Advertising on the portal

Spruce Engelman description. Decorative spruce: description of species and varieties

Among the countless varieties and hybrids of sweet peppers, there are such as, for example, Ramiro peppers, whose popularity is literally global. And if most of the vegetables on the shelves of supermarkets are nameless, and it is almost impossible to find out about their varietal affiliation, then the name of this Ramiro pepper will certainly be on the package. And, as my experience has shown, this pepper is worth knowing about it and other gardeners. That is why this article was written.

Autumn is the busiest time. It is no longer hot, in the morning there is heavy dew. Since the earth is still warm, and foliage has already attacked from above, creating a very special microclimate in the surface layer, the mushrooms are very comfortable. Mushroom pickers are also comfortable at this time, especially in the mornings when it is cooler. It's time for both to meet. And, if not introduced to each other - get to know each other. In this article I will introduce you to exotic, little-known and not always edible mushrooms similar to corals.

If you are a busy person, but at the same time not without romance, if you have your own plot and you are endowed with aesthetic taste, then explore the opportunity to purchase this wonderful ornamental shrub - Caryopteris, or Nutwing. He is also a "wing hazel", "blue fog" and "blue beard". In it, indeed, unpretentiousness and beauty are fully combined. Cariopteris reaches its decorative peak at the end of summer and autumn. It is at this time that it blooms.

Ajvar from pepper - vegetable caviar or thick vegetable sauce from bell pepper with eggplant. Peppers for this recipe are baked, and for quite a long time, then they are also stewed. Onions, tomatoes, eggplants are added to ajvar. For harvesting for the winter, caviar is sterilized. This Balkan recipe is not for those who like to make preparations quickly, undercooked and underbaked - not about ajvar. In general, we approach the matter in detail. For the sauce, we choose the most ripe and meaty vegetables on the market.

Despite the simple names ("sticky" or "indoor maple") and the status of a modern substitute indoor hibiscus, abutilons - plants are far from the simplest. They grow well, bloom profusely and delight looking healthy greens only in optimal conditions. On thin leaves, any deviations from comfortable lighting or temperatures and violations in care quickly appear. To reveal the beauty of abutilons in rooms, it is worth finding the perfect place for them.

Pancakes from zucchini with parmesan and mushrooms - a delicious recipe with a photo of the available products. Ordinary squash pancakes can easily be turned into a boring dish by adding a few savory ingredients to the dough. In the zucchini season, treat your family to vegetable pancakes with wild mushrooms, it is not only very tasty, but also satisfying. Zucchini is a versatile vegetable, it is suitable for stuffing, for preparations, for main courses, and even for sweets. delicious recipes- compotes and jams are made from zucchini.

The idea of ​​growing vegetables on the grass, under the grass and in the grass is at first scary, until you feel the naturalness of the process: in nature, everything happens that way. With the obligatory participation of all soil living creatures: from bacteria and fungi to moles and toads. Each of them contributes. Traditional tillage with digging, loosening, fertilizing, fighting all those we consider pests destroys the biocenoses that have been created for centuries. In addition, it requires a lot of labor and resources.

What to do instead of a lawn? So that all this beauty does not turn yellow, does not hurt and at the same time looks like a lawn ... I hope that the smart and quick-witted reader is already smiling. After all, the answer suggests itself - if nothing is done, nothing will happen. Of course, there are several solutions that can be used, and with their help, reduce the area of ​​​​the lawn, and therefore reduce the laboriousness of caring for it. I propose to consider alternative options and discuss their pros and cons.

Tomato sauce with onion and sweet pepper - thick, fragrant, with pieces of vegetables. The sauce cooks quickly and turns out thick because this recipe is with pectin. Make such preparations at the end of summer or autumn, when the vegetables have ripened under the sun in the beds. From bright, red tomatoes you get the same bright homemade ketchup. This sauce is a ready-made spaghetti dressing, and you can also just spread it on bread - very tasty. For better preservation, you can add a little vinegar.

