Common spruce. Spruce: description, classification and area

Family: pine (Pinaceae).

Homeland

Spruce grows in Northern Europe, Northeast and Central Asia, North America, Central and Western China.

Form: conifer tree.

Description

Spruce is one of the important forest-forming species of the forest zone and mountain forest belt Northern Hemisphere. Norway spruce is the largest wild tree in Europe (can reach 60 m in height). All types of spruce have dense, hard tetrahedral needles. Monoecious flowers appear rarely, once every three to four years. Spruce cones, as a rule, decorate older trees. The root system of spruce is superficial, so replanting spruce is undesirable, as are interventions of various kinds. Spruce selections present an amazing diversity in height (from dwarf to tall forms), appearance and needles of plants.

Norway spruce (European) (P. abies). Straight, large, conical tree, 25 to 60 m tall and 6 to 10 m wide, with needle-shaped, prickly, dark green needles. Norway spruce branches lie in layers. The growth rate of this type of spruce is average. The cones of common spruce are light brown, up to 15 cm long. Growing conditions for common spruce - sun or partial shade; cool, damp places. Norway spruce is frost-resistant; prefers drained soils, from fresh to moist; grows on not very fertile substrates. On heavy soils, spruce is wind-fallen (it can be uprooted in strong gusts of wind). Norway spruce is sensitive to soil compaction and flooding. Norway spruce is beautifully trimmed; however, dense hedges are only possible in cool, damp, well-lit areas. Norway spruce is common in Europe.

Canadian spruce (white spruce or gray spruce) (P. glauca). Tree of medium size, conical shape, slow growing. Canadian spruce is rarely found in nature; grows only in the forest zone North America. However, Canadian spruce has several very attractive varietal forms that decorate many summer cottages. Growing conditions for Canadian spruce are sun or partial shade; it prefers cool, damp places and tolerates moderate soil compaction. Suitable soil for Canadian spruce - fresh or wet. Canadian spruce is sensitive to heat and drought, as well as to soil salinity. Canadian spruce can be damaged by early spring sunburn, therefore requires shelter. Sometimes varietal forms of Canadian spruce develop ordinary shoots that must be removed immediately, otherwise the cultivar will acquire a species-specific form.

Serbian spruce (P. omorica). Slender, medium-sized or large tree from 15 to 25 m tall. The crown shape of the Serbian spruce is narrow-conical or columnar. The cones are violet-brown up to 6 cm long, resinous; numerous even on young trees. The needles of the Serbian spruce are shiny, dark green on top, have two noticeable white stripes below, in general, it seems that the tree has bluish-green needles. Growing conditions for Serbian spruce - sun or partial shade; transfers high temperatures; winter-hardy. Serbian spruce is undemanding and easily adaptable, but requires protection from strong winds. Soils - relatively dry to fresh, well-drained (acidic and compacted soils are not acceptable). In spring, Serbian spruce must be fertilized with magnesium sulfate. In nature, Serbian spruce grows in southeastern Europe.

Serbian spruce ‘Nana’(P. omorica ‘Nana’). Dwarf form (up to 5 m tall). The crown is dense. Serbian spruce ‘Nana’ grows slowly.

Serbian spruce ‘Pendula’(P. omorica ‘Pendula’). A peculiar small tree up to 10 m tall. The branches of the Serbian spruce ‘Pendula’ are drooping, dense and twisted. Serbian spruce ‘Pendula’ is recommended to be used with low shrubs, which will emphasize the unique shape of the tree.

Eastern spruce (P. orientalis). Large conical tree from 20 to 30 m high and from 4 to 8 m wide with a dense symmetrical crown; slow growing. The branches of the eastern spruce are arranged in layers. The cones are narrow, up to 8 cm long, the color ranges from brown to raspberry-brown. The needles of eastern spruce are short, shiny, dark green. The growing conditions for eastern spruce are partial shade and shade. Eastern spruce tolerates high temperatures and is winter-hardy; undemanding and easily adaptable. Eastern spruce prefers well-drained soils; in general, it grows on any substrate - from acidified to alkaline and from fresh to moist, but is sensitive to soil compaction. In nature, oriental spruce is found in southeastern Europe and western Asia.

Eastern spruce ‘Aurea’(P. orientalis ‘Aurea’). Small or medium tree up to 15 m tall. The crown of the eastern spruce ‘Aurea’ is conical. Slow growing plant. Very decorative needles - light or golden yellow. Spruce ‘Aurea’ tolerates shade.

