are not covered with pine needles.
Instead, you can see light processes. In their midst, young seedlings begin their development. A female pine cone develops at the top of a coniferous shoot.
Usually, by autumn, the seedlings turn green and slightly exceed the size of a pea. Approximately in this position, the fruits are all winter. In the spring, when nature awakens, pine cones continue to develop.
Their size in length reaches from 3 to 7 centimeters. By August, the seedlings reach their usual size - 10 centimeters long and 4 centimeters wide. In the spring, the fruits actively continue their development.
By the end of summer, pine cones acquire their adult color - brown. But despite its maturity, the seedlings are not yet revealed. Seeds cannot yet spill out due to strongly pressed scales. But already during this period, the density of pine cones is higher than that of the fruits of other coniferous trees.
Male and female pine cones
The fruit, which is located at the base of the young shoot, is called the male pine cone. Women's, as already mentioned, is at the top of a pine branch. The structure of the cone is simple - an axis with numerous scales. They have ovules that produce eggs. Begins to bear fruit at 20-30 years of age.
The male pine cone has the same structure as the female. The only thing is that there are two pollen sacs on the lower scales of the fruit. It is in them that the maturation of pollen and the formation of sperm occurs.
Fertilization occurs when the pollen from the male fruit reaches the female cones of the first year pine. Until this time, the pollen is at rest. Only a year later, it forms a pollen tube, through which sperm tend to archegonia.
One sperm fuses with an egg, resulting in a zygote. Then the embryo begins to develop. It is located in the tissue, which has accumulated a lot nutrients. The tissue itself is called primary endospermia.
adult fruits
Mature fruits of a coniferous tree have an ovoid-conical shape. They are heavier than female first year pine cones. If you move apart the sticky scales of mature seedlings, you can find noticeable thickenings of an earthy color.
These are shields with curved edges. Pine cone seeds have transparent wings, with the help of which they are carried by the wind. At first glance, all the fruits of coniferous trees are the same.
But if you look closely, there are differences between the cones. For example, if we compare pine and spruce, then the shape of the first is more rounded. The length of the pine fruit is less than the spruce. The density of the pine cone differs from that of other conifers. They are heavier than the fruits of spruce or larch.
Where are pine fruits used?
The most valuable thing that coniferous fruit can give is medicinal raw materials. In the circle of traditional healers, balms and tinctures are prepared from pine cones. They make fragrant jam. To do this, collect small green pine cones no more than 4 centimeters long.
We cook jam
In fact, there are several recipes for making a sweet and healing treat from pine cones. We will consider the most common option. So let's get the ingredients ready first.
We will need 1 kg of sugar, 10 glasses of water and 1 kg of cones. We wash the fruits in cold water. Then put them in a deep container, fill with water. It should cover the fruit by 2 centimeters from above.
Be sure to cover the dishes with a lid and boil the contents for half an hour. Then leave the brew in a dark place for 12 hours. After the mass has been infused, the cones should be separated from the solution.
At this point it will be green. Mix the liquid with sugar in equal proportions. This mass should be cooked over low heat until it begins to spread.
Finally, add a few cones and cook the mass for another 5 minutes. beautiful and healthy jam ready! It has juicy. It remains to pour the mass into jars and enjoy a delicious delicacy throughout the cold season!
Useful for diseases gastrointestinal tract and inflammation of the respiratory tract. It is also recommended for people with general exhaustion of the body.
Useful properties of pine cones
In folk medicine, raw materials from the seedlings of coniferous trees are used for low hemoglobin, polyarthritis, pneumonia, beriberi, and acute respiratory diseases.
Cone pollen contains essential oil, carotene, ascorbic and resin acids. Due to their medicinal properties, a large number of medicinal recipes are devoted to pine fruits.
For example, for bronchitis and other colds, you should take one tablespoon of crushed cones and pour half a liter of hot water. This tincture should be kept for 12 hours, then drink a little during the day before meals.
Another drug rich medicinal properties, used for diseases of the bones, joints and broncho-pulmonary inflammation. Here is how this tincture is prepared: suitable container cut 10 pieces of green cones, pour 1 liter of vodka and close tightly.
It should be insisted for 40 days, not forgetting to shake. If you do this regularly, then the beneficial properties of the cones saturate the liquid faster. After the expiration of the term, strain the resulting drug.
The tincture should be reddish-brown in color. The use of such a medicine is possible not only for oral administration, but also for local rubbing.
Preparations from coniferous fruits - the first assistants
Pine cone tincture is an excellent cough suppressant. If you haven't added them to your treatment yet, now is the time to do so. To prepare the tincture, you need to take 50 grams of green pine cones for 2 cups of boiling water.
First, pour the fruits with water, then insist for 2-3 hours in a warm place. Strain the resulting infusion through a gauze filter. If the drug is being prepared for a child, then to improve the taste, you can add 500 grams of granulated sugar to the infusion and cook until a viscous syrup is obtained. Delicious and curative preparation is ready! It is recommended to take 5-6 tablespoons daily.
For those patients who have overcome a cough, traditional healers are advised to pour 5 pine cones with a glass of boiling water, cover the infusion with a warm cloth and insist for 40-45 minutes. Take 2-3 sips when you start coughing.
Also, a therapeutic effect can be obtained with the help of inhalations. To do this, take a spacious dish, boil 1 liter of water in it and add 5-6 pre-washed pine cones.
Boil them for 5 minutes on low heat under a closed lid. Then turn off the gas, open the lid slightly, release the steam slightly. Next, you need to bend over the dishes, hiding with a towel.
Take inhalations for 10 minutes. This method works great for nasal congestion, has anti-inflammatory and bactericidal properties.
Healing infusions
For the prevention or recovery after a stroke, an infusion of pine gifts helps a lot: five mature cones pour 250 g of alcohol (70%). Insist 10 days at room temperature, strain and add 1 teaspoon of apple cider vinegar to the resulting infusion.
