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Norway spruce - description of the plant.

Evergreen coniferous tree up to 25-30 m high. It belongs to the pine family. The crown of the tree is pyramidal, whorled branching. The trunk is covered with gray or reddish brown scaly bark. The needles are shiny, pointed, dark green, tetrahedral. Every year a seventh of it falls from the tree. Spruce is a monoecious coniferous tree: male organs breeding are on the same individual with females. Female organs are located at the ends of young twigs, they are bright red, cylindrical. Male cones are between the needles at the ends last year's shoots, they are greenish-yellow, smaller in size than the female ones. Spruce forms pollen in May - June. Seeds coniferous tree- winged nuts of dark brown color. The seeds ripen in September - October.

Norway spruce photo.

Where the plant is common.

The coniferous tree is common in the northern regions of the European part of Russia.

Blank.

For cooking purposes drugs take needles, buds and young tree cones.
The buds are stored in early spring, before they bloom. They dry them out thin layer outdoors and stir frequently.
The cones are harvested before the seeds are ripe (in summer). They and the needles of the common spruce tree are used fresh.

The chemical composition of the medicinal plant.

The bark of the tree contains fineness, the needles contain trace elements (copper, manganese, iron, etc.), essential oil, ascorbic acid, resinous and tannins, cones contain minerals, essential oil, phytoncides, resin, tannins.

Pharmacological properties.

Common spruce preparations act as disinfectants, expectorants, choleretic, diaphoretic, pain relievers and diuretics.

Norway spruce: how is this coniferous medicinal plant used in medicine?

Traditional medicine for treatment uses cones, needles and kidneys of ordinary spruce.
A decoction of the kidneys of Norway spruce helps with inflammation of the lungs and upper respiratory tract (inhalation). For gout, kidney stones, rheumatism - used in the form healing baths.

Needle infusion is drunk for the prevention and treatment of scurvy.

A decoction of common spruce cones is useful for rinsing the mouth, with a cold, for nasal instillation, with chronic tonsillitis, tonsillitis, tracheitis, laryngitis.

Norway spruce: treatment.

For respiratory diseases.

Pour 30 g of spruce coniferous sprouts with a liter of milk, boil over a small flame for 30 minutes, then cool and strain. Drink the broth small portions during the day.

With a decrease in immunity.

Pour 40 g of chopped needles with a glass of boiling water and boil for 10 minutes, stand for another 10 minutes, strain. Drink the decoction 20 drops in summer and 40 drops in winter.

Infusion for scurvy.

Pour 30 g of pine needles with 1/2 liter of boiling water, let it brew, strain. Drink three times a day.

Decoction for bronchitis.

Pour a tablespoon of pine tree buds with a glass of boiling water, and heat it in a water bath at 100C ° for 15 to 20 minutes. Strain, squeeze the raw materials. Drink half a glass 2-3 times a day after meals.

Infusion for external use.

Pour 40 g of green cones with a glass of boiling water and leave. Instill warm infusion into the nose 3-4 drops per nostril 5-6 times a day.

Pharmaceuticals.

"Ninavin" - 50% solution of essential oil of pine needles in peach oil. It is used for renal colic and urolithiasis, has an antispasmodic effect on the smooth muscles of the urinary tract.

"Pinabin" is a 50% solution in peach oil of the heavy fraction of essential oils of pine or spruce conifers. It has diuretic and bactericidal properties; has an antispasmodic effect on the muscles of the urinary tract.

Contraindications to the use of spruce.

The drug "Pinabin" when taken orally causes general depression, irritation of the digestive tract. It is contraindicated in nephrosis and nephritis.

Medications common spruce contraindicated in stomach ulcers and hyperacid gastritis.

Think and guess!

Which of the legends about Eli is true?

The representative of one of the many species of conifers of the Pine family, a well-known spruce, owes its name to the ancient Romans. This is exactly what the translation of the word "resin" sounds like. In the green kingdom, spruce occupies one of the first places and belongs to the genus, in which there are almost 50 plant species distributed throughout the world: from Northern Europe and Central Asia to North America. What is spruce, what kind of tree is it? How long does it live on Earth and what forms does it take? Let's try to find answers to these questions.

Spruce description

Tall, straight-stemmed, evergreen slender trees with a dense cone-shaped crown, narrower at a young age, are covered with branches to the very base. Their trunk is difficult to see - it is hidden by the widest spruce "paws". Young trees have a smooth gray bark with a brownish tint, on old spruce trunks it is thinner, in places it is peeled. The needles are needle-like and can stay on the branches for up to 7-9 years, although with the deterioration of the ecology, these periods decrease, and in an urban environment the duration of preservation of needles does not exceed 3 years. The needles are single, tetrahedral or flattened, spirally located on the branches. Hanging cones, elongated, cylindrical. Ripening in autumn, they open when seeds are scattered. Seed scales of cones with a wide base cover small seeds with wings that surround them in a cup-like manner.

Characteristic features of the plant

The description of the spruce is unambiguous: this is one of the sufficient unpretentious plants on the ground. It is undemanding to soil fertility, it takes root well on very poor soils. She is not afraid of shady slopes and slight waterlogging of soil cover areas. She is incredibly hardy, and she is not afraid of the harsh continental climate. But most species do not withstand gas pollution and smoke, nevertheless, the tree is used in urban landscaping and is used both in single and in group plantings for park alleys and snow shelters. Dwarf or undersized decorative forms are great for decorating the landscape of small personal plots, slides and rock gardens.

European spruce, or ordinary

The name of this tree speaks for itself and accurately indicates its habitat. European spruce grows in It is the basis that forms the taiga. In the north of Siberia and European Russia massifs of common spruce are gradually being replaced by Siberian spruce. What is this tree? There is no clear distinction between these species. In the choice of growing conditions, spruce differs significantly from larch and pine, but there are no sharp intraspecific differences. They are so shade-loving that it is rather difficult to grow in open treeless areas, since even at the stage of shoots that have started to grow, they are damaged by recurrent spring frosts or receive sunburn. In addition, they suffer greatly from grass fires provoked by seasonal arson.

Periods and features of tree growth

For the first 10 years, the spruce tree grows slowly. Then the growth rate sharply increases, and after 100-120 years, it stops again. Uneven, spasmodic growth is characteristic of the European spruce. It has long been known that this is a recognized long-liver. If conditions permit, it can easily live up to 250-300 years. The best soils for it are loam and sandy loam. On them, it forms a deep root system that holds it firmly to the surface. But the spruce is a lover of enough damp places. On excessively moistened soils, the tree forms a small superficial root system and when strong gusts the wind may not hold and collapse to the ground. Spruce tolerates even slight waterlogging, if it has a flowing character. It should be noted that spruce is significantly less than pine, which explains its instability in the wind. A peculiarity of the tree is that its lower branches do not die off and remain dry, therefore, it is rather dark and damp in the spruce forests.

Spruce growing conditions

Spruce can be grown in most regions of the European part of Russia, in Siberia and in the south of the Far East. But this is a very delicate wood.

It is better to plant it under the canopy of more stable representatives of the flora - oak, birch or pine. This is especially important for sufficiently dry and poor soils, on which spruce grows hard, since well-moistened soils are preferable for it. Spruce is much more demanding on growing conditions than pine, which can thrive on dry sandy soils. That is why spruce and pine rarely grow side by side - too different conditions they need.

Reproduction

Spruce is easy to grow from seeds, which are very simple to collect: just cut a few in the fall and hold them at home until they dry completely. You don't need to peel them. When dry, the buds will open up on their own and give up seeds, which usually have excellent germination. They should be treated with a weak solution of potassium permanganate, and then placed in pots with calcined river sand, deepening by 1-1.5 cm. The containers are installed on the upper shelf of the refrigerator for stratification. This procedure is necessary, since in natural nature, all ephedra seeds are exposed to the cold. Stratification stimulates the germination of seedlings. Seeds untreated by the cold can lie in the ground for several years, but never emerge. Containers should be kept in the cold for 3 months. After this time, the containers with the planted seeds are placed in a bright and warm place.

Landing dates

The ideal sowing time is the end of October - November. If you plant seeds during this period, then you should take the container out of the refrigerator in February-March. This is the most favorable time for germination, as spring comes, daylight hours increase, and all plants start growing.

Watering and care

The germination period of seedlings requires particularly generous watering, as it is necessary to act in accordance with natural conditions... Indeed, in spring, during snow melting, the soil is especially moist. Heat and humidity are the main conditions for the revitalization of coniferous seedlings. After a couple of weeks, a baby spruce should rise. That this is a real ephedra, you can see right away: the needles appear first. Now you need to be careful and maintain a balance, that is, water the sprouts as much as necessary, avoiding both under-watering and excessive moisture. Once every two weeks, young Christmas trees need to be fed and the top soil layer loosened.