(P. pungens). A medium to large conical tree, 15 to 25 m tall and 6 to 10 m wide, slow to medium growing. The branches are arranged in layers. The crown of the prickly spruce is asymmetrical. The cones are light brown, up to 10 cm long. The needles are prickly, pointed, bluish-green, gradually becoming grayish or dull green. The growing conditions for prickly spruce are sun (in the shade the needles lose their specific color). Prickly spruce tolerates high temperatures, is winter-hardy, wind-resistant, and easily adaptable. Soils range from relatively dry to fresh, very acidic to alkaline; prefers well-drained, sandy-gravel or sandy loam soils. Prickly spruce grows in western North America.

Black spruce (P. mariana). Large tree, reaches 30 m in height. Black spruce needles are the thinnest of all spruce trees. The cones are dark brown, almost black. Black spruce Undemanding to soil, shade-tolerant. Black spruce is winter-hardy. In decorative terms, it is almost as good as Canadian spruce. Black spruce has forms with white-variegated needles ('Argenteo-variegata'), with golden, shiny needles ('Aurea'), a weeping crown (up to 5 m tall 'Pendula'), low-growing forms ('Empetroides' - similar to crowberry, 'Ericoides' - with very thin needles, reminiscent of Erica leaves) and others.

Siberian spruce (P. obovata). Large tree up to 25 m tall. The crown is cone-shaped. The needles of Siberian spruce are dark green, similar to common spruce. Siberian spruce is shade-tolerant; demanding on soil. The cones are smaller than those of the common spruce, dense, shiny, red-brown. Siberian spruce propagates by seeds. Can be planted singly or in small groups. Siberian spruce goes well with white birch trees.

Spruce Glen (P. glehnii). A tree with a dense cone-shaped crown. Grows on Far East and in Japan. The bark of the Glen spruce differs from the bark of other types of spruce - it is scaly and chocolate brown. Glen spruce needles are green or bluish-green. Glen spruce is shade-tolerant and winter-hardy.

Korean spruce (P. koraiensis). Tree up to 30 m tall with a pyramidal crown and drooping branches. In appearance it is similar to Siberian spruce, from which it differs in larger cones and longer needles. The bark of Korean spruce is reddish-brown. Korean spruce is resistant to natural factors; it goes well with hardwoods. It is found naturally in the Far East and North Korea.

Red spruce (P. rubens). A tree from 25 to 30 m high and up to 1.5 m wide with a wide-conical crown. The needles are glossy, yellow-green. Red spruce is distinguished by reddish cones and bark. Red spruce is moisture-loving. Rarely found on summer cottages in Russia. In nature, red spruce grows only in the Appalachians (North America).

Growing conditions

As a rule, spruce trees are shade-tolerant, but develop better in the sun. Spruce trees are demanding on soil fertility. They don't like transplants. Spruce trees do not tolerate trampling and soil compaction. Since the root system of spruce is superficial, plants can suffer greatly due to gusts of wind on heavy soils (on fertile soils the root system of spruce becomes deeper). In addition, growing spruce is impossible in an area with high levels groundwater, therefore, due attention should be paid to the drainage arrangement.

Application

Spruce is a plant that is used both in group and plantings. All spruces are perfectly trimmed, which allows you to create and give trees various shapes, using them in topiary art. Dwarf spruce trees are planted in.

Care

In hot, dry summers, spruce requires watering (once a week). Fertilizers are applied during planting, but there is no need to fertilize afterwards. Young plants are recommended for the winter. The tree trunk area of ​​young plants needs to be covered with peat for the winter. Adult spruce trees are quite frost-resistant. Spruce species susceptible to early spring burns need to be covered.

Reproduction

Spruce trees are propagated mainly by seeds, garden forms - and less often by grafting. Spruce trees are slow- or medium-growing trees (young spruce trees grow especially slowly). Spruce seeds and spruce seedlings can be purchased at a garden center or ordered online.

Diseases and pests

Aphids, moth caterpillars, spider mite and spruce budworm.

Popular varieties

Varieties of Norway spruce

Varieties of Canadian spruce

'Alberta Globe'- thick cushion-shaped or almost round shape. The needles are green. The height of spruce ‘Alberta Globe’ is from 0.5 to 0.8 m; width - from 0.7 to 1 m.