This drug is recommended to be taken once after a meal for six months. To relieve swelling of the joints with polyarthritis, you can prepare a bath solution. Take equal proportions of cones, water and boil in a deep container for about half an hour.
Then remove from heat, let the broth brew for 12 hours, strain. You should get a brown liquid with a wonderful coniferous aroma! For the full volume of a standard bath, you will need 2 liters of miraculous infusion. It is recommended to take warm baths 15 to 20 minutes. Such treatment should be continued until the pain syndrome subsides.
and pine cones
Unfortunately, with age, the human immune system weakens. Increasingly, it is difficult to overcome infectious diseases. The body gets old.
However, scientists believe that it is possible to stop the degradation of the immune system. It has been proven that the extract and decoction of pine cones are able to perfectly resist the influence of harmful viruses and bacteria.
Therefore, these drugs can renew a person's immune system, allowing him to keep his body in good shape. Therefore, it is recommended to use preparations made from pine cones at least once a year for prevention.
Despite their widespread use in traditional medicine, a preliminary consultation with a doctor is still necessary. Contraindications: should be taken with caution to those people who suffer from kidney disease, allergic reactions, pregnant and lactating mothers.
Pine fruit balm
It is unfair to bypass this medicinal alcohol-containing drink. It is valued as a sedative and tonic. Typically, the balm formulation includes a mixture of various medicinal raw materials.
In this case, consider the preparation of the drug from pine cones and needles. It should be noted that the manufacture of balm is a laborious process and requires meticulous fulfillment of all requirements. However, if you wish, it is quite possible to get a balm from coniferous gifts of nature at home.
So, you should take 3 tablespoons of crushed raw pine cones and 1.5 tablespoons of pine needles. Mix the components, place them in a glass jar and pour 500 milliliters of 70% alcohol.
Close the container with a tight lid and place in a dark place. After 30 days, strain the resulting infusion, add 2-3 tablespoons of any berry syrup and leave for about 3 more days.
Ideally, you should get a brown infusion with a tart taste and pleasant aroma. It should be noted that all balms are used in small dosages. Most often they are added 1-2 teaspoons in coffee, tea, mineral water. These are immune-strengthening drugs that have a preventive property against inflammatory and viral diseases.
Fans of esotericism attribute to the fruits of coniferous trees unusual properties. For example, it is believed that if you keep pine cones in a living room, then the energy of the house is cleared.
Households are not threatened by the evil eye and other negative phenomena. In addition, the bactericidal properties coniferous fruits prevent people from developing respiratory diseases.
And holding a pine cone in your hands for several minutes, you can get rid of the negative energy that has accumulated over the whole day. After that, the pine fruit should be discarded.
It is also good to apply wonderful coniferous gifts to bruised places. They are great for pain relief. Few suspect that pine seedlings are an excellent natural plant for feet.
Make it accessible to everyone! To do this, you need to collect slightly ajar mature pine cones, dry well. Put them in a box and step on them while sitting on a chair.
By the same principle, you can massage your back. Only the bumps should be laid out on the rug, and then lie down on them with blue. For those whose skin is very sensitive, it is recommended to cover the pine fruit with a medium-weight cloth.
Pine cones not only in medicine
What wonderful decorations and crafts you can make from pine cones! Nature has rewarded this fruit with a beautiful shape. It remains only to dream a little and discover an excellent element of decoration - pine cones!
The photo clearly demonstrates that the gift of a coniferous tree can be covered with gold artistic varnish. Or amaze the imagination of others by painting the cones bright acrylic paints. If you make for such products beautiful ribbons, then you get unusual toys for the Christmas tree for the New Year.
Original picture frames, candlesticks, children's compositions made of pine cones retain their texture for a long time and original view. Such creative products give others the aroma of coniferous wood and high spirits!
Sometimes, looking at evergreen coniferous trees, people think: why does a person have such a short age on earth? Intelligent creatures that can think, feel and create live on average 70-80 years, and ordinary trees live more than a thousand. Perhaps someday the dream of eternal life will come true, and then people will be able to enjoy the environment to the fullest. Until this time has come, it is worth getting to know different types of coniferous trees better in order to decorate your summer cottage with them.
It is these evergreens that harmoniously fit into any landscape design. Their strict and refined forms stand out clearly on the green lawn in summer. And in cold weather, refresh Vacation home rich greenery and pleasant resinous aroma. Many gardeners grow evergreen beauties on their plots, because their diversity is truly impressive. They are tall and dwarfs. Found in the form of a pyramid or cone. Therefore, the unforgettable landscape of coniferous trees remains in the hearts of grateful people forever. Let's take a closer look at the most popular types.
Among the huge number of conifer centenarians, the most impressive are unique specimens: spruce "Old Tikko" in Sweden (more than 9 thousand years), pine "Methuselah" in the USA (about 5 thousand years). In general, there are up to 20 such trees on the planet.
National favorite - spruce
Probably, there is no person on earth who has not heard about this tree. Many poems and songs have been written about him, pictures and fairy tales have been written. The plant is associated with various holidays, customs, and sometimes with bad omens. Because of this, the plant suffers from excessive felling, which brings a lot of grief to nature lovers.
Spruce is an evergreen coniferous tree that belongs to the Pine family and can grow to a height of 35 meters. It has a pyramidal or triangular crown shape, ending with a sharp top. The branches are located along the entire trunk, so it is almost invisible from the side. They grow needles of a dark green color with a glossy shiny coating, which are much shorter than those of pine.
The tree is found almost everywhere in the vastness of the Northern Hemisphere. It is the main component of the Russian taiga, where it grows next to oak, pine, and hazel. In nature, there are about 50 species of spruce. Some of them successfully take root on lawns country houses. The following types are especially widely used.
Spruce roots are close to the soil surface, so a strong hurricane wind can knock it down. Therefore, the tree should not be planted near residential premises.
