Norway spruce, or European. Spruce

Norway spruce, or European - Picea abies (L.) Karst. - the well-known evergreen coniferous tree from the pine family (Pinaceae) with a height of 20-30 (up to 40, and in Western Europe even up to 50) m with a pyramidal crown. Growth in height does not stop almost all life, and even old trees retain their pointed conical shape. The trunk is slightly tapered, that is, it gradually decreases in diameter from the base to the top. Very large individuals have thick trunks up to 1 m in diameter at the base.The bark of the branches is red-brown, smooth, brownish-gray on the trunks, with uneven surfaceflaking small plots... The branches are arranged in the correct whorls, each year marked with a new whorl, which makes it easy to determine the age of the tree by their number.
Young branches are densely covered with leaves. Leaves are solitary, rigid, needle-like, up to 2-2.5 cm long and 1-1.5 mm thick, dark green, shiny, tetrahedral, pointed at the end, therefore prickly. Such leaves are called needles. Each needle lives and keeps on branches for 6-7 (sometimes 12) years, however, in urban plantings, the life of needles is shorter.
The spruce does not have a pronounced leaf fall: the needles fall off gradually, and a new one does not grow at the same time.
Monoecious plants: on one individual, both male and female generative organs, collected in spikelets, develop. The spruce, like all other gymnosperms, does not have flowers and real fruits. In the lower part of the shoot there are male spikelets, in the upper part there are female spikelets, larger in size, reddish-brown in color. Male spikelets are elongated-cylindrical, have the appearance of reddish-yellow cones 2-2.5 cm long, surrounded by light green scales at the base. The pollen is dispersed in May-June, after which the male spikelets fall off. Pollination is carried out by the wind. Each speck of dust is equipped with two appendages - air bags, this provides it with exceptional volatility. Observations have shown that the spread of pollen from a spruce tree can reach 8-10 km.
Fertilized ovules develop into seeds, and the entire female spikelet during the summer and autumn is transformed into a kind of organ - a cone, consisting of an axis and lignified light brown scales attached to it, seeds are placed in their sinuses. Hanging cones, cylindrical, smoothly rounded at both ends, 10-16 cm long and 3-4 cm in diameter. At first they are red, then turn green, and when they become mature they turn brown. Up to 200 seeds can develop in a good sized bud. Seeds are dark brown, ovoid, small - 1 kg contains 1 05-1 10 thousand spruce seeds.
Spruce seeds ripen in September-October, fall out of the cones only in winter and in early spring, but the opened cones themselves continue to hang on the tree for quite some time. They fall whole, covering the soil in places with a continuous cover, and do not collapse for a long time. Each seed is equipped with a light brown wing, which helps the seeds to be carried by the wind. In the second half of winter, snow is often covered with an ice crust (crust). So the wind often drives the seeds over the crust for a considerable distance.
Spruce propagates by seed. Experts have calculated that in good years there may be up to 5 million seeds per hectare of spruce forest. Of course, not all germinate and, moreover, not at the same time. Seeds remain viable for up to 10 years. Seedlings bring to the surface 8-9 (from 5 to 10) cotyledons, which remain green for 2-3 years, although in the very first years real leaves-needles appear. In the first year of life, seedlings reach only 4-5 cm in height. And in subsequent years, the seedling does not differ in rapid growth - by the age of 10, the herringbone grows by 1-2 m. Only from 15-20 years old, the growth of spruce accelerates, the largest growth (up to 70 cm per year) it gives at the age of 35-65 years. Unlike many tree species, spruce continues to grow in height until the end of its life.
The first cones (and seeds) appear in young spruces at the age of 15, if they grow in lighted places. In the forest, spruce enters the seedling season only at 25-30 years old, and in dense plantations even later - at 50-70 years old. It is curious that trees that are just beginning to give seeds develop only female spikelets in the first years. Seed years are repeated in 3-7 years. The total life span of spruce trees is from 200 to 400 years, but individual trees reach an age of 600 or even 800 years.

