Evergreen coniferous trees. Evergreen conifers: role in the past and present of the Earth. Photo of coniferous plants

Coniferous trees include almost all of their species, the seeds of which ripen in cones. Contrary to popular belief, evergreens grow not only in our latitudes, but also in tropical countries.

In terms of their distribution area, they can safely compete even with the forests of South America. In total, there are about 800 species, many of which still remember dinosaurs. Most modern conifers are trees, but there are many shrub forms.

In the biotopes of the taiga, it is conifers (as the most hardy ones) that make up the majority of the local flora.

As we have already said, almost all evergreen conifers form cones, although junipers reproduce with berries. They got their name due to the fact that they do not have a seasonal change in leaf cover: the needles are gradually renewed. all year round throughout life cycle tree.

It is this circumstance, as well as the fact of the presence of shrub forms, that has made them extremely popular among landscape designers.

It was from coniferous trees that many palaces and castles were created, which are distinguished by their stunning appearance. In addition, all of their species emit a lot of phytoncides that effectively purify the air. Unfortunately, evergreen coniferous trees cannot be used for landscaping cities, because they do not tolerate smog.

Along with ferns, these plants are among the most ancient. So, coal seams largely consist of petrified wood of coniferous trees.

Now let's take a look at some of the more prominent varieties.

Evergreen sequoia can reach a height of 115.2 meters (like a house of 45 floors) and grow for more than one millennium. But all evergreen coniferous trees look just like "weeds" in front of it. It is assumed that some of the currently growing specimens of this tree are over 3000 years old! But even this is not a record.

Even these achievements pale when you look at the Long-lived Pines (Pinus longaeva), which are approaching five THOUSAND years old! It is assumed that these are the oldest living organisms on our entire planet.

The thickest coniferous tree is considered Mexican Taxodium, whose diameter is 11.42 meters.

I wonder if there are dwarfs among them? Yes, and what else! So, the southern coniferous dacridium loose-leaved grows in New Zealand. His entire height does not exceed five centimeters.

Conifers are the most common trees in the world. Despite the low species diversity, they play an extremely important role in the ecology of the planet. In addition, they are used for harvesting most of the commercial wood, which is actively used in almost all spheres of human life. Even their resin, being petrified, turns into a jewel: it is enough to remember only one

Almost any coniferous evergreen tree of the pine family can be fully used by humans: it will be used not only for the production of wood, but also for the production of medicines.

Among the plants that adorn our gardens, conifers occupy a special place. They give the garden a noble look and decorate it all year round. They are loved because they are very decorative and set the tone in many compositions. But, conifers are especially popular in winter - on the eve of the New Year. They look spectacular in New Year's decoration in our apartments, under snow caps in large parks and squares, and in very small areas.

As regards the planted coniferous plants, then we can say that the sympathies of gardeners are almost evenly distributed among various kinds firs, pines, thujas, junipers and larches. All of them can be called centenarians, many of them live even more than one hundred years.

Almost all coniferous plants are evergreen. Only some of them, for example, larch, sheds needles for the winter. All the rest update their needles gradually. Once every few years, old needles fall off, and new young green needles appear in their place.

The variety of coniferous plants allows gardeners to choose the most suitable tree or shrub for their garden.

The following advantages of conifers make them very popular in landscape gardening:

They tolerate the lack of light and moisture well.
Many varieties naturally have the correct shape, and therefore do not need a haircut.
Due to the medicinal coniferous aroma, they are widely used in folk and official medicine.
Due to the variety of types and forms, they are actively used in landscape compositions in areas of any size.

If you decide to plant a coniferous plant on your site, you need to approach the choice very carefully.

Key questions to ask yourself:

What do you want to plant - a tree or a shrub
Is the composition ready for the conifer
Have you taken into account your climatic conditions and soil composition on the site

coniferous plants go well, in particular with cereals, with roses, etc. If the answers are ready, you can start selecting the variety, type and shape of the coniferous plant.

Types of coniferous plants

Spruce

Evergreen monoecious and wind-pollinated plant. Its Latin name (Lat. Picea) spruce is due to the high content of resin in the wood. Wide application in industry due to the softness of wood and the absence of a core.

Spruce- perhaps the most beloved and common coniferous tree in our country. These beautiful slender trees with a pyramidal crown occupy one of the first places in the coniferous kingdom and have almost 50 plant species in their genus.

The largest number of spruce species grows in Western and Central China and in the northern hemisphere. In Russia, 8 types of spruce are well known.