This year I often saw a picture: among the luxurious green crown of trees and shrubs, here and there, like candles, the tops of the shoots are “burning”. This is chlorosis. Most of us know about chlorosis from school biology lessons. I remember that this is a lack of iron ... But chlorosis is an ambiguous concept. And not always lightening the foliage means a lack of iron. What is chlorosis, what our plants lack in chlorosis and how to help them, we will tell in the article.

Korean-style vegetables for the winter - a delicious Korean salad with tomatoes and cucumbers. The salad is sweet and sour, spicy and slightly spicy, because it is prepared with seasoning for Korean carrots. Be sure to prepare a few jars for the winter, cold winter This healthy and fragrant snack will be very useful. For the recipe, you can use overripe cucumbers, it is better to harvest vegetables in late summer or early autumn, when they are ripe in open field under the sun.

Autumn for me is dahlias. Mine begin to bloom already in June, and all summer the neighbors look over the fence to me, reminding me that I promised them a few tubers or seeds by autumn. In September, a tart note appears in the aroma of these flowers, hinting at the approaching cold. So, it's time to start preparing plants for a long cold winter. In this article I will share my secrets of autumn care for perennial dahlias and preparing them for winter storage.

To date, by the efforts of breeders, according to various sources, from seven to ten thousand (!) varieties of cultivated apple trees have been bred. But with their huge variety in private gardens, as a rule, only a couple of popular and beloved varieties grow. Apple trees are large trees with a spreading crown, and you cannot grow many of them in one area. But what if you try to grow columnar varieties of this crop? In this article I will talk about such varieties of apple trees.

Pinjur - Balkan eggplant caviar with sweet peppers, onions and tomatoes. A distinctive feature of the dish is that eggplants and peppers are first baked, then peeled and simmered for a long time in a roasting pan or in a saucepan with a thick bottom, adding the rest of the vegetables indicated in the recipe. The caviar is very thick, with a bright, rich taste. In my opinion, this cooking method is the best of all known. Although it is more troublesome, the result compensates for the labor costs.

Picea engelmannii (Parry) Engelm.

Species features and description. Tree up to 30-50 m tall, with a narrow-conical, dense, sometimes asymmetric crown. The diameter of the trunk can reach 90-100cm. Cones are ovoid-cylindrical, 5-7 cm long, up to 2 cm in diameter. Seeds are about 2-3 mm long, brown in color, the seed wing is about 1.2 cm long. Young cones are golden green, dark brown when ripe, mature walnut, then light brown, covered with thin, relatively soft serrated scales, slightly oblique. Cones ripen in August-September and open in dry weather, releasing seeds. Cones fall only in the spring of the next year. The needles are bluish-green, with a silvery tint, sharp and thin, but not so hard and sharp, unlike prickly spruce, about 1.5-3 cm in length, has four edges and on both sides, lives 10-15 years, only in culture 7-8 years old. The bark is thin, scaly, has a reddish-brown hue, brightens with age.

Engelman's spruce is very frost-resistant, in the area it withstands frosts down to -50 and more degrees Celsius. It resists wind and snow loads well thanks to its narrow cylindrical crown. In nature, it grows in rather harsh physical conditions. Prefers moderately moist, light loamy soils, grows in any well-drained and moderately moist to moderately dry soils. Poorly tolerates waterlogging and soil compaction. Engelman's spruce is very light-requiring, in the shade the needles quickly lose their luster and darken, and a young spruce can also lose its crown shape. Lives in nature up to 300-400 (1000) years.

The Engelman spruce has a morphological similarity to the prickly spruce, but differs from it in a narrower crown, thinner and less rigid bluish-green needles. In culture, it is almost as decorative as prickly spruce.

Habitat and distribution. Naturally grows in the Rocky Mountains North America at high altitudes, from 1500 to 3500 m, mainly along the shady slopes of mountains and river valleys, up to the upper borders of the forest. Forms extensive forests, both pure and mixed, growing together with various types of coniferous and deciduous trees and shrubs, such as spruce; prickly, black, Canadian, larch; western and American, Canadian hemlock, pine; twisted, white-barreled, flexible, fir; subalpine, monochromatic, great, paper birch, aspen-shaped poplar, chokeberry, curled maple and with other species.

