It is the most widespread coniferous tree in Europe. Its height can reach 50 meters, and the thickness of the trunk can reach up to 1 meter or more. Under favorable conditions, it can live up to 400 years.

This evergreen has horizontally arranged branches with flattened-tetrahedral hard green needles. Spruce cones look like an oblong cylinder 10-15 cm long and 3-4 cm thick. They ripen in October, but the seeds fall out in January-April. Spruce blossoms and begins to bear fruit at the age of 25-30 years.

Of all types of spruce, spruce is the fastest growing. During the first ten years, it grows slowly, but after a while, growth accelerates and annual growth can reach 50 cm. It has a weak root system, surface-horizontal arrangement. In this regard, it has poor resistance to wind loads: spruce can very often be seen turned out of the ground, along with the root system, after strong winds.

European spruce has a light and soft wood with a low concentration of resins and a high content of cellulose. In this regard, spruce is the main raw material component of pulp and paper mills. Up to 400-500 cubic meters of wood can be harvested from one hectare of mature trees. Spruce is successfully used in construction, musical instruments, railway sleepers, telegraph poles, various crafts, and furniture are made from it.

Resin is collected from mature trees, from which rosin and turpentine are extracted. The bark of young trees is used to produce tanning extracts.

Branches and needles are harvested as medicinal raw materials. Cones are harvested in the summer and dried under sheds. They contain essential oils, resins and tannins. Infusions and decoctions of spruce cones are used for bronchial asthma and other respiratory diseases. Pine needles are used in the preparation of vitamin teas and anti-scurvy concentrates. With rheumatism, it is recommended to use baths from the needles of this tree. The needles contain a large amount of ascorbic acid - up to 300-400 mg. In addition, infusions of buds or young needles have antimicrobial and antispasmodic effects.

It has already become a tradition in many countries of the world to decorate a spruce for New Year and Christmas, although many people prefer pine or fir.

Spruce is propagated by seeds that can be planted without preparation, but preplant stratification can improve germination. Along with seeds, it can also propagate by cuttings, which take root very quickly. You can get layering by sprinkling the lower branches with earth. At the same time, the lower branches very quickly begin to form a young root system, which is rare for conifers.

Care of the planted plant is reduced to watering and weeding the near-stem circle with simultaneous cleaning of weeds. It does not need artificial crown formation, but dried or broken branches should be removed regularly. Young Christmas trees require protection from severe frosts and from direct sunlight. In hot weather, you need to regularly spray the crown with water and water every day at the rate of 10-12 liters of water per plant.

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, which in natural conditions grow in cold and temperate climates, 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 fans 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, under natural conditions it 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

Miniature round plant adulthood becomes domed. 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 can appear - completely green branches that in early spring carefully cut at the trunk 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 growths, 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 growth from the apex, 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, naked. 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

Dwarf showy variety of cushion shape, without a pronounced central stem, with numerous lateral branches directed towards different sides. 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 at an 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 open, 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

A dwarf plant is characterized by a dense rounded flattened crown with a 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, develops poorly 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 kind.

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 Jez 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 rollercoaster, 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, the lateral branches are located vertically, forming 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, by the age of ten it reaches 2–4 m. 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 also can seriously captivate the gardener, turning him into a passionate collector of wonderful evergreens.

POPLAR

Poplar - everyone knows it -
Height champion.
And get my top
It's not easy for you
Because I'm for the summer
I grow two meters.
Poplar is indeed one of the fastest growing trees in the middle lane. It reaches impressive sizes in a short time. Poplar grows by 1.5–2 meters per year. This tree is unpretentious and does not require special care.
Poplar is more often than other trees used for landscaping streets. Besides rapid growth, it has other advantages. This majestic slender tree with a greenish-gray smooth trunk and dense crown fits perfectly into landscape design, decorates city squares, squares, streets. In the city, poplar plays the role of a nurse. It cleans the air of dust and soot and releases a large amount of oxygen into the atmosphere. Let's take a closer look at the poplar leaves. From above they are shiny dark green, and from below - light with white pubescence. Such pubescent leaves are able to capture a significant amount of dust from the air. It settles in the hairs, and during heavy showers it is washed off and carried away by the flowing water. If there is too much dust and soot and the air is heavily polluted, poplar leaves give a distress signal - they become small, become stained, thin out. It is necessary to take measures, because it is impossible to live in such conditions not only for poplar, but also for a person.
Poplar blooms in early spring, even before the first leaves bloom on it. Already at the end of May, fruits ripen on poplars - boxes with large quantity small seeds. These seeds are covered with long silky hairs - in the people they are called poplar fluff. The boxes burst, and a "white blizzard" falls on the city. Poplar fluff, like snow, covers the ground and trees.
- Confess to us, rooster,
Why is there fluff everywhere?
You are a famous bully!
Was there a fight here?
“I don’t fight for eight days!”
Fluff flies from poplars!
(M. Druzhinina)
Poplar fluff quickly absorbs moisture, thereby creating good conditions for seed germination. A poplar seed swells in 4 hours, and after 8-10 hours it has a root.
Poplar wood is soft and light. They make plywood and paper out of it. Poplar buds are used in cosmetology.