Spruce is considered enough shade-tolerant plant, however, still prefers good lighting. Her root system is superficial, i.e. close to the ground. Therefore, the earth at the roots is not dug up. Spruce is demanding on soil fertility, loves light loamy and sandy loamy soils.

Types of fir trees successfully used in landscaping the site:

Sometimes reaches 40 meters. Fast growing tree. Due to the special color of the needles - the top is a shiny dark green, and the bottom - with noticeable white stripes - it gives the impression that the tree is bluish-green. Brown-purple buds give the plant a special charm and elegance.

Serbian spruce looks great, both in a single and in a group planting. An excellent example is the magnificent alleys in the parks.

There is dwarf varieties no more than 2 meters high.

(Picea obovata). On the territory of our country, it grows in Western and Eastern Siberia, the Far East and the Urals.

A coniferous tree up to 30 m high. The crown is dense, wide-conical, with a pointed top. The bark is fissured, gray. Cones ovoid-cylindrical, brown. It has several subtypes that differ in the color of the needles - from pure green to silver and even golden.

European spruce, or common (Picea abies). The maximum height of a coniferous tree is 50 m. It can live up to 300 years. This is a slender tree with a dense pyramidal crown. Norway spruce is considered the most common tree in Europe. The width of the trunk of an old tree can reach 1 m. Mature cones ordinary spruce - oblong-cylindrical shape. They ripen in autumn in October, and their seeds begin to fall from January to April. European spruce is considered the fastest growing. So, in a year it can grow by 50 cm.

Thanks to breeding work, several very decorative varieties of this species have been bred to date. Among them there are weeping, compact, pin-shaped spruces. All of them are very popular in landscape gardening and are widely used in park compositions and as hedges.

Spruce, like any other coniferous plant, becomes especially beautiful with the advent of winter. Any shade of needles effectively emphasizes the snow cover, and the garden looks elegant and noble.

In addition to the above types of spruce, prickly, oriental, black, Canadian, Ayan spruce are popular with gardeners.

The genus of pine consists of more than 100 names. These conifers are distributed throughout almost the entire Northern Hemisphere. Also, pine grows well in the composition of forests in Asia and North America. Artificially planted pine plantations feel good in the southern hemisphere of our planet. It is much more difficult for this coniferous tree to take root in the conditions of the city.

It tolerates frost and drought well. But the pine does not really like the lack of light. This coniferous plant gives a good annual growth. The dense crown of the pine is very decorative, and therefore the pine is successfully used in landscaping parks and gardens, both in a single planting and in a group. This conifer prefers sandy, calcareous and rocky soils. Although there are several types of pine that prefer fertile soils, these are Weymouth, Wallich, cedar and resinous pine.

Some properties of pine are simply amazing. For example, the peculiarity of its bark delights, when the bark below is much thicker than the one above. This makes us once again think about the wisdom of nature. After all, it is this property that protects the tree from summer overheating and a possible ground fire.

Another feature is how the tree prepares in advance for the winter period. After all, the evaporation of moisture in frost can destroy the plant. Therefore, as soon as the cold approaches, the pine needles are covered with a thin layer of wax, and the stomata close. Those. pine stops breathing!

Scotch pine. It is rightfully considered a symbol of the Russian forest. In height, the tree reaches 35-40 meters, and therefore it is deservedly called a tree of the first magnitude. The circumference of the trunk sometimes reaches 1 meter. Pine needles are dense, bluish-green. The shape is different - sticking out, curved, and even collected in bunches of 2 needles.

The life expectancy of needles is 3 years. With the onset of autumn, the needles turn yellow and fall off.

Pine cones, as a rule, are located 1-3 pieces on legs. Ripe cones are brown or brown in color and reach a length of 6 cm.

Under adverse conditions, Scotch pine may stop growing and remain a "dwarf". Surprisingly, different instances can have a different root system. For example, in arid soils, a pine tree may develop a taproot that extracts water deep underground. And in conditions of high occurrence ground water lateral roots develop.

The life expectancy of Scots pine can reach 200 years. There are cases in history when a pine lived for 400 years.

Scotch pine is considered fast growing. For a year, its growth can be 50-70 cm. This coniferous tree begins to bear fruit from the age of 15. In the conditions of the forest and dense planting - only after 40 years.

The Latin name is Pinus mugo. This is a multi-stemmed coniferous tree, reaching a height of 10-20 meters. Dwarf varieties - 40-50 cm. Trunks - semi-lodging and ascending. In adulthood, it can reach a diameter of 3 m. A very decorative coniferous plant.