'Conica'- the most popular variety of all conical spruce trees. Spruce ‘Konika’ is a compact conical shrub from 1 to 4 m high and from 1 to 2 m wide with a dense pyramidal crown and green needles. Canadian spruce ‘Konica’ grows slowly. The use of spruce ‘Konica’ is very wide: it is planted in groups, in containers, in rocky gardens. Spruce ‘Konika’ is shade-tolerant. Spruce ‘Conica’ is propagated by cuttings.

‘Echiniformis’- partly cushion-shaped, partly rounded. The needles are bluish-green or grayish-green. Spruce ‘Echiniformis’ grows very slowly. Spruce height - from 0.3 to 0.5 m; width - from 0.5 to 1 m.

Varieties of prickly spruce

'Glauca'- spruce ‘Glauka’ - a medium-sized conical tree from 10 to 20 m high and from 6 to 8 m wide. The needles are blue when they bloom, later they turn gray-blue. The color of spruce ‘Glauka’ is most intense in June.

‘Glauca Globosa’- a variety with a height and width of 1 to 3 m with an initially round, then stocky conical crown. Spruce ‘Glauka Globoza’ has silver-blue needles.

‘Hoopsii’- medium-sized tree, asymmetrical, conical; from 10 to 15 m high and from 3 to 4 m wide. The needles are intense blue or silver-gray.

‘Koster’- a medium-sized tree from 10 to 20 m high and from 3 to 4 m wide. The crown is conical, loose, somewhat asymmetrical. Young needles are silver-blue, older ones are silver-green. Looks two-tone.

'Oldenburg'- a conical symmetrical tree of medium size from 10 to 15 m high and from 3 to 5 m wide. The needles are silver-green or grayish-green.

Photos of spruce and information on how to grow spruce can be found on the Internet.

Spruce cones - Strobuli Piceae

Norway spruce - Picea abies (L.) Karst.

Pine family - Pinaceae

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

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

Habitat. Forms extensive pure and mixed forests, often with birch and pine. Spruce is widely grown in urban and roadside plantings, and along with domestic species, some foreign forms are also cultivated, which are particularly decorative, for example, blue spruce of North American origin.

Procurement of raw materials, primary processing, drying. Raw materials are harvested by tearing off or cutting off the cones with pruning shears in the summer before the seeds ripen, and dried on racks under sheds. It is unacceptable to collect fallen cones (!).

Standardization. The quality of whole and crushed raw materials is regulated by the State Fund XI.

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

Crushed raw materials. Pieces of pine cones various shapes, brown, passing through a sieve with holes with a diameter of 10 mm.

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

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

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

Medicines. Decoction, ointment. "Pinabin."

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

To heal wounds, ulcers, and pustules, use an ointment made from spruce resin with melted lard.

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

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

In addition, spruce needles contain a significant amount of ascorbic acid. People have long used the “legs” of spruce (as well as other conifers) to obtain a drink rich in vitamin C. This drink was used to treat scurvy, and they drank it to prevent vitamin deficiency, especially at the end of winter and in early spring, when there are no other vitamin-containing greens yet.

Botanical name: European or common spruce.

Homeland: Europe.

Lighting: moderate.

The soil: moist, nutritious.

Watering: moderate.

Max Height: 50 m.

Average life expectancy: 250-300 years.

Landing: seeds and cuttings.

Norway spruce (ordinary) is the most common coniferous tree in Europe. Its range is so vast that it does not affect only the North German Lowlands and the British Isles. At favorable conditions the tree can live up to 400 years.

Norway spruce: description of the species

The height of the tree is 50 m with a trunk width of 1 m. It is a slender tree, the crown is dense and pyramidal. The branches are horizontal or drooping, descending low along the trunk. The branches are collected in whorls. If there is sufficient lighting, the lower tier of branches lasts for a very long time. The bark when young is smooth and brown in color.

By old age it becomes scaly-rough, gray or brown. Shoots are yellow or brown. They may be bare or covered with red hairs. The buds are light brown. The needles are quite hard and green.

The shape of the needles is oblate-tetrahedral, length is 1-3 cm. The needles last on the tree for about 7 years. Mature cones of Norway spruce have an oblong-cylindrical shape. Their length is 10-15 cm, width - 3-4 cm. The cones ripen in October, but the seeds, as a rule, fall in January-April. Seed length is 3-5 mm. The seed has a yellowish wing that is easily separated from it. The tree blooms at the age of 25-30 years.

Spruce wood is yellowish-white in color with a slight pinkish tint. It is characterized as soft, light, shiny. The root system is horizontal and superficial, due to which the tree can freely turn out of the ground even in strong winds.