Common spruce is widespread throughout the forest zone of Europe, including European Russia, forming pure and mixed forests. The southern border of spruce forests generally coincides with the northern border of chernozem. This does not mean at all that it cannot grow on black soil - in plantings it grows beautifully throughout the Russian Black Earth Region.
In the Cis-Urals, the European spruce is gradually being replaced by a closely related species - Siberian spruce (Risea obovafa Ledeb.J, which is distinguished by smaller cones with wide, whole-cut scales. The range of Siberian spruce extends from the northernmost latitudes of Scandinavia to the coast of the Sea of \u200b\u200bOkhotsk. In the sector between the White Sea and the Urals. forms the northern border of the forest.It is an important forest-forming species of the Ural and Siberian taiga.In total, about 25% of the total forest area in our country is occupied by spruce plantations.
Spruce is widely planted in urban plantings, while, along with domestic species, some foreign forms are cultivated, which are particularly decorative, for example, blue spruces of North American origin. Common spruce is widely grown in roadside plantings, in particular, railways are planted with it, which protects them from snow drifts.
Norway spruce is a shade-tolerant and frost-resistant breed that avoids habitats with stagnant moisture. In unfavorable conditions, for example, on the northern border of the forest, it forms a dwarf tree. Its root system is superficial, it lies mainly in the soil and ground layer to a depth of 0.8-1 m, so the spruce hardly resists the windfall. It suffers greatly from forest fires, even grassroots ones, since its bark is rather thin and cambium tissues quickly die from overheating. Poorly tolerates high temperatures and especially dry air.
Spruce captures new territory only with the help of small-leaved tree species, most often birch. A birch grows in a free area, and already in this new birch forest spruce seeds that have flown in here sprout. Spruce seedlings feel good under the birch canopy (in open areas they die from various reasons, including because of the strong illumination and dry air that they cannot bear). Young fir trees gradually outgrow the birch in height and instead of gratitude for the good conditions of "child and youth" life, they stifle the birch forest, creating unbearable lighting conditions with their dense crowns.

Economic use of spruce

Spruce wood is the main raw material for the manufacture of paper and cardboard. Until recently, 70% of the world's paper production came from spruce raw materials. Spruce wood is widely used in construction ("spruce hut and heart is healthy"), in joinery, in particular in the manufacture of furniture. Telegraph poles and railway sleepers are made from it. Spruce wood is indispensable for the manufacture of some musical instrumentssuch as violins. For this purpose, trees are most often chosen that are dead on the vine and have stood dry for several years. Trees whose wood is suitable for making stringed instruments are called resonant spruce. ,
Spruce wood waste that is not needed by the woodworking industry: sawdust, chips, trimmings, shavings, etc., are raw materials for chemists. From this seemingly garbage by hydrolysis, ethyl alcohol is obtained, which is consumed in many industries, as well as valuable construction material - plasticizer. Acetic acid and methyl alcohol are obtained by dry distillation of non-commercial spruce wood - intermediate products of many valuable chemical compounds.
Spruce bark contains a lot of tannins, which are used in the tanning industry. Turpentine and rosin are obtained from the resin-gum extracted by cutting the bark of spruce trees. And these products, as you know, are in wide demand in various sectors of the economy, culture and medicine.
Unfortunately, spruce as a medicinal plant is clearly not used enough. Scientists have calculated how unacceptably we are scattering the so-called gifts of nature. Their calculations are so impressive that I would like to cite them in full, although they seem to be boring and designed for specialists.
In our country, up to 200 million m3 of spruce commercial timber was harvested annually (almost 1 00% of spruce harvesting was carried out in Russia, therefore everything said here refers not so much to the USSR as to Russia). Each cubic meter of wood accounts for up to 500 kg of waste, the main part of them (up to 250 kg) is woody greens (booted branches), which can serve as raw materials for obtaining many useful products, including vitamins and medicines.


Judge for yourself. Spruce needles contain: chlorophyll, potassium, calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, silicon salts; microelements: Al, Ti, Mn, Fe, Ni, Co, Cu, Zn, Ag, Pb, S, B. 19 amino acids were isolated from the spruce needles, incl. lysine, arginine, glycine, threonine, valine, leucine, alanine, aspartic and glutamic acids. The total amino acid content is 0.7-4.9% of the dry needles weight.
Spruce needles - a concentrate of vitamins. Dry needles contain: carotene (provitamin A), tocopherol (vitamin E), phylloquinone (vitamin K), ascorbic acid (vitamin C), flavonoids with P-vitamin activity, thiamine (vitamin B,), riboflavin (vitamin B2), pantothenic acid (vitamin B3), niacin (vitamin B5), pyridoxine (vitamin B6), biotin (vitamin B7), folic acid (vitamin B9).
And now all this wealth is practically not used.
It is impossible not to mention the custom of meeting New Year with a tree. The custom is undoubtedly good, but at the same time it carries great losses for our forests.
Spruce seeds are an important winter food for squirrels and granivorous birds wintering in Russia, for example, crossbills, which even hatch chicks in winter.