SPRUCE

What kind of girl is this?
Not a seamstress, not a craftswoman,
Doesn't sew anything
And in needles all year round.
(A. Rozhdestvenskaya)
What tree do we always decorate with toys for the New Year? That's right, tree. The Christmas tree, or, scientifically, spruce, is a relative of other coniferous trees, such as pine or cedar.
Spruce has a thicker crown than pine. It tolerates the lack of light well and does not die, but simply stops growing. For good growth spruce requires moist nutrient soil. Spruces are slender trees with fluffy branches covered with needles. Norway spruce is the tallest tree in Europe, it reaches a height of 70 meters.
Ate on the edge - to the top of the sky -
They listen, they are silent, they look at their grandchildren.
And the grandchildren are Christmas trees, thin needles,
At the forest gates they dance.
If deciduous trees leaves turn yellow in autumn and fall off, then in coniferous leaves, the needles remain green in the winter. The only coniferous tree that sheds needles every year is larch.
In our country, in the European part, common spruce grows, in the Urals and in Siberia - Siberian spruce, in the Far East - Korean spruce, in the Caucasus - oriental spruce, in Karelia - Finnish spruce. That's how many kinds! In the central squares Russian cities blue spruces are adorned. Their homeland is North America. The wax coating gives the needles an unusual blue color. A tree coated with natural wax can easily survive both harsh winters and dry summers.
You can always find her in the forest -
Let's go for a walk and meet:
It is prickly, like a hedgehog,
In winter in a summer dress.
A spruce has been living for several hundred years, the oldest spruces in our country were found in the Kostroma region. They are over 500 years old.
Spruce wood is soft, pleasant white or yellowish in color. From it turns out beautiful furniture. Also, paper and musical instruments are made from spruce wood.
PUZZLES
Winter and summer in one color.
(Spruce)
* * *
She has pegs -
All needles and needles.
Animals joke: "Uncle Hedgehog
Looks a little like her!"
(Christmas tree)

CEDAR

To begin with, the tree that everyone calls cedar and from which pine nuts are harvested is actually not a cedar at all. This is a cedar pine, or Siberian cedar.
There are only three types of real cedars: Lebanese, Atlas and Himalayan. In our country, they are almost never found. In some southern cities, Himalayan cedars are planted on the streets.
But there is a lot of Siberian pine in Russia. This is a tall powerful tree. It reaches a height of 40 meters, and a trunk diameter of 1.5–2 meters. The crown of young trees is pyramidal, in adults it is sprawling.
For the first time, the Siberian pine was called the cedar by the Tobolsk Metropolitan Cyprian in his work Synodika. He described how Novgorod merchants, having found themselves in Siberia in the 12th century, saw large trees with cones. Have any of them seen it before? cedar cones. So they called an unfamiliar tree cedar.
It is very easy to breathe in the cedar forest because of the smell of pine needles and aromatic oils, which are allocated by cedar wood. This remarkable feature of the cedar forests was noticed by the ancient monks. Then the proverb arose: "In the spruce forest - to work, in the birch forest - to have fun, in the cedar forest - to pray to God." The monks brought cedars from Siberia to central Russia. And today they grow in Sergiev Posad, the monasteries of the Yaroslavl and Tver regions. They are on the territory of the Moscow Kremlin. Cedars are long-lived trees. They live up to 800 or even 1000 years.
Siberian cedar is a real plant tree, almost all of its parts are used by humans. Juice is used in medicine. Wood is used to make furniture, musical instruments and pencils. Tannins from the bark are used in the manufacture of leather goods. Pine needles are processed to obtain vitamin flour for animal husbandry.
In a good year one large tree gives up to 1000-1500 cones. In nature, the seeds of the Siberian cedar are spread by the nutcracker, chipmunk, squirrel, sable and other animals that feed on pine nuts. Pine nuts are very nutritious, they contain 65 percent oil, rich in protein and vitamins.
PUZZLES
Is in the taiga Siberian cedar,
Generous for cedar nuts.
Squirrels know, mice know
That you need to look for them in ... (bump)

Norway spruce or European spruce X well-known evergreen coniferous tree. spruce plant becomes a decoration in our house every new year.For the first time in Germany, they began to bring an ordinary spruce into the house, dress up for the holiday. The custom is based on admiration for the queen of the forests. In Russia, the Christmas tree began to decorate under Peter more than two hundred years ago. The custom has survived to this day.