Of all the species, Norway spruce (European) is the fastest growing. At a young age (up to 10 years) the increase is small, but with age it increases rapidly. The annual growth is 50 cm. From 100-110 years it begins to decline and by 250 years the plant begins to dry out. In some cases, it can live up to 500 years.

To date, several have been released decorative varieties of this type: weeping, compact, pin-shaped. All these varieties are often used in landscape design and landscaping. Common spruce is often found in hedges along highways and railways.

Growing Norway spruce

Sandy loam, loamy, fertile, slightly moist soils are preferred. Tolerates short-term flooding, but does not tolerate long-term stagnation of water. Shade tolerant, but requires sufficient light to regenerate. Frost resistance is due to thin scales that protect the buds from frost. It tolerates haircuts well, but suffers from polluted air, although it itself has phytoncidal, ionizing properties. Because of surface system the location of the roots, the tree is afraid of wind blows.

Very often, seedlings can develop on a fallen trunk or collapsing stump. This is explained by the fact that the plant tends to absorb nitrogen compounds. Mycorrhiza (a symbiosis of spruce roots and edible cap mushrooms) helps spruce trees extract nutrients from the soil. It is mycorrhiza that explains the presence in spruce forests large quantity porcini mushrooms.

Reproduction occurs by seeds or layering. Moreover, the lower branches of the tree take root directly on the soil, which is rare for conifers. But propagate better with cuttings and grafting, since during seed propagation there is a loss of characteristic decorative qualities.

European spruce care

New plantlets are not resistant to dry air and soil. Therefore, on hot days they require daily watering at the rate of 10-12 liters per plant. Irrigation of the crown is also advisable. After each watering, it is necessary to loosen the soil in the tree trunk circle, weed out weeds and mulch with peat.

If a spruce grows as a hedge, then it requires special shaping. Using pruning, you can achieve the effect of an impenetrable green wall. In other cases, diseased, dry, broken branches are removed from trees in autumn and spring. And the main formation of a beautiful, regular crown occurs naturally. However, with the simultaneous growth of 2 tops, one must be removed by cutting it out at the base.

Tall slender spruce trees with a pyramidal crown are common conifers forests, which can often be seen in park areas, in urban landscaping, and among homestead landscapes. Many different species and varieties, the presence of dwarf and slow-growing forms allows these plants to be successfully planted in a flower garden, rock garden and on, in mixed compositions with other woody plants.

Types of fir trees

The genus Spruce (Picea) has up to 45 species, which natural conditions grow in cold and temperate climates, on sandy and rocky soils, less often in wetlands. The center of origin is considered to be the harsh mountainous terrain of China. The plants are quite unpretentious, drought-resistant, most tolerate the harshest winters without loss, some species are quite tolerant of excessive soil moisture and air pollution.

As soon as you decide on the type and variety of spruce, we recommend reading our article “”, it will help you grow an excellent tree from a spruce seedling.

Norway spruce (Picea abies)

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

Acrocona

A bright, slow-growing variety that appeared at the end of the 19th century in Finland. The crown forms a wide pyramid, is located low, reaches a height of 4 m, with a diameter of 2.5–3 m. Young plant compact, round in shape. The difference between Akrokona is early, abundant and very colorful fruiting; immature lilac-crimson cones appear in abundance at the ends of skeletal branches and wonderfully decorate the plant.

The needles are dark green in tone, with delicate hanging young growths of a herbaceous hue, which makes a striking contrast. An excellent choice for landscaping small gardens and solitary plantings on the lawn.

Ohlendorffii

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

Frohburg

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

The needles are light green in color, short and stiff. Immature cones are greenish-crimson, growths are emerald green, oblong-round in shape. A stunning variety for solitaire plantings, it gives compositions an elegant vertical accent and is of interest to lovers of unusual ornamental plants.

Serbian spruce (Picea omorika)

A tall tree with a narrowed conical or columnar shape with a pointed top. The needles are flattened, glossy, dark green in color, marked on the reverse side with two silvery-white lines. The cones are small, bluish-black in color.

This beautiful, stable species is unpretentious to soils, tolerates air pollution well, and under natural conditions is distributed in the mountainous areas of the Balkan Peninsula.

Nana

The dwarf variety is characterized by a dense, rounded crown in young specimens, then the crown becomes broadly conical with a pronounced pointed tip. The height of an adult plant is no more than 3.5 m and a width of about 2 m; it develops at a pace that is moderate for short varieties; by the age of ten it reaches one and a half meters.