The medicinal value of ate and methods of medicinal use

Coniferous branches ("legs") have medicinal use in spruce, which can be harvested throughout the year (while trying not to damage the tree branches). They include essential oil, trace elements (iron, manganese, chromium, aluminum, copper), stilbene, caffeic acid. It is believed that the presence of stilbene makes it promising to study needle extracts as sources of contraceptives.
The spruce needles contain a significant amount of ascorbic acid. As it turned out, it contains 6 times more vitamin C than lemon and orange, and 25 times more than onions and potatoes. Its greatest concentration in winter and early spring. People have long used spruce paws (as well as other conifers) to obtain a drink saturated with vitamin C. This drink is treated for scurvy, they drink it to prevent vitamin deficiencies, especially in late winter and early spring, when other vitamin-containing greens are not yet available. In 40g of needles for 1 glass of boiling water, boil for 20 minutes. and insist. The resulting infusion is drunk in 2-3 doses during the day.
In the midst of a flu epidemic, it is useful to burn small pieces of spruce resin several times a day in the room where the patient with the flu lies. The persistent resinous smell that accompanies this procedure pleasantly aromas the room. The resin itself and the products of its combustion have a therapeutic effect on the patient and disinfect the air.
Spruce is the oldest medicinal tree in the Russian forest. Even primitive people used it for treatment. The air in the spruce forest is practically sterile. Fans of walks in the spruce forest probably noticed how the feeling of depression and helplessness that arises at the sight of dark green giants, under whose crowns nothing grows, is replaced by self-confidence and peace of mind. Walking in the green forest is very beneficial for your health.
For diseases of the throat, colds, acute and chronic diseases of the respiratory system (tonsillitis, tracheitis, bronchial asthma, rhinitis, sinusitis, tonsillitis), use the infusion of needles. Rinse the throat with a decoction and instill it into the nose (with vasomotor rhinitis), 4-5 drops in both nostrils. The temperature of the broth is 35 ° C.
A folk remedy for coughs, flu, pharyngitis, laryngitis, bronchitis - syrup from honey and spruce buds. Spruce or fir buds are harvested at the end of May, when they grow 3-5 cm, washed in cold water, and finely chopped. % For 1 kg of kidneys - 3-4 liters of water. Boil in an enamel bowl for 10-15 minutes, strain, let stand and strain again through cheesecloth. For 1 kg of the resulting broth, add 1 kg of honey and South of propolis extract (extract: 30 g of propolis per 100 ml of alcohol), mix well and heat to 40-45 ° C. After refrigeration, pour into bottles, store closed in a cool place. Take 1 teaspoon before meals 3 times a day.

Make a mixture of spruce resin and yellow wax (one part by weight of each component). Melt the mixture, cool. Put pieces of the mixture on hot coals, breathe in the emitted smoke with persistent old cough, chronic bronchitis.

At the same time, you can take a decoction of spruce shoots in milk inside. Pour 30g of shoots or young cones into 1 liter of milk and cook in a sealed container for 30 minutes. Strain and take in small portions throughout the day. Such a decoction is also recommended for the treatment of inflammatory processes of the respiratory system, with dropsy and scurvy.


Pour green spruce cones with water in a ratio of 1: 5 and boil for 30 minutes. The resulting broth rinse the throat, drip into the nose.
For kidney stones and renal colic, the drug pinabin is used, which is a mixture of essential oil from spruce (or pine) needles and peach oil (in equal parts). It has an antispasmodic effect on the muscles of the urinary tract and inhibits the development of pathogenic bacteria in them.
Take 5-20 drops on sugar 2 times a day before meals for 4-5 weeks.

Pinabin can only be taken as directed by a doctor, as there are contraindications for it.