When it gets warmer in the open air and return frosts recede, small seedlings can be planted in the ground. Before planting, add compost or humus mixed with soil to the hole, and some complex mineral fertilizers. No more Christmas trees are fed. Having placed the seedlings in the hole, the roots are carefully covered with soil, tamped, spilled well with water and create a small
greenhouse made of covering material, film or glass jar.

This is necessary for faster acclimatization of seedlings.

Seedlings in greenhouses should be ventilated every day. They need to be opened, condensation removed and soil moisture checked. After 7-10 days, the shelter can be removed, and the soil around the trees can be mulched to maintain soil moisture. As a rule, in nurseries, spruce seedlings are grown in containers for 3-4 years. Since the tree grows very slowly, such a period is considered optimal for the successful further development of the ephedra, called this age, they are more adapted to temperature extremes, they are no longer afraid of frost and sunburn. They are also planted with one top dressing and good watering.

Spruce varieties and their uses

Like many conifers, spruce is quite decorative. She has always been an adornment of the Russian estate, gardens and parks. Today, thanks to a large selection work, many types of spruce have been bred, used in garden landscape design. A herringbone, personally grown from seeds, will not only decorate the site, but can also become the ancestor family traditions... This method of growing fir trees from seeds is suitable for all tall species. In addition, such cultivation is a guarantee of excellent adaptation of the seedling to the climatic conditions of the area. From existing species dwarf spruce attracts special attention of landscape designers. Low-growing varieties usually do not exceed a meter in height, have a wide, dense crown.

They are great for decorating garden compositions, stone and alpine hills. One of the most spectacular and demanded representatives of such species is the Nidiformis spruce.

Dwarf forms: description

Nidiformis is a variety with a round crown and a central recess. The height of the tree barely reaches 1 m, and the crown reaches 3 m in diameter. The flattened crown is formed in the form of a nest, since the main branches of the tree are absent, and numerous shoots grow fan-shaped. The short dark green needles are magnificent, very dense and evenly covering the branches. The tree grows very slowly, adding no more than 3-4 cm in height and 5-7 cm in width per year. The herringbone is undemanding to the soil, grows well on moderately fertile sandy loam of any acidity level, but can die if groundwater is constantly near the root system. This spruce, like all undersized conifers, the photos of which are presented, are very decorative. And its slow growth allows you to preserve the once created landscape for many years. Nidiformis are frost-resistant, but it is better to cover young plants with the threat of recurrent spring frosts.

Evergreen dwarf conifers: reproduction

Low-growing forms are not pure species and breed exclusively vegetatively- cuttings and layering, but not seeds.

The fact is that such plants appear as a result of mutation. different types conifers, and from their seeds, as a rule, grow ordinary tall, rather than dwarf conifers. Photos of decorative undersized species can be found in special literature. If you can't grow such an ephedra on your own, there is only one way left - to the store. usually sold in containers. The basic rule when buying this rather expensive purchase is a firm conviction that the root system of the seedling is strong, well developed, not damaged either mechanically or by pests. And before going to the store, you should familiarize yourself with the information about the shape of the crown, the features, the size of the plant and its care.

Many conifers keep good shape for many years, regardless of the variety. Low-growing species may initially have a spherical crown, and form a cone over time. Nevertheless, spruce and pine are so common trees that it is impossible to imagine Russia without these majestic conifers.

They are very popular with gardeners: it is beautiful, neat and, of course, useful. Most of the representatives of evergreen flora are significant in size, which does not allow growing all their species, therefore, landscape designers and gardeners are increasingly giving preference to dwarf conifers, which include Canadian spruce.

Its characteristic features, which favorably distinguish the fluffy slow-growing herringbone against the background of other plants, are the needles of a beautiful color and a low-hanging compact crown, which has decorative outlines. It is these qualities that make the Canadian spruce a desirable inhabitant of any site.

Canadian spruce. Description

Canadian spruce belongs to the category of low-growing trees: average height plants are generally about one meter, under favorable conditions can reach three meters. The crown of the plant is dense and conical, the needles are short, thin and soft, and have a gray-green color. The root system is mostly located at the surface and has a weak taproot.

Canadian spruce belongs to the category of slow-growing plants. The average growth at a young age is 3-4 centimeters per year, after 15 years - 2-3 centimeters. At the age of 5 years, the height of the Christmas tree reaches about 20 centimeters, it is during this period that the decorativeness of the plant is visible, which favorably distinguishes it from a number of seedlings of the same age of ordinary spruce.

By the age of 10, the Canadian spruce reaches a height of 80 cm, and by the age of 20 it can reach 1.5 meters, while the crown girth is approximately 1 meter. Under favorable conditions, the plant is able to delight more than one generation with its appearance, because it can live 300 or even 500 years. The most popular variety of Canadian spruce is called Konica.

Ease of care is the main quality of Canadian spruce

The advantage of the coniferous beauty is the minimal maintenance: for natural normal growth, natural precipitation and soil fertility are quite enough, which, of course, can be increased by various dressings. In the summer, it is recommended to apply 5 kg of rotted organic fertilizer mixed with the ground to the root zone of the tree. In October, it will be useful to mulch the soil with a layer of peat compost about 5 cm thick, which will make it easier for the plant to winter.

In early spring, mulch needs to be embedded in the soil, and to protect them from burning in the sun (spring browning), the trees should be wrapped in burlap or other material that will protect them from rays and preserve natural ventilation... Moreover, the possible browning of the needles is not considered a disease, it is only the plant's reaction to the spring activity of the sun against the background of frozen soil. That is, the tree begins to grow, and the non-thawed soil is not yet able to provide the roots with the required nutrition, which causes an external change in the needles. With the beginning of the movement of the juice and the required nutrition, the color of the plant is quickly restored.

Seat selection

The Christmas tree should be planted in partial shade, not on a hill and in a place protected from the winds. The tree does not need to trim the crown, pleasing the eye with its natural forms. In dry seasons, it is recommended to irrigate through the crown. Also, sometimes loosen the soil around the tree in order to saturate it with oxygen.

Canadian spruce, the care of which is quite simple and does not require the use of supernatural efforts, can be transplanted throughout the growing season, preferably in cloudy weather. The plant is most easily transplanted at a young age. For two weeks after planting, the tree needs protection from direct sunlight, and the soil should also be kept at an optimally comfortable level of moisture.

Canadian spruce as decor

Canadian spruce is very popular in landscape design. It looks harmonious both in a single performance and in a group of plants. Upon reaching a certain height, the plant looks impressively like component mixborders and various compositions. At home, Canadian spruce is often found in a container on the roof (as a "green roof"), near houses, on terraces and in gardens. The decorative shape of the tree fits optimally into large rock gardens, harmoniously combines with other low-growing conifers, looks great against the background of various flower arrangements. A beautiful green tree stands out as a bright spot against the background of an evenly mowed lawn.

Canadian spruce in a pot: care

You can consider a coniferous beauty as indoor plant, but only in winter and with "balcony" maintenance. A Canadian spruce in a pot looks very elegant; on the Christmas holidays, you can make her the queen of the celebration by decorating with toys and folding gifts for relatives and friends under her.

When keeping a plant in a heated room, the crown must be sprayed. You should also increase the humidity around the tree itself; for this, containers with water can be placed around the pot. In summer, it is recommended to place a pot or container with a plant outdoors, under trees and shrubs. It is recommended to transplant the Christmas tree annually into a larger container.

Transfer

Potted Canadian spruce, which is easy to care for, can be grown in several ways. The easiest: buy a ready-made tree in the store and transplant it to another land. It is quite expensive, but fast and hassle-free. It is a little more difficult, but more pleasant (because you have invested your own work) to grow a lush beauty yourself from seeds or from a seedling obtained by cuttings. Cuttings, which are also matured lower branches of the mother's tree (always with a "stump" in the lower part), should be treated with growth and root stimulants before planting. For this, drugs such as "Epin" and "Kornevin" are suitable.

Transplanting a young, rooted tree into a container should be done very carefully, making sure that the root collar of the tree is at ground level. Do not allow the root system to dry out.

The most suitable soil composition for all types of Christmas trees, in parts:

• leaf land - 2;
• sod land - 2;
• peat - 1;
• sand - 1.

Previously, drainage (coarse sand, expanded clay, gravel) must be laid on the bottom of the container in a 10-centimeter layer.

Diseases and pests

Canadian spruce can be susceptible to some diseases:

The Canadian spruce is highly popular due to its decorative and neat appearance, small size, so this wonderful plant can be found in many parts of the world.

Moreover, breeders have bred a large number of varieties characterized by the color of the needles (from light green to gray-blue) and the shape of the crown: conical, spherical, cushion.