The main branches are directed obliquely upward, covered with radially directed glossy needles of emerald color with a distinct bluish tint and light stripes on the underside. Planted in gardens oriental type, thanks to its spectacular blue tint and compactness, is successfully used to create contrasting wood compositions.

Peve Tijn

The undersized sport of the previous variety was selected by Dutch breeders. The cone-shaped wide crown is very dense, with a smooth, dense surface. It grows by 5–6 cm per year, reaching just over one and a half meters in height by the age of ten. The needles are golden-green with a blue or silver tint. Attractive color combination It is especially pronounced in annual growths and in plants planted in open sunny areas.

Canadian or gray spruce (Picea glauca)

A powerful tree reaches a height of 25–30 m; in cultivation it grows moderately – no higher than 10–15 m; in nature it is widespread in the forests of North America. The crown is dense, the main branches of young plants are raised, and those of adults are directed downward. The needles are thick, bluish-green. The cones are small, light green, turning brown when ripe.

Alberta Globe

Miniature round plant in mature age becomes dome-shaped. By the age of ten, the diameter of the dense crown is about 30 cm, with annual growth of 2–3 cm; over the years, the lush conifer grows in width up to 0.7 m and reaches 1 m in height.

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

Conica

A slow-growing variety of Canadian selection, it is distinguished by a dense conical crown of regular shape. In adulthood, it grows no higher than 2 m with a width at the base of about one and a half meters. The surface is smooth, dense, the branches are directed upward. Spiny elastic needles of juicy green color are located radially.

Konica does not require formative pruning and is wonderful for arranging mixborders, decorating rocky hills and growing in containers. The plant is resistant, prefers sparse partial shade, growths are susceptible to spring burns.

Sanders Blue

Canadian spruce variety Sanders Blue (Sander's Blue)

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

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

Engelmann spruce or weeping spruce (Picea engelmanii)

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

Bush's Lace

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

The main color is bluish-green, the spectacular large growths are bright, contrasting, silver-blue. Looks best alone on open areas, in the shade it loses its richness of color and attractive shape, growing unevenly.

Snake

A tall tree with a sparse crown and bluish-green needles, silvery on growths. The skeletal branches are practically without lateral branching, characterized by growth from the apex, horizontally directed, spread out, slightly raised at the ends. The variety is rare, mainly grown by exotic lovers, excellent as a tapeworm, adding sophistication to oriental and rocky gardens.

Prickly or blue spruce (Picea pungens)

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

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

Hermann Naue

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

The Blues

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

Hoopsii

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

The needles are large, up to 2.5 cm long, rich blue in color; the growths are light blue. Small purple cones provide an additional color accent. Looks great in single plantings and alleys, as well as in multi-colored compositions of conifers.

Black spruce (Picea mariana)

A large tree with a narrow pyramidal crown, in natural conditions it grows up to 20–30 m, in cultivation by the age of ten it is no higher than 3 m. The needles are short, bluish-green, and dense. The branches are brick-brown, covered with reddish pubescence. Winter-hardy unpretentious appearance does not have a huge selection diversity, numbering only 6–7 varieties.

Nana

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

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

Aurea

A slow-growing tree of a pyramidal shape grows no higher than 1.5–2 m by the age of ten, then growth accelerates, and mature plant reaches 5–7 m. The branches are outstretched, drooping at the ends, densely covered with short bluish-green needles with cream tips. The growths are much lighter, golden yellow. The elegant conifer looks great both in colorful, diverse compositions and as a solitaire.

Siberian spruce (Picea obovata)

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

Glauka (Var. glauca)

The medium-sized variation with a pyramidal crown 10–12 m high grows intensively – 20–25 cm per year. The skeletal branches are widely spread, directed obliquely upward, the central stem is smooth and clearly defined. The needles are elastic, linear-needle-shaped, tetrahedral, silver-blue, very impressive. Glauka is highly frost-resistant, unpretentious and quite shade-tolerant. Used as a tapeworm, for group plantings and alleys.

Eastern spruce (Picea orientalis)

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

The needles are short, hard, thick green in color. The cones are a striking reddish-purple hue, oblong, narrowed in shape, 6–8 cm in size. Spruce prefers light soils, does not develop well on heavy soils, and freezes slightly in harsh, dry winters.