Various ointments are used to treat abscesses, wounds and ulcers. The simplest of these is an ointment made from spruce resin melted with lard.
Coniferous sap resin - 100g, unsalted pork lard - 100g, natural beeswax - 100g. Put everything in a saucepan. If the resin is dry, grind into a powder. Boil over low heat for 10 minutes, stirring the composition all the time, removing the foam from the surface. Remove from heat. When the mixture is warm, transfer it to a glass jar. Store the ointment in the refrigerator.
Rinse the wound with lime water (1 tablespoon of quicklime per 1 liter of water; let it brew for 5-6 hours, drain the water). Spread a thin layer of a cloth with the prepared mixture, apply to the sore spot and bandage. Change the dressing after 1-2 days. Wounds heal quickly.
Make a mixture of spruce resin, wax, honey and sunflower oil (one part by weight of each component). Heat the mixture over a fire, cool. Use externally for abrasions, abscesses, ulcers.
Mix equal amounts of spruce resin, wax and butter. Such an ointment with boils gives a good effect.

In the forest, on a hike, one of the excellent remedies for wounds and cuts is fresh resin. Lubricate daily wounds, ulcers, cracks. Healing comes quickly.
For skin diseases, gout, joint lesions of rheumatic origin, baths are taken from spruce branches and kidneys.
For this, a decoction is prepared from the tops of young branches with buds (the ratio of plant materials and water is 1: 5, boiled for 30-40 minutes). The resulting broth is added to the bath.

Spruce cones are boiled with salt (100 g of salt per 1 bucket of broth). The resulting broth is added to baths for joint pain of various origins and for arthritis. Freshly cut branches can be used instead of cones.
Tibetan medicine values \u200b\u200bpine needles as a means of treating burns and wounds that do not heal for a long time, tree sap - for diarrhea, and wood ash - as an antidote.
In case of tuberculosis, it is good to use a tincture of young shoots with vodka.
The combined preparation of spruce, fir and pine needles has a sedative effect and increases efficiency.

Winter trimmed needles (4 glasses) pour 3 glasses of cooled boiled water, acidify with 2 teaspoons of diluted hydrochloric acid. Insist 3 days in a dark place, drain. Drink vitamin infusion 1/2 cup 2 times a day, sweetened to taste.
They make jam from pine needles with sugar and drink tea with it for shortness of breath.
Spruce resin-gum - 20g, pounded onion (crushed) - 1 piece, vegetable oil, preferably olive oil - 50 g, copper sulfate in powder - 15 g. Everything is thoroughly ground and heated on fire, without boiling.
The ointment has a burning effect, actively heals abscesses, bruises and bone fractures.

If pus is flowing from the ear, it is recommended to let spruce or pine juice into it.
Five tablespoons of spruce, pine or fir needles pour 0.5 liters of water, boil for 5 minutes. and insist the night warm. This infusion promotes the elimination of radionuclides. Give the sick to drink during the day instead of water. Break day, then treatment again. You can alternate drinking ordinary water and coniferous broth for a month (instead of ordinary water, it is better to use melted water).
Fill the pan with young shoots, pour cold water, put on fire, bring to a boil, cook for 10 minutes. Insist in a warm night, strain in the morning. Store the drink in the refrigerator, but consume 0.5 cups warm several times a day.
Boil the spruce branches collected in September with boiling water: 1 tablespoon of chopped branches for 1 glass of boiling water. Drink broth instead of tea, 0.5 cups per day for uterine polyps.
According to Raphael, spruce is ruled by Saturn and is healing for those born under the signs of Capricorn and Aquarius.

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 a strip with a temperate climate 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 centenarians among the spruces, whose age is about 500 years. In Russia, spruce also grows in the Caucasus, a certain type of spruce grows here: Caucasian or Eastern. Spruce usually grows in mixed forests along with pines and birches, but spruce forests are also found: dark dense forests of one spruce in which there is practically 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 with thin scales.

Spruce shoots

Branches branch off from the trunk in whorls, thorny leaves-needles are dark green, tetrahedral, up to 3 cm in length, stay on 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 spikelets from anthers collected on the same axis are located in the axils of needles in the lower part of the shoots and are usually located in the lower floors of the crown, female ones in the form of cylindrical cones are 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 spruce in some cases.
Mature cones of spruce are 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 lionfish, they are carried by the wind to long distance from mother plant ate.

Types of spruce

There are 50 species on earth, united in the genus of 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 common spruce, or European - 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 and prickles well. In the past, it was widely used to obtain chipped roofing materials: shingles and shingles. By the flexibility of wood, spruce is superior to other conifers, except for juniper. Therefore, its wood is used for the production of bent products (arches, sledges, hunting skis, etc.). Young Christmas trees were widely used in the past for knitting rafts. Spruce wood is rather soft and light. Density 400-450 kg / m3. At the same time, spruce branches, of which there are a lot in the tree trunk, are very hard and greatly complicate the processing of wood. Despite this, spruce, along with pine, is one of the main types of wood,

Used in construction. The great length of the tracheids makes spruce wood a valuable raw material for papermaking.