Among the 50 species of all conifers growing on the globe, Canadian gray spruce is in a special position. The tree is loved by landscape designers and gardeners for the unusual color of the needles, for the neat fluffiness of the branches and for the perfect conical shape. It adorns city parks and squares, pleases with its northern beauty the owners of suburban plots, and is often used for arranging hedges.

Popular varieties

The existing varieties of wood make it possible to use it in various compositions, and as a separate decorative element of the landscape. Consider the most popular varieties of Canadian spruce.

• Spruce canadian conic ("Conica") is the undisputed leader. It is actively used in compositions, in stalls, grown in containers, decorated rocky gardens and terraces. The tree grows up to 4 meters, but reaches this size only by the age of 60.

It has an impeccable pyramidal crown, in which the branches fit tightly to each other. This variety tolerates shading well and grows slowly, which suits many. Refers to the dwarf forms of the Canadian spruce.

• Canadian spruce echiniformis ("Echiniformis") - it is the slowest growing tree variety. By the age of 30, its height is only 50 centimeters, with an average growth of Canadian spruce of 25-35 meters.

Very compact, with shoots of 2 cm and a crown of 1 meter, it is often used in rocky gardens, allowing you to create amazing compositions without unnecessary shading of other flora. Photophilous, prefers slightly acidic and moist soils.

• Daisy spruce very similar to Konika. The variety is frost-resistant, but requires mandatory shading from the March sun. By the age of 10, it can grow up to 80 cm. In decorative terms, it is interesting in May-June, when it gives yellow-white growths.

Looks great as a tapeworm in a heather garden and goes well with herbal composition rock garden.

• Spruce canadian alberta attracts with its spherical shape. Small tree, with a height of up to 1 meter and the same crown diameter, organically fits into oriental compositions, is used in rocky gardens and heather thickets. It exudes an amazing aroma, has soft light green needles, with needles of 6-9 mm.

• Spruce Pendula("Pendula") represents the weeping form of Canadian spruce varieties. It was discovered by A. Quarry in one of the parks of Versailles. Branched, with blue needles, it is of interest in the design of artificial ponds and swimming pools.

How to choose a tree

Obviously, it is better to buy seedlings in special nurseries. When purchasing Canadian spruce, pay attention to the root system of the tree and the condition of the crown. If you take a seedling in a container, touch the needles, they should be firm and fragrant. In nurseries, there is a risk of infection of young shoots with a red spider, so carefully inspect the shoot for the presence of white growths on the woody part. They indicate that the plant was attacked by a red spider. Discard such a seedling.

Advice! Correlate the shape of the seedling with the variety declared in the documents. Take a closer look at the intensity of the color of the needles: in a healthy plant, it is bright and lively.

Planting and breeding

Despite the fact that Canadian spruce tolerates shade well enough, it is better to plant it in open areas. The tree loves fertile, moist soils, it grows especially successfully on drained loams.

Planting Canadian spruce. First of all, make sure that the root system of the seedling is not overdried. When planting, keep a distance of 2-3 meters between seedlings. The root collar of the plant should be at ground level. The depth of the pit is 50-70 cm. Please note that in the early years, Canadian spruce grows poorly and does not tolerate frequent transplants. It reacts poorly to compaction and trampling of the soil, does not like the proximity of groundwater.

Advice! To obtain a guaranteed positive result, add 100-150 g of nitroammophoska to the soil.

Reproduction. The main breeding material for Canadian spruce seeds. Before planting in the ground, it is necessary to stratify (keep the seed at a certain temperature) for 2-3 months. This procedure will increase the germination of Canadian spruce seeds. If you don't want to waste time and want to plant the plant right away, soak the seeds for a day or buy ready-made seedlings. Spruce garden forms are propagated by cuttings and the plant is very rarely grafted.

Advice! Young Christmas trees are best planted under the protection of older trees. Under their canopy, they will calmly endure both spring frosts and the scorching rays of the sun.

Canadian spruce: care

The first thing to take care of is to protect the plant from spring-winter burns. A frost-resistant tree does not react well to sunny days in February-March. At this time, the root system of the spruce is in the cold ground, and the branches are exposed to the hot rays of the sun. The roots do not absorb moisture, the needles get burned and the tree loses its color. Experts advise to cover for this period the crown of the ate with burlap or agro-cloth.

Advice! A little shading, which can be achieved by planting a tree against the wall of the house or next to taller trees, will help you create the ideal light setting for your Canadian spruce.

Watering. Conifers they are not adherents of strong moisture, but they cannot do without water at all. Canadian spruce is planted in places with deep groundwater. In dry summers, the tree is watered once a week. The amount of water depends on the size of the plant: 10-12 liters is enough for young shoots, while older individuals will need to pour 15-20 liters under one tree.

To prevent the spring "burning" of the needles, it is customary to wrap the Koniki bushes with burlap or other material that scatters the sun's rays, but does not disturb ventilation. starring - great decoration your house

• Rust appears on the branches with orange growths. With a significant lesion, the needles turn yellow and crumble. For treatment, Glyocladin or Vectra is used, processing the branches once a week for a month.

The traditional Christmas tree spruce with a beautiful crown and fluffy branches has long become commonplace. Perhaps, in Europe it is difficult to find an estate where at least one Christmas tree did not grow, and many summer residents try to plant this fluffy beauty in the center of the garden in order to dress it up on the eve of New Year's celebrations, thereby creating a cozy pre-holiday atmosphere on the site. Coniferous tree spruce ( Picea) belongs to the Pine family (Pinaceae). The genus unites about 50 species distributed in the cold and temperate zones of the Northern Hemisphere, with more than half of all species growing in the mountains of Central and Western China. In this article, you can familiarize yourself with the photos, the names of different types of spruce, as well as their botanical characteristics and learn about the correct agricultural techniques for growing these trees.

What a spruce looks like: photo and botanical characteristics

Fir trees are beautiful, slender evergreen trees. Most of the species look like real giants - these are large, 60-90 m high, plants with a trunk diameter of 1.5-2 m, reaching an age of 500-600 years. All ate is very similar: the trunks are straight, the branches are arranged in tiers and are collected in whorls, the crowns are pyramidal. The bark is gray-brown, smoother in young plants, and rough, rough in old ones. The needles are small, needle-like, tetrahedral or flat, arranged spirally. The color of the needles is green or gray-green. Male "flowers", carrying pollen, are single, are formed in the axils of the upper needles on last year's branches, female - also single, appear at the ends of old branches. Hanging cones, cylindrically elongated or ovoid. Young cones are green or purple, while mature ones are brown or brown-gray. They ripen by the end of the first year and fall off without crumbling. See how spruce trees look in the photo in their natural habitat:

Fir-trees rarely grow as solitary specimens, isolated from other specimens, mainly forming large forest populations. In dry places, rich spruce forests are formed - "green moss" with a thick moss cover and an abundance of edible cap mushrooms. On damp areas dense, but oppressed spruce forests grow - "long moss" with a rare cover of sedges and sphagnum mosses. Along the valleys of small rivers and along the streams, there are the most beautiful spruce forests - "logs" with sparsely standing trees and lush grass. But, as a rule, spruce forests are quite dense and shady, which does not allow the formation of a dense grass cover and leads to a lush growth of mosses. In nature, ate is extremely unpretentious and hardy - they are able to grow in almost any conditions. The vast majority of species are frost-hardy. Below is a description of the most popular types of spruce with photos and names.

Popular types and varieties of spruce: photos, names and descriptions

Picea abies- Norway spruce, or European.

The most widespread coniferous plant in Central and Northern Europe. The range of the species is extensive and does not cover only the British Isles and the North German Plain. European spruce is a slender shade-tolerant tree with a pyramidal crown and horizontally spaced branches collected in whorls. The trunk is cleared slowly, and often the lower branches are preserved even in mature plants. Older specimens reach a height of 30-50 m and have a trunk thickness of up to 2 m. The bark peels off with thin scales and, depending on the variety, has a different color - from red-brown to gray. As you can see in the photo, the needles of the spruce tree are needle-shaped, small (1-2 cm long), prickly, green:

Hanging cones, cylindrically elongated or ovoid. Young cones are green-purple, mature ones are brown. Ripen by the end of the first year. Fall off without scattering. In nature, Norway spruce (Picea abies) is highly variable. "Witch brooms" can develop both on the leading shoot and on the lateral branches. Less common are natural mutations that completely change the natural shape of this spruce. This diversity has allowed in recent years to cultivate and introduce into nurseries, and then into gardens, a large number of plants with different habitus: the type of branch arrangement, crown shape and color of needles. This type of spruce is absolutely frost-hardy.

Recommended varieties of common spruce:

Picea abies Asgosop

Common spruce variety. Large size. The crown is wide-pyramidal. The color of the needles is green. At a young age, fresh growths can be damaged by late recurrent frosts. After the growing season, it forms bright crimson cones at the ends of the growths. After complete rooting, it actively grows. Annual growths are more than 30 cm. Fully frost-resistant.