Acrocon
Spruce of this type is characterized by a wide conical crown with hanging branches. Considered slow growing. For 30 years it grows to a height of up to 4 meters. Plant diameter is about 3 m. Prefers shady places. Spruce tolerates cold temperatures very well. In the summer heat, it needs watering.
inverse
The tree has a columnar crown and falling weeping branches that, like a train, touch the ground. It grows up to a maximum of 8 meters. The diameter of an adult plant is about 2.5 m.
European Maxwelly
dwarf shrub in the form of a wide cone. It tolerates winter frosts and shady places without problems. Grows up to a meter high. The diameter of an adult shrub is 2 m.
Glauca Globoza
The famous spruce stands out with blue needles. Grows in height up to 2 meters. It is used in many countries to decorate urban and suburban landscapes. Due to the fact that the tree lends itself to shearing, original blue balls are made from it, which delight their fans. all year round.
Fir - a tree with purple cones
An evergreen representative of the genus Pine. It differs from its close relatives in the features of needles:
- softness;
- shine;
- flat shape.
White stripes are visible on the underside of each needle, which gives the plant a festive look. The fir tree is decorated with purple cones, which is its main highlight. It grows slowly over 10 years, after which growth accelerates. Lives for about 400 years. Breeders have bred decorative varieties that are used to decorate urban and suburban areas.
Since the needles of the tree have healing properties, grow fir on suburban area – great idea. She helps fight colds, sciatica and wound healing.
Columnaris
The tree has a straight trunk and a narrow crown resembling a column. Grows up to 10 meters. The dense branches are directed upwards, which gives the tree a majestic character.
prostrata
Such a fir is famous for its long branches stretched above the ground, which can reach 2.5 meters in length.
Argenta
The variety is characterized by original silvery needles, the tips of which are painted whitish. Every spring, luminescent yellow shoots come out of her buds. Such unusual combination creates a stunning view on the site of a country house. And it lasts almost a whole month.
Nana
A dwarf tree that grows only up to 50 cm. The diameter of an adult plant is 1 m. The crown is rounded, slightly flattened. Works great in small areas.
majestic cedar
Since time immemorial, these trees have been considered a symbol of greatness. In their natural environment, they grow at an altitude of 3 km above sea level and resemble real giants. Grow up to 50 meters. They live for more than two centuries.
Despite its greatness, it unique tree, because it can decorate any garden landscape. If you plant it at the main entrance, an atmosphere of some kind of celebration is created. On spacious lawns - home comfort.
Some dwarf varieties used for growing bonsai plants. To create original landscapes, species that differ are widely used:
- needle color;
- needle length;
- tree sizes.
When choosing a suitable species, it is advisable to first get acquainted with the plant. For home growing the following varieties are used:
Mysterious larch
Many people think that if a tree is called larch, then it does not belong to coniferous species. Actually it is not. The plant is a representative of the Pine family, but unlike its relatives, it loses its needles in autumn.
Larch grows up to 50 m in height. In this case, the trunk reaches 1 m in diameter. The branches grow in a chaotic manner, with a barely noticeable slope. As a result, a crown is formed in the form of a cone. The needles are noticeably flattened, soft to the touch, bright green in color. In the natural environment, there are 14 different varieties. For garden design, the following types are used:
This diversity allows you to create magnificent landscapes on the territory of suburban areas.
majestic pine
Biologists have more than a hundred different varieties of such an evergreen plant. And hallmark- the number of needles on one bundle. A pine tree often grows up to a height of 50 meters. The straight trunk is covered with reddish-brown cracking bark. Long needles are located on the spreading branches of the tree and are distinguished by a rich aroma. Pine lives for about 600 years and perfectly tolerates cold and summer heat.
Pine planting should be done quickly, as its roots can dry out in a quarter of an hour. Such a plant does not take root in the new territory.
For garden decoration, breeders created original miniature views:
Without a doubt, such evergreen living decorations are suitable for creating landscape rock gardens or mixborders. In any case, pine can become calling card suburban area.
Her Majesty - thuja
An evergreen tree of this kind is almost always used to decorate city parks and green areas. Recently, this plant has been widely used to decorate home gardens. It is valued by gardeners for its ability to endure severe winter frosts, drought and high humidity.
The thuja tree is distinguished by lush branches on which scaly dark green leaves are located. Every year, the plant is covered with miniature cones that resemble scattered beads on green fabric. Except traditional forms, thujas are:
- dwarf;
- weeping;
- creeping.
Most often, seedlings called "Occidentalis" are used for the design of a personal plot. The tree can grow up to 7 m in height, and create a crown of about 2 m. Another species - "Cloth of Gold" - has a golden hue of needles. It grows well in shady areas of the garden.
Medium-sized variety - "Columna" impresses with its needles of dark green coloring with a glossy sheen. It does not disappear even in winter, for which it is very much appreciated by lovers of green spaces. "Columna"
A compact type of thuja tree - "Holmstrup" has a conical shape, despite its height - 3 m. It wonderfully tolerates cold winters, lends itself to pruning and is used as hedge. Another giant - "Smaragd" - grows up to approximately 4 m. The diameter of an adult tree is up to 1.5 m. The needles are juicy, dark green in color with a brilliant sheen. Such a beauty will surely decorate the country landscape of connoisseurs of greenery.
Having become better acquainted with the majestic conifers, it is easy to pick up suitable option. And let the suburban area turn into a green oasis of joy, where resistant coniferous trees grow.
Conifers in landscape design - video
Dear guys, hello! And I welcome you, dear parents! Together with ShkolaLa, we can already tell classmates about. Today we will prepare a presentation about coniferous trees in Russia. As in last time, briefly recall their features, consider some types and names, and also look for interesting facts with which you can surprise listeners.
Lesson plan:
What do we know about conifers?
Probably, no country is as rich in forests as our beloved Russia. Coniferous representatives are rightfully considered the most common "lungs" of our planet.