Spruce application

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

Spruce wood is light yellow in color. The sapwood and the kernel are almost indistinguishable. Growth 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 in terms of its acoustic properties.

The fact is that parallelly located wood fibers, which have different densities, seem to resonate. In this case, the sound of the instrument is deep and slowly decaying. This is especially true for slowly, over decades, drying spruce wood, which can be found in structures of old wooden houses... This kind of wood is especially appreciated by craftsmen. Spruce is used to make guitars, violins, cello. Usually, if they make the top deck, which is responsible for sound propagation, the lower deck and sides are made of valuable exotic breeds, such as bubinga.

Ice Age Stradivarius violins

The secret of the unique sound of Stradivarius violins is revealed.

American dendrologist Henry Grissino-Mayer and climatologist Lloyd Burkle have hypothesized about 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, Europe went through a steady cooling, which is often called the Little Ice Age. The cold snap peaked in 1645-1715. Grissino-Mayer and Berkle believe that the harsh climate influenced the wood structure of Alpine spruce, which 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 Boomslang skin, the famous Stradivarius drum was created.

Growing spruce

Landing. Like all conifers, spruce is best planted on the site in late April - early May. But, if the weather is not hot, planting is possible after August 20 and until the end of September. Spruce trees are planted at a distance of 2-3 m in pits 50-70 cm deep.A drainage from broken bricks 15-20 cm thick is poured at the bottom and two-thirds filled with a nutritious substrate consisting of turf soil, leaf mixture, peat and sand in a ratio of 2 : 2: 1: 1. There, add 100-150 g of nitroammophoska and mix thoroughly. The tree is planted so that the root collar is at ground level. In the future, they make sure that it is not exposed and does not deepen due to soil subsidence.

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, therefore, 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 near-trunk circle is loosened, weeds are weeded and mulched with peat.

Top dressing and watering.

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

If the spruce is planted as a hedge, then they need a special formation. Achieved the effect of an impenetrable green wall by trimming. In all other cases, in spring or autumn, only dry, broken or diseased branches are removed from Christmas trees, since the formation of the crown 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 kraft paper.
Reproduction. Spruce species are usually grown from seeds, and garden forms created by breeders are grown from cuttings or by grafting, since many of them lose their decorative qualities during seed propagation.

Spruce seeds

Fir cones ripen at different times, but usually they are harvested for reproduction. late autumn... Nuts (seeds) from cones, which are stored in a dry and cool place, are removed 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 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 onto the loose sandy loam 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 it is abundantly watered and covered with foil or frames.
You can also sow spruce seeds in the spring and in open ground. Then the sowing site is covered with a layer of twigs so that the wind and rain do not blow off and wash away the sawdust. To protect from direct sunlight, a non-woven fabric or cotton fabric is pulled on top. In mid-August, the frames from the greenhouses and the covering material are removed, closer to winter, the plants are covered with dry leaves.
When growing seedlings, the soil is kept in a moderately moist state. In hot weather, the frequency and volume of watering are increased. To avoid waterlogging, which can cause rotting of seeds, 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. You can sow spruce seeds in boxes in which the seedlings are left for 2-3 years, while creating the above-described 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 every 30-50 cm.

During the transplantation period, damaged and too long roots are cut. 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 the development of conifers. Before landing, it is advisable root system dip in a mash of garden soil and humus in a 2: 1 ratio. In the new place, the seedlings grow on average for another 4 years. Once a week they are watered, followed by loosening of the soil, weeds are weeded, organic or mineral fertilizers are applied. They are fed in the second year after transplanting in the spring (before the swelling of the kidneys). A mixture of 500 g of manure, 25 g of superphosphate, 10 g of potassium nitrate is applied to 1 m2 of the garden. Fertilizers are evenly scattered over the soil, covered with a hoe to a depth of 10 cm and watered. 6-7-year-old Christmas trees grown from seeds on 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 conifers, propagate 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 in the first year form a callus, 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 most preferable for spruces); in September - November (lignified, or winter cuttings). Spring and summer ones are planted immediately, and lignified ones are stored in a cool place with a temperature of 1-5 ° C and high humidity until spring planting.