Picea abies Pusch(synonym - Picea abies Asgosopa Nana)

Common spruce variety. Dwarf. There is no exact version of its origin. According to one of them, it is believed that she was selected from the seedlings of the Asgosop spruce. As in P. abies Asgosopa, in spring it forms crimson cones at the ends of growths. Crohn of this variety of spruce common type wide pyramidal. It grows more actively in width than in height, Annual increments do not exceed 10 cm. At the age of 10, it can reach a height of 1 m and a diameter of 1.5 m. The needles are small, green. Fully frost resistant.

Picea abies Aurea

Large-sized variety of Norway spruce. During the growing season, growths for 1.5-2 months are painted in a bright golden color. The needles, especially in young specimens, can burn in the sun. Annual increments are similar to those of a common spruce. Tapeworm. Fully frost resistant.

Picea abies Aurea Magnifica

Large-sized variety of Norway spruce. The crown is pyramidal. In the spring, during the growing season, the growths turn yellow-golden. This color, changing its intensity, remains practically throughout the year. After complete rooting, annual growths are more than 30 cm. Fully frost-resistant.

Picea abies Aurea WB (synonym - Goldnugget)

Minisort of common spruce, "Witch's Broom", found on Picea abies Aurea. Compact, round-oval shape. Annual growth is 3-6 cm. Pay attention to the photo - this variety of ordinary spruce turns bright yellow in October:

During the summer, the needles are green. Fully frost resistant.

Picea abies Wagu Mazayta

Micro-variety of common spruce. Compact spherical shape... The color of the needles is stable, green. Annual growth is 2-3 cm. Possible size at 10 years of age is 20-30 cm in diameter. Fully frost resistant.

Picea abies berry garden

Mini-variety of ordinary spruce. Very compact, rounded shape. Annual growth is 2-3 cm. Fully frost-resistant. A rare variety.

Picea abies blatny

Micro-variety of common spruce. Rounded shape. The needles are soft, green. Annual growth within 3 cm, Fully frost-resistant.

Picea abies Bobek

Common spruce variety. Dwarf. It is characterized by an irregular form of branch growth. The needles are tough, green. Annual increments vary from 3 to 10 cm. Fully hardy.

Picea abies Botanica Liberec

Mini-variety of ordinary spruce. Very compact, rounded shape. The needles are deep green. Annual growth 3-6 cm, Fully frost-resistant.

Picea abies Bouchalka

Mini-variety of ordinary spruce. Compact, rounded, slightly irregular shape. The needles are tough, green. Annual increments vary from 3 to 5 cm. Fully hardy.

Picea abies Brno(synonyms - Minuta WB, Minima Kalous WB)

Micro-variety of common spruce. Very dense round-oval shape. Annual growth within 1-2 cm. Fully frost-resistant.

Picea abies Cervena Skala

Micro-variety of common spruce. Very compact, rounded shape. Annual growth is within 1-3 cm. Fully frost-resistant.

Picea abies Clanbrassiliana

Common spruce variety. Dwarf. Dense, round-conical shape. Annual growths are 8-12 cm. In North America, specimens are known that have reached 1.5 m in height. Fully frost resistant.

Picea abies Dado

Picea abies Dubenec

Mini-variety of ordinary spruce. Compact, round-oval shape. The needles are tough, green-blue. Annual growth is within 3-5 cm. Fully frost-resistant.

Picea abies dumpy

Mini-variety of ordinary spruce. Rounded, slightly loose shape. The needles are green. Annual increments vary from 3 to 5 cm. Fully hardy.

Picea abies Echiniformis

Dwarf form of common spruce, very close in size of annual growth to mini-varieties. They vary within 3-6 cm. Compact, rounded shape. The needles are tough, green. Fully frost-resistant.

Picea abies Formanek

The creeping form of the common spruce. Dwarf. A very popular variety of Czech selection. To give it a more interesting shape, it is recommended to tie the leading shoot to vertical support... The needles are soft, green. Annual increments vary between 8-15 cm. Fully frost-resistant.

Picea abies Frohburg

Medium-sized variety of ordinary spruce. Weeping cascading shape. The branches are located close to the trunk. Annual increments are within 15-20 cm. The needles are green. Fully frost resistant.

Picea abies Gamshutte

Mini-variety of ordinary spruce. Rounded, slightly flattened shape. The needles are green-blue. Annual increments vary from 3 to 5 cm. Fully hardy.

Picea abies Gold Drift

Medium-sized variety of ordinary spruce. Weeping, yellow-coniferous form found among seedlings of the common spruce Inversa. Annual growth is within 10-15 cm. Fully frost-resistant.

Picea abies Hasin

Micro-variety of common spruce. Rare enough in our gardens. Very compact, rounded shape. Annual growth is within 1-3 cm. Fully frost-resistant.

Picea abies Hiiumaa

Micro-variety of common Estonian spruce selection. Very rare in our gardens. Dense, rounded shape. Annual growth is within 1-3 cm. Fully frost-resistant.

Picea abies Holub Gold

Medium-sized variety of spruce of ordinary Czech selection. The needles are soft, yellow-golden throughout the season. Annual growth is within 10-15 cm. Fully frost-resistant.

Picea abies Holub 1

Micro-variety of spruce of ordinary Czech selection. Dense, rounded-oval shape. The needles are tough, completely blue before the growing season, subsequently acquiring a bluish-green color. Annual growth within 2 cm. Rare variety. Fully frost resistant.

Picea abies Hradok

Micro-variety of common spruce. Rare in our gardens. Very compact, rounded shape. Annual growth is within 1-3 cm. Fully frost-resistant.

Picea abies Humilis

Medium-sized variety of ordinary spruce. It is characterized by an irregular growth pattern. The needles are very tough, green. Annual increments vary from 10 to 20 cm. Fully hardy.

Picea abies Husarna

Mini-variety of ordinary spruce. Rounded, slightly flattened shape. The needles are green-blue. Annual increments vary from 2 to 5 cm. Fully hardy.

Picea abies Inversa

Large-sized variety of Norway spruce. Weeping form. A very beautiful and popular variety among gardeners. After complete rooting, annual increments vary within 20-40 cm. The needles are tough, green. Fully frost resistant.

Picea abies Jana

Mini-variety of spruce of ordinary Czech selection. Very dense, rounded shape. With age, it takes on a more oval shape, reaching a size of 30 by 40 cm. Growing in the sun, it shows the qualities corresponding to this variety much better. Fully frost resistant.

Picea abies Johanka

Mini-variety of ordinary spruce. Rounded, slightly nested shape. The needles are green. Slow growing variety. Annual increments vary from 2 to 5 cm. Fully hardy.

Picea abies Kevon

Mini-variety of ordinary spruce. Rounded oval shape. The needles are bluish-green. Slow growing variety. Annual increments vary from 2 to 5 cm. Fully hardy.

Picea abies Kirzhach

Mini variety. Natural mutation of common spruce. Found by one of the authors in the forests of the Vladimir region. At the time of introduction into the garden, it had a rounded-oval shape measuring 20 by 30 cm. The crown was located on a trunk, 30 cm from the ground. After 16 years of growing in the garden, it has reached dimensions of 1.5 m wide by 1.0 m in height. Has no clear leader. Multi-vertex. Fully frost resistant.

Picea abies Kuba

Micro-variety of common spruce. Very compact, rounded shape. Annual growth is within 1-3 cm. Fully frost-resistant. A rare variety.

Picea abies Lhota

Mini-variety of ordinary spruce. Compact, rounded shape. The needles are tough, green. Annual increments vary from 3 to 5 cm. Fully hardy.

Picea abies Little Gem

Micro-variety of common spruce. A very beautiful and popular variety. Rounded shape. Annual growths are 1-3 cm. At 15 years of age, it is 50-60 cm in width and 30-40 cm in height. Fully frost resistant.

Picea abies Loreley

Common spruce variety. Dwarf. Creeping form of growth. By fixing the leading one to the vertical support, as well as one or two auxiliary shoots, you can achieve a beautiful cascade growth form. The terminal growths of the falling branches tend to grow in the vertical direction. At the age of 15, the crown diameter may be 1.5 m. Fully frost-resistant.

Picea abies Luua Pari

A dwarf spruce variety of ordinary Estonian selection. Has 2 different shapes growth. It can develop as a pyramidal dwarf tree. In Estonia, there are 30-year-old specimens 3 m high by 1.5 m wide. It can also have a dense, rounded-oval shape, which shows weak signs of pyramidal growth with age. Fully frost resistant.

Picea abies Malecek

Micro-variety of Czech selection. Compact, rounded shape. Annual increments within 3 cm per year. The needles are tough, green. Fully frost resistant.