The Engelmann spruce was introduced to Europe and has been cultivated as an ornamental plant since 1863. In Russia, Engelman spruce began to be grown from the end of the 19th century, but in very limited quantities.

Application and landscaping.

Engelman's spruce is very frost-resistant and quite drought-resistant, easily tolerates living conditions within the city. First 5-7 years in early spring need top dressing from complex mineral fertilizers for better growth after transplant. Also, do not forget to cut off dry and diseased shoots. In too hot or dry weather, young trees need to be watered more often and loosen the soil near trunk circle for good aeration of the roots. IN winter period time, especially in the first winter after transplanting to a new place, it is necessary to cover the plants from direct exposure to sunlight in order to avoid needle burns.

Tall, slender spruces with a pyramidal crown are common coniferous forest plants that can often be seen in the park area, in urban landscaping, and among backyard landscapes. A wide variety of species and varieties, the presence of dwarf and slow-growing forms make it possible to successfully plant these plants in a flower garden, rockeries and on, in mixed compositions with other woody plants.

Types of firs

The genus Spruce (Picea) has up to 45 species that, under natural conditions, grow in a cold and temperate climate, on sandy and stony soils, less often in wetlands. The center of origin is considered the harsh mountainous terrain of China. Plants are quite unpretentious, drought-resistant, most of them endure the most severe 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 advise you to read 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, is characterized by a pyramidal crown with a pointed top. The branches are directed to the sides or obliquely down, raised at the ends. The needles are juicy green, glossy, tetrahedral, up to 2.5 cm long. The cones are oblong, greenish or purple in the immature state. A hardy local species distributed in the European part up to the Urals, usually does not cause problems in acquisition and care.

Acrocona (Acrocona)

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. The young plant is compact, rounded. The difference between Acrocona is early, abundant and very colorful fruiting, immature cones of lilac-raspberry color appear in abundance at the ends of the skeletal branches and adorn the plant remarkably.

The needles are of a dark green tone, on tender hanging young growths of a grassy shade, which is a catchy contrast. An excellent choice for landscaping small gardens and solitary lawn plantings.

Ohlendorffii (Ohlendorffii)

Dwarf spruce with a compact crown comes from Germany. By the age of ten, it reaches 1–2 m, develops slowly, grows annually by 3–6 cm. The crown is wide, first rounded, then pyramidal, multi-topped. The branches are dense, spread out to the sides and raised at the ends, densely covered with fine green needles, sometimes with a golden hue. The variety is shade-tolerant, unpretentious, suitable for making 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 slopingly lowered, falling to the very ground, spreading with age, forming a kind of lush plume, which looks unusual and attractive.

The needles of a light green tone, short, hard. Immature cones are greenish crimson, growths are emerald green, oblong-rounded. A stunning variety for solitary plantings, it gives a graceful vertical accent to compositions and is of interest to lovers of unusual ornamental plants.

Serbian spruce (Picea omorika)

Tall tree of narrowed conical or columnar shape with a pointed top. The needles are flattened, glossy, dark green in color, marked on the wrong side with two silver-white dashes. The cones are small, bluish-black in color.

A beautiful, stable species is unpretentious to soils, tolerates air pollution well, and under natural conditions is common in the mountainous terrain 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 apex. The height of an adult plant is not more than 3.5 m and a width of about 2 m, it develops at a moderate pace for undersized varieties, by the age of ten it reaches one and a half meters.

The main branches are directed obliquely upwards, covered with radially directed glossy emerald-colored needles with a distinct bluish tint and light stripes on the wrong side. Planted in oriental gardens, thanks to its spectacular blue tint and compactness, it is successfully used to create contrasting woody compositions.

Peve Tijn

The undersized sport of the previous variety is selected by Dutch breeders. The cone-shaped wide crown is very dense, with a flat, dense surface. Gives growths of 5-6 cm per year, by the age of ten it reaches a little more than one and a half meters in height. The needles are golden green with a blue or silver tint. Attractive color combination it is especially pronounced on annual growths and in plants planted in open sunny areas.

Canadian spruce or gray spruce (Picea glauca)

A powerful tree reaches a height of 25-30 m, grows more moderately in culture - no higher than 10-15 m, in nature it is common in the forests of North America. The crown is dense, the main branches in young plants are raised, in adults they are directed downwards. The needles are dense, bluish-green. The buds are small, light green, turning brown when ripe.