The needles are dark, long, often curved. The bark is brownish-gray, scaly. Cones ripen in the 3rd year.

To date, more than 100 varieties of mountain pine have been registered. And this number is increasing every year. In landscape gardening, dwarf varieties are especially used, which form beautiful compositions along the banks of reservoirs and in rocky gardens.

Magnificent view with a narrow pyramidal crown. Homeland - North America. In our country, it grows well in the southern and middle lane. Grows up to 10 meters. It does not tolerate urban conditions very well. Especially at a young age, it often freezes slightly. Prefers places protected from the winds. Therefore, yellow pine is best planted in groups.

The needles are dark and long. The bark is thick, reddish-brown, cracking into large plates. Cones ovoid, almost sessile. In total, there are about 10 varieties of yellow pine.

A very showy variety of pine. Homeland - North America. The needles have a blue-green tint. The cones are large and somewhat curved. An adult tree can reach a height of more than 30 meters. It is considered a long-liver, as it can live up to 400 years. As it grows, it changes its crown from narrow-pyramidal to wide-pyramidal. It acquired its name thanks to the English Lord Weymouth, who brought it home from North America in the 18th century.

It does not tolerate salty soils and. It is relatively resistant to frost, but does not like winds. Weymouth pine is characterized by reddish pubescence on young shoots.

A relatively low coniferous plant - up to 20 m high. This is a slow-growing tree. The bark is light gray, lamellar. The needles are bright green, hard, curved. Cones are yellowish, shiny, long. The diameter of the crown can reach 5-6 meters.

Some experts consider it Geldreich's pine. Indeed, the resemblance is great. However, since there are varieties under both names, we will still focus on whitebark pine. To date, about 10 varieties of this species are known. Approximately the same number of Geldreich's pines. Often varieties can be mixed.

This type of pine in the conditions of our country takes root best in the southern regions, as it does not tolerate frost well. Whitebark pine is photophilous, it is undemanding to the nutritional composition of the soil, but it grows better on moderately moist, drained and moderately alkaline soils.

Looks good in a Japanese, rocky and heather garden. Great for both solitary planting and mixed group.

Fir

Tall (up to 60 m) coniferous tree with a conical crown. A bit like a spruce. It can be up to 2 meters in diameter. This is a real long-lived plant. Some specimens live 400-700 years. The trunk of a fir is straight, columnar. The crown is dense. At a young age, the fir crown has a cone-shaped or pyramidal shape. As they grow older, the shape of the crown becomes cylindrical.

The needles, depending on the variety, have different lengths and live 8-10 years. Fir begins to bear fruit from the age of about 30 years. Cones are erect and long (up to 25 cm).

This coniferous plant does not tolerate frost, drought and great heat. The pluses include the fact that this is the most shade-tolerant tree. Sometimes shoots can appear under the mother tree in full shading. With good lighting, firs naturally grow better.

This coniferous plant is a real find in landscape gardening. Fir is used both in a single planting and for decorating alleys. Dwarf forms look great in a rocky garden and on an alpine hill.

Botanical name Abies balsamea "Nana". This coniferous plant is a dwarf cushion tree. V vivo grows in North America.

In care unpretentious. He likes good lighting, but he also tolerates shade well. For balsam fir, not so much frost is terrible as strong gusty winds that can simply damage a small tree. The soil prefers light, moist, fertile, slightly acidic. It reaches a height of 1 m, which makes it a favorite decorative object in landscape gardening. It is equally good for decorating a garden, landscaping terraces, slopes and roofs.

Propagated by seeds and annual cuttings with an apical bud.

The needles are dark green with a special reflection. Exudes a characteristic resinous aroma. Cones are red-brown, elongated, reach a length of 5-10 cm.

It is a very slow growing coniferous plant. For 10 years, it grows no more than 30 cm. It lives up to 300 years.

Fir Nordmann (or Caucasian). An evergreen coniferous tree that came to us from the mountains of the Caucasus and Asia Minor. Sometimes it grows up to 60-80 meters in height. The shape of the crown is a neat cone-shaped. It is for this neat appearance and gardeners love Nordmann fir.

It is she who is dressed up instead of a Christmas tree for the New Year holidays in many European countries. This is largely due to the structure of the branches - the branches are often located and raised up. This distinguishing feature fir Nordmann.