Picea abies Maracana

Micro-variety of common spruce. Compact, round, very tight shape. Annual increments of 2-3 cm per year. The needles are tough, green. Fully frost resistant.

Picea abies Mikulasovice

Mini-variety of spruce of ordinary Czech selection. Dwarf, very dense, conical shape. The needles are tough, dark green. Annual growth is 2-5 cm per year. The cushion form of this variety is much less common. Fully frost resistant.

Picea abies Mionsi

Micro-variety of common spruce, Very compact, dense, round shape. The needles are tough, green. Annual growths are 1-2 cm. Fully frost-resistant.

Picea abies Most

Micro-variety of common spruce. Compact, rounded shape. The needles are tough, green. Annual growth of 1 cm. Fully frost-resistant.

Picea abies Muhlerin

Mini-variety of ordinary spruce. Compact, round-oval shape. The needles are tough, bluish-green. Annual growth is 3-5 cm. Fully hardy.

Picea abies Od Goly

Micro-variety of common spruce. Compact, rounded shape. The needles are tough, green. Annual growth within 3 cm. Fully frost-resistant.

Picea abies Ohlendorfii

Common spruce variety. Dwarf. Pyramidal shape. The needles are tough, green. Annual increments are within 5-10 cm. Fully frost-resistant.

Picea abies Palecek WB

Mini-variety of ordinary spruce. Dense, rounded shape. The needles are tough, green-blue. Annual growth is 3-5 cm. Fully hardy.

Picea abies Parsonii(synonym - Zwergnase)

A micro-variety of common spruce. Dense, rounded shape. The needles are tough, green-blue. Annual growth is within 2-3 cm. Fully frost-resistant.

Picea abies Pavelka

Micro-variety of spruce of ordinary Czech selection. Dense, rounded-oval shape. The needles are tough, green. Annual growth is 2-3 cm. Fully frost-resistant.

Picea abies Pekarek

Micro-variety of common spruce. Dense, rounded shape. The needles are tough, green. Annual growth within 3 cm. Fully frost-resistant. A rare variety.

Picea abies Pet Kamenu

Micro-variety of spruce of ordinary Czech selection. Dense, rounded shape. The needles are tough, green. Growths 2-3 cm. Fully frost-resistant.

Picea abies Prokopka

Micro-variety of common spruce. Dense, rounded shape. The needles are soft, green. Annual growths are 1-2 cm. Fully frost-resistant.

Picea abies Reflexa

Common spruce variety. Weeping form. Branches are rigid, flowing. The needles are green. Annual growth is 15-40 cm. Fully hardy. Very decorative.

Picea abies Rydal

Large-sized variety of Norway spruce. During the growing season, for 7-10 days, the growths are painted in a juicy raspberry color, after which they turn green again. The needles are soft, the branches are thin. Fully frost resistant.

Picea abies slavice

Micro-variety of common spruce. Very dense, rounded shape. The needles are tough, green. Annual growths are 1-2 cm. Fully frost-resistant. Very rare.

Picea abies Sonneberg

Micro-variety of common spruce. Quite dense, rounded shape. The needles are tough, green-blue. Annual growth within 3 cm. Fully frost-resistant.

Picea abies Strapac

Common spruce variety. Dwarf. It is characterized by uneven growth of branches. The branches themselves are thick, the needles are tough, dark green. Annual growth within 10 cm. Fully hardy, Rare variety.

Picea abies Suncrest

Mini-variety of ordinary spruce. Very dense, rounded shape, with age it becomes wide-conical, multi-peaked. The needles are tough, green-blue. Annual growth 3-7 cm. Fully frost-resistant,

Picea abies Super Majxner

Micro-variety of common spruce. Very dense, rounded shape. The needles are tough, green-blue. Annual growth of 2-3 cm, Fully frost-resistant.

Picea abies Svata Mari

Micro-variety of common spruce. Dense, rounded shape. The needles are tough, green-blue. Annual growth within 3 cm. Fully frost-resistant.

Picea abies Svojek

Micro-variety of common spruce. Dense, rounded shape. The needles are tough, green. Annual growth is 2-3 cm. Fully frost-resistant.

Picea abies Truba 5

Micro-variety of common spruce. Dense, rounded-oval shape. The needles are tough, green. Annual growth of 2-3 cm, Fully frost-resistant.

Picea abies Uplaz

Picea abies Van Bemmel's Dwarf

Micro-variety of common spruce. Very dense, rounded shape. The needles are tough, green, Annual growth is 1 cm. Fully frost-resistant. Collection decoration.

Picea abies Vermont Gold

Mini-variety of ordinary spruce. Found on Picea abies Repens. Flat-round, creeping shape. After vegetation it turns completely golden. It retains this color throughout the season. Annual growth is within 3-8 cm. Planted in the sun can burn. Recovers quickly. Fully frost resistant.

Picea abies Visel

Micro-variety of common spruce. Very dense, rounded shape. The needles are tough, green-blue. Annual growth is 2-3 cm. Fully frost-resistant.

Picea abies Vyrov

Micro-variety of common spruce, Very dense, rounded shape. The needles are tough, green. Annual growths are 1-2 cm. Fully frost-resistant.

Picea abies WB on Pigmaea

Micro-variety of common spruce. Very dense, rounded shape. The needles are tough, green. Annual growths are 1-2 cm. Fully frost-resistant.

Picea abies Wichtel

Micro-variety of common spruce. Very dense, rounded shape. Very dense branching, tough green needles. Annual growth of 1 cm. Fully frost-resistant. Collection decoration.

Picea abies Willi's Zwerg

Common spruce variety. Dwarf. Wide-pyramidal, multi-vertex shape. The needles are tough, green. Annual growth within 10 cm. Fully frost-resistant.

Picea abies Zadusi

Picea abies Zahori

Mini-variety of ordinary spruce. Dense, rounded shape. The needles are tough, green. Annual growth is 3-6 cm. Fully hardy.

Picea abies Zajecice

Mini-variety of ordinary spruce. Dense, rounded shape. The needles are tough, green. Annual growth is 3-7 cm. Fully frost-resistant.

• Picea abies Zvihadlo. Mini-variety of ordinary spruce. Dense, rounded shape. The needles are tough, green. Annual growth is 2-5 cm. Fully hardy.
• Picea abies Cukrak. Micro-variety of common spruce. Very compact, rounded shape. Annual growth within 1-2 cm. Fully frost-resistant. Rare in our gardens.
• Picea abies Kobliha. Micro-variety of common spruce. Rare in our gardens. Very compact, rounded shape. Annual growth is within 1-3 cm. Fully frost-resistant.
• Picea abies Minuta(synonyms - Brno, Minima Kalous WB). Micro-variety of common spruce. Very dense round-oval shape. The needles are tough, green. Annual growth within 1-2 cm. Fully frost-resistant.
• Picea abies Pitzi 2. Micro-variety of common spruce. Very dense, rounded shape. The needles are tough, green-blue. Annual growth is 2-3 cm. Fully frost-resistant.
• Picea abies Zadverice. Micro-variety of common spruce. Very dense, rounded shape. The needles are tough, green. Annual growth is 2-3 cm. Fully frost-resistant.

These photos show varieties of ordinary spruce trees, with a description of which you could familiarize yourself with above:

Picea asperata- Rough spruce

It grows on damp, buried, drained soils in the western regions of China. Evergreen tree up to 40 m in height. The crown is dense, broadly conical. Branches are horizontally located, somewhat falling at the ends. When describing this type of spruce, it is worth noting the rough, brown bark. Needles up to 2 cm, bluish-green, slightly silvery. Brownish-brown cylindrical cones 10 cm in size. The species is practically not tested, it is conditionally winter-hardy in the middle zone. May be damaged by recurrent frost. Poor landing in the shade. In the past few years, several dwarf varieties of this spruce have been planted in Russian gardens. After 3 years of testing, it can be argued that the varieties are completely frost-resistant, being under the snow cover. Recommended variety of rough spruce:

Picea asperata Mongolei

Micro-variety of rough spruce. Very compact, rounded shape. Pay attention to the photo - the needles of this type of spruce are tough, almost blue:

Annual growths 1-3 cm. Tested in the middle lane for 3-4 years, Suffers planting in light shade. Fully frost-resistant under snow cover. Recently, the species identification of this variety has been clarified.

