Range of Siberian spruce. Spruce - description, species, where it grows, reproduction, photo. Tincture of spruce resin for impotence

Spruce is the most numerous tree species in the Siberian taiga. It shows off both in winter and summer with the dark green color of its needles, which stay on the branch for about eight years. The sun's rays hardly break through the density of spruce paws. Spruce needles do not need bright sunlight, so its branches practically do not shed their greenery.

The article provides information about Siberian spruce: photos, places of growth, characteristics and features.

General information about spruce

Spruce is a slender, tall, monoecious tree with a dense pyramidal crown. The bark of young plants is rough, gray with a reddish-brown tint. On old trees the bark is flaky and thin.

The branching of spruce, unlike fir, is rather irregular. The buds have no resin. Sharp, often tetrahedral needles (less often flat) are arranged spirally. When they fall off, they leave a narrow pillow-like outgrowth separated by noticeable grooves. The needles, as noted above, usually stay on branches for up to 9 years.

The male cones sit in the axils of the needles, which are located on last year's shoots, while the female cones hang down and have wide, scale-shaped seeds narrowed to the base, with small coverts. The latter first pour out the ripened seeds, and then they themselves fall from the branch. The seeds are oval in shape, with an easily falling, large wing.

Varieties

Before we move on to a more detailed description of the Siberian spruce (photo presented in the article), we will consider the varieties of the plant.

Spruce belongs to the genus of coniferous evergreen trees (pine family). The entire genus includes about 45 species. These plants are most common on the plains and mountains of the temperate zone of the Northern Hemisphere. The center of species diversity is the mountains and plains of western and central China. The most famous types: Siberian, Siktin, rough and black.

Spreading

The name of the genus comes from the Latin “pix”, translated as “resin”, which most of these plants contain and secrete. They are the most important forest-forming species of dark coniferous forests growing in a wide variety of climatic zones. According to the conditions and place of growth, the following species are distinguished.

In Central Asia, Europe and the Caucasus, the most common are:

  • Ordinary or European.
  • Finnish.
  • Balkan or Serbian.
  • Caucasian or Eastern.
  • Tien Shan or Shrenka.

In the Far East, the Urals and Siberia, the most famous are:

  • Siberian spruce (photo and description in the article).
  • Iezonskaya or Ayanskaya.
  • Glena.
  • Korean.

In North America grow:

  • White or Canadian
  • Engelman.
  • Sitka.
  • Prickly.
  • Black.

Pure stands of spruce trees are rare. They usually grow together with fir, larch, ash, birch, poplar and other tree species. It is less common on mountain slopes, more often in valleys, but only in single specimens. Spruce trees practically do not rise above 500 meters above sea level.

Description

Siberian spruce is a type of evergreen coniferous plant (Pine family). It grows up to 30 meters in height. The thickness of the trunk is approximately 70 centimeters in diameter. Spruce grows quickly in places with good lighting. The bark of this species is cracking and gray in color.

The crown is narrow pyramidal or pyramidal. Unlike European spruce, Siberian spruce has shortened needles, which are characterized by higher thorniness. Its cones are brown, with rounded, convex scales. At the age of more than 15 years, spruce trees produce a harvest approximately once every 3-5 years.

Flowering occurs in May-early June, and the seeds ripen at the end of August. Ripe nuts spill out of the cones only in the spring of the next year.

Places of growth

Siberian spruce (photo presented in the article) is a fairly large tree, which is the northernmost inhabitant of its species. It grows throughout northern Europe (including Scandinavia) and in Siberia (up to Magadan). It can be found in Northern Manchuria and in the coldest areas of Mongolia. This spruce species is a forest-forming species for many Siberian regions. Often this tree is a companion species in mixed forests.

Siberian spruce is important for the Russian timber industry.

Botanical classification

Often this variety of spruce forms a hybrid with common spruce. Siberian spruce of this subspecies is called Finnish. Due to the similarity of the genetic code and the ease of forming hybrids, they are sometimes combined into one species. Siberian differs from ordinary in noticeably less polymorphism.