European spruce - one of the oldest, evergreen treesfrom the pine family with a pyramidal crown. HeightNorway spruce in nature it sometimes reaches 60 m, and the diameter of its crown is up to 8 m.The tree lives up to 250 years. The crown of spruce is dense with a sharp top.The bark is red-brown, smooth, brownish-gray on the trunks with an uneven surface. Spruce branches are arranged in regular whorls. Each year is marked by a new whorl, which makes it easy to determine the age of the tree.

The needles are needle-shaped, up to 2 cm long, dark green, stored on branches up to 12 years. Seed cones are hanging cylindrical, up to 15 cm long, first red, then green, and when ripe they turn brown. Pollination occurs May-June. Seeds ripen at the end of October, but their germination is not great. The root system of the common spruce is superficial, therefore it is sensitive to dryness, stagnant water.

Grows n about the entire forest zone of Europe, in the European part of Russia. Forms pure and mixed forests. Norway spruce prefers moderately moist, well-drained, moderately nutritious soils. Its winter hardiness is great.

Cones are harvested in the summer of July b -August, before seeds ripen, immature. Young shoots of buds and paws, as they are sometimes called - ma th . Dry under a canopy.

Spruce composition

spruce needles

• essential oil;
• iron, manganese, chromium, aluminum, copper, stilbene;
• caffeic acid;
• x in I ate ordinary contains more vitamin C than lemon six times . Its highest concentration is in winter and early spring.

cones

• essential oils;
• resins;
• tannins;
• phytoncides;
• minerals;
• succinic acid;
• vitamins C, K, E and PP.

spruce application

Common spruce cones - a good remedy against microbes, any inflammation, acts as an anesthetic.

Use immature female cones. The tree can grow male cones (smaller, yellow-green) and female (bright red, the size of a thimble). The mature female cone is brown, large. With their help, lung diseases, asthma, pneumonia in adults and children are treated. The properties of spruce cones are excellent for pharyngitis, sinusitis. A decoction of cones is added to baths in the treatment of joint pain.

spruce young shoots - are included in many expectorant fees. Spruce shoots are useful in the treatment of tuberculosis, pneumonia, and are indispensable in the treatment of fungal diseases. A decoction is prepared from the shoots, used to facilitate breathing, with asthma. With tuberculosis, it is useful to take a tincture of shoots on vodka.

spruce needles — R recommended for illnesses kidneys, bladder. Infusion of needles is used for scurvy. Since ancient times, the people have been using spruce needles to get a drink saturated with vitamin C, they are being treated from beriberi. Gargle with infusion of needles for colds, acute, chronic diseases respiratory organs, instill 4 drops in each nostril with vasomotor rhinitis. Cooking and from the needles helps with shortness of breath.

spruce resin — e Gum resin has a wide range of applications, it is used in the treatment of diseases such as gout, neuralgia, sciatica, neurasthenia, diseases of the upper respiratory tract, kidneys, digestive organs, and bedsores. It is best to use transparent resin. But the cured resin has the same medicinal properties. Before use, it must be heated in a water bath. Dry resin powder is sprinkled on wounds. Resin ointment with honey or lard is used to treat abscesses, wounds, ulcers.During a flu epidemic, it is useful to burn pieces of spruce resin in the room where the flu patient lies. The resin smell aromatizes the room, disinfects the air. WITH The fresh gum resin is an excellent remedy for healing wounds and cuts.

P Before use, check for an allergic reaction. To do this, apply a little on the forearm area, leave for a day. If during this time the skin does not turn red, treatment can begin.

spruce oil obtained from green spruce branches. spruce oil used as a diuretic, choleretic agent. It has a good calming, relaxing effect,scents the room wonderfully. Needle oil t also helps with eczema, dermatitis, any bruises, pustules Oh . In cosmetology, they are used to rejuvenate the skin of the face, maintain it protective functions. The oil prevents hair loss and dandruff.

Application in other areas

• V national economy spruce wood is used to make paper, cardboard;
• Cellulose, artificial silk are obtained from its wood;
• Widely used in construction, carpentry in the manufacture of furniture;
• Spruce wood is indispensable for the manufacture musical instruments;
• The tanning properties of spruce are essential for leather dressing. They are obtained from spruce bark;
• From the waste of common spruce, ethyl alcohol is obtained, which is necessary in many industries;
• Valuable construction material- plasticizer;
• Dry distillation of non-commercial spruce wood produces acetic acid, methyl alcohol;
• Rosin, turpentine, used in many branches of medicine, is obtained from the resin of resin.

Ointment: mix spruce resin, wax and cream or sunflower oil taken in equal amounts in a water bath until homogeneous. Keep refrigerator. Use to treat boils, skin diseases, ulcers, wounds, abrasions.

Pine juice: young shoots collected before May 15, wash, dry. Lay in layers. First we put a layer of needles, it should be 2 cm, then sugar. We fill the jar to the brim, the last layer should be a layer of sugar. Leave overnight. In the morning, mix with a wooden spatula, tie gauze around the throat, put in the sun. Insist 10 days. Store the resulting juice in the refrigerator, tightly closed. Accept healing remedy 2 tablespoons in the morning on an empty stomach for adults and 1st.l. children.