The needles are dark green with some sheen. Young shoots are light green, even yellowish. Needles - from 15 to 40 mm, look very fluffy. If the needles are lightly rubbed between the fingers, you can feel a specific citrus aroma.

The trunk of an adult plant can reach a diameter of two meters. At a young age, the bark of the Caucasian fir is grayish-brown, smooth. As it matures, it cracks into segments and becomes matte.

Nordmann fir is growing quite fast. Under favorable conditions, this coniferous tree can live up to 600-700 years. Moreover, the increase in height and width continues until the very last day of life!

Depending on the type of soil, the root system can be either superficial or deep with a central core. The cones of this fir are large, up to 20 cm, arranged vertically on a short stem.

It has a unique property - the needles on the branches remain even after they have dried, up to mechanical damage.

A coniferous evergreen plant belonging to the Cypress family. It can be both a tree and a shrub. Common juniper (Juniperus communis) grows mainly in the Northern Hemisphere of our planet. However, in Africa you can also find your own juniper - East African. In the Mediterranean and Central Asia, this plant forms juniper forests. Quite common are undersized species that creep along the ground and rocky slopes.

To date, more than fifty species of juniper are known.

As a rule, it is a photophilous and drought-resistant culture. Absolutely undemanding to soils and temperatures. However, like any plant, it has its own preferences - for example, it develops better in light and nutritious soil.

Like all conifers, it belongs to centenarians. Its average life expectancy is about 500 years.

The needles of the juniper are bluish-green in color, triangular, pointed at the ends. Cones are spherical, gray or of blue color. Rod root.

This coniferous plant was attributed and magical properties. For example, it was believed that a juniper wreath scares away evil spirits and brings good luck. Perhaps that is why in Europe there was a fashion to hang wreaths on the eve of the new year.

V landscape design both juniper trees and shrubs are widely used. Group plantings are good for creating hedges. Solitary plants also do an excellent job with main role in composition. Low-growing creeping varieties are often used as ground cover plants. They strengthen slopes well and prevent soil erosion. In addition, juniper lends itself well to a haircut.

Scaly juniper (Juniperus squamata)– shrub creeping form. Thick branches with the same dense needles look very decorative.

Evergreen coniferous plant. Has the appearance of trees or shrubs. Depending on the genus and species, it differs in color, quality of needles, crown shape, height and life expectancy. Representatives of some species live up to 150 years. At the same time, there are specimens - true centenarians, who live up to almost 1000 years!

In landscape gardening, thuja is considered one of the basic plants, and like any conifer, it is good both in group planting and as a solo plant. It is used to decorate alleys, hedges and borders.

The most common types of thuja are western, eastern, giant, Korean, Japanese, etc.

Thuja needles are soft needle-shaped. In a young plant, the needles have a light green color. With age, the needles acquire a darker shade. The fruits are oval or oblong cones. Seeds ripen in the first year.

Thuja is famous for its unpretentiousness. She tolerates frost well, and is not capricious in care. Unlike other conifers, it tolerates gas pollution in large cities well. Therefore, it is indispensable in urban gardening.

Larches

Coniferous plants with needles falling down for the winter. This partly explains its name. These are large, light-loving and winter-hardy plants that grow quickly, are undemanding to soils and tolerate air pollution well.

Larches are especially beautiful in early spring and late autumn. In spring, larch needles acquire a soft green hue, and in autumn - bright yellow. Since the needles grow every year, its needles are very soft.

Larch fructifies from 15 years. Cones have an ovoid-conical shape, somewhat reminiscent of a rose flower. They reach a length of 6 cm. Young cones are purple in color. As they mature, they turn brown.

Larch- long-lived tree. Some of them live up to 800 years. The plant develops most intensively in the first 100 years. These are tall and slender trees, reaching 25-80 meters in height depending on the species and conditions.

In addition, larch is very useful tree. It has a very hard and durable wood. In the industry, its red core is in the greatest demand. Also, larch is valued in traditional medicine. Folk healers harvest its young shoots, buds and larch resin, from which "Venetian" turpentine (turpentine) is obtained, which is used for many diseases. The bark is harvested throughout the summer and used as a vitamin remedy.

Photo of coniferous plants

Enjoy the beauty of nature with us

Conifers are mostly evergreens, woody or shrubby, with needle-like leaves. The needles are needle-shaped, scaly or linear leaves. Conifers belong to the class gymnosperms. In total, coniferous plants number about 600 species. It is difficult to list the names of all coniferous trees, but it is possible to provide a list of coniferous trees that are the most famous and widespread in our strip.