There are 2 varieties in total: Pechora spruce and Siberian blue spruce. And in the Sverdlovsk region, another new form of this plant species was found - a habit that differs sharply from the typical one in a number of characteristics. It has a pronounced narrow columnar crown shape and drooping spiral shape of the branches. This new form is usually called, according to the place of its discovery and form, Siberian spruce “Ural fastigiata”.

A little about the beneficial properties

Siberian spruce needles contain flavonoids, resins, phytoncides, tannins and minerals, as well as a large amount of ascorbic acid.

Green unripe cones contain anthocyanins, the bark contains tannins, and the wood produces 8 lignan compounds.

Siberian spruce needles have choleretic, diaphoretic, diuretic, anti-inflammatory, analgesic and antiscorbutic effects. Products made from it have a bactericidal effect, and they can also improve hematopoiesis and regulate metabolism.

Growing a coniferous tree is always difficult: seedlings are much more expensive than fruit and decorative deciduous species, it takes a long time to grow, and is susceptible to diseases at a young age. That is why an evergreen plant near the house is a symbol of prosperity, stability and longevity. How to tame these capricious coniferous species? Try planting Siberian spruce - a powerful and incredibly attractive tree, which is much more frost-resistant than common spruce and is quite easy to care for. The spreading, lush spruce will become the visual center of the site, and its decorative qualities will satisfy the most demanding taste.

Siberian spruce: description of the species

Spruce is truly the queen of the forest: in Siberia it alone occupies an area of ​​thousands of hectares and is the species that forms the endless expanses of the taiga. Unlike the common spruce, its Siberian relative has shorter needles, so it looks fluffier and more compact. The tree forms an elongated pyramid of regular shape.

Attention! The photos in the article have not been edited: spruce trees are truly capable of maintaining amazing crown symmetry.

Depending on the morphological form, the color of the needles can be different shades of green, with a silver or blue coating. Blue Siberian spruces are very rare in nature; they are listed in the Red Books of certain regions of Russia, and are very popular among gardeners. The plant is especially good during the flowering and fruiting period: reddish inflorescences appear among the bright needles, and mature cones elegantly hang from the tips of the shoots.

When choosing a landing site, consider the following requirements:

  1. Spruce grows slowly in the first years, reaching a height of only 1.5-2 m by the age of ten. But an adult tree can grow up to 30-35 m, the diameter of the lower branches is up to 3-3.5 m, so leave room for it “ for growth".
  2. The tree will look great as a solitaire plant in the middle of the lawn, as well as in the vicinity of smaller conifers or brightly colored deciduous plants.
  3. In a small area, set aside a place for a tree near a fence, the wall of a house or in a corner: visually it will take up less space, create a feeling of coziness, and hide the boundaries of the area.

Choosing seedlings

Coniferous species can hardly tolerate transplantation, do not tolerate stagnant moisture, and cannot be shaped. Accordingly, pay attention to the following factors:

  • Buy seedlings only with a closed root system, i.e. in a pot;
  • check the integrity of the apical bud; the chances of awakening the lateral buds are minimal;
  • Do not plant spruce in areas close to groundwater.

Young spruce

Before planting, check the quality of the substrate: spruce trees are not capricious in choosing soil, but their roots tend to lie horizontally, so a strong wind can uproot a tall tree. To prevent falling, choose places for seedlings with loose and fertile soil so that the roots can penetrate deep into the soil.

Advice. In areas with heavy soils, dig the largest possible planting hole, fill it with loose substrate and point the roots down.

After planting, be sure to water and mulch the surface: any material is suitable for this purpose, but pine needles or peat will also be beneficial by slightly acidifying the soil.

Grow, Christmas tree, big and small

Caring for this coniferous plant will not cause any trouble, you just need to follow certain rules:


As you can see, growing Siberian spruce on a plot of land is not so difficult. In addition to high decorative qualities, spruce trees have the ability to purify and disinfect the air; the spruce smell is very useful for colds and diseases of the respiratory system. In nature, this species lives up to 300-400 years, and with good care, the tree will delight not only you, but also your descendants.

Caring for conifers: video

Spruce (lat. Picea) is an evergreen coniferous tree, a symbol of the New Year. Belongs to the pine order, pine family, spruce genus. The height of a spruce can reach 50 meters, and the lifespan of a tree can be 600 years, although usually a tree lives up to 250-300 years.