Cones tincture: fill a three-liter jar with chopped fir cones by a third. Pour water up to the throat, add 200 g of sugar, tie with gauze, keep on the windowsill for a week. Drain the liquid, and pour the remaining cones again with water, add sugar. Then stand for a week on the windowsill, drain the liquid. After 5 days, the tincture is ready. Used for hypertension, for the prevention of stroke, heart attack.

Alcohol tincture: Pour 1 kg of crushed cones with 0.5 kg of sugar. Keep a dark cool place for 20 days. Drain the juice, add half a glass of alcohol. Insist 2 months under the lid. Take a dessert spoon when coughing.

Infusion of spruce buds for the treatment of respiratory diseases: 250g of young spruce buds, 0.5l of vodka. Close the container tightly, leave in a dark place for 10 days. Storage space - refrigerator.

Decoction:Pour 40g (4 tablespoons) of pine needles with one glass of boiling water, cook for 20 minutes, filter after an hour. Take 3-4 doses per day.

Decoction of cones: 40g (4 tablespoons) cones brew one glass of boiling water, boil for 30 minutes, filter. Gargle 5 - 6 times a day. With vasomotor rhinitis, a few drops are instilled into both nostrils.

Syrup from honey, spruce buds: collect kidneys 5-6 cm in size at the end of May. Rinse, finely chop. To 1 kg of raw materials, add 4 liters of water, cook for 15 minutes, filter. For 1 kg of the received product, 1 kg of honey, 10 g of propolis extract. Mix everything well, heat up to 45 degrees. Then cool, pour into glass containers. Keep cool place. Take a teaspoon 3 times a day before meals for flu, pharyngitis, laryngitis, bronchitis.

Inhalations for chronic cough, chronic bronchitis: mix spruce resin, yellow wax. Melt the mixture, cool. Put the pieces on hot coals, breathe in smoke.

Joints: pour spruce branches with boiling water, leave for 30 minutes. Immerse your feet or hands in the infusion for half an hour, then wrap yourself up, lie down. It is necessary to make 6 baths.

Inflammatory processes of the respiratory organs: pour green cones with water 1:5, boil over low heat for half an hour. Gargle with a decoction, drip into the nose.

Osteochondrosis: spruce or pine cone pour 250 ml of boiling water, insist overnight. Filter, take in the morning half an hour before meals.

Varicose disease: Pour 500 g of chopped pine needles with 300 ml of water, leave for half an hour, strain. With the resulting slurry, wrap the affected limb. At the same time drink a decoction of pine needles. Grind coniferous needles in a mortar with a small amount of cold water, add hot acidified water (1:10), boil for 20 minutes, filter after three hours. Take 1/3 cup 2 times a day.

Bronchitis:put 6 washed cones in 0.5 l of milk, boil for 20 minutes. Cool to room temperature, add honey. Drink a day in several doses.

Bath for skin diseases, gout, joint damage: tops of young branches with buds pour water 1:5, boil for half an hour on low heat. Pour the resulting broth into the bath, take 15 minutes.

Sciatica, joint pain: pour 250 g of young spruce buds into a dark container, pour 0.5 liters of vodka, leave for 10 days in a dark place. Store the filtered product in the refrigerator for no more than a year. Rub with tincture problem areas until completely absorbed.

To relieve fatigue, nervous excitement, relieve pain symptoms in menopause, ulcers, joint pain and improve blood supply: 2 handfuls of pine needles, 250 ml of boiling water, cook for a quarter of an hour, strain. Pour into bath. Temperature 37 degrees, duration quarter of an hour. The course is half a month.

Baths for joint pain, arthritis: cones or freshly cut twigs are boiled with salt. For 100g of salt, a bucket of decoction. The decoction is added to baths. Duration of a quarter of an hour at a temperature of 36 degrees.

Removal of radionuclides: 5 tbsp needles pour 0.5 liters of water, boil for 5 minutes, leave warm overnight, strain. First, drink the resulting decoction instead of water all day, the next day, clean water, then the decoction. Alternate decoction, water for a month.

Polyps of the uterus:1 tbsp harvested in September, crushed spruce branches pour a glass of boiling water, leave for 20 minutes, strain. Drink like tea 100ml.

Spruce jam: about three glasses of spruce shoots, pour one and a half glasses of sugar, add 2 glasses of water, mix, put on fire. Cook over low heat for 20 minutes, stirring constantly. Drink with tea several times a day. Excellent remedy for colds, coughs, bronchitis. It is useful to take for the prevention of tonsillitis, influenza, tuberculosis. Cooking tones up, strengthens the body's defenses.

