The most famous types of evergreen coniferous trees are Spruces of the dark coniferous forest. View "Eastern Spruce" (Caucasian) Picea orientalis Caucasian Spruce orientalis - Eastern (lat.) Eastern Spruce

It grows in the Far East along the mountain slopes mixed with other species at an altitude of 400-1200 m above sea level. Most often forms mixed stands. Protected in nature reserves.

Elayanskaya is a very ancient species in its origin. Close to it, Picea suifunensis grew along the Suifun in the Middle Tertiary. In North America and the Balkans, spruce species grow from the same section Omorica as Ayan spruce and are very close to it. Consequently, it can rightly be considered one of the oldest species of the flora of Primorye, which is part of the Turgai forests.

Slender, beautiful tree 40-50 m tall. The crown is regular, conical, pointed. The trunk is straight, covered with dark gray, almost smooth bark in youth, exfoliating with roundish plates in old age. Shoots are pale yellow-brown or yellow-green. Easily distinguished from other species by flat needles, up to 2 cm long, on fruiting branches faceted, slightly curved, short-pointed. The needles are dark green above, bright gray below, from stomatal stripes, tightly pressed to the shoots, which differs from other species. Its decorative effect is increased by light brown, oval-cylindrical, slightly glossy cones up to 6.5 cm long.

Shade-tolerant, reacts sharply to changes in air humidity, does not tolerate waterlogging, is quite demanding on the soil, prefers fresh, moderately moist loams. It can grow on stony and gravelly soils, when standing alone - it is windblow. It painfully tolerates transplanting, pruning and air pollution. Winter-hardy. Adapted to short cool summers. In youth it grows slowly, later - moderately. Age limit - 300-350 years.

Good for contrasting groups with bluish-gray needles. Differs in two-color flat needles, the crown looks gray from a distance. Looks great against the background of birches and other hardwoods. Valuable breed for forest plantings. Effectively reduces the noise level. Suitable for creating dense hedges.

Picea ajanensis
Photo Kravchenko Kirill

In St. Petersburg, it was first noted by F. B. Fisher (1852), earlier than in Western Europe. It was introduced into culture by the BIN Botanical Garden, where it is still grown today. It is also available in the collections of the Forest Engineering Academy and the Otradnoye Research and Development Station.

In GBS since 1954, 9 samples (104 copies), seedlings were brought from the natural habitats of Primorye, Kamchatka, Sakhalin. Tree, at 36 years old, height 7.7 m, trunk diameter 13/16 cm. Vegetation from 20.IV ±7. Annual growth at a young age is 5-7 cm, in mature age - up to 20 cm. Seed production from the age of 33, the seeds ripen by mid-September, irregularly, in the first years the seeds are not viable. Winter hardiness is high. Summer cuttings treated with a 0.01% IMC solution for 24 hours do not root. In the landscaping of Moscow is absent.

P. jezoensis subsp. hondoensis (Mayr) P. A. Schmidt(Spruce Hokkaido, subspecies Honda). It grows in Japan, only in the mountains of the central part of the island of Honshu.

It differs from the typical subspecies in lower growth, up to 30 m high, in darker old branches. The young shoots are red-brown, the buds are purplish and very resinous. The leaf pads are more swollen on the sides. The needles are dark green above and almost white below, more pressed to the shoot, shorter, and more shortly pointed.

New growth appears later than typical, so it is more resistant to late spring frosts. Introduced to Europe in 1861. N.M. Andronov (1962) was the first to test it in St. Petersburg; it has been grown in the Arboretum of the Forestry Engineering Academy since 1937.

Photos above EDSR.

Comes from North America, USA (mountains on the border of California and Oregon). Occurs in small islands in deep gorges on dry, drained soil, usually at high altitudes (from 900 to 2500 m), often mixed with other species.

Picea breweriana
Photograph by Kirill Tkachenko

Tree 20-25 (rarely up to 35) m tall, with a trunk 45-75 cm in diameter, with characteristic weeping branches of the second order. Young shoots are reddish-brown, pubescent, deeply furrowed, later silver-gray. Kidneys elliptical or fusiform, about 6 mm long., Reddish-yellow, resinous. Needles 15-30 (-35) mm long, 1.5-2 mm wide, flattened, obtuse at the top, green above, below with a protruding keel and 4-6 noticeable white rows of stomata on each side of the keel, usually radially located, straight or slightly curved. Cones are narrow-cylindrical, 6-10 cm long, 2-3 cm thick, with whole-edged ovoid, with a cut off upper edge, very thick scales, wide open when ripe.

Found in 1863, introduced to Europe in 1893, rare in cultivation. In St. Petersburg, E. L. Wolf (1917) was the first to test it. In the Botanical Garden BIN since 1973, it is not sufficiently stable and grows slowly. In ornamental gardening, it is of exceptional interest due to its original weeping growth form.

One of the main forest-forming species of the mountain forests of the Caucasus, the northern countries of Asia Minor. It is one of the most decorative sley with short needles. In the mountains at an altitude of 1350-2100 m above sea level. seas. Forms pure and mixed forests. Protected in nature reserves.

Picea orientalis
Photo EDSR.

Tree 35-40 (-50) m a.s.l. and up to 2 m in diameter, with a dense branched conical crown reaching the soil surface. The bark is brown, scaly, dark gray on old trunks. Young shoots are reddish or yellow-gray, densely covered with hairs, older shoots are light gray or gray, with distinct, yellow needle pads. Kidneys 3-5 mm long., ovoid, reddish-brown, non-resinous, with obtusely triangular scales, the tops of which are somewhat bent. Buds are ovoid, red, not resinous. Needles less than 10 (usually 6-8) mm long., 0.7-1 mm wide., Tetrahedral, obtuse at the top, slightly flattened, hard, very shiny, on the upper side with 1-2 stomatal lines on each side, and from the bottom - with 3-4 stomatal lines; the needles are located more or less flat. Cones fusiform-cylindrical, 5-10 cm long. and 2 cm thick., young purple, then light brown. Seed scales are obovate, with wide, almost rounded entire upper margin, streaked along the back, shiny. Seeds 3-4 mm long, blackish, with orange- or yellowish-brown wing three times as long.