Spruce – description, appearance, photo.

In a young tree, during the first 15 years of growth, the root system has a tap structure, but then it develops as a superficial one, since as it matures, the main root dies off. In the first years of its life, the spruce grows upward and practically does not produce lateral branches. The straight trunk of the spruce has a round shape and gray bark, exfoliating into thin plates. Spruce wood low-resinous and homogeneous, white with a light golden tint.

The pyramidal or cone-shaped crown of the spruce is composed of whorled branches growing almost perpendicular to the trunk. Short spruce needles located on the branches in a spiral pattern and has a tetrahedral or flat shape. The color of the needles is usually green, blue, yellowish or gray. The needles remain viable for 6 years, and the fallen ones are renewed annually. Some insects are partial to spruce needles (for example, nun butterflies) and eat the needles so much that brush shoots are formed on damaged spruce branches - very short and hard needles that look like brushes.

Spruce cones have a slightly pointed, slightly elongated cylindrical shape. They can reach a length of 15 cm and have a diameter of at least 4 cm. The spruce cone is an axis, and around it grows many covering scales, in the axils of which the seed scales are located. On the upper part of the seed scales, 2 ovules are formed, endowed with a false wing. Spruce seeds ripen in October, after which the seeds are dispersed by the wind and remain viable for 8-10 years.

Types of fir trees, names and photos.

Today, more than 45 species of spruce have been studied, growing in natural conditions and having a trunk height from 30 cm to 50 m, different crown structures and various colors of needles. Among all the representatives of this genus, the most famous are the following varieties:

  • European (ordinary) spruce (lat. Picea abies). An evergreen coniferous tree, the average height of which is 30 m, but there are specimens up to 50 meters in height. The crown of the spruce is cone-shaped, the branches are whorled, drooping or prostrate, the bark of the trunk is dark gray in color, and with age it begins to peel off in thin plates. Spruce needles are tetrahedral, arranged in a spiral on spruce paws. Common spruce forms huge forests in northeastern Europe, and is found in the mountainous regions of the Alps and Carpathians, in the Pyrenees and the Balkan Peninsula, in North America and central Russia, and even in the Siberian taiga.

  • Siberian spruce (lat. Picea obovata). A tall tree, up to 30 meters in height, with a pyramidal crown. The girth diameter of the Siberian spruce trunk can exceed 70-80 cm. The needles of the Siberian spruce are somewhat shorter than those of the common spruce and are more prickly. Siberian spruce grows in the forests of northern Europe, Kazakhstan and China, the Scandinavian Peninsula and Mongolia, the Urals and the Magadan region.

  • Eastern spruce (lat. Picea orientalis). The height of the tree varies from 32 to 55 meters, the crown is conical in shape, with densely spaced branches. The bark of the spruce trunk is low-resinous, gray-brown in color, and scaly. The needles are shiny, slightly flattened, tetrahedral, with a slightly rounded tip. Oriental spruce is widespread in the forests of the Caucasus and the northern territories of Asia, forming pure tracts there, or found in mixed forests.

  • Korean spruce (lat. Picea koraiensis). A rather tall coniferous tree, reaching 30-40 m in height, with a greyish-brown bark-colored trunk, girth up to 75-80 cm. The crown of this spruce species is pyramidal, drooping branches, pubescent with resinous tetrahedral, slightly blunt needles with a bluish bloom. Under natural conditions, Korean spruce grows in the regions of the Far East, China, the Primorsky Territory and Amur region, and North Korea.

  • Ayan spruce (small-seeded, Hokkaido) (lat. Picea jezoensis). Externally, this type of spruce is very similar to European spruce. The pyramidal crown of the Ayan spruce has bright green, almost non-resinous needles with a sharp tip, the trunk height is usually 30-40 meters, occasionally up to 50 m, the girth of the trunk reaches a meter, and sometimes more. Spruce grows in the Far East region, in Japan and China, on Sakhalin and the Kamchatka Territory, in Korea and the Amur region, on the Kuril Islands, along the coast of the Sea of ​​Okhotsk and in the Sikhote-Alin mountains.