Norway spruce (European) - Picea abies (L.) Karst. (Picea exelsa (Lam.) Link.). The pine family - Pinaceae - is an evergreen coniferous tree that grows in the northern hemisphere: from the temperate zone to the tundra. Spruce can reach a height of 50 meters and 1.5 meters in diameter. Spruce lives on average 100-150 years.

spruce age

There are also long-livers among spruces, whose age is about 500 years. In Russia, spruce also grows in the Caucasus, a certain type of spruce grows here: Caucasian or Oriental. Spruce usually grows in mixed forests along with pines and birches, but spruce forests are also found: dark dense forests of one spruce with almost no undergrowth.

Spruce description

Norway spruce (European) - has a pointed conical crown. The trunk of the tree is covered with red-brown or gray bark, peeling off in thin scales.

spruce shoots

The branches depart from the trunk in whorls, the prickly leaves-needles are dark green, tetrahedral, up to 3 cm long, keep on the shoots up to 6–7 years, sometimes up to 12 years. The spruce tree is monoecious, male and female strobili ("inflorescences") are located on the same plant:

Male in the form of spikelets of anthers collected on the same axis are located in the axils of the needles in the lower part of the shoots and are usually located in the lower floors of the crown, female - in the form of cylindrical cones located at the ends of the shoots in the upper part of the crown. Spruce is found in two forms: green-fruited, in which the cones are green before ripening, and the wood is softer and lighter, and red-fruited, in which the cones are red before ripening, and the wood is harder. Old firs in some cases.
Mature cones of spruce brown, drooping, up to 15 cm long, with tiled covering scales. In their axils there are two ovules, from which seeds with lionfish develop. Pollination occurs in May - June, the seeds ripen in autumn and disperse at the end of winter. Thanks to the lionfish, they are carried by the wind to long distance from mother plant ate.

Spruce species

50 species grow on earth, united in the genus spruce - Picea (pine family - Pinaceae), distributed only in the northern hemisphere. Some of these species form spruce forests that cover vast areas in both Eurasia and North America. One of these species is the common spruce, or European spruce, P. abies (L.) Karst. (P. exelsa (Lam.) Link.). Its range covers the territory from the eastern part of the Pyrenees in Spain and France to the central regions of Russia, as well as Scandinavia, the Alps, the Balkans, the Carpathians and the north of the European part of Russia.
Spruce wood is lighter than pine wood and pricks well. In the past, it was widely used to obtain chipped roofing materials: shingles and shingles. In terms of wood flexibility, spruce is superior to other conifers, except for juniper. Therefore, its wood is used for the production of bent products (arcs, sledges, hunting skis, etc.). Young Christmas trees were widely used in the past for raft tying. Spruce wood is quite soft and light. Density 400-450 kg/m3. At the same time, spruce branches, which are very numerous in the tree trunk, are very hard and make it very difficult to process wood. Despite this, spruce, along with pine, is one of the main types of wood,

Used in construction. long length tracheid makes spruce wood a valuable raw material for paper production.

spruce application

A bar, a board, as well as profiled products are made from spruce: eurolining and imitation of a bar. Sometimes log cabins are built from spruce. According to their inhabitants, living in such a house is not only pleasant, but also useful.

Spruce wood is light yellow in color. Sapwood and heartwood are almost indistinguishable. Annual rings are clearly visible. The grain of the wood is almost straight. Due to its structure, spruce wood has long been considered the best for the production of musical instruments for its acoustic properties.

The fact is that parallel wood fibers, having different densities, seem to resonate. In this case, the sound of the instrument is deep and slowly fading. This is especially true for the slowly drying spruce wood that can be found in the structures of old wooden houses over the course of decades. Such wood is especially appreciated by craftsmen. Spruce is used to make guitars, violins, and cellos. Usually, if they make the upper soundboard, which is responsible for the propagation of sound, the lower soundboard and sides are made from valuable exotic rocks, such as bubings.

Ice Age Stradivari Violins

The secret of the unique sound of Stradivarius violins has been revealed.

American dendrologist Henry Grissino-Meyer and climatologist Lloyd Burkle put forward a hypothesis regarding Stradivarius violins. This hypothesis explains the unique acoustic qualities of violins and other musical instruments made by the great Italian master. It is known that from the middle of the 15th century to the middle of the 19th century, Europe went through a steady cooling, which is often called the Little Ice Age. The cold snap peaked in 1645-1715. Grissino-Meyer and Burkle believe that the harsh climate influenced the structure of the alpine spruce wood that Antonio Stradivari used to make stringed instruments. In their opinion, this wood was denser than usual, which favorably affected the sound quality.

Later, according to the same principle, using the skin of Boomslang, the famous Stradivarius drum was created.

spruce growing

Landing. Like all conifers, spruces are best planted on the site in late April - early May. But, if the weather is not hot, landing is possible after August 20 and until the end of September. Spruces are planted at a distance of 2-3 m in pits 50-70 cm deep. Drainage from broken bricks 15-20 cm thick is poured into the bottom and two thirds are filled with a nutrient substrate consisting of soddy soil, leaf mixture, peat and sand in a ratio of 2 :2:1:1. 100-150 g of nitroammophoska are also added there and mixed thoroughly. The tree is planted so that the root neck is at ground level. In the future, make sure that it is not exposed and not deepened due to subsidence of the soil.