It is considered introduced into culture in 1837. However, BIN has been noted in the Catalogs of the Botanical Garden since 1793 (as Pinus orientalis). Obviously, it was introduced into world culture by the BIN Botanical Garden, like several other types of spruce. Plants brought in 1981 from the North Caucasus, from the Teberdinsky Reserve, after 25 years reached 1.5 m in height. In the North-West of Russia, it is poorly winter-hardy, in St. Petersburg it regularly freezes over, however, it has suffered a number of severe winters of recent decades, and is of interest here as a collection plant.

Picea orientalis
Photo Epictetov Vladimir

In GBS since 1937, 4 samples (4 copies) were obtained from Tesare nad Zhitava (Slovakia), Golukhov (Poland) and living plants from the Caucasus (from nature). Tree, at 31 years old, height 2.7 m, trunk diameter 3/11.5 cm. Vegetation from 3.V ± 6. Annual growth up to 10 cm. Not dusty. Winter hardiness is very low. Summer cuttings without processing do not take root. Not promising. It is not found in the landscaping of Moscow.

It grows slowly, especially at a young age, shade-bearing, undemanding to the soil, relatively moisture-loving, but able to develop on poor soils and stony placers. Lives up to 400-500 years. Due to the shallow root system, it suffers from windfall. Sensitive to frost, drought and dry winds. This slender tree is used in landscape gardening to create small groups, high and low, sheared hedges, in forest parks of mountainous areas in the form of arrays on shaded slopes.

It has several decorative forms: drooping(f. nutans) - with drooping branches; low(f. nana) is a shrub with a broad conical to rounded crown, with whitish or light brown branches and dense, dark green needles arranged in a ring around the branches.

Forms for a large garden:

"Early Gold" - very similar to 'Aurea', but its young needles become greenish-yellow with age instead of green, and it appears two weeks earlier than 'Aurea'.

Skyland (= "Aurea Compacta")- a tree with a pyramidal crown and short dense needles, which has a golden color all year round. It reaches 11 m in height and 2 m in width, but grows slowly - no more than 8-15 cm per year, and even more slowly at a young age (at 10 years it can have a height of 1.6 m). One of the most popular varieties of oriental spruce. It is originally from New Jersey, where it was bred on Skyland Farms in 1952. In spring, as well as other varieties of Oriental spruce, beautiful red cones appear at the ends of its shoots, which gradually turn into resinous cylindrical cones, about 5 cm long. It feels better in full sun. Suitable for a bright accent in a large garden. Recommended growing area: 4-7.

"Nutans" - a tree with a dense crown, branches weeping, hanging down. Reaches 20 m in height and 5-7 in width. Annual growth is 20 - 30 cm in height, 15 cm in width. It grows slowly at a young age, then grows more rapidly. The needles are often located, hard, short, dark green, shiny. Cones are cylindrical or ovoid, 5 - 8 cm long, 2 - 3 cm in diameter. Before ripening, the cones are purple, ripened brown. In Central Europe it is hardy, in extremely severe winters the needles turn brown. Winters poorly in northern Europe. In the conditions of Moscow and the Moscow region, it is not winter hardy enough, protection from cold winds is recommended. Sensitive to drought, shade tolerant, undemanding to soils, prefers well-drained substrates. It tolerates a haircut, especially when young. An excellent tree for a single planting. Found in Hungary in 1905, rarely cultivated.

Forms for baby gardens and rock gardens:

Bergman's Gem miniature tree with short and glossy dark green needles. At a young age, the crown of this spruce has an elongated shape, then it acquires the shape of a ball, and then a pillow shape. An adult plant reaches 60 cm in height and 90 cm in width. The plant loves light or areas with little shade. For a year, spruce grows by 7-8 cm. The form was bred in 1980 in Pennsylvania.

Tom Thumb" (= "Tom Thumb Gold", "Compacta Aurea Tom Thumb")- appeared as a witch's broom on one of the specimens of Picea orientalis "Skylands" in the early 1970s. at a private nursery in New Jersey. It grows very slowly, about 0.5 cm per year. It can burn badly in full sun, in strong shade it turns green and loses its dense, compact shape, so the choice of location should be taken responsibly. The combination of bright yellow needles, slow growth, and cushion shape make this tree a must for rock gardens.

Russian Far East (southern part of Sakhalin Island and South Kuriles) and Japan. It grows together with Sakhalin fir and Ayan spruce, in some places it forms a clean stand in wetlands. Plant low places and cold excessively wet soils. It is rare and listed in the Red Book of the Sakhalin Region, was included in the Red Book of the USSR.

A tree with a dense cone-shaped crown, with a trunk about 60-70 cm in diameter. On Sakhalin Island, individual trees reach up to 17 m high, in the mountains of Japan up to 40-50 m high. The bark of old trees is scaly, lamellar, chocolate-brown (on this basis, it differs from all other types of spruce). Young shoots are orange or reddish-brown, pubescent along the grooves and on well-developed, 1 mm long, pads (petioles) of needles. Kidneys 4-6 mm long, about 4 mm wide, ovate-conical, slightly resinous; their scales are acutely triangular or lanceolate with a long styloid spiky, reddish brown. Needles 6-12 (-15) mm long, 1-1.5 mm wide, tetrahedral, slightly curved, obtuse (but usually sharp in young plants), green or bluish-green, with an unpleasant odor when rubbed. Cones are oblong-ovate or cylindrical with an almost flat base, 3.5-8.5 cm long. and 2-3.8 cm thick; dark purple, violet or green when immature, mature brown, with obovate, dark purple-brown seed scales in the basal part. Seeds 2.5-3 mm long, light or yellowish brown, with a yellowish or orange-brown wing, 2-3 times their length.

Shade-tolerant, winter-hardy. Deserves special attention as an original ornamental species in the creation of forest parks, where it goes well with the Gmelin larch.

Introduced into Western Europe in 1877. BIN has been known in the Botanical Garden since 1892. A sample from the natural habitats of Sakhalin has been cultivated since 1955; at 53, the tree reached 16.5 m tall. with a barrel diameter of 28 cm. Also available in the LTA collection.