Picea engelmanii- Engelman Spruce

One of the most beautiful blue firs... Forms forests in the mountains of western North America. Close to Picea pungens - barbed spruce. A spectacular evergreen tree with a dense narrow-pyramidal crown, reaching a height of 20-50 m. The branches are collected in dense whorls, the branches are slightly drooping. The needles are needle-like, thin, straight, 15-25 mm long, bluish-green, more tender than that of prickly spruce. Hanging cones, cylindrical-ovate, 4-8 cm long. Young cones are green, mature ones are light beige. Ripen by the end of the first year. Fall off without scattering. In recent years, a sufficient number of dwarf forms of this spruce have been introduced into the gardens of Europe. The gardens of Russia were no exception. Its varieties Jasper, Tomschke, Talbot Lake, Hobo, Pocahontas are compact and spectacular. A very unusual variety is Snake. The twig-like branches of this cultivar are similar to those of the more famous common spruce cultivar Cranstonii. Recommended varieties of Elgelman spruce:

Picea engelmanii Jasper

Mini-variety of Engelman's spruce. Dense, rounded flattened shape. The needles are tough, green-blue. Annual growth is within 3-7 cm. Fully frost-resistant.

Picea engelmanii talbot lake

Micro-variety of Engelman's spruce. Very dense, rounded shape. The needles are tough, green-blue. Annual growth within 3 cm. Fully frost-resistant. These photos show the types of spruce, the description of which is presented in this section:

Picea glauca- Gray spruce, or Canadian.

It grows in the east of North America. The natural form is similar to the common spruce, but forms a looser crown due to some "infantilism" of the branches and branches. The needles are 8-18 mm long, bluish-green and rather thin, have bad smell... Cones are oblong, small, 3-6 cm long and 1-2 cm wide. Young cones are green, mature light brown. In culture, the natural form is rarely grown due to large sizes and poor sun tolerance in the spring. But varietal varieties are very popular. The shape of the crown and the location of the branches of cultivars are varied, but in the gardens, pyramidal and spherical "dwarfs" prevail. The winter hardiness of the varieties is high, but they can be actively damaged by the rays of the spring sun. It is better to plant all varieties in partial shade, and in hot periods provide additional sprinkling of their crowns. In order to care for these spruce trees in the way that proper agricultural technology suggests, before the onset of the growing season, all varieties of this type should be treated with copper-containing preparations for fungal diseases.

Recommended varieties for planting in gardens: pyramidal-columnar - Conica, Conica Blue, Sanders Blue, Daisy's White, Sport, Zuckerhut; spherical - Cecilia, Dendrofarma Gold, Elf, Minitip, Blue Planet, Burning Well.

Recommended varieties of spruce with gray:

Picea glauca Alberta Globe

Micro-variety of Canadian spruce. Very compact, wide pyramidal shape. This variety has dark green needles. Annual growths are 1-2 cm. Fully tolerant to sunlight. Frost resistant.

Picea glauca Cecilia

Mini-variety of Canadian spruce. Compact, spherical shape. The needles are tough, dark green. Annual growth 3-6 cm, Fully frost-resistant.

Picea glauca conica

Shirokopyramidalny variety of Canadian spruce. The needles are dark green. Annual growth is within 3 cm. In the gardens of the middle zone, planted in the sun, it can burn in early spring. This often leads to the loss of decorativeness of individual branches or the death of the entire plant. Fully frost resistant.

Picea glauca Conica Blue

Mini-variety of Canadian spruce. Compact, narrow-pyramidal crown shape. Blue needles, annual growth within 3-5 cm, completely frost-hardy.

Picea glauca Daisy's White

Mini-variety of Canadian spruce. Dense, narrow pyramidal shape. The needles are soft, green. Annual growths are within 3-5 cm. At the end of May, for 7-10 days, it stains the growths in a cream color. When describing this variety of spruce, it is worth noting that it is very shade-tolerant and frost-hardy.

Picea glauca Dendrofarma Gold

Micro-variety of Canadian spruce. "Witch's Broom" found on the Picea glauca Alberta Globe. Dense, spherical shape. The needles are soft, green. Annual growths within 2-3 cm, In the same time frame as Picea glauca Deisy’s White, stains the growths in a yellow-cream color. Landing in partial shade is recommended. Fully frost resistant.

Picea glauca Sander's Blue

Mini-variety of Canadian spruce. Dense pyramidal shape. Annual growth within 3 cm. More tolerant to sunlight than P. glauca Conica. Fully frost resistant.

Picea glauca sport

Micro-variety of Canadian spruce. Narrow oval, somewhat pyramidal shape. Below are photos, names and descriptions of other varieties of spruce.

Other types of spruce: photo, name and description

Picea jezcensis- Ayan spruce

A very ancient type of spruce. Grows on the mountain slopes of the Far East. A conical tree up to 40 m in height. The needles are 1-2 cm long, pointed, two-colored, green above, gray-gray below, blue. Cones are oval-cylindrical, light brown, 5-7 cm long. In culture, it is preferable to plant it in partial shade. Responsive to crown sprinkling. It has been observed in Russian gardens for the last 3-4 years. Recommended varieties of ayan spruce:

Picea jezoensis Compacto

Mini-variety of ayan spruce. Compact, rounded shape. The needles are very prickly, silvery-green-blue. Annual growth within 3 cm. Fully frost-resistant.

Picea jezoensis Marianske Lazne

Mini-variety of ayan spruce. Compact, rounded shape. The needles are prickly, silvery-green-blue. Annual growth is 3-7 cm. Fully frost-resistant.

Picea mariana- Black spruce

It grows on marshy soils and forms forests in North America and Canada. The description of this type of spruce is outwardly similar to the gray spruce, or Canadian, but has more gray needles. The crown is uzkokeglevidnaya, uneven, branches and branches are thin. The needles are 6-18 mm long, from green to bluish-green, rather thin and very dense. Cones are ovoid, small - 2-3.5 cm long. Young cones are dark purple, mature ones are gray-brown. It has varieties with different types of branches and crown shapes. Most varieties are pyramidal and spherical "dwarfs" with green or gray needles.

Previously, only one Nana variety could be found in the gardens. In the last 3-4 years, the range of cultivars has expanded. During this time, the following varieties of black spruce have been tested: Nana, Bessneri, Doumetii, Aurea.

Recommended varieties of black spruce:

Picea mariana Beissneri

Medium-sized variety of black spruce. Compact conical shape. The needles are soft, green-blue. Annual growth within 15 cm. Hardy. Spring burning of individual branches is possible.

Picea mariana Nana

Micro-variety of black spruce. Dense, rounded shape. The needles are tough, green-blue. Annual growth within 3 cm. Fully frost-resistant and sun-tolerant.

Picea obovata- Siberian spruce

Forms vast forests from Northern Europe to Kamchatka and Manchuria. Outwardly similar to common spruce, but has a narrower crown and slightly drooping branches. The branches are dense. The needles are 10-18 mm long, matte. Cones are cylindrical-ovate, 6-8 m long. Young cones are purple, mature ones are gray-brown. Very hardy and frost-resistant. It has a few, but very decorative cultivars. Recommended varieties of Siberian spruce:

Picea obovata Bruj

Micro-variety of Siberian spruce. Quite dense, rounded shape. The needles are soft, green. Annual growth within 5 cm. Fully frost-resistant.

Picea obovata Kandinka

Micro-variety of Siberian spruce. Rounded shape. The needles are soft, green. Annual growth is within 3-5 cm. Fully frost-resistant.

Picea omorika- Serbian spruce

A rare species that grows on the steep limestone slopes of the mountains of Bosnia and Serbia. Outwardly, it is similar to Siberian spruce, but differs in the shape of the crown and the color of the needles. Crohn narrow pyramidal, almost columnar. The branches are short, spaced apart and raised at the ends. Young branches are brown, pubescent. Compressed needles, 8-18 mm long and 2 mm wide, shiny, dark green above and gray below. Cones are ovate oblong, small (3-6 cm long), shiny, brown. Bears fruit from an early age. Highly decorative and frost-resistant. It has numerous cultivars, it is mainly a variety of dwarf forms.

Recommended varieties of Serbian spruce with photos and descriptions:

Picea omorika Berliner Weeper

Weeping form of Serbian spruce. The needles are green-blue, Annual growths are within 5-7 cm. The variety is rare in our gardens. Fully frost resistant.

Picea omorika chocen

Micro-variety of Serbian spruce. Very compact, rounded shape. The needles are tough, green-blue. Annual growth within 3 cm. Fully frost-resistant.

Picea omorika Cindarella

A dwarf variety of Serbian spruce. Oval-rounded shape. The needles are small, gray-green. Annual increments are within 6-9 cm. Fully frost-resistant. A very beautiful, recognizable variety, which is still rare in our gardens.

Picea omorika de ruyter

Dwarf. Dense, narrow pyramidal shape. The needles are tough, green-blue. Annual growth is about 8-15 cm. There is no exact information on its final size, but at 25 years old its possible size is 3.5-4.0 m. Fully frost-resistant.

Picea omorika Frohnleiten

Compact dwarf. Dense, wide-pyramidal shape. The branches grow in a strictly vertical direction. Pay attention to the photo - the needles of this type of spruce are tough, green-blue, silver:

Annual growths are 10-12 cm. Fully frost-resistant.