Pine is an evergreen coniferous tree that grows everywhere throughout Russia, is distinguished by long needles and unpretentiousness to natural conditions. Sunny pine groves are a real natural sanatorium.

- a coniferous ornamental tree from the cypress family, many varieties of arborvitae are widely cultivated for landscaping parks and private farms.

- in the wild it grows in the tropical zone, it is also successfully bred as an ornamental tree or shrub, the foliage differs from all previous conifers, the leaves on upward shoots are arranged spirally, on horizontal shoots - linear. Yew is very poisonous, only pitted berries are edible.

– coniferous shrub cypress family, used for ornamental gardening.

- a mighty tree of the North Ocean coast of America of the cypress family. Trees - centenarians from this genus live for several thousand years.

- a beautiful coniferous tree that grows wild in the mountains of China.

The above list of conifers describes plants, each of which has many species - these are just the most common conifers.

In addition to those listed, conifers include: cypress, hemlock, ginkgo, araucaria, libocedrus, pseudo-hemlock, cunningamia, cryptomeria, sciadopitis, sequoiadendron and many others.

Sometimes, looking at evergreen coniferous trees, people think: why does a person have such a short age on earth? Intelligent creatures that can think, feel and create live on average 70-80 years, and ordinary trees live more than a thousand. Perhaps someday the dream of eternal life will come true, and then people will be able to enjoy environment fully. Before that time comes, it's worth getting to know different types coniferous trees to decorate their summer cottage with them.

It is these evergreens that harmoniously fit into any landscape design. Their strict and refined forms stand out clearly on the green lawn in summer. And in cold weather, refresh Vacation home rich greenery and pleasant resinous aroma. Many gardeners grow evergreen beauties on their plots, because their diversity is truly impressive. They are tall and dwarf. Found in the form of a pyramid or cone. Therefore, the unforgettable landscape of coniferous trees remains in the hearts of grateful people forever. Let's take a closer look at the most popular types.

Among the huge number of coniferous centenarians, unique specimens are especially impressive: the Old Tikko spruce in Sweden (more than 9 thousand years), the Methuselah pine in the USA (about 5 thousand). In general, there are up to 20 such trees on the planet.

National favorite - spruce

Probably, there is no person on earth who has not heard about this tree. Many poems and songs have been written about him, pictures and fairy tales have been written. The plant is associated with various holidays, customs, and sometimes with bad omens. Because of this, the plant suffers from excessive felling, which brings a lot of grief to nature lovers.

Spruce is an evergreen coniferous tree that belongs to the Pine family and can grow to a height of 35 meters. It has a pyramidal or triangular crown shape, ending with a sharp top. The branches are located along the entire trunk, so it is almost invisible from the side. They grow needles of a dark green color with a glossy shiny coating, which are much shorter than those of pine.

The tree is found almost everywhere in the vastness of the Northern Hemisphere. It is the main component of the Russian taiga, where it grows next to oak, pine, and hazel. In nature, there are about 50 species of spruce. Some of them successfully take root on lawns country houses. The following types are especially widely used.

Spruce roots are close to the soil surface, so a strong hurricane wind can knock it down. Therefore, the tree should not be planted near residential premises.

Acrocon

Spruce of this type is characterized by a wide conical crown with hanging branches. Considered slow growing. For 30 years it grows to a height of up to 4 meters. Plant diameter is about 3 m. Prefers shady places. Spruce tolerates cold temperatures very well. In the summer heat, it needs watering.

inverse

The tree has a columnar crown and falling weeping branches that, like a train, touch the ground. It grows up to a maximum of 8 meters. The diameter of an adult plant is about 2.5 m.

European Maxwelly

Dwarf shrub in the form of a wide cone. It tolerates winter frosts and shady places without problems. Grows up to a meter high. The diameter of an adult shrub is 2 m.

Glauca Globoza

The famous spruce stands out with needles blue color. Grows in height up to 2 meters. It is used in many countries to decorate urban and suburban landscapes. Due to the fact that the tree lends itself to shearing, original blue balls are made from it, which delight their fans all year round.

Fir - a tree with purple cones

An evergreen representative of the genus Pine. It differs from its close relatives in the features of needles:

softness;
shine;
flat shape.

White stripes are visible on the underside of each needle, which gives the plant a festive look. fir tree decorated purple buds which is its main highlight. It grows slowly over 10 years, after which growth accelerates. Lives for about 400 years. Breeders have bred decorative varieties that are used to decorate urban and suburban areas.