Alberta Globe

A miniature round-shaped plant becomes domed in adulthood. By the age of ten, the diameter of a dense crown is about 30 cm, with annual growths of 2-3 cm, over the years, a 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 thick side branches, forming a bumpy continuous surface. A wonderful variety for planting in rockeries or flower beds looks good in homogeneous groups.

Conica (Conica)

The slow-growing variety of Canadian selection is distinguished by a dense conical crown of the correct 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 flat, dense, the branches are directed upwards. Needle elastic needles of juicy green color are located radially.

Konika does not need shaping pruning, it is wonderful for arranging mixborders, decorating rocky hills and growing in containers. The plant is stable, prefers sparse penumbra, growths are prone to spring burns.

Sanders Blue (Sander's Blue)

Spruce Canadian variety Sanders Blue (Sander's Blue)

The famous blue variety is one of the best in its color group. It develops slowly, growing by 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, becomes loose in shading.

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

Engelman spruce or weeping spruce (Picea engelmanii)

Slender conifers up to 50 m high in nature grow on 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 increments, darkening at the base of the branches. The cones are small, oblong-conical, up to 7 cm long, burgundy before maturation.

Bush Leys (Bush's Lace)

A beautiful unusual variety with a straight trunk and a pyramidal loose crown. The young plant actively produces growths - 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 plume.

The main color is bluish-green, spectacular large increments are bright, contrasting, silver-blue. It looks best alone in open areas, in the shade it loses its color saturation and attractive shape, growing unevenly.

Snake

A tall tree with a sparse crown and bluish-green needles, silvery in growths. Skeletal branches practically without lateral branching, characterized by an increase from the top, horizontally directed, prostrate, slightly raised at the ends. A rare variety, mainly grown by lovers of the exotic, magnificent as a tapeworm, it adds sophistication to oriental and rocky gardens.

Prickly or blue spruce (Picea pungens)

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

Young shoots are bright brown, bare. The needles are gray, with age it becomes more and more green. The advantage of the species is its tolerance to excess moisture and the ability to develop well in lowland areas.

Hermann Naue

A dwarf spectacular variety of a cushion shape, without a pronounced central stem, with numerous lateral branches directed in different directions. By the age of ten, a 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 many at the ends of the shoots already in early age and serve as a wonderful decoration.

The Blues (The Blues)

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

Hoopsi (Hoopsii)

The classic form of gray spruce was bred in the USA in 1958. The lush beauty does not require a huge plot, in maturity it grows up to 10–12 m and no more than 3–4 m in width. It develops quickly - 15-20 cm per year, the branches are strong and resilient, 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, saturated blue in color, light blue on growths. Small purple buds serve as an additional color accent. Looks great in a single planting and alleys, as well as in multi-colored compositions of conifers.

Black spruce (Picea mariana)

A large tree with a narrow pyramidal crown, under natural conditions it grows up to 20–30 m, in culture it does not exceed 3 m by the age of ten. The needles are short, bluish-green, dense. Twigs are brick-brown, covered with reddish pubescence. The winter-hardy, unpretentious species does not differ in huge selection diversity, numbering only 6-7 varieties.

Nana

The dwarf plant is characterized by a dense rounded flattened crown with flat surface. The main branches are horizontally directed, completely covered with lateral diversified branches. It develops slowly, growing at 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 of a spectacular bright green color, contrasting. An unpretentious compact variety will serve as a wonderful element of a flower garden and rockery, grows well in a container culture.

Aurea (Aurea)

By the age of ten, a slow-growing pyramidal tree grows no higher than 1.5–2 m, then growth accelerates, and an adult plant reaches 5–7 m. The branches are open, drooping at the ends, densely covered with short needles of a bluish-green tone with cream tips. Growths are much lighter, golden yellow. The elegant ephedra looks great both in colorful heterogeneous compositions and as a tapeworm.