After planting, a hole is made, watered and covered with peat with a layer of 6-7 cm.

Planted trees do not tolerate dry soil and air, so in hot weather they need weekly watering (10-12 liters of water per plant) and sprinkling of crowns. After each watering, the soil in the trunk circle is loosened, weeds are weeded and mulched with peat.

Feeding and watering.

It is not necessary to feed the spruce, but in early spring (before the shoots begin to grow) it is useful to add trunk circle 100-120 g Kemira station wagon. Some species of spruce do not tolerate excessive dryness of the soil and need watering in hot weather.
Pruning.

If spruces are planted as a hedge, then they need a special formation. The effect of an impenetrable green wall is achieved by cropping. In all other cases, in spring or autumn, only dry, broken or diseased branches are removed from the trees, since crown formation quite successfully occurs naturally. If two tops began to grow at the same time, one of them must be removed by cutting out at the base.

Preparing for winter. Young Christmas trees, newly planted and some decorative forms need protection from sunburn, early spring and late autumn frosts. Under such plants, the soil is mulched with peat, and the needles are covered with non-woven material, spruce branches or craft paper.
Reproduction. Species spruces are usually grown from seeds, and those created by breeders garden molds- from cuttings or by grafting, since many of them lose their decorative qualities during seed propagation.

spruce seeds

Spruce cones ripen at different times, but usually they are harvested for reproduction in late autumn. Nuts (seeds) from cones, which are stored in a dry and cool place, are taken out 2-3 months before sowing and put on stratification to soften the shell and increase germination. First, the seeds are dipped for 30 minutes in a 0.5% solution of potassium permanganate, then washed with clean water and soaked for a day to swell. Then they are placed in nylon bags with wet sand and stored until sowing in a snow pile or refrigerator. Sown in the second decade of April in a greenhouse. Sawdust is poured on loose sandy soil with a layer of 2 cm, seeds are placed on them and sprinkled with fresh coniferous sawdust with a layer of 1-1.5 cm. Then they are watered abundantly and the greenhouse is covered with film or frames.
You can also sow spruce seeds in spring and in open ground. Then the sowing place is covered with a layer of twigs so that the wind and rain do not blow away and do not erode the sawdust. To protect from direct sunlight, a non-woven fabric or cotton fabric is stretched on top. In mid-August, frames from greenhouses and covering material are removed, closer to winter they cover the plants with dry leaves.
When growing seedlings, the soil is kept in a moderately moist state. In the heat, the frequency and volume of watering is increased. To avoid waterlogging, which can cause seed rotting, greenhouses or shelters are periodically ventilated. In summer, seedlings are fed three times with a 0.1% hydroponic solution or mullein diluted with water 1: 5, combining top dressing with watering. It is possible to sow the seeds of fir trees in boxes in which seedlings are left for 2-3 years, while creating the above conditions for the seedlings.

Spruce seedlings

Regardless of the place of cultivation, after 2-3 years, the grown seedlings are transplanted in the spring, placing them after 30-50 cm.

During the transplant period, damaged and too long roots are cut off. At the same time, they should not be shaken in order to preserve the mycorrhiza present on the roots, which is necessary for good growth and development of conifers. Before planting, it is desirable to dip the root system in a mash of garden soil and humus in a ratio of 2: 1. In a new place, seedlings grow on average for another 4 years. Once a week they are watered with subsequent loosening of the soil, weeds are weeded, organic or mineral fertilizers are applied. They are fed in the second year after transplantation in the spring (before the buds swell). A mixture of 500 g of manure, 25 g of superphosphate, 10 g of potassium nitrate is applied per 1 m2 of beds. Fertilizers are evenly scattered over the soil, covered with a chopper to a depth of 10 cm and watered. 6-7-year-old Christmas trees grown from seeds permanent place planted in spring or early autumn. Due to the shallow location of the root system, they usually respond well to transplantation.

Spruce cuttings

Decorative forms of spruces, like many other coniferous plants, are propagated by stem cuttings. They are cut at the end of April (such spring cuttings take root in the year of planting); in June, when there is an intensive growth of shoots (June cuttings form a callus in the first year, and take root in the second year); in August, when the growth of the shoots stops and the lignification of the shoots begins (such cuttings are the most preferable for spruces); in September - November (lignified, or winter cuttings). Spring and summer are planted immediately, and lignified to spring planting store in a cool place with a temperature of 1-5°C and high humidity.

Cuttings from young 4-8-year-old plants take root best of all. Cut off only annual shoots. And completely, sometimes even with 2-year-old wood at the base. The needles are removed only at the bottom of the branch to a planting depth (2-6 cm). Usually the length of spruce cuttings is 10-25 cm.