Picea omorika Fusch

Mini-variety of Serbian spruce. Compact, rounded shape. The needles are green. Annual growth is 3-5 cm. Fully hardy.

Picea omorika hallonet

Mini-variety of Serbian spruce. Dense, rounded, cushion-shaped. The needles are soft, green-blue. Annual growth is 4-7 cm. Fully frost-resistant.

Picea omorika havel 2

Micro-variety of Serbian spruce. Very compact, rounded shape. The needles are tough, green-blue. Annual growths are 1-2 cm. Fully frost-resistant.

Picea omorika Kuschel

Mini variety or Serbian. Dense, rounded shape. The needles are hard, dark, blue-green. Annual growth is about 5 cm. Fully frost-resistant.

Picea omorika Minima

Mini-variety of Serbian spruce. Slightly loose, round-oval, cushion-shaped. The needles are hard, dark, blue-green. Annual growth is 5-8 cm. Fully frost-resistant.

• Picea omorika Miriam. Mini-variety of Serbian spruce. Dense, rounded shape. The needles are green-blue. Annual growth is 3-6 cm. Fully hardy.
• Picea omorika Nana. Dwarf. Very dense, beautiful pyramidal shape. The needles are tough, green-blue. At 20 years old, the height is 3 m. Fully frost-resistant.
• Picea omorika Pendula. Medium-sized variety of Serbian spruce. Very dense, broadly oval, drooping shape. Distinctive feature This variety is the ability of several leading shoots independently, without support, to maintain the vertical-horizontal direction of growth. The needles are dark green-blue. Annual growth is 30-50 cm. The height of adult plants can reach 7-9 m. Solitaire. A very decorative variety. Fully frost resistant.
• Picea omorika Peve Tijn. Mini-variety of Serbian spruce. Dense, spherical shape. The needles are tough, green blue, during the summer changes its color to golden. Annual growth is 3-8 cm. Fully frost-resistant.
• Picea omorika Pimoko. A popular mini-variety of Serbian spruce. Very dense, spherical shape. The needles are tough, green-blue. Annual increments within 5 cm. With age, it grows more in width than in height. At 25 years old, it reaches a size of 2 m wide by 1 m in height. Fully frost resistant.
• Picea omorika Radloff. Dwarf. Dense, flowing shape, Soft needles, green-blue. To give the plant a more vertical direction of growth, the leading shoot must be tied to a support. Annual growth within 10 cm. Fully frost-resistant.
• Picea omorika Valenta. Mini-variety of Serbian spruce. Compact, round-oval shape. The needles are slightly tough, green-blue. Annual growth is within 5-7 cm. Fully frost-resistant.
• Picea omorika Wodan. A dwarf variety of Serbian spruce. Dense, narrow pyramidal shape. Irregular growth of branches is observed. The needles are very tough, dark green. Annual growth is within 7-10 cm. Fully frost-resistant.
• Picea omorika Zuckerhut. A dwarf, possibly a medium-sized variety of Serbian spruce. Very dense, beautiful pyramidal shape. The needles are soft, green-blue. At 20 years of age, the height can be 5-6 m. Fully frost-resistant.
• Picea omorika Pendula Bruns. A full-grown variety of Serbian spruce. Very dense, columnar, cascading shape. A distinctive feature of this variety is the ability of the leading shoot independently, without support, to maintain the vertical direction of growth of 20-40 cm, The height of adult plants can reach 10 m. Solitaire. A very decorative variety. Fully frost-resistant - P. omorika Slavia. Mini-variety of Serbian spruce. Dense, rounded shape. The needles are tough, green-blue. Annual growth is 3-5 cm. Fully hardy.

Picea orientalis- Eastern spruce

Forms mountain forests of the Caucasus and Asia Minor at an altitude of 1000 to 2500 m. Often Nordmann with undergrowth of evergreen holly, laurel cherries, rhododendrons and ivy. This type of spruce is outwardly similar to ordinary spruce, but has some species differences. The crown is densely branched. The branches descend to the ground and are whorled and irregular. Young branches are light brown, almost white. The needles are dark green, glossy, short, 6-8 mm long, and very densely spaced. As shown in the photo, the cones of this variety were cylindrical-ovate, 6-9 cm long:

Young buds are purple, ripe buds are purple. One of the few spruce trees that winter hard in the northern temperate zone. In her cultivars, freezing and burning of young growths, and sometimes entire branches, is possible. Particularly dangerous is the battle from the snow of the sun's rays on the days of February and March. In this regard, all oriental spruce varieties planted in such conditions are considered to be conditionally wintering. Despite this, in recent years, a positive experience has been gained in cultivating oriental spruce varieties.

Recommended varieties of oriental spruce:

Picea orientalis Aureospicata

A dwarf, possibly medium-sized variety of oriental spruce. Pyramidal, pointed shape. Similar in habit and color of young growths to Picea orientalis Aurea. In the spring, for 2-3 weeks, it paints the growths in a golden yellow color. Annual increments are within 10-5 cm. Limited winter hardy. Landing in partial shade is recommended.

Picea orientalis Juwel

Picea orientalis Minima Welle

Mini-variety of oriental spruce. Rounded cushion shape. The needles are green. Annual growth within 3-5 cm. Planting in partial shade is recommended. Limited winter hardy.

Picea orientalis Schoven Horst

Mini-variety of oriental spruce. Rounded cushion shape. The needles are green. Annual growth within 3-5 cm. Planting in partial shade is recommended. Limited winter hardy.

Picea orientalis Spring Grove

Mini-variety of oriental spruce. Rounded cushion shape. The needles are green. Annual growth within 3-5 cm. Planting in partial shade is recommended. Limited winter hardy.

Picea orientalis Tom Thumb Gold

Micro-variety of oriental spruce. Found on the Eastern Skylands spruce in the United States, the witch's broom has a round-tiered shape. In spring, the needles turn golden for the whole season. Annual growth within 3-5 cm. Planting in partial shade is recommended. Planted in the shade loses its golden color and may even die over time, but planting in the sun is also destructive for it, especially at a young age. A very decorative and popular variety. Limited winter hardy.

Picea pungens- Colorado spruce

The most common type of blue spruce in the culture. In nature, it grows in the Rocky Mountains, Utah and Colorado at an altitude of 2000-3500 m above sea level. Evergreen tree 30-50 m high. The crown is pyramidal. The whorls of the branches are markedly separated. The branches of young growths are light yellow-brown. This type of spruce got its name because of its hard, prickly, dense needles of gray or green color, 2-3 cm long. The cones are oblong-cylindrical, 6-10 cm long. Young cones are green, mature ones are light gray-beige. In culture, it is extremely resistant and absolutely frost-resistant. It has many varieties of different habits with a different type of branch arrangement, crown shape, color of needles.

Mini-variety of spruce barbed. Rounded oval shape. The needles are tough, blue. Annual growth is within 5-7 cm. Fully frost-resistant.

Picea pungens Byczkowski

A pyramidal variety of spruce, prickly Polish selection. The needles are blue-green. At the end of May, for 2-3 weeks, it stains the growths in a white-cream color. Annual increments are within 10-12 cm. Fully frost-resistant.

Picea pungens Fruchlings Gold

Dwarf. A pyramidal variety of barbed spruce. The needles are blue. At the end of May, for 2-3 weeks, it stains the growths in a white-cream color. Annual increments are within 10-12 cm. Fully frost-resistant.

Picea pungens hermann naue

Dwarf. Rounded oval shape. The needles are green-blue. Forms crimson cones at the ends of growing branches. Annual growth is within 10-15 cm. Fully frost-resistant.

Picea pungens Iseli Fastigiata

Medium-sized variety of prickly spruce. Most often, it is narrow-pyramidal, but wide-pyramidal specimens are also found. The needles are prickly, blue. Annual growth is 20-25 cm. Fully frost-resistant. In order to avoid collapse and breakage of branches in snowy winters, it is recommended to fix them.