These plants are distinguished by the fact that instead of leaves they have needles. In principle, these are their leaves, only slightly modified. They can be in the form of needles or scales. There are about 600 species of evergreen coniferous trees and shrubs.
These are the most ancient inhabitants of the vegetable kingdom. Scientists find the remains of coniferous representatives in the layers of the Carboniferous period. At that time they lived even beyond the Arctic Circle. Today they can be found in the north and south, as well as in the middle lane. Even in hot Africa, you can find a tree with needles, but still they are more comfortable in a cold environment with little humidity.
Evergreens do not have beautiful flowers, but instead have wonderful buds that grow at the ends of branches, at first they are soft and green, and then harden. In some, such as cedar, they may initially be purple.
Coniferous trees are a storehouse useful substances for good health. Needles, cones and even bark are used. In addition, their wood is an excellent building material.
Remembered a little about coniferous representatives? Now let's take a closer look at some of them.
Do you know that?! All coniferous trees emit a special substance - resin. Under the influence of time, a beautiful pebble is obtained from it - amber. Have you heard about this one? Sometimes inside the amber resin you can see frozen insects that got there a long time ago and became inside forever.
In the 18th century, a unique Amber Room was created from amber. Its owner, the Prussian king, presented the masterpiece to the Russian Peter I. Only now, during the Second World War, this room strangely disappeared, leaving behind many myths. Where she is now, no one knows.
Spruce
Who does not know the evergreen symbol of the New Year? This is probably the most popular tree, known to everyone - from small to large.
It is distributed almost throughout our country. Spruce grows up to 35 meters, but there are also specimens up to 50 meters tall. The Christmas tree lives on average about 300 years.
An infusion of spruce needles is used as an antimicrobial agent, and essential oils help cure colds and boost immunity. Healing ointments and balms are made from green cones and spruce buds, and for those who like to bathe in a bath, there is nowhere without a healing spruce broom.
Spruce wood is used as a material for the production of boards and plywood, which are then used to make roofs, stairs, doors, floors and ceilings in houses. The highest quality alpine spruce species are taken for the manufacture of the body of stringed musical instruments. And they make paper out of it.
It is interesting! A common spruce called Old Tiko lives in Sweden. And she would not have been any different from others if she had not already turned 9550 years old!
Pine
No less popular than spruce, and many of these conifers do not distinguish. In fact, it is easy to distinguish a pine tree: it has bluish-green needles and is longer, growing in pairs or bunches. The tree grows up to 40 meters and lives for about 350 years. In good harvest years, up to 1.5 thousand cones can be counted on a pine tree.
A young pine has a crown in the form of a cone, but over time its appearance changes - the older the pine, the rounder and wider its crown. But in a very old tree, the top becomes flat like an umbrella.
Pine buds unopened in spring are widely used in medicine. They contain resin, starch and vitamins. Pine oil is an excellent anti-inflammatory and antiseptic.
Pine wood enters the construction market in the form of lumber and then goes to build houses. Like spruce, it is used for roofs and floors, doors and building cladding.
In addition, it is suitable for making furniture. Children's toys are made from it, it is a material for building piles and poles. Burning pine wood produces soot, which is used to make paints and inks. And pine is also used to make sleepers on the railway and paper is also made from it.
Facts. Three types of pine - Pitsunda (grows in the Caucasus), Cretaceous (found in the Voronezh and Belgorod regions), densely flowered (lives in the Primorsky Territory) are listed in the Red Book.
Larch
This tree is considered the most common in Russia, especially in the middle lane and in Siberia.
Although larch is classified as a coniferous tree, it is not called so in vain. Unlike all other evergreens, this is the only coniferous representative that sheds its needles for the winter.
The tree grows up to 50 meters, and lives on average about 400 years. But there are also centenarians who are 800 years old. The cone-shaped openwork crown of larch is formed from flattened bright green needles that grow in spirals or bunches.
Larch needles are used for medical purposes, as among all conifers it is the leader in the content of vitamin C.
But most of all, larch is used for industrial purposes. In terms of its properties, its wood is second only to oak, therefore it often serves as a shipbuilding material. Sometimes larch is used in paint and varnish and soap production.
Facts. It has long been known that Venice was built on larch wood pillars. But not everyone knows that this tree formed the basis of piles during the construction of St. Petersburg. And all because strong larch is able to remain in water for a long time.
Olginskaya larch is a rare specimen listed in the Red Book.
Fir
This coniferous representative is a resident of the European part, it can be found in Siberia and the Caucasus. A tree about 50 meters high, some species can live up to 700 years. Unlike other conifers, fir cones grow like candles upwards.
The needles of the tree are flat and soft, dark green on top, and have a white stripe on the bottom. In appearance, fir is very similar to spruce, so these trees are often confused. From a distance it reminds Green colour pyramid.
The healing properties of fir buds, bark and needles are known to medicine. Fir oil is widely used in cosmetology. In Siberia, everyone knows health-improving fir brooms.
Soft fir wood is used to make furniture. Sometimes in shipbuilding it is taken as a material for the construction of ship masts.
It is interesting! Today there are about 50 species of fir, among which there is the tallest tree in Russia - the Caucasian fir. This tree grows as tall as a 30-story building.
Cedar
This is another well-known coniferous tree that can be found in the south and east of our country. The tree reaches a length of 50 meters and can live up to 500 years. This is the second coniferous representative, in which the cones grow upwards. Cedar needles are distinguished by their blue-green color, they are quite long, about 10-14 centimeters, and grow 30-40 needles in a bunch.
Many species of these trees are called cedar pines, in which nuts are valued. In Siberia, vegetable cream is prepared from cedar nucleoli, because they contain almost 80% fat.
Valuable cedar wood is used to build ships and make furniture. The red wood of the Mediterranean cedar is used as a material for woodcarving.
Cedar is a source of substances used in medicine and perfumery. Its specific smell soothes and relieves anxiety.
It is interesting! Cedar wood has been used since ancient times. It is mentioned as the material from which the Temple in Jerusalem was built. And the Egyptians made sarcophagi for their kings from cedar.