Since the needles of the tree have healing properties, grow fir on suburban area- great idea. It helps in the fight against colds, sciatica and wound healing.

Columnaris

The tree has a straight trunk and a narrow crown resembling a column. Grows up to 10 meters. The dense branches are directed upwards, which gives the tree a majestic character.

prostrata

Such a fir is famous for its long branches stretched above the ground, which can reach 2.5 meters in length.

Argenta

The variety is characterized by original silvery needles, the tips of which are painted whitish. Every spring, luminescent yellow shoots come out of her buds. This unusual combination creates a stunning view of the site. country house. And it lasts almost a whole month.

Nana

A dwarf tree that grows only up to 50 cm. The diameter of an adult plant is 1 m. The crown is rounded, slightly flattened. Works great in small areas.

majestic cedar

Since time immemorial, these trees have been considered a symbol of greatness. In their natural environment, they grow at an altitude of 3 km above sea level and resemble real giants. Grow up to 50 meters. They live for more than two centuries.

Despite its grandeur, this is a unique tree, as it can decorate any garden landscape. If you plant it at the main entrance, an atmosphere of some kind of celebration is created. On spacious lawns - home comfort.

Some dwarf varieties are used to grow bonsai plants. To create original landscapes, species that differ are widely used:

needle color;
needle length;
tree sizes.

When choosing a suitable species, it is advisable to first get acquainted with the plant. For home cultivation, the following varieties are used:

Mysterious larch

Many people think that if a tree is called larch, then it does not belong to coniferous species. Actually it is not. The plant is a representative of the Pine family, but unlike its relatives, it loses its needles in autumn.

Larch grows up to 50 m in height. In this case, the trunk reaches 1 m in diameter. The branches grow in a chaotic manner, with a barely noticeable slope. As a result, a crown is formed in the form of a cone. The needles are noticeably flattened, soft to the touch, bright green in color. In the natural environment, there are 14 different varieties. For garden design, the following types are used:

This diversity allows you to create magnificent landscapes on the territory of suburban areas.

majestic pine

Biologists have more than a hundred different varieties of such an evergreen plant. Moreover, the distinguishing feature is the number of needles on one bundle. A pine tree often grows up to a height of 50 meters. The straight trunk is covered with reddish-brown cracking bark. Long needles are located on the spreading branches of the tree and are distinguished by a rich aroma. Pine lives for about 600 years and perfectly tolerates cold and summer heat.

Pine planting should be done quickly, as its roots can dry out in a quarter of an hour. Such a plant does not take root in the new territory.

For garden decoration breeders have created original miniature species:

Without a doubt, such evergreen living decorations are suitable for creating landscape rock gardens or mixborders. In any case, pine can become the hallmark of a summer cottage.

Her Majesty - thuja

An evergreen tree of this kind is almost always used to decorate city parks and green areas. Recently, this plant has been widely used to decorate home gardens. It is valued by gardeners for its ability to endure severe winter frosts, drought and high humidity.

The thuja tree is distinguished by lush branches on which scaly dark green leaves are located. Every year, the plant is covered with miniature cones that resemble scattered beads on green fabric. In addition to traditional forms, thujas are:

dwarf;
weeping;
creeping.

Most often for design personal plot use seedlings called "Occidentalis". The tree can grow up to 7 m in height, and create a crown of about 2 m. Another species - "Cloth of Gold" - has a golden hue of needles. It grows well in shady areas of the garden.

Medium-sized variety - "Columna" impresses with its needles of dark green coloring with a glossy sheen. It does not disappear even in winter, for which it is very much appreciated by lovers of green spaces. "Columna"

A compact type of thuja tree - "Holmstrup" has a conical shape, despite its height - 3 m. It tolerates cold winters wonderfully, can be pruned and is used as a hedge. Another giant - "Smaragd" - grows up to about 4 m. The diameter of an adult tree is up to 1.5 m. The needles are juicy, dark green in color with a brilliant sheen. Such a beauty will surely decorate the country landscape of connoisseurs of greenery.

Having become better acquainted with the majestic conifers, it is easy to pick up suitable option. And let the suburban area turn into a green oasis of joy, where resistant coniferous trees grow.