In GBS since 1954, 8 samples (128 copies) were grown from seeds collected in the natural habitats of Sakhalin. Tree, at 36 years old, height 13.5 m, trunk diameter 16.5 / 23.0 cm. Vegetation from 25.IV ± 10. Annual growth of about 10 cm. V ± 4, non-annual, not abundant. Seeds ripen in the first half of September, there are few of them. The weight of 1000 seeds is 3.3 g. Winter hardiness is high. Summer cuttings treated with a 0.05% IBA solution for 24 hours gave only 45% of rooted cuttings. Viability 14%. It is not found in the landscaping of Moscow.

Photo on the left EDSR.
photo right Kravchenko Kirill

Naturally grows in the Far East, North Korea. Usually on gravelly moist soils along river valleys, together with Ayan spruce and white fir. Protected in nature reserves.

A species close to the Siberian spruce. Differs in larger (6-10 cm long) cones and longer, bluish needles, the tops of which are long pointed. Tree up to 30 m high. with a pyramidal crown and drooping branches. The bark is reddish-brown. Young shoots are yellow or yellowish-brown, later - reddish-brown, naked or almost naked, with glandular pubescence along the grooves. Kidneys are elongated-conical, reddish-brown. Needles 9-22 mm long. and 1.5-1.8 (-2.2) mm wide, tetrahedral, long pointed (with a point 0.5-0.7 mm long), green, with 2-4 stomatal lines on each side. Cones 5-8 (-10) cm long, 2.5-3.5 (-4) cm thick, oblong-ovate. Seed scales are round-ovate or triangular with a rounded upper edge, covering scales are elongated.

Promising for landscaping due to high resistance to adverse environmental factors. Recommended for use in single and group plantings in combination with birch, velvet and other hardwoods.

The species was described in 1919, in St. Petersburg since 1957. It is grown in the BIN Botanical Garden, the Arboretum of the Forestry Engineering Academy, and also at the Otradnoye scientific experimental station.

In GBS since 1956, 9 samples (76 copies) were grown from seeds obtained from Canada and the Forest Institute (Moscow), there are GBS reproduction plants. Tree, at 33 years old, height 14.2 m, trunk diameter 16/23 cm. Vegetation from 26.IV ± 10. Annual growth up to 30 cm. Dusts from 8 years, regularly, abundantly, from 16.V ± 9 to 22. V ± 4. Seeds ripen at the end of October. Winter hardiness is high. Winter cuttings without processing do not take root. It is not found in the landscaping of Moscow.

Grows in Japan, the central part of the island of Honshu. The rarest of all Japanese spruces. There are only about 100 known trees on Mount Yatsuga.

Tree up to 18-20 m high. and 50 cm dia. with a narrow crown. The bark is gray-brown, slightly furrowed, exfoliates in thin plates. The branches are dense, horizontally arranged, the ends of the shoots are ascending. Young shoots are red or pinkish brown, usually slightly covered with a whitish bloom, later dark brown. The main shoots are bare, lateral pubescent. Buds are conical, up to 6 mm long, resinous, their scales are pointed. The needles are usually up to 15 mm long, rather wide (1.5-2.5 mm wide), tetrahedral, obtuse at the apex, slightly crescent-shaped, very densely spaced, distinctly gray or gray-green, with 3-5 stomatal lines on each side. Cones 4-9 cm long, 2.5-3.5 (-4) cm thick, oblong-ovate, with a wedge-shaped base; seed scales with a broadly rounded, wavy, often bent outward upper edge.

Relatively recently in culture, it was found by Mitsua Koyami in 1911, introduced into Europe by Ernst Wilson in 1914, N. M. Andronov (1962) was first tested in St. Petersburg. Currently grown in the LTA collection. Resistant, but very rare both in nature and culture spruce. Obviously not long lived.

Naturally grows in the eastern part of North America (Appalachian Mountains) in the zone of coniferous-deciduous forests in the form of pure or mixed stands. In marshy places, it is found together with black spruce, American larch and balsam fir. It rises to the mountains up to 1000 - 1800 m above sea level (a.s.l.) The height of the tree is up to 30 m.

Tree 20-35 m high. and up to 1.5 m in diameter. The crown of isolated trees is broadly conical, relatively loose, descending to the ground. The bark is fissured, scaly, reddish-brown. Young shoots are short and thin, reddish-brown, densely pubescent. Kidneys 5-8 mm long., ovoid, narrowed into a sharp apex, slightly resinous, start growing later than other firs. Needles 10-15 mm long, about 1 mm wide, tetrahedral, with 3-5 rows of stomata on each side, partially curved, yellowish-green, highly glossy; needles last 5-7 (up to 8-11) years. Cones are oblong-ovate, resinous, 3-4 (-5) cm long, 1.5-3.5 cm thick, purple or green before maturation, mature glossy reddish-brown, hard and woody scales, along the upper edge rounded and irregularly finely serrated, buds may be resinous, falling off rather quickly after maturation. Seeds 2-3 mm long, dark brown, with light or orange-brown wing, 2-3 times as large. Lives up to 350-400 (450-500) years

It was brought to Europe in 1755, it has been cultivated in Russia since the 70s - 80s of the XIX century, but is still slightly distributed. Distinguished by reddish-brown bark and reddish buds. In St. Petersburg since 1833, it does not freeze, develops normally and forms viable seeds. Requires air humidity. Does not like overdrying, unsuitable for chalky soils. It grows more slowly than European spruce. In Russia, it is still very rare in gardens and parks. For the same purposes as other types of spruces.

In GBS since 1957, 7 samples (51 copies) were grown from seeds obtained from Canada (Ontario). Tree, at 31, height 11.2 m, trunk diameter 17.5/24 cm. Vegetation from 28.IV ± 6. Annual growth up to 10 cm. Not dusty. Winter hardiness is high. Summer cuttings without processing do not take root. It is not found in the landscaping of Moscow.

Two forms of red spruce are known abroad: "Nana" and "Virgata".