Many poems have been written about coniferous trees and songs have been composed. Invite classmates to remember them. And then sing the most famous! Chorus!
Like last time, I talked only about the five most famous coniferous representatives. If there is a desire, this list can be expanded, because, let me remind you, there are about 600 evergreens! So keep it up! See you soon on the pages of the ShkolaLa blog.
Success in your studies!
Evgenia Klimkovich
Among the plants that adorn our gardens, conifers occupy a special place. They give the garden a noble look and decorate it all year round. They are loved because they are very decorative and set the tone in many compositions. But, conifers are especially popular in winter - on the eve of the New Year. They look spectacular in New Year's decoration in our apartments, under snow caps in large parks and squares, and in very small areas.
As regards the planted coniferous plants , then we can say that the sympathies of gardeners are almost evenly distributed among various kinds firs, pines, thujas, junipers and larches. All of them can be called centenarians, many of them live even more than one hundred years.
Almost all coniferous plants are evergreen. Only some of them, for example, larch, sheds needles for the winter. All the rest update their needles gradually. Once every few years, old needles fall off, and new young green needles appear in their place.
The variety of coniferous plants allows gardeners to choose the most suitable tree or shrub for their garden.
The following advantages of conifers make them very popular in landscape gardening:
- They tolerate the lack of light and moisture well.
- Many varieties naturally have correct form and therefore do not need a haircut
- Due to the medicinal coniferous aroma, they are widely used in folk and official medicine.
- Due to the variety of types and forms, they are actively used in landscape compositions in areas of any size
If you decide to plant a coniferous plant on your site, you need to approach the choice very carefully.
Key questions to ask yourself:
- What do you want to plant - a tree or a shrub
- Is the composition ready for the conifer
- Have you taken into account your climatic conditions and soil composition on the site
coniferous plants go well, in particular with cereals, with roses, etc. If the answers are ready, you can start selecting the variety, type and shape of the coniferous plant.
Types of coniferous plants
Spruce
Evergreen monoecious and wind-pollinated plant. To his Latin name(lat. Picea) spruce is due to the high content of resin in the wood. Widespread use in industry is due to the softness of wood and the absence of a core.
Spruce- perhaps the most beloved and common coniferous tree in our country. These are beautiful slender trees with a pyramidal crown occupy one of the first places in the coniferous kingdom and have almost 50 plant species in their genus.
The largest number of spruce species grows in Western and Central China and in the northern hemisphere. In Russia, 8 types of spruce are well known.
Spruce is considered enough shade-tolerant plant, however, still prefers good lighting. Her root system is superficial, i.e. close to the ground. Therefore, the earth at the roots is not dug up. Spruce is demanding on soil fertility, loves light loamy and sandy loamy soils.
Types of fir trees successfully used in landscaping the site:
Sometimes reaches 40 meters. Fast growing tree. Due to the special color of the needles - the top is a shiny dark green, and the bottom - with noticeable white stripes - it gives the impression that the tree is bluish-green. Brown-purple buds give the plant special charm and elegance.
Serbian spruce looks great, both in a single and in a group planting. great example serve magnificent alleys in the parks.
There are dwarf varieties with a height of no more than 2 meters.
(Picea obovata). On the territory of our country grows in Western and Eastern Siberia, on Far East and in the Urals.
A coniferous tree up to 30 m high. The crown is dense, wide-conical, with a pointed top. The bark is fissured, gray. Cones ovoid-cylindrical, brown. It has several subtypes that differ in the color of the needles - from pure green to silver and even golden.
European spruce, or common (Picea abies). The maximum height of a coniferous tree is 50 m. It can live up to 300 years. This is a slender tree with a dense pyramidal crown. Norway spruce is considered the most common tree in Europe. The trunk width of an old tree can reach 1 m. Mature cones of an ordinary spruce are an oblong-cylindrical shape. They ripen in autumn in October, and their seeds begin to fall from January to April. European spruce is considered the fastest growing. So, in a year it can grow by 50 cm.
Thanks to breeding work, several very ornamental varieties of this kind. Among them there are weeping, compact, pin-shaped spruces. All of them are very popular in landscape gardening and are widely used in park compositions and as hedges.
Spruce, like any other coniferous plant, becomes especially beautiful with the advent of winter. Any shade of needles effectively emphasizes the snow cover, and the garden looks elegant and noble.
In addition to the above types of spruce, prickly, oriental, black, Canadian, Ayan spruce are popular with gardeners.
The genus of pine consists of more than 100 names. These conifers are distributed throughout almost the entire Northern Hemisphere. Also, pine grows well in the composition of forests in Asia and North America. Artificially planted pine plantations feel good in southern hemisphere our planet. It is much more difficult for this coniferous tree to take root in the conditions of the city.
It tolerates frost and drought well. But the pine does not really like the lack of light. This coniferous plant gives a good annual growth. The dense crown of the pine is very decorative, and therefore the pine is successfully used in landscaping parks and gardens, both in single landing, as well as in a group. This conifer prefers sandy, calcareous and rocky soils. Although there are several types of pine that prefer fertile soils- this is Weymouth pine, Wallich, cedar and resinous.
Some properties of pine are simply amazing. For example, the peculiarity of its bark delights, when the bark below is much thicker than the one above. This makes us once again think about the wisdom of nature. After all, it is this property that protects the tree from summer overheating and a possible ground fire.
Another feature is how the tree is prepared in advance for winter period. After all, the evaporation of moisture in frost can destroy the plant. Therefore, as soon as the cold approaches, pine needles are covered thin layer wax, and the stomata close. Those. pine stops breathing!
Scotch pine. It is rightfully considered a symbol of the Russian forest. In height, the tree reaches 35-40 meters, and therefore it is deservedly called a tree of the first magnitude. The circumference of the trunk sometimes reaches 1 meter. Pine needles are dense, bluish-green. The shape is different - sticking out, curved, and even collected in bunches of 2 needles.