Conifers in landscape design - video

In Russia, dark coniferous forests occupy quite significant areas, in the European part and in Eastern Siberia - approximately 15 million hectares, with a total timber reserve of 2.6 billion m3. Coniferous tree species grow both in mountainous regions and on the plains. In dark coniferous forests, mainly evergreen, shade-tolerant coniferous trees grow, such as:

Fir;
Spruce (European or ordinary);
Siberian Cedar Pine.

In these forests it is always gloomy, shady, humid. This is explained by the fact that in them low illumination and low warming of the underlying forest plants and soil is observed due to the densely folded crowns of these trees and the high density of the tree canopy.

The average temperature in dark coniferous forests in July, the warmest month, is slightly over 10 degrees. It is at this temperature that, firstly, in coniferous trees, the “ripening” of young shoots that appeared in the spring occurs; secondly, the formation of a tank-protective layer on the surface of the needles and branches, which is necessary for the wintering of these plants.

In dark coniferous forests, both pure stands and mixed species of coniferous trees with other, deciduous species are observed. For example, in the Carpathians and the Caucasus, Fir grows together with Beech; in Siberia - Fir and Siberian Cedar Pine; in the Far East - Korean Cedar Pine, Fir, Ash; on about. Sakhalin and the Kuril Islands - Fir along with Ayanskaya Spruce. Mountain fir forests are of great importance for water protection, climate control, soil protection and water control.

Fir

Pine family, common in the mountains, less often - on the plains, from the Carpathians to the Kuril Islands. This is an evergreen ornamental, coniferous pine tree of a dark coniferous forest. It has a straight trunk, the height of which reaches 80 (sometimes - 100 m), diameter - 0.5-2 m, a dense cone-shaped crown with whorled branching and inter-whorled shoots. At the ends of the shoots - developing buds, blunt or slightly pointed, greenish, reddish or brownish in color, in some species of Fir - resinous.

Numerous swellings (nodules) containing a fragrant, transparent gum are visible on the smooth bark of the plant.

Fir leaves are perennial, flat, linear, fragrant, non-thorny, dark green, shiny needles. At the top, the needles are slightly blunt, on its underside there are two oblong, white color stripes. Each strip contains 3-4 rows of stomata. Observations have shown that each needle can remain on a tree for 7-10 years. Fir blossoms in May.

In the lower part of the chrome, on the upper side of two-year-old shoots, in the axils of the needles, there are male spikelets (microstrobiles), solitary, oblong, with yellow or red anthers. The transfer of spikelet pollen even over long distances occurs due to the presence of two flying, air sacs in the pollen grains.

In the upper part of the crown, at the end of last year's shoot, there are seed female cones (megastrobili), solitary, green or reddish-violet. Inside the cone, scales are spirally arranged, covered with a protective layer of resin, in the axils of which the seed of the kidney sits in pairs. Ripe cones are erect, purple or brownish in color, oval or cylindrical. Seeds are winged, after ripening in the first year, in September-October they crumble along with scales.

Fir is propagated by seeds, vegetatively (cuttings and layering) - rarely. Fir is a shade-tolerant, moisture-loving, soil-demanding tree of the pine family: they should be light, sandy, loamy, rather moist, well fertilized. The plant does not tolerate air pollution by smoke and gas; very unstable to fire, so Fir forests are very affected by fires.

Various species of this plant have great importance in various industries and medicine. Turpentine is obtained from Fir resin, cones from needles - essential oil- Raw materials for medical camphor. In folk medicine for the treatment various diseases apply an infusion of needles and a decoction of the kidneys.

As the main forest-forming species, it is used in construction, in the pulp and paper industry, and container production. As a beautiful ornamental plant, it is planted in gardens and parks of populated areas.

European spruce or common spruce

Evergreen coniferous tree, pine family. Distributed in the European part of Russia, in the Baltic States, Belarus, the Carpathians, in Asia and North America. They are graceful, slender, ornamental trees pine forests, whose height reaches 20-50 m, have a straight, large trunk, gradually thinning, to the very top. Covered with scaly red-brown bark. The crown is slender, dense, pyramidal, in which horizontally spaced or slightly drooping branches are observed, with ascending branches at the ends.

Since Spruce is a shade-tolerant plant, its lower branches are well preserved and can even take root. But, having a superficial root system, it is unstable and therefore, with a strong wind, it can turn out with roots. On the folds of the bark, which look like oblong pads, needles are located singly, spirally, which persist on the tree for up to 7-8 years. The needles are tetrahedral, prickly, pointed at the top; blooms in May. In a closed forest stand, it begins to "bloom" at the age of 25-30 years, in a rarefied one - from 10-15 years.