For cuttings, shoots from the upper half of the crown are used, since those cut in the middle or at the bottom can subsequently give a one-sided or incorrectly branching crown with a crooked trunk, and besides, they take root poorly.

Plant cuttings in a greenhouse. It is better if it is heated and with a fogging installation, but there are few of these in summer cottages, so we will focus on a cold greenhouse that every gardener can build. Drainage is laid at the bottom of small stones or crushed stone with a layer of 4-5 cm, then soddy soil is poured with a layer of 10-12 cm, and washed river sand with a layer of 5-6 cm is poured on it. Cover with a film from above so that the distance to the sand is no more 30 cm. For shading, burlap is placed on top of the film. In a greenhouse, the soil temperature should be 21-27 ° C, and the air temperature should be 5-7 ° lower. In this regard, in early spring, additional heating of the soil substrate is needed.

Before planting, half-length cuttings are immersed for a day in a weak solution of potassium permanganate or in any diluted root growth stimulator (for example, root). Planted in the sand obliquely at an angle of 30 degrees to a depth of 2-6 cm, placing at intervals of 10 cm, and immediately water abundantly.

In the future, they are watered in the spring, spraying from a watering can with small holes, once a day, in the summer - up to four times. In August, when roots appear, watering is reduced to daily and shading is removed.

After the beginning of rooting, spraying the cuttings with a mineral nutrient mixture gives good results. For its preparation, 8 g of ammonium nitrate, 20 g of simple superphosphate, 1-2 g of magnesium sulfate, 16 g of potassium nitrate, 30 g of sucrose, 60 mg of indoleacetic acid (IAA) are diluted in 1 liter of water. For the winter, the cuttings are covered with sawdust or dry leaves. Transplanted into open ground in April of the following year and grow in the same way as 2-3-year-old seed plants.

spruce grafting

This is how spruces are rarely propagated and only decorative forms. From the seeds of the Christmas trees growing in the area, 4-5-year-old seedlings are grown, and silver, blue, weeping, or any others you like are planted on them with cuttings.
Harvested in November (winter) cuttings are grafted from late April to mid-June; cut in spring (before bud break) - from late April to mid-May.

Spruces (and other conifers) are most often grafted by copulation, combining oblique cuts made with a copulation knife on the stem of the seedling (stock) and on the handle (scion). It is not bad to master and improved copulation, in which an additional incision is made in the upper third of the rootstock and in the lower third of the scion. The resulting spikes, when the sections are added, enter into each other and hold the scion on the rootstock more firmly.

They also use grafting with wood on the cambium. With this method, side branches and needles are removed on a cutting 8-10 cm long, leaving only at the apical bud. The cut is made in such a way that a one-sided wedge is obtained. On the rootstock, 3-4 cm below the apical bud, the needles are first removed, and then the bark is removed in a thin layer in an area equal to the cut of the cutting. Connect both parts.

When grafting a cambium on a cambium on a rootstock (below the apical bud or at the base of an annual shoot), the bark is cut along the cambial zone. The bark is cut on the handle of the same length and both parts are combined.
Vaccinations must be tied with sterile polyethylene tape (first with rare turns, and then with a continuous layer) and covered with garden pitch.

After splicing, the strapping is loosened or removed completely and the grafted cutting is shaded.

In the second year, at the grafted Christmas tree, the branches of the stock are shortened by one third and at the same time the top above the cutting is removed. On the 3rd-4th year, the branches of the stock are shortened more, and on the 4th-5th, they are cut into a ring.

In the first year, the scion produces from 1 to 4 shoots 1-5 cm long, and after 6 years the grafted plant can be planted in a permanent place.

Firs diseases

The yellowing of the needles of spruces can be caused by the appearance of a pest on its branches - spruce-fir hermes. Its cotton-wool-like colonies are usually found on the underside of the needles. To get rid of this pest, it is necessary in April to spray the branches with a working solution of antio or rogor preparations (20 g per 10 l of water).

If the young shoots look like they were burned, then the common spruce sawfly has probably settled on the tree. When its caterpillars appear, treat the branches with Fufanon (20 ml per 10 liters of water).

The appearance of brown spots on the needles, followed by yellowing or browning, is a sign of a disease called "common schütte". To stop the development of the disease, in the spring and in July-September, spray the Christmas tree with colloidal sulfur (200 g per 10 l of water), or cineb (50-100 g per 10 l of water), or Bordeaux liquid (100 g per 10 l of water).

The same preparations treat branches from rust ( orange spots on needles, swellings on shoots). At strong development diseases affected branches must be cut or even uprooted to stop the infection of other inhabitants of the garden.

spruce needles

Spruce buds (apical shoots), spruce cones, and tree needles are widely used for medical purposes.