The life expectancy of needles is 3 years. With the onset of autumn, the needles turn yellow and fall off.
Pine cones, as a rule, are located 1-3 pieces on legs. Ripe cones are brown or brown in color and reach a length of 6 cm.
Under adverse conditions, Scotch pine may stop growing and remain a "dwarf". Surprisingly, different specimens may have different root system. For example, in arid soils, a pine tree may develop a taproot that extracts water deep underground. And in conditions of high occurrence ground water lateral roots develop.
The life expectancy of Scots pine can reach 200 years. There are cases in history when a pine lived for 400 years.
Scotch pine is considered fast growing. For a year, its growth can be 50-70 cm. This coniferous tree begins to bear fruit from the age of 15. In the conditions of the forest and dense planting - only after 40 years.
The Latin name is Pinus mugo. This is a multi-stemmed coniferous tree, reaching a height of 10-20 meters. Dwarf varieties - 40-50 cm. Trunks - semi-lodging and ascending. In adulthood, it can reach a diameter of 3 m. A very decorative coniferous plant.
The needles are dark, long, often curved. The bark is brownish-gray, scaly. Cones ripen in the 3rd year.
To date, more than 100 varieties of mountain pine have been registered. And this number is increasing every year. In landscape gardening, dwarf varieties are especially used, which form beautiful compositions along the banks of reservoirs and in rocky gardens.
Magnificent view with a narrow pyramidal crown. Homeland - North America. In our country, it grows well in the southern and middle lane. Grows up to 10 meters. It does not tolerate urban conditions very well. Especially in young age freezes often. Prefers places protected from the winds. Therefore, yellow pine is best planted in groups.
The needles are dark and long. The bark is thick, reddish-brown, cracking into large plates. Cones ovoid, almost sessile. In total, there are about 10 varieties of yellow pine.
A very showy variety of pine. Homeland - North America. The needles have a blue-green tint. The cones are large and somewhat curved. mature tree can reach a height of more than 30 meters. It is considered a long-liver, as it can live up to 400 years. As it grows, it changes its crown from narrow-pyramidal to wide-pyramidal. It acquired its name thanks to the English Lord Weymouth, who brought it home from North America in the 18th century.
It does not tolerate salty soils and. It is relatively resistant to frost, but does not like winds. Weymouth pine is characterized by reddish pubescence on young shoots.
A relatively low coniferous plant - up to 20 m high. This is a slow-growing tree. The bark is light gray, lamellar. The needles are bright green, hard, curved. Cones are yellowish, shiny, long. The diameter of the crown can reach 5-6 meters.
Some experts consider it Geldreich's pine. Indeed, the resemblance is great. However, since there are varieties under both names, we will still focus on whitebark pine. To date, about 10 varieties of this species are known. Approximately the same number of Geldreich's pines. Often varieties can be mixed.
This type of pine in the conditions of our country takes root best in southern regions because it does not tolerate frost well. Whitebark pine is photophilous, it is undemanding to the nutritional composition of the soil, but it grows better on moderately moist, drained and moderately alkaline soils.
Looks good in a Japanese, rocky and heather garden. Great for both solitary planting and mixed group.
Fir
Tall (up to 60 m) coniferous tree with a conical crown. A bit like a spruce. It can be up to 2 meters in diameter. This is a real long-lived plant. Some specimens live 400-700 years. The trunk of a fir is straight, columnar. The crown is thick. At a young age, the fir crown has a cone-shaped or pyramidal shape. As they grow older, the shape of the crown becomes cylindrical.
The needles, depending on the variety, have different lengths and live 8-10 years. Fir begins to bear fruit from the age of about 30 years. Cones are erect and long (up to 25 cm).
This coniferous plant does not tolerate frost, drought and great heat. The advantage is that it is the most shade tree. Sometimes shoots can appear under the mother tree in full shading. With good lighting, firs naturally grow better.
This coniferous plant is a real find in landscape gardening. Fir is used both in a single planting and for decorating alleys. Dwarf forms look great in a rocky garden and on an alpine hill.
Botanical name Abies balsamea "Nana". This coniferous plant is a dwarf cushion tree. Naturally grows in North America.
In care unpretentious. He likes good lighting, but he also tolerates shade well. For balsam fir, not so much frost is terrible as strong gusty winds that can simply damage a small tree. The soil prefers light, moist, fertile, slightly acidic. It reaches a height of 1 m, which makes it a favorite decorative object in landscape gardening. It is equally good for decorating a garden, landscaping terraces, slopes and roofs.
Propagated by seeds and annual cuttings with an apical bud.
The needles are dark green with a special reflection. Exudes a characteristic resinous aroma. Cones are red-brown, elongated, reach a length of 5-10 cm.
It is a very slow growing coniferous plant. For 10 years, it grows no more than 30 cm. It lives up to 300 years.
Fir Nordmann (or Caucasian). An evergreen coniferous tree that came to us from the mountains of the Caucasus and Asia Minor. Sometimes it grows up to 60-80 meters in height. The shape of the crown is a neat cone-shaped. It is for this neat appearance that gardeners love Nordmann fir.
It is she who is dressed up instead of a Christmas tree on new year holidays In many European countries. This is largely due to the structure of the branches - the branches are often located and raised up. This is distinguishing feature fir Nordmann.
The needles are dark green with some sheen. Young shoots are light green, even yellowish. Needles - from 15 to 40 mm, look very fluffy. If the needles are lightly rubbed between the fingers, you can feel a specific citrus aroma.
The trunk of an adult plant can reach a diameter of two meters. At a young age, the bark of the Caucasian fir is grayish-brown, smooth. As it matures, it cracks into segments and becomes matte.
Nordmann fir is growing quite fast. Under favorable conditions, this coniferous tree can live up to 600-700 years. Moreover, the increase in height and width continues to the very last day life!