Siberian spruce (Picea obovata)

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

Glauca (Var. glauca)

A medium-sized variation with a pyramidal crown 10–12 m high grows intensively - 20–25 cm per year. Skeletal branches are widely spread, directed obliquely upwards, the central stem is even, pronounced. The needles are elastic, linear-needle-shaped, tetrahedral, silver-blue, very effective. Glauka is highly frost-resistant, unpretentious and quite shade-tolerant. It is used as a tapeworm, for group plantings and laying alleys.

Eastern spruce (Picea orientalis)

A common species grows in the mountainous terrain 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, sloping at the ends. It grows up to 20 cm per year, young trees develop much more slowly.

The needles are short, hard, dense green tone. Cones of a catchy reddish-purple hue, oblong narrowed shape, 6–8 cm in size. Spruce prefers light soils, does not develop well on heavy soils, freezes slightly in harsh dry winters.

Nutans (Nutans)

A beautiful tree in the form of an uneven pyramid, formed by unevenly growing branches, horizontally spread and raised at the ends. Lateral branches droop. At first it grows moderately, in adulthood it grows more intensively, growing at 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 dense and short, about 1 cm long, dark green, glossy. Young shoots are bright green. Immature buds are showy, reddish-purple, mature buds are brown. A fairly large conifer requires sufficient space, usually grown in a single planting.

Aureospicata (Aureospicata)

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

The needles are thin, very short, dark green. Greenish-yellow bright growths, as well as small raspberry-colored cones, give the ephedra a special attraction. An 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, a few, but very interesting varieties were later bred. 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 silvery stripes on the wrong side. Cones are small - up to 5 cm long, in an immature form of purple color.

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. Prickly needles up to 1.5 cm long, silver-blue in color, lighter from the inside. The origin remains the subject of heated debate - various sources claim that an interesting variety was obtained not from Serbian spruce, but from Jezek or, according to another version, Sitka.

Jezo or Ayan spruce (Picea jezoensis)

A wonderful coniferous tree, reaching 30–50 m in height in nature, grows no higher than 8–10 m in culture by the age of thirty. , likes sprinkling of the crown, shade-tolerant.

The crown is pyramidal, the skeletal branches are directed obliquely upwards. 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 snugly to the twigs, tend to bulge in good light, which gives the plant a light silvery tone. Cones are oval-oblong, up to 8 cm long, purple-crimson or light green when unripe.

Nana Kalous

Dwarf squat plant without a pronounced central conductor, rounded, about 1 m in diameter. Skeletal branches are evenly spaced, directed horizontally and obliquely upwards, lateral branches are short, growing in abundance. Tousled needles with a bluish underside are bright, attractive. Very nice shape, looks good on alpine slides, in the foreground of mixborders.

Groups of spruce varieties by growth strength

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

Undersized varieties

Blue Pearl (Blue Pearl)

Dwarf conifer with a rounded crown, which eventually becomes cushion-shaped or wide-conical. By the age of ten, it reaches half a meter in height and 0.8 m in diameter, grows slowly - 2–3 cm per year.

The branches are dense, multidirectional, lateral branches are located vertically, form a convex textured surface. The needles are radially arranged, stiff and prickly, bluish-blue in tone, 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 in adulthood does not exceed 2 m. Dense branches are unevenly arranged, directed horizontally or obliquely upwards. The glossy needles are dark green, the growths are bright, yellowish. Purple cones appear early and in abundance, they are large, directed vertically, turning brown and drooping over time.

Goblin

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

It develops slowly, growing at 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 well-known cushion variety Nidiformis (Nidiformis).

Medium-sized varieties

Kruenta

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

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

Pendula Bruns (Pendula Bruns)

The original medium-sized plant, growing up to 4-5 m tall, 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, curved upward to varying degrees. The branches are directed downwards, pressed against the trunk and slightly raised at the ends, growing from the ground itself, forming a wide dense plume.

Spiny narrow needles of dark green color, on the wrong side with two silvery stripes. Cones are small, reddish-purple when unripe. 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 too moist, dense soils.

Christmas Blue

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

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

Tall varieties

Iseli Fastigiata (Iseli Fastigiata)

A beautiful prickly spruce grows up to 10–12 m, the growth rate is intensive - about 20 cm per year, reaches 3 m by the age of ten. 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. up, lateral branches and increments are directed vertically.