"Virgata" ("Virgata") has hose-like long branches, thin. It is very similar to the same form of common spruce. The form was found in 1893 in the forest and introduced into cultivation in the famous Arnold Arboretum (USA).

"Nana" ("Nana")- dwarf form with a wide pyramidal squat crown. Grows very slowly. Young shoots are very short, orange-red. Apical buds 3 mm long reddish-brown. The needles are fresh green, densely arranged, 4 - 20 mm long. The cultivar was obtained by splitting from sowing seeds in Holland in 1908 in the Gimborn arboretum. At 50 years old, plant height is 1.2 m. Crown diameter is 1.4 m.

Photo EDSR.

It grows in the highlands of Western China, Western Sichuan, at an altitude of 3300-4000 m.

Picea likiangensis
Photograph by Kirill Tkachenko

Tree up to 30 (-50) m high, with a conical crown and horizontal whorled branches. The bark is grey, deeply furrowed. Young shoots are yellowish, grayish or brownish, more or less pubescent or glabrous. Kidneys 4-6 mm long, 3-4 mm wide, conical or ovoid, sharp, resinous. Needles 8-15 mm long., 1-1.5 mm wide., flattened, forward-upward directed, keeled on both sides, green, from below with 1-2, occasionally 3-4 stomatal lines on each side of the keel. Cones oblong-cylindrical, 5-12 cm long, 3.5-5 cm thick, scales thin, oval-rhombic or obovate, broadly triangular-obtuse along the upper edge, sometimes serrated or wavy. Seeds 2-4 mm long., Dark brown, with a light brown wing, exceeding them by 3 times.

Introduced into culture by Ernst Wilson in Europe in 1908, it is still rare, mainly in botanical collections. Available in the collections of the BIN Botanical Garden and the LTA Arboretum. Winter-hardy, in St. Petersburg since 1940, develops normally and forms germinating seeds. Requires well-drained soils and high air humidity, watering young plants in dry summer weather. A good park tree for single and group plantings in a country environment.

It grows in southern Alaska, where the ranges of parental species touch.

Natural hybrid between Canadian spruce and Sitka spruce. Tree up to 20 m high. and 30 cm dia. Young shoots are yellowish, glabrous. Needles and cones with intermediate characters between parental species. The needles are bluish, spirally arranged, 10-16 mm long., Linear, about 1.5 mm wide. and almost the same thickness, sharp and prickly, slightly tetrahedral, or slightly keeled on both sides. Cones oblong-cylindrical, 3-6 cm long. and 2.5-3 cm wide. Seed scales are rounded along the upper edge, yellowish-brown.

Discovered by H. Lutz in 1950. In the BIN Botanical Garden since 1999, the seeds were brought from natural populations from the Kenai Peninsula, at the age of 8 it reached a height of 35-43 cm.

It grows in the mountains of Japan, the central part of the island of Honshu, at an altitude of 1200-1600 m, only two locations are known.

A rare tree with a very narrow and dense crown, up to 25 m high. Branches are horizontal, thin. Young shoots are thick and glabrous, brown in the first year and light gray in the second year. Needles 9-15 mm long., Quite thin on vegetative shoots (about 1 mm wide), on reproductive shoots - about 1.5 mm wide, tetrahedral, obtuse at the top, with 3-4 stomatal lines on all sides, radially arranged ; needles b. m. soft to the touch. The buds are rather small (up to 5 mm long), fusiform-ovate, with a sharp apex, very resinous, with pressed scales, red-brown, darker in color than the shoots. The cones are smaller, 3-6 cm long, 1.5-2.5 cm thick, ovate-fusiform, their scales along the upper edge are, as it were, chopped off, slightly wavy. Seeds 3-4.5 mm long, ovate-oblong, dark or gray-brown with a yellowish or orange-brown wing, 3 times their length.

It is distinguished by a narrow crown, gray-brown longitudinally furrowed thick bark, small highly resinous buds and short (9-15 mm long) dark green needles. The species was described by E. L. Regel in 1865. In Europe, in culture since 1861, BIN has been known in the Catalogs of the Botanical Garden since 1982. According to V. I. Lipsky and K. K. Meissner (1915), introduced into culture BIN Botanical Garden. Available in the collection of the scientific experimental station "Otradnoe".

Widespread in northern China.

A closely related species of rough spruce (Picea asperata). It differs from it in somewhat smaller, more symmetrical cones with scales rounded along the upper edge, as well as blunt needles at the top (in P. asperata they are sharp) and buds that have the same color as the shoots.

Tree up to 30 m high. with a wide-columnar or conical sparse crown. The bark of young trees is smooth, later coarsely scaly, gray or grayish brown. Young vegetative shoots are thin, light brown, slightly pubescent along the longitudinal grooves with short reddish hairs, reproductive shoots are thick (up to 5 mm thick), orange-brown (like Picea asperata). Buds 6-10 mm long, 4-8 mm wide, conical, slightly resinous or without resin, about the same color as the shoots. Needles 13-25 (-30) mm long, about 2 mm wide, tetrahedral, radially arranged, with a blunt apex, slightly curved, with 4-5 (-8) stomatal lines on each of the faces, bluish or bluish green, shiny. Cones ovate-cylindrical, 7-10 (-12) cm long, 2.5-3.5 (-4) cm thick, brown, with convex, wide, entire, rounded scales along the upper edge. Seeds 3-4 mm long, brown or blackish brown; the wing of the seed is 3-5 times longer than it, yellowish or reddish-brown.

In St. Petersburg, it is grown in the LTA Arboretum, forms cones with germinating seeds.

China, Western Sichuan, highlands at an altitude of 3300-3600 m above sea level.

Picea gemmata
Photo EDSR.

Tree 20-40 m high, with a trunk up to 1.5 m in diameter, narrow-conical or columnar crown and horizontal branches drooping at the tops. The bark is gray or brownish, smooth in young trees, coarsely lamellar in old trees. Young shoots are whitish-light brown, pubescent on reproductive shoots (unlike closely related Picea asperata). Kidneys 5-10 mm long. and wide, broadly conical, resinous, often pubescent at the base. Needles 12-18 mm long., 1.5-2 mm wide., Tetrahedral, straight or curved, pointed or prickly (but not to the same extent as in prickly spruce), with 4-6 stomatal lines, close in color to dove-gray forms of prickly spruce. Cones are oblong-cylindrical, 8-12 cm long, 3-4 cm thick, smooth and glossy, with leathery scales broadly rounded along the upper edge. Seeds 3-4 mm long, dark or reddish brown, pale or yellowish brown wing, 3-4 times as long as seeds.