Nutans

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

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

Aureospicata

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

The needles are thin, very short, dark green. The greenish-yellow bright growths, as well as small crimson-colored cones, make the conifer especially attractive. The elegant tree is rightfully considered one of the best representatives of the species.

Spruce mariorika (Picea x mariorika)

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

Machala

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

Iezskaya or Ayanskaya spruce (Picea jezoensis)

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

The crown is pyramidal, the skeletal branches are directed obliquely upward. Flat needles up to 1.5–2 cm long, blunt or with a small point, dark green, with bluish-white stripes below, last up to 10 years. The needles fit tightly to the branches, with good lighting tend to puff up, which gives the plant a light silvery tone. The cones are oval-oblong, up to 8 cm long, in an immature state, purple-crimson or light green.

Nana Kalous

A dwarf, squat plant without a pronounced central conductor, round, about 1 m in diameter. The skeletal branches are evenly spaced, directed horizontally and obliquely upward, the lateral branches are short and grow in abundance. The tousled needles with a bluish underside are bright and attractive. Very nice shape, looks good on alpine roller coaster, in the foreground of mixborders.

Groups of spruce varieties by growth vigor

In natural conditions, the overwhelming majority of spruce species are large trees up to 30–50 m high. Over hundreds of years cultural cultivation Breeders have obtained luxurious tall varieties of ideal proportions, as well as many very decorative medium-sized and dwarf forms.

Low growing varieties

Blue Pearl

A dwarf conifer with a rounded crown, which over time becomes cushion-shaped or broadly conical. By ten years it reaches half a meter in height and 0.8 m in diameter, growing slowly - 2-3 cm per year.

The branches are dense, multi-directional, the side branches are located vertically, forming a convex textured surface. The needles are radially arranged, hard and prickly, bluish-blue in color, creating an attractive contrast with the red bark of the shoots.

Lucky Strike

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

Goblin

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

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

Medium-sized varieties

Cruenta

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

A notable feature is the purple-crimson large growths, which over time acquire a green color. Immature buds are bright, raspberry-purple. The spectacular combination of crimson and green tones makes this ephedra exceptionally elegant, invariably attracting the eye.

Pendula Bruns

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

The needle-like narrow needles are dark green in color, with two silver stripes on the reverse side. The cones are small, reddish-purple when immature. To maintain a spectacular, even and narrow shape, the trunk is tied up until it reaches a height of 1.5–2 m. The variety does not develop well on dense soils that are too moist.

Christmas Blue

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

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

Tall varieties

Iseli Fastigiata

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

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

Columnaris

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

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

Video about the variety of types and varieties of spruce trees

Various varieties of spruce trees are widely used in landscaping, for decorating front entrances, arranging dense emerald or blue hedges, single or group plantings, in mixborders and rockeries. The incredible variety of varieties will not only satisfy the most demanding demand, but can also seriously captivate the gardener, turning him into a passionate collector of wonderful evergreens.

Spruce is the “queen” of the forest, leading the popularity rating among masters of landscape art. This sacred tree, acting as a talisman for the site and a powerful source of bioenergy, is valued not only for its unique healing properties, but extraordinary decorativeness. Needle-like foliage in emerald, dark green and even blue shades can transform plant compositions, adding a unique twist to the landscape design of the site.

Options for using spruce in landscape design

It’s rare that anyone can remain indifferent to the luxury of color and frozen beauty of conifer needles. It is not surprising that spruce is used quite often in landscaping. It looks great as container plantings to frame garden paths and when decorating rocky gardens.

Ephedra is ideal for creating multi-level compositions, harmoniously combining with low-growing shrubs and beautiful flowering perennials

Trees with needle-like foliage of a rich green hue look interesting in combination bright flowers one and perennial plants. Perfect for creating compositions: Japanese anemones, pansies, aquilegia, phlox and hosta. Conifers are an ideal basis for creating evergreen sculptures that can make the appearance of the garden richer and more colorful.

Among the main advantages of using spruce in the design of a site, it is worth highlighting:

1. Ephedra will delight you with the richness of its needle-green shades in summer time without fading under the sun's rays, and winter period, contrasting with the whiteness of the snow.
2. The phytoncides released by the plant can productively purify the air, having a healing effect on the human body.
3. Spruce is great for any style of landscape design.
4. Fluffy branches are convenient to use in making crafts: creating paintings, herbariums, New Year's compositions.

But spruce, like any other plant, has its drawbacks. For example, this conifer is capable of growing greatly, darkening the area and depleting the soil. Therefore, spruce species that have a dwarf shape are used to decorate gardens.