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

Columnaris (Columnaris)

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

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

Video about the variety of species and varieties of spruces

Various varieties of spruces are widely used in landscaping areas, for decorating front porches, arranging dense emerald or blue hedges, single or group plantings, in mixborders and rockeries. Incredible varietal diversity will not only satisfy the most fastidious demand, but can also captivate the gardener in earnest, turning him into a passionate collector of wonderful evergreens.

A coniferous spruce plant grows almost everywhere. There are many varieties of this evergreen tree. One of the most beautiful is the Engelman spruce. About its varieties, about when to plant and how to care for it, read the article.

General information

Engelman spruce from the genus Spruce of the Pine family. In its natural environment, its habitat covers the rocky mountains of the forest belt of North America. Grows in the shade of mountain slopes and valleys at high altitude, 1500-3500 meters above ground level in vast areas of pure and mixed forests.

Its neighbors of the lower zone in the place of growth can be monochromatic and pretty firs, western hemlocks, larches, twisted broad-tailed pines, and the upper - subalpine firs, mountain hemlocks, Lyell's larches, blond, soft pines.

As an ornamental coniferous species, it has been cultivated in Europe for a long time, since the middle of the 19th century, and in Russia since the end of the same century. El Engelman - fast growing tree. It has not received wide distribution, since few regions are suitable for its growth. On average, it lives three hundred to four hundred years, but in some cases, its life expectancy reaches six hundred years. It has high frost resistance.

Type characteristic

This is an evergreen plant with high decorative qualities. Although every form this plant has properties that distinguish it from other spruces, they all fit the description of "large". Indeed, this plant reaches twenty meters or more in height and ninety centimeters in diameter. Its powerful coniferous cover is measured by three centimeters in length and two millimeters in width.

In addition, the Engelman spruce, no matter what kind of it, is characterized by a special position of the branches: they are all slightly tilted down, as if crying. The dense crown is cone-shaped and often asymmetrical. Thin bark with numerous cracks covered with scales. It has a reddish brown color. Young shoots have a yellowish tinge.

The buds are cone-shaped, and the needles are tetrahedral. It is sharp, with two to four stomatal lines visible on each side. The color of the needles is young and the old tree is green. Growing in their places of origin, spruces do not drop needles from branches for fifteen years.

Description of fruits

The cones are ovoid-cylindrical in shape. On the branches are in a hanging position. Their length reaches four to seven centimeters, width - two and a half. Immature buds are burgundy in color, while mature buds are light brown in color. Toothed scales are located loosely on the surface. Ripening time - August or September. The cones fall in the spring next year, while they do not crumble.

The seeds are located in the axils of the scales. Their length is three millimeters. They are painted in and have one wing twelve millimeters long. The seeds are very small. For comparison: one thousand pieces of seeds weigh only three grams.

Usage

Spruce is often a guest in foreign gardens. It looks better in single plantings, although it does not lose its decorative effect even in group plantings from a small number of specimens. It is planted in squares, along the roads of city streets, in squares. Used to create alley zones.

This variety of coniferous trees has several varieties. The most popular is the Engelmann Glauka spruce. Some trees are dwarf, with a small stature and an unusual color for us, which is white.

Spruce Glauka Canadian

The name speaks for itself: this species of coniferous trees is American. Spruce is the main species in the formation of the Canadian taiga. A tree can grow at a height of one thousand five hundred meters. According to the climatic conditions of growth, it is an analogue. Therefore, Siberia for Glauka is a second home.

Translated from Latin, the name of spruce means "gray". Although many spruces have decorative gray forms. But for the Canadian variety, such coloring of the needles is the norm. Growing in its natural environment, spruce has a less bright color of needles than cultivated trees, and a greater height, up to thirty meters. The crown is dense, cone-shaped, up to two meters in diameter. In young trees, the branches are directed tangentially upwards, while in old spruces they are lowered down.

Lives for a long time, three hundred to five hundred years. Grows on soils of any composition, but prefers loamy soils with good drainage. Engelmann spruce glauca is resistant to Siberian frosts. Garden forms and varieties of Canadian spruce (there are many) reproduce vegetatively. The main method is rooting cuttings.