In St. Petersburg, it is winter-hardy and grown from local seeds, but does not reach the size of prickly spruce. It reacts badly to summer drought, at this time watering is needed for young plants. Enough shade-tolerant and gas-smoke resistant. Relatively slow growing. Introduced into culture in 1908, in St. Petersburg since 1957. Not widely distributed in culture, known from a few botanical collections. It is used for the same purposes as other types of spruces. Decorative with its bluish-gray needles, dense, low-down crown and large cones.

Southern Europe, Balkans; a rare species from the environs of Sarajevo (Serbia and Bosnia), along the steep banks of the middle and upper reaches of the Drina River. On rocky limestone slopes at an altitude of 950-1500 m above sea level. seas.

Picea omorica
Photograph by Kirill Tkachenko

Tree up to 45 (-55) m high, with a dense, to old age narrow-conical, long and finely pointed crown. When growing in freedom, the crown is lowered low almost to the ground. In plantations, the lower part of the trunks is cleared of branches. The branches are short, the lower hanging down. The bark is thin, dark brown, lagging behind with plates. Young shoots are gray-brown, densely pubescent. Kidneys 5-8 mm long., 2.5-4.5 mm wide., broadly ovate, sharp, red-brown, non-resinous, with long subulate pointed scales. Needles up to 20 mm long, 0.5-2 mm wide, flattened, thickish, keeled on both sides, dark green above, shiny, below with two bluish-white stripes, each of 4-6 stomatal lines, obtusely short pointed in young trees and rounded in old ones; the needles are flat, last 8-10 years. Cones 4-6.5 cm long., 2-3 cm thick., bluish-black, brown in maturity, shiny, with rounded, longitudinally fine-streaked scales along the back, finely pubescent towards the base. Fruiting occurs at 12-15 years of age. Seeds 3 mm long, brown or red-brown, with a reddish or yellowish-brown wing 3-4 times their length. The cones ripen in August.

Picea omorica Wodan
Photo EDSR.

Lives in nature up to 300 years. Winter-hardy. Relatively smoke and gas resistant. Unpretentious to soil and climatic conditions. It is very decorative, therefore it deserves wide introduction into green building. In terms of decorativeness, it is second only to prickly spruce. Shade-tolerant, demanding on air humidity, but tolerates dryness better than common spruce. Prefers fresh loam. Wind and gas resistant. Propagated by seeds and grafting on the common spruce. It deserves wide application in single and group plantings, when creating green areas in parks and forest parks.

Widely used in landscaping Scandinavian countries. It was discovered and described in 1875, introduced into culture around 1880, known since 1889, in the Botanical Garden of BIN since 1887. It is also cultivated in the Arboretum of the Forestry Engineering Academy and at the Otradnoye scientific experimental station. In St. Petersburg, it is grown from local seeds. In culture, plants with a wider crown are more common. It is believed that the seeds of such genotypes were originally obtained from the accessible lower parts of the mountains. The most beautiful and rare are narrow-crowned needle-shaped trees, which are found in nature in hard-to-reach mountainous places, at the upper border of the forest. It is this specimen that grows on plot 128 of the park-arboretum BIN, the tree was planted in 1971. At the time of planting by gardeners of the botanical garden V.P. Kaverznev and O.O. Balakirev, this tree only slightly exceeded the height of human growth, then 36 years later it reached 20.5 m h. with a trunk diameter of 23 cm and a crown diameter of only about 2 m.

In GBS since 1939, 3 samples (15 copies) were grown from seeds obtained from Kurnik (Poland). Sarajevo (Serbia), and seedlings from the Moscow region (Odintsovsky district), from Potsdam (Germany). Tree, at 34 years old, height 12.6 m, trunk diameter 19/28 cm. Vegetation from 28.IV ± 7. Annual growth up to 30 cm. 4. Seeds ripen in the first decade of November. Winter hardiness is high. Seed viability 17%. Summer cuttings without processing do not take root. In the landscaping of Moscow is found infrequently.

Varieties and forms:

European part (north-west (Svir., Veps), north-east), Trans-Volga, almost all of Siberia (except the extreme north) to the coast of the Sea of ​​Okhotsk and the middle Amur, one of the main forest-forming species of Siberian forests, is essential for the conservation of flora and fauna and unique natural landscapes. Outside of Russia - the Scandinavian Peninsula, Kazakhstan, Northern Mongolia, China (Northern Manchuria). Grows in river valleys. Forms pure and mixed stands. Protected in nature reserves.

Tree up to 30 (-35) m high. with a narrow pyramidal or pyramidal crown, in free standing starting from the base of the trunk. The bark is fissured, gray. Young shoots are light brown, slightly pubescent along the longitudinal grooves with short reddish hairs. Kidneys 4-5 mm long-i 3-4 mm wide, ovate-conical, slightly resinous or without resin. Needles 8-20 mm long, 1-1.8 mm wide, tetrahedral, short-pointed (with a point 0.2-0.3 mm long), with 2-5 stomatal lines on each of the faces, green, shiny. Cones are ovate-cylindrical, 5-6 cm long, up to 4 cm thick, brown, with convex, wide, entire rounded scales. Seeds 2-5 mm long, dark brown with a light brown wing 3-5 times their length.

Very shade tolerant. Not salt tolerant. It grows more slowly than European spruce, the requirements for culture are about the same. Propagation by seeds, garden forms - semi-lignified green cuttings or grafting. In recent years, within their range, decorative natural forms have been introduced into culture with the help of grafting, but so far they are still little known to European gardeners.

In decorative terms, it is equivalent to European spruce and is used for the same purposes: landscape gardening and landscaping, protective afforestation, creation of snow-retaining strips and hedges. Morphologically close to European spruce. It differs from it in slightly pubescent young shoots, smaller cones and a different shape (rounded) of the upper edge of the seed scale. It is confined to more continental climatic conditions with long winters and lower temperatures, without winter thaws.