• Picea pungens Jablonec. A dwarf variety of spruce barbed. Rounded-oval, with age, perhaps a little pyramidal in shape. The needles are tough, blue. Annual growth within 15 cm. Fully frost-resistant.
• Picea pungens Maigold. Dwarf. A pyramidal variety of barbed spruce. The needles are blue. At the end of May, for 2-3 weeks, it stains the growths in a white cream color. Annual increments are within 10-12 cm. Fully frost-resistant.
• Picea pungens Mecki. A dwarf variety of spruce barbed. It is characterized by uneven growth of branches. The shape is close to conical. Annual growth within 15 cm. Fully frost-resistant.
• Picea pungens Nimetz. A dwarf variety of spruce barbed. Pyramidal shape. The needles are blue. At the end of May, for 2 weeks, it stains the growths in a white-cream color. Annual increments are within 10-12 cm. Fully frost-resistant.
• Picea pungens Olo. Micro-variety of spruce barbed. Very dense, rounded shape. The needles are blue-green, Annual growth within 3 cm. Fully frost-resistant.
• Picea pungens Ossario. A dwarf variety of spruce barbed. Rounded oval shape. The needles are tough, blue. Annual growth within 15 cm. Fully frost-resistant.
• Picea pungens Pendens. A large-sized variety of prickly spruce. Dense fastigiate form, In the early years it can have a flattened form, but with age it actively pushes the conductor in the vertical direction. The needles are gray-blue. Annual growth within 30 cm. Solitaire. Fully frost resistant. Perhaps there are two different cultivars, named the same - Pendens.
• Picea pungens Saint Mary's Broom. Mini-variety of spruce barbed. Rounded oval shape. The needles are tough, blue. Annual growth within 5-7 cm. Fully frost-resistant,
• Picea pungens The Blues. A dwarf, weeping variety of prickly spruce. The "witch's broom" that gave birth to this cultivar was found on P. pungens Glauca Globosa, but it is bluer and bluer than that of the mother plant. To give the cultivar a more interesting shape, it is necessary to fix the leading shoot at an angle of 45-60 degrees. Annual growth within 15 cm. Fully frost-resistant.
• Picea pungens Waldbrunn. Mini-variety of spruce barbed. Rounded-tiered, flat shape. The needles are blue. Annual growth is 5-8 cm. Fully frost-resistant.

Picea sitchensis- Sitkha spruce

It grows along the western coast of North America. It is considered one of the largest among spruce trees, reaching 50 m in height. The shape is pyramidal, pointed. The needles are two-colored, green-blue. Immediately after the growing season, it acquires rich silvery shades. Cones are brown, up to 10 cm long. Prefers moist soils and high air humidity. In recent years, her cultivars have been successfully tested in our gardens. Mandatory conditions their correct cultivation is regular sprinkling of crowns, as well as two-time treatment for fungal diseases with copper-containing preparations: in the spring, before the beginning of the growing season, and before winter. Recommended varieties of Sitka spruce: The following describes how to grow spruce in the garden and how to care for these trees.

How to grow a spruce and how to care for a tree in the garden

When growing spruces, keep in mind that these are shade-tolerant, but light-loving plants. Only in an open place do they acquire the typical crown shape. In shaded areas and in thickened plantings, they are not very decorative. An important condition for growing spruce of all types is the presence of light, fertile, loamy, slightly acidic soils. Also, these trees can develop quite successfully on any soil, including poor sandy loam and heavy loamy, but will be less lush. Dwarf varieties should not be grown in overly rich soils - they may lose their typical crown shape.

Adult specimens have a powerful, branched root system and do not need feeding. Young plants can be fed in spring after melting snow on wet ground with complex or combined mineral fertilizer weakened concentration. Top dressing with fresh manure and feces is categorically unacceptable.

The transplant should be carried out either in the spring before the buds bloom, or in the fall. Plants with actively growing shoots take root poorly. Deepening of the root collar is permissible, but undesirable. Young plants tolerate transplanting easily. Large specimens can be transplanted only after preliminary preparation root ball. To do this, 6-12 months before transplanting, the plant is dug several times around the circumference of the crown, cutting off the roots, resulting in a dense root ball. When caring for a spruce after planting, abundant watering is necessary, and with a spring transplant, spraying is necessary until rooting.

Adult ate is very resistant to both waterlogging and drought, but it is undesirable to grow varietal forms in extreme conditions. Correct planting and caring for spruces is shown in these photos:

Most species are frost-resistant. Young summer spruce growths often suffer from late frosts, but grow back easily. To avoid loss of shape due to heavy snow, it is recommended to tighten multi-stemmed specimens for the winter when leaving during the cultivation of spruces. Creeping (elfin) varieties are often blown out from heavy sleet and ice accumulating near the ground. Therefore, in order to care for the spruce trees in the garden in the way that proper agricultural technology suggests, branches of creeping forms must be laid on trellises raised above the ground.

For effective garden designs, learn about the use of fir trees in landscaping.

The use of fir trees in the landscape design of the garden (with photo)

Spruce is one of the main conifers used in gardening in regions with long and frosty winters. The most common spruce is common, which has become the main "coniferous accent" in the compositions of northern parks. The use of prickly spruce in garden design is very popular - it is a favorite component in the design of compositions of public buildings and memorials. Other types of spruce are rare guests of parks and gardens. The dominance of common and prickly spruce over other species is quite justified, since they are not only the most hardy, but also have a considerable number of various garden forms. The use of fir trees in landscape design is truly universal. Varieties with a classic pyramidal crown shape are used to create alleys, planted singly as dominants and in groups to divide the space into zones. Spherical and dwarf pyramidal forms are included in complex compositions of small gardens, rockeries and mixborders. Creeping and spreading varieties are indispensable for background plantings and for grafting on boles. Spruce - one of the best conifers for creating hedges, it lends itself perfectly to shearing. The formation of more compact specimens is possible by plucking out the central buds of lateral shoots in the fall and shortening similar shoots in the summer.

Seeds of most species freshly dropped from the cones are capable of immediate germination. Seeds with hardened covers require awakening of the embryo, which requires a period of even low temperatures for 1-2 months. There are several ways to germinate spruce seeds. The simplest of them is podzimny sowing in a ridge to a depth of 1.5-2 cm with mulching to a height of 1-1.5 cm.In the spring, after the emergence of shoots, the plants are sown (planted with a pinch of the root) or left on the ridge until autumn or the next spring.

Snowing, i.e. sowing seeds in boxes in autumn or winter, followed by carrying them out under the snow until spring. In the spring or early summer, after the emergence of shoots, the plants are laid out in the ridge or left in boxes until autumn.

Before seed, many apply the cold stratification method. To do this, at the end of winter, seeds are mixed with large, clean, slightly damp sand, sawdust or sphagnum moss, placed in plastic bags and stored in a refrigerator or basement at a temperature of +3 to +5 ᵒС for 1-3 months. Another option is to plant seeds in boxes or bowls. The earthen mixture should be clean, light, consisting of rotted leaf earth, peat and coarse sifted sand in a ratio of 3: 1: 1. After sowing, the seeds are stored in a refrigerator or basement at a temperature of +3 to +5 ᵒС for 1-3 months. During this period, it is necessary to maintain an even moderate level of substrate moisture and avoid temperature fluctuations. After passing through stratification, the seeds stored in bags are washed and sown in boxes or bowls. Crops are exposed to light in a warm place (+ 18 ... + 23 ° С), where they germinate. A prerequisite growing spruce from seeds is keeping the seedlings in the light, but not in the sun, and watering sparingly. If the seedlings are excessively thickened, then a pick is required. If the seedlings develop normally, then when warmth comes, they are taken out into the garden and after hardening (gradual accustoming to the sun and fresh air) are planted in a ridge for growing.

Varietal varieties during seed reproduction weakly repeat characteristic signs, and it is very difficult to determine them in the first year. For propagation of varietal forms, a vegetative method is used.

Finally, learn how to propagate spruce by cuttings and layering.

How to propagate a spruce: methods of propagation by layering and cuttings

It is very difficult to propagate natural forms vegetatively, varietal ones are much easier. Easier than others, varieties of species with thin branches reproduce, for example, gray spruce (Canadian) and black spruce. Horizontal layering is a way of spruce propagation that does not damage the mother plant, but does not guarantee the preservation of the pyramidal crown shape typical for spruce. As a rule, lopsided or creeping plants grow from rooted branches. Reproduction by horizontal layers is quite promising for varieties with a drooping and flattened crown. Buried branches take root within two or even three years.

Cuttings from young varietal plants with a compact densely branched crown take root relatively well. Cuttings taken from wild species, especially from old specimens, root very poorly.

Early spring - the moment of awakening of the buds - is most suitable for propagation of spruce by cuttings. You can do this in the summer after the end of the first growth wave, but in this case, the cuttings never have time to form roots and hibernate only with influxes of callus, which is fraught with freezing. In columnar and narrow-pyramidal forms, only vertical shoots are taken; in creeping varieties, on the contrary, any, except for those tending upward; in spruce trees with a free, oval or spherical crown, the choice of the cutting does not matter.

The harvested cuttings are placed in a substrate consisting of coarse washed sand with possible additions of perlite, vermiculite, high-moor peat, crushed sphagnum moss or fine sifted coniferous bark.

The temperature during spring propagation of spruce trees is initially maintained at + 15 ... + 18 ᵒС, and after budding is brought to + 20 ... + 23 ° С. It is undesirable to raise it above +25 ° С, it is unacceptable above + 30ᵒС.

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