  • Tian Shan spruce (lat. Picea schrenkiana subsp. tianschanica). Spruce trees of this species often reach a height of 60 m, and the diameter of the trunk is 1.7-2 meters. The crown of the Tien Shan spruce is cylindrical, less often pyramidal in shape. The needles are diamond-shaped, straight, or slightly curved. A distinctive feature is the presence of anchor roots, which are able to bend and cling tightly to stones or rocky ledges. Spruce grows in regions of Central Asia, is widespread in the Tien Shan mountains, and is especially common in Kazakhstan and the mountainous regions of Kyrgyzstan.

  • Spruce Glen (lat. Picea glehnii). Coniferous tree with a very dense, cone-shaped crown. The trunk height is from 17 to 30 meters, the diameter varies from 60 to 75 cm. The bark is covered with scale plates and has a beautiful chocolate hue. The long tetrahedral needles are slightly curved, sharp in young trees and slightly blunt in mature specimens. The needles are dark green, with a bluish bloom, and have a tart spruce aroma. Glen spruce grows in Japan, in the southern regions of Sakhalin, in the south of the Kuril Islands.

  • Canadian spruce (gray spruce, white spruce) (lat. Picea glauca). A slender evergreen tree, most often not exceeding 15-20 meters in height, the trunk diameter of the Canadian spruce is no more than 1 meter in diameter. The bark on the trunk is quite thin, covered with scales. The crown is narrowly conical in young specimens, and in adult spruce trees it takes on the shape of a cylinder. The spruce needles are long (up to 2.5 cm), blue-green in color, and diamond-shaped in cross-section. Canadian spruce grows in the states of North America, often found in Alaska, Michigan, and South Dakota.

  • Red spruce (lat. Picea rubens). An evergreen tree, with a height of 20 to 40 meters, however, under poor growing conditions it can have a height of only 4-6 meters. The diameter of the red spruce trunk rarely exceeds 1 meter, but is usually 50-60 centimeters. The crown is cone-shaped, significantly expanding towards the base of the trunk. The needles are quite long - 12-15mm, practically do not prick, as they have a rounded tip. This type of spruce is common in England and Canada, grows in the Appalachian mountains and in Scotland, found almost along the entire Atlantic coast.

  • Serbian spruce (lat. Picea omorika). An evergreen representative of coniferous trees, with a height of 20 to 35 meters, Serbian spruce trees are very rarely found, reaching a height of 40 meters. The crown of the spruce is pyramidal, but narrow, and closer to columnar in shape. The branches are short, sparse, slightly raised upward. The spruce needles are green, shiny, with a slightly bluish tint, slightly flattened on top and bottom. This type of spruce is very rare: it grows in its natural environment only in Western Serbia and Eastern Bosnia.

  • Blue spruce, she's the same prickly spruce(lat. Picea pungens)- a very popular type of spruce, often used as an ornamental plant. Blue spruce can grow up to 46 meters in height, although the average tree height is 25-30 m, and the trunk diameter is up to 1.5 m. The crown of young spruce trees has a narrow conical shape, and with age it turns into cylindrical. The needles, 1.5-3 cm long, come in different shades - from grayish-green to bright blue. Spruce cones, 6-11 cm long, can be reddish or purple, turning light brown when ripe. Blue spruce grows in western North America (from Idaho to New Mexico), where it is widespread in moist soils along the banks of mountain rivers and streams.

Dwarf spruce, varieties and types, names and photos.

Among the huge variety of spruce species and varieties, dwarf spruce trees are especially popular - amazing elements of landscape design and a wonderful decoration for every garden. Dwarf spruce is durable, unpretentious, and easy to care for. These miniature trees amaze with the splendor of their shapes and colors and fit perfectly into rock gardens, rockeries, flower beds, and Japanese gardens. Here are some types of dwarf spruce trees:

Dwarf spruce Nidiformis- one of the forms of common spruce, a dense nest-like shrub with light green needles, grows up to 40 cm in height and no more than 1 m in width.

The result of the mutation of the common spruce variety Acrocona is an unusual plant of uneven shape, 30-100 cm high and 50 cm in diameter. The small pink cones formed on shoots of different lengths look especially picturesque.