Introduced into the culture of the BIN Botanical Garden until 1852, it is grown here at the present time. It is also available in the collections of the Forest Engineering Academy and the Otradnoye Research and Development Station.

In GBS since 1949, 7 samples (73 copies) were grown from seeds obtained from Barnaul, Yekaterinburg, Tomsk, the Tyumen region, Novosibirsk, there are GBS reproduction plants. Tree, at 33 years old, height 16 m, trunk diameter 29/40 cm. Vegetation from 25.IV ± 8. Annual growth up to 25 cm. At a young age, it grows somewhat slower than common spruce. It dusts from the age of 30, rarely, from 13.V ± 5 to 18.V ± 4 during the week. Seed production from the age of 33, irregular, seeds ripen by mid-November, many empty ones. Winter hardiness is high. Summer cuttings without treatment and when treated with a 0.01% IMC solution do not root for 24 hours. It is not found in the landscaping of Moscow.

Known varieties:

Krylova (krylovii Lucznik). A tree up to 30 m high. The crown is cone-shaped. In appearance, it resembles an ordinary spruce. In ecological terms, it is close to the common spruce. Its variety has hard needles 1.7-2.2 cm long, pressed or splayed, with an intense bluish bloom. Cones 6.5 - 7.5 cm long, about 3 cm in diameter, greenish-light brown, with thinner and softer scales than the typical green coniferous variety. Grows in culture faster than the typical form. Found in nature in Altai (Seminsky Range). Deserves further testing in culture, as it has high decorative qualities. It is recommended to use in different types of plantings, in gardens occupying large areas.

In GBS since 1974. Brought seedlings from the arboretum nursery in Barnaul. At 18 years old, height 7.8 m, trunk diameter 12/18 cm. Does not form cones. Winter hardiness is high. Deserves further testing in culture, as it has high decorative qualities. It is recommended to use in different types of plantings in parks and forest parks. In the landscaping of Moscow is absent.

lutescens, Yellowish (lutescens Lucznik). Tree up to 30 m tall. Needles 1.2 - 1.8 cm long, yellow-green or copper-yellow-green with light yellow tips. Found in nature in Altai (Seminsky Range). Introduced in the arboretum of Barnaul. Further testing is needed for use in landscaping. Most effective in group plantings. It is recommended to plant in parks, squares, boulevards.

In GBS since 1974. Saplings from Barnaul. At the age of 18, height 8.2 m, trunk diameter 12.5 / 18.8 cm, growth 40 cm. Not found in Moscow landscaping.

Lucifer, Glowing (lucifera Lucznik). Tree 30 m tall. Needles 1.2 - 1.8 cm long, radially spaced, gray-green or gray. On the upper illuminated side of the shoots, part of the needles is whitish-yellow, as if fading in the sun. In the shaded part of the crown, needles with light tips. The branches appear to be illuminated from above. Found in nature in 1969 in Altai (Seminsky Ridge). The GBS RAS has two plants from the Barnaul arboretum. It is very decorative and deserves a wider test in culture. Recommended for single and group plantings in parks and squares.

In GBS since 1974, 2 plants from the Barnaul arboretum. At 18 years old, height 8.0 m, trunk diameter 10.5 / 16.7 cm. Does not dust. Winter hardiness is high. In the landscaping of Moscow is absent.

Picea obovata "Coerulea"
Photograph by Kirill Tkachenko

cerulea, blue (Coerulea Tigerotedt). Tree up to 30 m tall. The crown is conical. Very decorative, silver-white needles. With seed propagation, up to 57% of seedlings inherit this trait. Young shoots are bare. Grows fast. Does not suffer from heat and dryness. Recommended for gardens, forest parks when planting with other tree species. Planted singly, in groups, in alleys, suitable for cutting, thanks to which you can create high hedges. In nature, found in the mountains of Eastern Siberia and Altai. Rarely seen in culture. In St. Petersburg, it was first tested by E. L. Wolf (1917) in the Arboretum of the Forestry Engineering Academy, and is grown here to this day. In the BIN Botanical Garden since 1987, the seeds were obtained from Barnaul.

The origin of the blue variety of Siberian spruce is mysterious. Siberian spruce with blue needles was also found in Altai and Kuznetsk Alatau, described as an Altai variety ( varietas altaica Tepl.). In the case of blue and Altai varieties of Siberian spruce, parallel, independent evolution is possible, which can lead to polytopic (many-local) speciation.

In GBS since 1974. Saplings from the Barnaul arboretum. At the age of 18, height 8.4 m, trunk diameter 14.2 / 19.8 cm. It grows rapidly, annual growth is up to 40 cm. It is not dusty. Does not suffer from heat and dryness. Winter hardiness is high. It is not found in the landscaping of Moscow.

"Glauca" . In GBS since 1958, 2 samples (33 copies) were grown from seeds sent from Barnaul and seedlings brought from Gorno-Altaisk. Tree, aged 32, height 10.7 m, trunk diameter 14/17.5 cm. Vegetation from 26.IV±7. Annual growth 20 cm. Not dusty. Winter hardiness is high. Summer cuttings without treatment give 50% of rooted cuttings, winter cuttings without treatment do not take root. It is not found in the landscaping of Moscow.

Photo EDSR.

It grows along the coastline of western North America, from Alaska to California. It rises to the mountains up to 900-1000 m along the rivers and along the slopes of the mountains facing the sea. Sea climate tree. Forms pure and mixed plantations with Menzies pseudosuga, great fir, Lawson's cypress and other species.