Spruce is also convenient because it is easy to trim. Thanks to this, even an experienced gardener has no problems giving the crown a unique shape.

It is advisable to plant spruce along the fence. In a short period of time, the conifer grows into a magnificent shape, and its thick paws form a solid and dense wall.

Variety of decorative forms

There are more than 20 types of spruce trees in modern parks and gardens. The main thing when choosing the type of conifer is the configuration of its crown and the size of the plant in adulthood.

In landscape design, 3 types of spruce trees are most widespread:

1. Ordinary– type species, represented by more than 50 garden forms. Low-growing forms created on its basis reach a height of 1.2 m, and medium-sized ones reach 3 or more meters. A wide range of needle colors, starting from golden and ending with rich green, on branches collected in pyramidal or cushion-shaped crowns, makes conifers of this species welcome guests in garden plots.
2. Barbed– more than 70 varieties are represented in the culture. Most of them are medium- and tall-growing trees up to 40 meters high with a beautiful cone-shaped crown. Although there are also dwarf forms up to 2 m high. The needles are very prickly: hence the name of the species. It can be bluish-white, steel-blue, silver and bluish-green.
3. Gray– has more than 20 decorative forms. The species got its name due to the ash-gray color of the bark and the bluish tint of the needles. The dwarf forms of this species have a spherical and nest-shaped crown, while the tall ones have a cone-shaped crown. The color palette of needles is quite wide, starting from yellowish-golden and gray-blue and ending with bright green.

Spruces, like any plants, are divided into three groups: dwarf, medium- and tall. When landscaping garden plots, the most popular are dwarf and medium-sized representatives of conifers.

Among the variety of coniferous ornamental plants in landscape design, creeping and dwarf varieties are especially popular

Dwarf varieties

Low-growing forms include plants, the size of which in adulthood is several times smaller in comparison with the original maternal species. For example, in natural conditions, the common spruce, called Picea abies, is a 50-meter beauty with a neatly decorated crown, the width of which reaches 8-10 meters.

The decorative form of this tall conifer, known as Picea abies "Nidiformis" or "cushion spruce", reaches no more than two meters in height with a crown width of 2-3 meters.

The main advantage of dwarf forms of conifers is the minimal annual growth of young shoots, which in most cases is limited to 10-15 cm

Among modern varieties created on the basis of Norway spruce, the most decorative ones are conifers, the crowns of which have a nest-like or spherical shape.

The miniature shrub Picea abies “Nidiformis” is perfect for forming low borders and decorating rocky gardens.

The dwarf spruce "Nidiformis" reaches a height of only 40 cm in adulthood, forming a spreading crown with a diameter of up to one meter

The fan-shaped thin graceful shoots of “Nidiformis” are decorated with soft and short needles of a delicate emerald shade.

“Little Gemm” is no less attractive. The shoots extending from the middle of the crown, framed by dark green thin needles, form a neat hemispherical “cushion”. It looks especially interesting in the form of a standard form, planted in a floor container or flowerpot.

The branches of the miniature beauty Picea abies “Little Gem” are covered with soft short needles of a rich dark green hue.

Picea abies “Will’s Zwerg” has a beautiful narrow-conical dense crown shape. The plant is interesting due to the soft green tint of young needles covering the milky shoots, which contrasts favorably against the background of the dark green of old needles. evergreen shrub well suited for small home gardens.

Spruce "Will's Zwerg" looks interesting in group compositions and as a solitaire when arranging gardens with a small area

The selectively bred “Glauca Globoza” is famous for its extraordinary decorativeness. The dwarf plant does not have a clearly defined trunk. Its spreading branches, studded with millions of thin needles of an elegant silver-blue hue, form a beautiful spherical crown. The cones that form on the branches, reminiscent of New Year's decorations, give the tree a special attractiveness.

The blue beauty "Glauca Globosa" is often used to decorate city landscapes, often acting as an elegant addition to park alleys

You can’t ignore the low-growing varieties that creep along the ground picturesquely. Miniature "Nana" resembles soft pillow, and “Echiniformis” is identified with kolobok, round shapes which act as an original frame for garden paths.

Most types of spruce trees themselves are shade-tolerant, but often their dwarf forms are very sensitive to lack of light.

Medium-sized species

While creating homestead design It is also customary to use medium-sized conifers, the height of which reaches no more than 15 m. A low single tree with a clearly defined crown looks picturesque against the background of a lawn “carpet” or the walls of a house. A spectacular driftwood or white stone will help complete the picture.