Low-growing varieties are called snowy. Their growth in Siberia does not cause problems. But other varietal varieties need shading during the period of bright winter and early spring rays of the sun. This is especially true for conical trees.

Spruce Pendula Serbian

This is the most beautiful plant of tree species characterized by a weeping shape. . Spruce Engelman Pendula reaches a height of twelve meters at the age of twenty years. It grows ten to fifteen centimeters per year. And ten years later its height is fifteen meters. The crown is wide, its diameter is one and a half meters. Flexible shoots hang down. Flat needles are green, with a whitish coating below, and up to two centimeters long.

Spruce prefers neutral soils and moderate moisture. Does not tolerate compacted soils and stagnant water. Therefore, it must be planted away from the accumulation of a large number ground water. At the bottom of the landing pit, a layer of drainage with a thickness of twenty centimeters should be laid. For this you can use broken brick or sand. For group plantings, the distance between spruce trees should be two to three meters. Landing pits are deep, fifty to seventy centimeters. When planting, the neck of the root does not go deep into the ground, it should be on the same level with the ground.

For better survival of seedlings, you can independently prepare the soil from soddy and leafy soil, sand and peat. Two parts of the first two components are mixed and one each of the last. As soon as the planting is over, the seedlings are watered big amount water: forty-fifty liters in each hole. Simultaneously with irrigation, fertilizers are applied: nitroammofoska and root, respectively, one hundred and ten grams per bucket of water.

El Engelman, whose photo is presented for viewing, does not tolerate dry weather. In extreme heat, it needs watering, which should be carried out weekly, once is enough. Each tree is watered with ten buckets of water. The soil in the near-stem circle should be loosened regularly to a depth of five centimeters, to prevent the formation of a crust, and for the winter it should be mulched with peat six centimeters thick. After the cold period, the mulch is not removed, but mixed with the soil.

Fertilizers are applied twice during the growing season. Spruces are pruned in exceptional cases, when their shoots form a hedge. It is better to leave this procedure at the end of May or the beginning of June, since at this time the active movement of the juice stops. Healthy branches are not removed. The tree is relieved of dry and diseased branches.

El Bush Leys

The name of this species variety in English translated as "Bush's lace". reaches a height of seven meters, a width of about two. At the age of ten, its height is two and a half meters. In a year it grows thirty centimeters in height.

El Engelman Leys is extraordinarily beautiful. The central conductor is strong, the branches are different interesting feature. At the base they are raised, and their tips are drooping. The branches form a wide skirt around the trunk. The narrow crown of spruce is vertical, with rich blue color needles. The unusual shape and unusual color of the needles attract connoisseurs of beauty. Spruce is used for landscaping areas as a tapeworm and in group plantings.

Conifers today are a fairly common type for landscaping areas, and are also widely used in construction and furniture manufacturing. It is for this reason that today on the market you can find a very large number of various varieties and types of coniferous trees. Among them, Engelman's spruce can be noted.

Description

The tree bears the name of the German scientist T. Engelmann. This is an evergreen plant from the pine family. In nature, spruce grows in mixed forests, coexists not only with other conifers, but also coexists with deciduous trees. The birthplace of the tree is America. But today it is already spread throughout the northern hemisphere of the planet.

In our country and Europe, spruce began to be bred only at the beginning of the 19th century. This tree has a rather aesthetic appearance, it is for this reason that Engelman spruces are often planted in our parks and squares.

The life expectancy of a tree is very high, it can live up to 500 years, while growing up to 50–60 m in height. This species is quite frost-resistant, can withstand frosts down to -47 °.

The crown of the tree is not sprawling, the tree usually does not exceed 1 m in diameter. The bark of all varieties of this species is scaly, thinner than that of other conifers, has a light brown color that gives off a reddish tint.

Spruce needles are peculiar: they have a tetrahedral shape, reach no more than 2.5 cm in length.

They have a very interesting pale blue color, which varies slightly depending on the variety.