Dwarf blue spruce Glauka Globoza (Glauca Globosa)- one of the popular types of blue spruce with a dense, wide-conical crown and light blue crescent-shaped needles. By the age of 10, the tree grows up to 3 m in height and gradually becomes almost round.

A very decorative conifer with a symmetrical pyramidal crown and two-color needles: the needles are dark green above and light blue below. The tree grows up to 3-3.5 m in height, and the diameter of the crown at the base is 2.5 m.

Dwarf spruce Bialobok (Bialobok)- a unique variety of spruce of Polish selection with blue, silver and golden shades of needles. The Christmas tree becomes especially decorative in the spring, when young shoots of a whitish-cream color appear against the background of mature dark green needles. The height of a dwarf spruce is no more than 2 meters.

Growing a coniferous tree is always difficult: seedlings are much more expensive than fruit and decorative deciduous species, it takes a long time to grow, and is susceptible to diseases at a young age. That is why an evergreen plant near the house is a symbol of prosperity, stability and longevity. How to tame these capricious coniferous species? Try planting Siberian spruce - a powerful and incredibly attractive tree, which is much more frost-resistant than common spruce and is quite easy to care for. The spreading, lush spruce will become the visual center of the site, and its decorative qualities will satisfy the most demanding taste.

Siberian spruce: description of the species

Truly the queen of the forest: in Siberia, it alone occupies areas of thousands of hectares and is the species that forms the endless expanses of the taiga. Unlike the common spruce, its Siberian relative has shorter needles, so it looks fluffier and more compact. The tree forms an elongated pyramid of regular shape.

Attention! The photos in the article have not been edited: spruce trees are truly capable of maintaining amazing crown symmetry.

Depending on the morphological form, the color of the needles can be different shades of green, with a silver or blue coating. Blue Siberian spruces are very rare in nature; they are listed in the Red Books of certain regions of Russia, and are very popular among gardeners. The plant is especially good during the flowering and fruiting period: reddish inflorescences appear among the bright needles, and mature cones elegantly hang from the tips of the shoots.

When choosing a landing site, consider the following requirements:

  1. Spruce grows slowly in the first years, reaching a height of only 1.5-2 m by the age of ten. But an adult tree can grow up to 30-35 m, the diameter of the lower branches is up to 3-3.5 m, so leave room for it “ for growth".
  2. The tree will look great as a solitaire plant in the middle of the lawn, as well as in the vicinity of smaller conifers or brightly colored deciduous plants.
  3. In a small area, set aside a place for a tree near a fence, the wall of a house or in a corner: visually it will take up less space, create a feeling of coziness, and hide the boundaries of the area.

Choosing seedlings

Coniferous species can hardly tolerate transplantation, do not tolerate stagnant moisture, and cannot be shaped. Accordingly, pay attention to the following factors:

  • Buy seedlings only with a closed root system, i.e. in a pot;
  • check the integrity of the apical bud; the chances of awakening the lateral buds are minimal;
  • Do not plant spruce in areas close to groundwater.

Young spruce

Before planting, check the quality of the substrate: spruce trees are not capricious in choosing soil, but their roots tend to lie horizontally, so a strong wind can uproot a tall tree. To prevent falling, choose places for seedlings with loose and fertile soil so that the roots can penetrate deep into the soil.

Advice. In areas with heavy soils, dig the largest possible planting hole, fill it with loose substrate and point the roots down.

After planting, be sure to water and mulch the surface: any material is suitable for this purpose, but pine needles or peat will also be beneficial by slightly acidifying the soil.

Grow, Christmas tree, big and small

Caring for this coniferous plant will not cause any trouble, you just need to follow certain rules:


As you can see, growing Siberian spruce on a plot of land is not so difficult. In addition to high decorative qualities, spruce trees have the ability to purify and disinfect the air; the spruce smell is very useful for colds and diseases of the respiratory system. In nature, this species lives up to 300-400 years, and with good care, the tree will delight not only you, but also your descendants.

Caring for conifers: video


It is believed that the lush needles of this forest beauty have miraculous properties and have a healing effect on the human body.