In the spring, male spikelets and female cones appear at the Spruce. Male spikelets (microstrobili) are greenish-yellow in color, located at the ends of last year's shoots. They consist of numerous scales spirally arranged on a stem. Each scale has two anthers with pollen grains. Each pollen grain has two air sacs, which increases its ability to fly. This coniferous pine tree is pollinated by the wind.

Female cones (megastrobili) are fusiform or ovoid, have a central axis on which scales are located along the edge - wavy, in the axils of which there are other scales containing two ovules. Cones before ripening are erect, purple in color, after ripening they are sagging, light brown, shiny, the length of which is 10-16 cm, diameter is 3-4 cm. Seeds are oblong, winged, ripen in the year of "Spruce flowering" in October November, after which they completely sleep out (the scales do not crumble). Seed germination is good and lasts for 8-10 years.

Common spruce or European spruce propagates in nature - by seeds and vegetatively (by layering). In culture, mainly -, rarely - vegetatively (by cuttings and grafting of the apical shoot).

The soil for growing these conifers requires well-drained, fresh, loamy, clayey or sandy loam. This frost-resistant plant tolerates frosts of 40-55 degrees Celsius, suffers from both spring and autumn frosts, dry air, and gas pollution.

European spruce, common, is an important forest-forming species. On the territory of Russia, the area of spruce forests exceeds 80 million hectares, the stock of timber is about 12 billion m3. Elastic, soft wood, it is used in construction, in furniture production, for the manufacture of paper, musical instruments (violas, violins, double basses).

Rosin, tar, turpentine are extracted from the Spruce, oil for the preparation of drying oil from the seeds of cones, and tannins from the bark. Cone seeds are a favorite treat for squirrels. Spruce kidney decoction, fresh kidney syrup, resin ointment are used in folk medicine. As a beautiful ornamental plant, it is planted in gardens and parks, as well as in forest plantings.

Siberian Cedar Pine

Pine family, distributed in the north-eastern regions of Russia, in Western and Eastern Siberia, in North America. This is an evergreen, coniferous tree, the height of which is 40 m and the diameter of the trunk is 1.5-2 m. has whorled branching. The upper branches are raised up, candelabra-like.

On young branches and trunks, the bark is ash-silver in color, with brownish transverse lenticels. In adulthood, it becomes fissured, gray-brown in color. The needles are long (5-12 cm), soft, in bunches of 5 needles, triangular in cross section, dark green in color with a bluish bloom. It remains on the tree for 3-7 years.

In early spring, male spikelets and female cones. In the middle part of the crown are male spikelets (anther). At the ends of the upper shoots there are female cones, 2-3 at the top bud. Fruits only top part crown, the length of which is 1-1.5 m (rarely - 2 m).

Cones are ovoid, 6-13 cm long, 5-8 cm wide, light brown in color. The scales of the cones are tightly pressed with thickened shields. Cones contain from 80 to 140 brown seeds, 10-14 mm long and 6-10 mm wide. Seeds are mostly wingless, however, rarely found with a falling wing.

The Siberian Cedar Pine has a tap root system, with lateral, widely spread roots; blooms in June. In closed forest stands "bloom" starts from 40-50 years of age, in discharged - from 13-15 years of age. In the second year after flowering, seeds ripen in August, and in September there is a massive drop in cones.

In a fruitful year, one such large tree of the pine family can produce up to 10-15 thousand cones. Propagated in nature - samen, in culture - seeds, seedlings, seedlings, grafting. Siberian Cedar Pine, being a plant of a sharply continental climate, is frost-resistant. Photophilous in adulthood, can grow on different soils, but loves well-drained, light, loamy, deep loamy, podzolic soils. Cannot tolerate smoke pollution and replanting in adulthood.

Siberian Cedar Pine is the most important forest-forming and nut-bearing species. The total area of forests, which it grows in Russia, is 40 million hectares, the timber reserve is 8 billion m3. The industrial collection of Pine nuts mainly takes place in the Urals, in Western and Eastern Siberia.

Pine nuts - valuable food product- a source of cedar oil. Resin is obtained from growing trees when cutting them. From needles - vitamin concentrates, coniferous pastes, coniferous flour. From soft, light, pinkish-yellow wood, pencils, furniture, musical instruments are made.

Siberian Cedar Pine is a very ornamental plant, thanks to its dense, golden, bluish, dark green needles. Therefore, it is planted in group or single plantings in gardens and parks in many countries of the world.