Picea sitchensis "Renken"
Photograph by Kirill Tkachenko

Tree up to 40 m high. in cultivation, 60 m or higher in nature, with a trunk up to 240 (-480) cm in diameter, with a dense broad pyramidal crown. The tallest spruce in North America and one of the largest conifers in general. In culture, it usually does not exceed 40 m in height. The bark is fissured, scaly, gray, thin. Kidneys 4-5 mm long. and 2-3 mm wide., cone-shaped, resinous. Young shoots are light brown, mostly glabrous (sometimes slightly pubescent only on cone-bearing shoots). Needles 15-18 (-25) mm long, about 1 mm wide, flattened, on the underside with 6-8 stomatal lines on both sides of the keel; the needles are stiff and prickly, slightly keeled, green above, silvery below from white stomatal stripes, which gives the crown a characteristic steel bluish tint. Cones are cylindrical, 5-10 cm long., 2.5-3 cm thick., yellow-green before maturation, mature light brown, with thin notched-toothed scales. Seeds 2-3.5 mm long, light brown, with a light yellow wing 4-5 times larger than them. Cones ripen in September - October. Lives up to 500-800 years.

In Europe since 1831. In St. Petersburg in the Catalogs of E. L. Re-gel and J. K. Kesselring since 1876, in the Botanical Garden of BIN since 1886. It is also grown in the Arboretum of the Forestry Engineering Academy.

In GBS since 1947, 4 samples (18 copies) were grown from seeds obtained from Germany, USA, France. Tree, at 36 years old, height 20 m, trunk diameter 14.5/26.5 cm. Vegetation from 7.V ± 10. Annual growth in youth up to 10 cm, in adulthood 30 cm. Not dusty. Winter hardiness is high. In the landscaping of Moscow is absent.

Picea sitchensis Tenas Photo Bondareva Olga

Picea sitchensis "Papoose" Photo by Georgy Lotkin

Picea sitchensis"Silberzwerg" Photo EDSR.

Relatively frost-resistant, demanding on air and soil moisture, successfully develops in temporarily flooded areas. Smoke and gas resistant. Very effective in single and loose group plantings.

Picea sitchensis Tenas
Photograph by Kirill Tkachenko

Although Sitka spruce was discovered by Archibald Menzies as early as 1792 and has been widely cultivated for a long time, very few of its garden forms are known.

"Glauca" . In GBS since 1971, 1 sample (1 copy) was grown from seeds obtained from Dubravskaya VOC (Lithuania). Tree, at 19 years old, height 4.5 m, trunk diameter 7/18 cm. Vegetation from 9.V ± 8. Annual growth 12 cm. Not dusty. Winter hardiness is average. In the landscaping of Moscow is absent.

It is a hybrid of the widespread European spruce and Siberian spruce. Distributed in the northern part of Eastern Europe and Scandinavia. It occurs here as an admixture in European spruce stands, especially in damp areas, mainly in the north of the Karelian Isthmus and in the east of the Leningrad Region. It is distinguished by seed scales that are widely rounded and suddenly shortly pointed or slightly serrated along the upper edge, a narrow crown with downward bent branches and bare shoots. Mature cones less than 8 cm long.

Available at the scientific experimental station BIN "Otradnoe". An old, well-developed, solitary tree here has reached 82 cm in diameter. at a height of 19 m (the top is broken due to wet snow sticking), the crown projection is 12 x 14 m. It is of interest for dendrological collections. The rest of the application is the same as European spruce.

Naturally grows in Dzungarian Alatau, Tien Shan, Western and Southern China. In the mountains at an altitude of 1300 to 2700 m above sea level. seas. Forms pure and mixed plantations on stony places. Protected in nature reserves.

This species was described by Fischer and Meyer from the herbarium collections of the famous traveler Schrenk in the Dzungarian Alatau. Close to Siberian spruce, from which it differs in bare young shoots, longer (18-40 mm long) needles and larger (7-15 cm long, about 2.5 cm thick) cones.
Tree up to 40 (-60) m high. with a trunk up to 2 m in diameter, a narrow pyramidal or columnar low crown, in adult trees - drooping branches. The bark is reddish-dark brown, later grey. Young shoots glabrous, yellowish grey, b. m resinous. Kidneys 4-5 mm long., 2-3 mm wide., spherical-conical, their scales with appressed tops of the scales, yellowish-brown. Needles 20-35 mm long., About 1-1.5 mm wide., Tetrahedral, long pointed, dark green, with clearly visible longitudinal 5-8 stomatal stripes, directed forward and more densely located on the upper side of the shoots. Cones are cylindrical, 7-15 cm long, about 2.5-3.5 cm thick, green before maturing, dark chestnut when mature. Seed scales are about 16 mm long, 13 mm wide, longitudinally very finely striated, rounded along the upper edge, entire, sometimes finely serrated. Seeds 3.5-4 mm long, with three times longer wing.

In youth, it grows slowly, it is undemanding to the soil, but it is quite demanding on air and soil moisture. Frost-resistant. It grows both on humus-calcareous soils and on acidic brown soils, good drainage is needed. In decorative terms, it is quite interesting due to the narrow, low-drooped crown and light or bluish-green needles. It is distinguished by sharp and prickly, straight and finely pointed needles.

It has been known in Europe since 1877, but in St. Petersburg earlier, F. B. Fisher noted in 1852, it was introduced into culture by the BIN Botanical Garden. Also available in the collection of the Forestry Academy. In St. Petersburg, it is resistant to frost, but sensitive to air pollution.

In GBS since 1939, 2 samples (4 copies) were received from Tashkent and transplanted from the GBS flora department. Tree, at 16 years old, height 1.0 m, trunk diameter 1.0/3.5 cm. Vegetation from 20.V ± 10. In youth, it grows very slowly, annual growth is 5-7 cm. It is not dusty. Winter hardiness is low. 30% of summer cuttings take root without treatment. In the landscaping of Moscow is absent.

High decorative qualities make this spruce desirable in garden and park compositions, and slow growth in the first years of life makes it possible to form dense hedges from it. In culture since 1880.

It has spherical(f. globosa) form - a tree up to 1.8 m tall with a rounded crown.

Photo EDSR.

A species little known in our country from the western regions of China, where it grows in the zone of subalpine forests, at altitudes of 2700-3500 m, where it replaces European spruce, one of the important forest-forming species.