Depending on the type of soil, the root system can be either superficial or deep with a central core. The cones of this fir are large, up to 20 cm, arranged vertically on a short stem.
It has a unique property - the needles on the branches remain even after they have dried, up to mechanical damage.
Coniferous evergreen belonging to the Cypress family. It can be both a tree and a shrub. Common juniper (Juniperus communis) grows mainly in the Northern Hemisphere of our planet. However, in Africa you can also find your own juniper - East African. In the Mediterranean and Central Asia, this plant forms juniper forests. Quite common are undersized species that creep along the ground and rocky slopes.
To date, more than fifty species of juniper are known.
As a rule, it is a photophilous and drought-resistant culture. Absolutely undemanding to soils and temperatures. However, like any plant, it has its own preferences - for example, it develops better in light and nutritious soil.
Like all conifers, it belongs to centenarians. Its average life expectancy is about 500 years.
The needles of the juniper are bluish-green in color, triangular, pointed at the ends. The bumps have spherical shape, gray or blue. Rod root.
This coniferous plant was attributed and magical properties. For example, it was believed that a juniper wreath scares away evil spirits and brings good luck. Perhaps that is why in Europe there was a fashion to hang wreaths on the eve of the new year.
AT landscape design both juniper trees and shrubs are widely used. Group plantings are good for creating hedges. Solitary plants also do an excellent job with main role in composition. Undersized creeping varieties often used as ground cover plants. They strengthen slopes well and prevent soil erosion. In addition, juniper lends itself well to a haircut.
Juniper scaly ( Juniperus squamata) - creeping shrub. Thick branches with the same dense needles look very decorative.
Evergreen coniferous plant. Has the appearance of trees or shrubs. Depending on the genus and species, it differs in color, quality of needles, crown shape, height and life expectancy. Representatives of some species live up to 150 years. At the same time, there are specimens - true centenarians, who live up to almost 1000 years!
In landscape gardening, thuja is considered one of the basic plants, and like any conifer, it is good both in group planting and as a solo plant. It is used to decorate alleys, hedges and borders.
The most common types of thuja are western, eastern, giant, Korean, Japanese, etc.
Thuja needles are soft needle-shaped. At young plant the needles have a light green color. With age, the needles become more dark shade. The fruits are oval or oblong cones. Seeds ripen in the first year.
Thuja is famous for its unpretentiousness. She tolerates frost well, and is not capricious in care. Unlike other conifers, it tolerates gas pollution in large cities well. Therefore, it is indispensable in urban gardening.
Larches
Coniferous plants with needles falling down for the winter. This partly explains its name. These are large, light-loving and winter-hardy plants that grow quickly, are undemanding to soils and tolerate air pollution well.
Larches are especially beautiful in early spring and late autumn. In spring, larch needles acquire a soft green hue, and in autumn - bright yellow. Since the needles grow every year, its needles are very soft.
Larch fructifies from 15 years. Cones have an ovoid-conical shape, somewhat reminiscent of a rose flower. Reach a length of 6 cm. Young cones have purple color. As they mature, they turn brown.
Larch- long-lived tree. Some of them live up to 800 years. The plant develops most intensively in the first 100 years. These are tall and slender trees, reaching 25-80 meters in height depending on the species and conditions.
In addition, larch is a very useful tree. It has a very hard and durable wood. In the industry, its red core is in the greatest demand. Also, larch is valued in folk medicine. Folk healers harvest its young shoots, buds and larch resin, from which "Venetian" turpentine (turpentine) is obtained, which is used for many diseases. The bark is harvested throughout the summer and used as a vitamin remedy.
Photo of coniferous plants
Enjoy the beauty of nature with us
N. ZAMYATINA ( Botanical Garden medicinal plants).
Science and life // Illustrations
Many coniferous cones clusters hang down. But among the conifers there are those in which the cones, like candles, look up. In the figure above - a pseudo-hemlock cone, below - a fir cone.
Thuja and cypress are often confused. The easiest way to distinguish these two plants is by their buds. In thuja, the cones are oblong, with slightly bent tips, while in the cypress they are small, rounded, with spines in the center of the scales. In the picture - a cypress branch with a cone.
Quite large light brown cones (up to 13 cm long) in Siberian pine, better known as Siberian cedar or cedar pine.
Juniper instead of cones forms juicy cone berries the size of a pea.
The giant sequoia tree has unusually small cones - less than 2.5 cm in diameter. They grow only at the tips of the branches.
Science and life // Illustrations
Spruce ordinary.
Male cones of Scotch pine resemble small, light yellow peas collected in candles.
The female cones of the Eldar pine are very elegant.
Little cones, barely visible to the naked eye, turn into adult woody cones. In the photo - pine cones: Himalayan Weymouth (1), Pinia (2), Sabina (3), Roxburgh (4), Pitsunda (5), Black (6), Weymouth (7).
Spiny pine, it is also durable, grows in the southwestern regions of the United States.
Entrance to the Miursky Forest National Park (California, USA). Pictured is an evergreen sequoia.
In terms of life expectancy, giant sequoias are second only to spiny pines - they can live up to 4000 years.
Spruce cones that we usually see in autumn: prickly "silver" spruce (1), Canadian (2), Serbian (3), ordinary (4).
Almost all conifers form cones, but their size and shape are very different. In the photo - cones: European larch (1), giant sequoiadendron (2), Meizens pseudo-hemlock (3), evergreen cypress (4), evergreen sequoia (5), thuja western (6).
Most of us imagine coniferous plants as something evergreen, more or less thorny, and always with cones. Oddly enough, none of these signs are universal for them. After all, among conifers there are deciduous trees, such as larch, and there are those that shed all the green branches for the winter, such as taxodium, or, in other words, swamp cypress. Not at all prickly fir and yew. Thuja and cypress do not have "traditional" needles at all. Instead of cones, they form juicy fruits - cone berries, juniper and yew. And yet, almost all conifers form cones.