Chemical composition of common spruce The buds and cones of common spruce (European) contain essential oil (up to 0.2%), which includes bornyl acetate, tannins (up to 6.7%) and resin. Essential oil (up to 0.15–0.25%), vitamin C (up to 860 mg%), carotene, tannins (up to 10%) were found in the needles of the tree.

Diterpenoids were found in common spruce resin: cembren, geranillinalool, isocembrol, abienol, neoabienol, etc.

The composition of spruce turpentine includes pinenes (up to 32–40%), limonene (8.9%), dipentene, bornyl esters and resin acids.

The essential oil of coniferous twigs contains pinenes, karene, cadien, phellandrene, dipentene, santen, bornyl acetate (up to 10.6%) and aromatic alcohols (up to 13.6%).

Recently, tocopherols (vitamin E) and polyprenols, biologically active substances, have been found in the needles of the common spruce.

All these active ingredients form the basis chemical composition and determine healing properties spruce, or, in other words, European spruce.

Collection of buds, needles, spruce cones and their harvesting

Medicinal raw materials are buds (apical shoots), needles and cones of spruce, which are harvested in the spring.

spruce tapping

Spruce is a resinous breed. In Russia, spruce has been drained since the 17th century, but about a century ago they switched to pine tapping.

In Germany, spruce still remains the main resin-producing species. It gives a large yield of gum. Its tapping is easier than pines. But the sensitivity of spruce to trunk injuries sharply reduces the duration of tapping and leads to a massive damage to spruce with rot, which forced them to switch to pine tapping. In Siberia, spruce on an industrial scale has not been leaked and is not leaking. Spruce resin is obtained from spruce by tapping, containing up to 33% turpentine and rosin. Unlike pine resin, it quickly loses its turpentine and turns into the so-called spruce serka, which contains up to 85% rosin and 2-15% turpentine. Due to the difficult collection of spruce serka, the tapping of spruce was not widely used.

spruce bark

Spruce bark is used for tanning leather in industry.

The use of fir cones, buds and needles in medicine. In folk medicine, spruce has long been used to treat various diseases. Spruce needle baths were used to treat rheumatic joint disorders, skin diseases, and gout. For the treatment of boils, ulcers and other skin lesions, an ointment was made, which was prepared from spruce resin (serki), wax, butter or pork fat, mixed in equal amounts. Needles in the form of an infusion were used as an antiscorbutic agent. Spruce bark contains up to 8–12% tanides.

Infusion of buds and cones of spruce ordinary In medical practice, an infusion of buds and cones of spruce is allowed for use. This infusion is used for sore throats, catarrhs ​​of the upper respiratory tract, pharyngitis, laryngitis, tonsillitis, sinusitis, vasomotor rhinitis (with a runny nose), as well as for chronic inflammation of the lungs and for attacks of bronchial asthma. Spruce infusion is prescribed in the form of inhalations and rinses.

The infusion is prepared at home from crushed buds and spruce cones at the rate of one part of the mixture to five parts of boiled water and boiled for 30 minutes, stirring, then cooled for 15 minutes and filtered through three layers of gauze. For inhalation, the infusion is heated to 80 ° C. Rinses are used by heating the solution to 35-40 ° C for sore throat, tonsillitis and catarrh of the upper respiratory tract 2-4 times a day, with sinusitis, the maxillary cavities are washed with infusion. With rhinitis, a heated infusion is instilled into the nose to body temperature, 5-10 drops in each nostril. Infusion of buds and cones of spruce is a brown liquid, astringent taste, with the smell of pine needles. The finished infusion of spruce is stored in a dark container in a cool place protected from light for no more than three days. The drug has low toxicity and has antimicrobial, antispasmodic and desensitizing effects. The active ingredients of the infusion are essential oil and tannins.

Coniferous natural extract

Approved for use in medical practice, natural coniferous extract in the form of a brown-black liquid with a characteristic smell of coniferous essential oil. The extract is prepared from the coniferous foot of spruce and pine by extracting extractive substances with water with the addition of essential coniferous oil. Assign in the form of baths for functional disorders of the central and peripheral nervous system: with various neuroses, neurasthenia, radiculitis, plexitis, neuritis, with overwork, weakening of muscle tone, with polyarthritis, as well as in the treatment of hypertension stage I and II. To prepare a bath for 200 liters, take 100 g of coniferous extract. The water temperature is not higher than 35–37 °C, the duration of the procedure is 10–15 minutes.

The drug "Pinabin"

From the needles of spruce and pine, the drug "Pinabin" is also made. It is a solution of 50% heavy fraction essential oils from spruce and pine needles in peach oil. Pinabin has antispasmodic and some bacteriostatic action. As an antispasmodic effect on the muscles of the urinary tract and therefore the drug is used in the treatment of urolithiasis and renal colic. Pinabine can only be used as prescribed by a doctor, since an overdose causes pain in the stomach and intestines, and circulatory disorders. Materials used:

Tatyana Dyakova, Candidate of Agricultural Sciences