Cones also do not differ in large sizes, the largest are about 6–8 cm long. They are cylindrical in shape and light brown in color. They ripen in one season, by the beginning of autumn the seeds are ready in them.

Agricultural technology

In natural conditions, as a rule, reproduction occurs by dispersal of seeds, and people plant seedlings in their gardens. The tree is not demanding on the climate and the condition of the soil when planting. It grows well even on calcareous soil. One of the rules to follow is not to plant a tree in a place that will be constantly in the shade. The tree loves sunlight.

And also when planting, it is necessary to arrange a drainage system, sprinkle with fertile soil. When filling the root system, a mixture of peat, leaf and soddy soil and sand should be used. This is done so that the tree takes root better. Trees should be planted at a distance of 3 m from each other, otherwise they will interfere with each other as they grow.

Immediately after planting, the tree should be watered once a week, and it should also be fed at the rate of 150 g of nitroammophos fertilizer per 1 tree. The crown needs to be looked after: it needs to be sprayed with water. This helps to wash off the dust and nourish the needles. Once every few weeks, the earth must be loosened and sprinkled with peat.

Only seedlings that are less than 1.5 m should be prepared for wintering.

To do this, it is necessary to put up shields that protect the seedling from the wind from the north side, wrap the tree in several layers with agrofibre, cover the roots with leaves and earth.

Pests

There are several types of pests which are extremely dangerous for the life of a coniferous plant.

  • Aphid Sitka. The insect is small in size, reaches a maximum of 2 mm, it is practically invisible to the naked eye. To find it, you need to put a white sheet of paper under the bush and shake the bushes. To combat this insect, clean or soapy water is used, which is washed with infected and healthy plants. In this case, you need to ensure that soapy water does not get on the roots of the plant.

  • Needle beetle, spruce leafworm. Very small caterpillars that eat the needles of the plant, sticking around it with a cobweb that holds the needles. But at the slightest gust of wind, the needles fall off, the tree remains bare. To combat this pest, soapy water is also used, which is washed with infected bushes. And also there is an option to completely remove the affected areas, provided that the plant has just begun to hurt.

  • False shield. It spreads mainly on young plants, attacks in colonies, sucking all the juices out of the tree. If this happens, young trees die, older ones slow down their growth, their crown shape is deformed. So that the tree is not susceptible to pest attacks, it must be planted correctly: the false shield attacks plants that grow in the shade.

Application

Such a Christmas tree can often be found abroad in gardens and parks. It looks great if planted alone, separate from other trees. But at the same time, it does not lose its beauty if it grows next to a small number of other bushes. It is often used to create alleys and park areas.

This spruce, unlike other types of coniferous plants, is practically not used in the construction and manufacture of furniture, but it is widely used in medicine.

Since ancient times, people have used coniferous trees to maintain health, to prevent diseases, they have been used as an antimicrobial, disinfectant.

Varieties

There are several varieties of this spruce.

  • "Glauka" is the most popular of them. These trees are large in size. The peculiarity of this variety is in its color. The color of the needles is unusual for us: it has a bright turquoise blue color, sometimes the shade becomes even white. This tree has a very wide crown. This spruce will look great in large gardens. The size of an adult tree (about 30 years old) is 15–20 m high and more than 4 m wide. Annual growth is 25–30 cm.

  • Talbot. The tree grows very slowly, has the shape of a sphere, the growth is about 1-3 cm per year, the color of the needles gives off a silver-blue tint.

  • "Snake". An interesting plant that has branches growing in a chaotic manner, the shape of the branches is extraordinary. This spruce is very stable, root system it sits firmly in the soil, and not a single gust of wind can pull it out. The color of the needles is dark blue-green. It grows quite quickly, in 10 years the growth is about 2.5 m.

  • "Blue magic." The color of the crown is silver-blue, especially pronounced in early spring. Annual growth is usually about 15 cm.

  • Bush Lace. This spruce looks very original: there is a feeling that there is a skirt at the bottom of the spruce. It has a very beautiful bluish-green color of the crown, which forms a pronounced contrast with the young silver-blue needles in early spring. Such a spruce will look good in any garden or park, it will attract attention. Such a tree looks good when combined with other coniferous and deciduous trees.