It is also called Pechora spruce, or Picea obovata, but there are other names for this beautiful, majestic tree. Among other representatives of the Pine family, this beauty takes its rightful place. Under natural conditions, it can be seen in the European part of Russia, Siberia, the Scandinavian Peninsula, northern China and Mongolia.

In the photo there is a Siberian spruce

Description

Spruce is a wonderful decoration for any summer cottage; its peculiarity is that it looks equally elegant at any time of the year. This tree not only decorates the landscape, but also makes the composition stylish and respectable.

Siberian spruce is a large tree, the radius of its trunk reaches half a meter. The height of spruce is often 30 meters, but it all depends on the climatic conditions and characteristics of the area where it grows. The height of a spruce tree growing for 12 years will be 4 meters.

Starting at the base, the crown has a narrow pyramidal or pyramidal shape. The tree has dark gray bark and short, no more than two centimeters, dark green needles.

At eight years old, spruce trees begin to bloom, most often this happens in May, and the seeds ripen in September. The length of the cones increases until September and is 6-8 cm, they are shiny, red-brown in color. Seed scales are the main species characteristic of this tree. Seeds are the basis of the diet of birds living in the forests of Siberia and some species of mammals. The pollen contained in male cones is carried by the wind over long distances and settles there.

The plant is quite cold-resistant, can withstand frosts down to -45C, so spruce growing near buildings can often be seen in the northeast of our country.

The plant reproduces by seeds. Spruces are planted one at a time or in groups; they look most impressive next to white-trunked birches.

Nowadays, many species of this coniferous tree are known. Externally, their representatives are similar; they can only be distinguished by the color of the needles. There are green, silver, golden and bluish-gray spruces, by the way, the latter are very rare, so its name can be found in the Red Book.

Features of care

Picea obovata does not require special care; soil fertility and moisture do not play a big role in its growth and development; it grows well in the shade. But still, like other plants, Siberian spruce has its own preferences, and you need to know them.

Although they ate shade-tolerant plants, those that grow in the sun undoubtedly look better. Transplanting, trampling and soil compaction are all not for them. Considering the characteristics of the root system, it is not difficult to assume that, since it is superficial, then if the soils are heavy, the roots can be damaged by gusty winds. On fertile soils, the roots sink deep, but where groundwater is close, spruce cannot be planted; in any case, the spruce will not be healthy without drainage.

Spruce tolerates trimming well; dried and diseased branches are removed regularly.

In hot and dry weather, the spruce needs to be watered with warm water, this is done every five to seven days, so that the water does not get on the needles. One application of fertilizer (during planting) is sufficient; additional fertilizer is not necessary. But some still do this every season, using complex fertilizers. In a special store you can buy fertilizers for coniferous plants. The trunk circle, especially of young Christmas trees, is covered with mulch; it is recommended to use peat, pine needles, and shavings as the latter.

Reproduction and cultivation

The seeds falling from the cones are carried by the wind, birds, insects and animals. If natural conditions favor growth, a young tree will soon grow. In just a few decades it will turn into a forest beauty, and in 100 years it will become a real Siberian spruce.

Spruce can be planted using woody cuttings. You will have to wait quite a long time for the spruce to grow from the seed, because in a year the future tree will grow only 10 cm, and only after 7-8 years it will be possible to plant it where the spruce will grow constantly. In addition, diseases and pests pose a great danger to young spruce trees. As you can see, this is a very long and labor-intensive process. Therefore, it cannot be called popular.

But still, if you choose this path, spruce seeds, including Siberian spruce, can be bought in specialized stores or nurseries.

But the easiest way is to bring spruce from the forest or from a nursery. Planting of spruce begins in late autumn or winter. It is believed that the risk of damage to the root system by putrefactive bacteria at this time is minimal. The algorithm for landing is quite simple.

  1. First you need to choose a place. The darker the needles, the more shade-tolerant the plant.
  2. They dig a hole, fill it with forest soil, compost, and mineral fertilizers. Drainage must be laid out at the bottom of the hole.
  3. The root collar cannot be lowered below ground level; the soil in the tree trunk circle needs to be compacted only slightly.

What pests pose a threat to this beautiful and elegant plant? Aphids, spider mites, moth caterpillars and spruce budworm. You can fight them using traditional methods, using chemicals according to the instructions for their use.