There are male and female cones. Male cones are the same in most conifers. These are small spikelets, most often yellow or red, appearing on young shoots. They are located one at a time at the base of individual needles or form long spikes of several dozen individual spikelets. Mature spikelets open, throwing out great amount pollen carried by the wind. In order to keep pollen grains longer in the air, they often have outgrowths of the shells. Pine has two large air sacs on each pollen grain, which allow grains to fly tens of kilometers. If it rains while the pine tree is in bloom, the pollen settles to the ground and forms a wide yellowish-gray border around the edges of the puddles. You can see it in the puddles even in the center of Moscow, many kilometers from the nearest pine forests.
The shells of pollen grains are very stable during external environment, so pollen can persist in the soil for an extremely long time. Thus, pine pollen was found even in the sediments of the Jurassic period, and the remains of plants of the pine family were found in layers dating back 300 million years.
Immediately after the pollen is shed, the male cones fall off.
Young female cones are usually small, their scales are soft, sometimes brightly colored. So, in Canadian spruce they are carmine-pink, and in different types larches - from whitish-pink to purple-violet. In pines, cones are most often green or brownish. All of them need coloring not to attract insects, but to better absorb heat, which is very important for plants in a harsh climate.
So what is a bump? It is rather complicated. The cone has an axis on which two types of scales are arranged in a spiral: covering and seed. The scales can be both thin and leathery - in spruces, larches, and thick, woody - in pines and cypresses. Scales always grow in pairs: seed under cover.
In some species, the covering scales are clearly visible and have large denticles. Sometimes the cover scales develop incorrectly, and almost normal needles grow in their place. The most noticeable covering scales are in the Meisens pseudo-hemlock and firs. In branched fir, these scales, sticking out in all directions, are almost equal in length to the diameter of the cone. Because of this appearance the bump becomes like a disheveled porcupine.
At the base of the seed scales are ovules, from which seeds grow after pollination. The ovules lie open, there are no devices to protect them from adverse conditions, which is why conifers are classified as gymnosperms.
For a long time, botanists could not determine how the cones formed. It turned out that the cones are former branches, the covering scales are former leaves, and the seed scales are modified branches. In all flowering plants, petals and other parts of the flower are formed only by changed leaves. So the cones can in no way be considered either flowers or fruits.
The American Cowler pine has large "horns" on the scales of its cones. In fir, the covering and seed scales grow together, but only at the base, while in pine cones these scales grow together completely and only a thickened end, called the apex, reminds of the covering scales. By the way, it is the presence of an apex that distinguishes pine cone from spruce. In some pines, such as the Bunge pine, the apex is decorated with a sharp needle.
The number of scales in different types of cones is different. There can be from several dozen of them - especially in large cones of pines, fir and cedars - up to several pieces - in edible pine or hemlock. So, in thuja, cones have only 5-7 scales and do not reach even a centimeter in size. Large-fruited cypress has very few scales (from 4 to 6), although its cone is the size of a pine cone. Interestingly, the cypress has not two ovules on the seed scale, like most conifers, but up to 15, the same number of seeds.
In pines, larches, spruces and hemlock, the scales of mature cones shrink in wet weather, protecting the seeds from dampness; in dry weather, they rise up, and the seeds fly out of the cones down. That is why the cones of these trees droop after pollination. But the cones of cypress and sequoia, once opened, no longer shrink. In firs, real cedars and araucaria, mature cones crumble into separate scales. Together with the seeds, they scatter around the tree, leaving only axial rods on the branches. In the Atlas cedar, only the smallest scales at the tip remain from the cone, forming a beautiful “rose”.
In many species of spruce, fir, after the seeds ripen, the cones fall off within a year. And the pines are not in a hurry at all. Only the process of fertilization lasts for 15 months, and the seeds after pollination ripen only in the fall of the next year. In some species of pines, cones with ripe seeds do not open for several years.
Cones of real cedars ripen for a long time, usually they need 3-4 years. Quite large and very strong cones of the Banks pine open only after 5-6 years and after the seeds fly out, they remain empty on the branches. During forest fires, when a tree burns down, these cones are only slightly charred and crack, releasing the entire long-term supply of seeds. They quickly sprout on light and ash-fertilized burnt areas.
The cones of our firs and pines usually begin to crack in early March. At this time in the forest in dry sunny weather, you can often see how the seeds fall. In most conifers, they have membranous wings that allow them to stay in the air and be carried by the wind, rotating like propellers.
But not all seeds are winged. Thus, in the pine pine, the seeds that we usually call pine nuts are too heavy to fly. The seeds of the Italian pine pine are even larger, while those of the araucaria reach a length of 5 centimeters. Such seeds are carried by small animals and birds, which store them for the winter.
Conifers are not only the oldest trees on our planet, but also one of the largest. Quite often, evergreen sequoias growing in California are above 100 meters. The largest species, the giant sequoiadendron, reaches 132 meters in height and is second only to eucalyptus, whose maximum height is 152 meters.
The thickness of coniferous trees is also striking, they are second only to baobabs. So, the thickest of conifers - Mexican taxodium, or mammoth tree, can reach a thickness of 16 meters. It grows in damp places, often standing right in the water, for which it is called swamp cypress. Max Thickness another tree - sequoiadendron - 12 meters. Some of its specimens reach the age of more than 3000 years, and according to some scientists, even 4000 years. But all records of longevity are broken by pine, which is called so - durable. In the USA, in the state of Eastern Nevada, they found a 4900-year-old pine specimen! Already at the time of the construction of the pyramid of Cheops, it was a tree of respectable age - more than 200 years. Probably the world's largest yew growing in Braeburn (England) is also old. The diameter of its trunk is about 5.7 meters. Compared to the sequoiadendron, this is not much, but the annual growth of yew in thickness very rarely exceeds 1 millimeter, so the age of the Braeburn yew is about 4800 years, which is not much inferior to the famous pine. And the oldest tree on the planet grew from a seed that fell from a pine cone.