Tree up to 25-45 m high, with a conical crown. The branches are horizontal, usually with ascending tops, hanging down in older trees. The bark is grayish-brown, exfoliates in thin plates. Young shoots are orange, yellow or yellowish-light brown, glabrous or slightly pubescent, deeply furrowed. Kidneys are conical, large, resinous, up to 12-15 mm long. and 5-8 mm wide., darker in color than the shoots. Kidney scales yellow-brown, resinous, not very tightly appressed, slightly recurved at the top. Needles 10-15 (-20) mm long, 1-1.8 mm wide, tetrahedral, with 4-8 stomatal lines on each side, dull grayish green, sometimes bluish or bluish green, hard and sharp, densely brush-shaped on the main shoots, on the lateral shoots - radially located and directed forward. Cones are cylindrical, 5-10 (-16) cm long. and 2.5-4 cm thick, chestnut brown. Seed scales are broadly obovate, obtuse along the upper edge, rounded or slightly truncated, entire or slightly serrated, hard and woody, slightly curved. Seeds 2-4 mm long, 1.5-3 mm wide, dark brown or grayish-brown, with a yellowish-brown wing, 3-4 times their length.

Photo by Konstantin Korzhavin

Photo Popova Annette

Photograph by Kirill Tkachenko

It is drought-resistant, well develops in the conditions of the city. In terms of decorativeness, it is not inferior to prickly spruce and its forms. It is recommended for wide implementation in garden and park construction.

Introduced into Europe by Ernst Wilson in 1910, in St. Petersburg in the Arboretum of the Forestry Engineering Academy since 1954, N. M. Andronov (1962) was the first to test it. In the Botanical Garden BIN since 1956. Withstands some excessive soil moisture, does not like overdrying. It grows slower than European spruce, but is more smoke resistant. In St. Petersburg, it is winter-hardy and forms germinating seeds.

In GBS since 1957, 5 samples (17 copies) were grown from seeds and seedlings obtained from Beijing, the Lipetsk LSOS, the Botanical Garden of Moscow State University (Moscow). Tree, at 20 years old, height 10.0 m, trunk diameter 18.5 / 25.0 cm. Vegetation from 5.V ± 10. Annual growth up to 10 years about 2.5 cm, at an older age up to 25 cm. Does not produce dust . Winter hardiness is low. Propagated by seeds. Without processing, winter cuttings do not take root. It is not found in the landscaping of Moscow.

West of North America. In pure and mixed forests, at an altitude of 1500-3500 m above sea level. seas.

Photo EDSR.

Tree up to 30-50 m tall, with a trunk up to 90 cm in diameter, with a dense cone-shaped crown (may be narrow and sharp) and slightly drooping branches. The bark is fissured, scaly, reddish-brown, thin. Young shoots are yellowish-brown, with rusty pubescence. Kidneys 5-6 mm long., ovate-conical, resinous at the apex; their scales are obtusely triangular, red-brown, with recurved tops. Needles 15-25 (-30) mm long., 1.5-2 mm wide., tetrahedral, sharp, fairly hard (but softer than prickly spruce), straight or slightly curved, bluish-green, directed to the top of the shoot ; the needles last 5-10 (-15) years, when rubbed, they emit a specific pungent odor, the color weakens with age. Cones ovoid-cylindrical, 4-7 cm long. and 2-2.5 cm thick., immature purple, light brown when ripe, their scales are ovoid, slightly coarsely serrated or wavy along the upper edge. Seeds 2-3 mm long, grayish-brown to black, with yellowish-brown wing 4-5 times their length.

With proper storage, they retain sufficient germination even after 5 years. Cones ripen in August-September, usually fall off in the spring of the following year. Lives 300-400 (-600) years. It is winter-hardy and hardy in relation to adverse climatic factors. It is unpretentious to the soil, it is considered slowly growing. Can successfully grow on different soils, provided there is sufficient moisture. Grows better in continental climates than in maritime ones; in the forest zone is better than in the forest-steppe and steppe.

Picea engelmannii "Compacta"
Photograph by Kirill Tkachenko

In culture, it is usually relatively small in size, grows more slowly than European spruce and prickly spruce. It looks like a prickly spruce, but the shoots are always pubescent and the buds are somewhat sharper.

In decorative terms, it is somewhat inferior to prickly spruce, remaining a beautiful tree. It has been grown in culture since 1862. It is recommended to plant singly or in small groups, in squares, on city streets and squares, in alley plantings. Propagated by seeds, cuttings, grafting.

Known in culture since 1862, in the St. Petersburg Botanical Garden since 1873. It is also grown in the collection of the Arboretum of the Forestry Engineering Academy.

In GBS since 1968, 6 samples (18 copies) were grown from seeds obtained from the Lipetsk LSOS, Latvia, Trostyanets arboretum (Ukraine), USA (from nature). Tree, at 17 years old, height 9.4 m, trunk diameter 16/25 cm. Vegetation from 26.IV ± 8. Annual growth of about 20 cm. Dust from 20.V ± 5 to 28.V ± 6, irregularly. Seeds ripen by mid-September, many of them are empty. Winter hardiness is average. Rarely found in landscaping in Moscow.

Picea engelmannii "Lace"
Photo Solovieva Elena.

"glauka", Sizaya ("Glauca"). Tree 20 - 40 m tall, with a dense cone-shaped crown, without a clear horizontal layering of branches. The needles are less prickly, more flexible and less spaced than those of prickly spruce, bluish-blue, especially clear color appears in early spring. In winter, the needles are not so attractive, but still decorative. Grows fast. Winter-hardy. Propagated by seeds, cuttings, grafting. Cultivated since 1874. Very common in gardens abroad. Recommended for single, group and avenue plantings in large gardens. In St. Petersburg, it has been noted in the Catalogs of E. L. Regel and J. K. Kesselring since 1886. In the Botanical Garden, BIN has been grown since 1957; in terms of winter hardiness and other indicators of adaptability, it does not differ from the typical one.

From other forms known: silvery(f. argentea) - with silver needles; blue weeping(f. glauca pendula) - gray-blue needles, weeping crown, with strongly drooping main branches; Fendler(f. Fendleri) - a weeping form, with silvery, thin and long (up to 2.8 cm) needles; small coniferous(f. microphila) - dwarf, spherical shape, with short needles.