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

Blue spruce is one of the most popular types of conifers, revered by designers not only for its ease of care, but also for the fascinating change in shades of needle-like foliage throughout the year. Only 20% of representatives of this species have a pronounced sky color, the rest are rich in green and bluish tones.

Blue beauties are not able to withstand temperature fluctuations in the northern regions and feel comfortable only in temperate latitudes. Spruce with blue needles looks great along garden paths, against the backdrop of wooden buildings or stone buildings.

A prominent representative of this species is Picea pungens “Blue Diamond”, which means “blue diamond”.

The graceful beauty "Blue Diamonds" with a tall thin trunk and a neatly formed conical crown is often used for mixed mixborders.

Weeping spruce species will help diversify the collection. Considering their desire for the aquatic environment, conifers can be safely used in the design of shores.

Full-size weeping spruce trees reach a height of 10-15 meters with a width of 2-3 meters. Thin branches, hanging down, bend around the curved trunk of the plant, giving it a weeping shape.

Serbian spruce "Glauka Pendula" with flexible thin shoots hanging along the trunk - a win-win option when implementing non-standard solutions in garden compositions

Canadian spruce is more suitable for our climate. It is famous for its frost resistance and ease of care. It is interesting for landscape design because it has a decorative conical crown shape, gives a small increase over the year and fits harmoniously into the design of even very small areas.

“Piccolo” is a bright, elegant variety with emerald green needles that shimmer in sun rays light bluish tint, looks impressive in group plantings

Against the background of plain green “sisters,” Picea pungens “Maigold” stands out, adding to the collection of varietal beauties in 1988. It will look great as a tapeworm.

Young shoots sparkling in the sun make the coniferous beauty “Majgold” look like a queen wrapped in a golden robe

The crown of the tree, reaching a height of 6 m, has a loose pyramidal shape. The creamy-yellow needles on young shoots gradually change color after a few weeks, acquiring an equally attractive bluish-green hue.

Combinations of conifers

If the area of ​​the plot allows, then to create a picturesque and original picture it is better to use spruce trees of different types and varieties.

Material about coniferous compositions in garden landscape design:

Tall trees fit well into any landscape as tapeworms, more compact forms conifers can be safely combined with other plantings

In order for the intended composition to turn out harmonious and attractive, masters of landscape art advise taking into account a number of key points:

• The composition should not be too colorful. For a group of three conifers, use two colors. When composing a composition of five evergreens, use only three colors.
• When creating a multi-level composition, including 20-30 plantings, place elements in groups, matching them by color.
• The fir-shrub ensemble requires proper placement of accents: the foreground is occupied by low-growing plants, the background by medium-sized conifers.
• Arranging regular or conifers in the near-trunk area will help to avoid the feeling of density of Christmas tree plantings.

Juicy needles of a dark shade will emphasize the beauty of the nearby flowering bush. In addition to beautifully flowering plants, shrubs with unusually colored foliage will be a good addition to the coniferous beauty:,.

Spruce trees combine well with other coniferous varieties and flowering perennials, creating a picturesque picture that looks elegant at any time of the year.

Proper planting and care is a guarantee that coniferous beauties will delight you with their presentable appearance. appearance almost all year round.

Wanting to decorate your site with one or more fir trees, experienced gardeners It is advised to adhere to certain rules:

1. Boarding time. It is better to plant ephedra in early spring or early autumn, when the plant has not yet entered or has already passed the vigorous growth phase. To protect young shoots from frost and rodents, it is advisable to mulch the tree trunk area with peat for the winter.
2. Location. Under natural conditions, spruce develops well near the river valley, where it receives enough moisture to nourish a powerful root system. But at the same time, she does not like wetlands, and therefore needs drainage.
3. Soil composition. All types of spruce trees love fertile alkaline and acidic soil. They are intolerant of heavy soil types. When planting conifers in depleted soil landing hole You should first enrich it by adding 100 grams of complex mineral fertilizer. With a lack of oxygen and nutrition, the plant may even die.

It is worth considering that spruce greatly affects the flowers and shrubs surrounding it, so it is better to place it at a short distance from sun-loving plants. You should not plant conifers close to each other, since their branches will limit the access of sunlight.

By following these simple rules when selecting varieties and composing plant compositions, you can create a cozy and picturesque design on your site that will delight the eye throughout the year.

Video instruction: setting up a fir fence