Cuttings from young 4-8-year-old plants take root best. Only annual shoots are cut. Moreover, 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 curved trunk, moreover, they root poorly.

Cuttings are planted 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 stop at a cold greenhouse that every gardener can build. Drainage from small stones or crushed stone is laid on the bottom with a layer of 4-5 cm, then sod soil is poured with a layer of 10-12 cm, and washed river sand with a layer of 5-6 cm is poured onto it. The top is covered with a film so that the distance to the sand is no more 30 cm. Burlap is placed on top of the film for shading. In the greenhouse, the soil temperature should be 21-27 ° C, and the air temperature 5-7 ° lower. In this regard, in early spring, additional heating of the soil substrate is needed.

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

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

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

Spruce grafting

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

Spruce trees (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 also not bad to master 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 thorns, when the slices are folded, enter each other and hold the scion more firmly on the stock.

They also use grafting with wood on cambium. With this method, lateral branches and needles are removed on a handle 8-10 cm long, leaving only at the apical bud. The cut is made so 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 with a thin layer on an area equal to the cut of the cutting. Connect both parts.

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

After splicing, the harness is loosened or removed completely and the grafted stalk is shaded.

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

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

Diseases of the fir trees

The yellowing of the needles of spruces can be caused by the appearance of a pest on its branches - spruce-fir hermes. Its white 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 young shoots look like burnt ones, then a 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 shyute. 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 zineb (50-100 g per 10 l of water), or Bordeaux liquid (100 g per 10 l of water).

The same drugs are used to treat branches from rust (orange spots on the needles, swelling on the shoots). When strong development diseases affected branches must be cut off or even uprooted to stop the infection of other garden dwellers.

Spruce needles

For medical purposes, spruce buds (apical shoots), spruce cones, and also the needles of a tree are widely used.

The chemical composition of Norway spruce The buds and cones of Norway spruce 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 the resin of common spruce: cembrene, geranillinalool, isocembrol, abienol, neoabienol, etc.

Spruce turpentine contains pinene (up to 32-40%), limonene (8.9%), dipentene, boryl esters and resin acids.

The essential oil of boiled twigs contains pinene, karen, cadien, fellandren, 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 ordinary spruce.

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

Collecting buds, needles, spruce cones and harvesting them

The medicinal raw materials are buds (apical shoots), spruce needles and cones, which are harvested in spring.

Spruce tapping

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

In Germany, spruce still remains the main resin-producing species. It gives a large yield of resin. Tapping it is easier than tapping pine. But the sensitivity of the spruce to trunk injuries sharply reduces the duration of tapping and leads to a massive defeat of the spruce by rot, which made it necessary to switch to tapping the pine. In Siberia, spruce has not been sown on an industrial scale and is not sown. By tapping spruce, spruce resin is obtained, containing up to 33% turpentine and rosin. Unlike pine resin, it quickly loses its turpentine and turns into the so-called spruce sulfur, which contains up to 85% rosin and 2-15% turpentine. Due to the difficult collection of spruce whisk, spruce tapping was not widespread.

Bark ate

Spruce bark is used for tanning leather in industry.

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

Infusion of buds and cones of common spruce In medical practice, infusion of buds and cones of ate is permitted for use. This infusion is used for tonsillitis, catarrh of the upper respiratory tract, pharyngitis, laryngitis, tonsillitis, sinusitis, vasomotor rhinitis (with a cold), as well as for chronic inflammation of the lungs and for attacks of bronchial asthma. Prescribe an infusion of spruce in the form of inhalations and rinses.

The infusion is prepared at home from chopped buds and cones of ate at the rate of one part of the mixture for 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. Rinsing is used by heating the solution to 35–40 ° C for angina, tonsillitis and catarrh of the upper respiratory tract 2–4 times a day; for sinusitis, the maxillary cavity is washed with infusion. In case of rhinitis, a heated infusion is instilled into the nose to body temperature, 5-10 drops in each nostril. The infusion of buds and spruce cones is a brown liquid, astringent taste, with the smell of 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 is low-toxic and has antimicrobial, antispasmodic and desensitizing effect. The active ingredients of the infusion are essential oil and tannins.

Natural coniferous extract

Approved for use in medical practice is a natural coniferous extract in the form of a brown-black liquid with a characteristic smell of coniferous essential oil. The extract is prepared from coniferous paws of spruce and pine by extracting extractive substances with water with the addition of essential pine oil. It is prescribed in the form of baths for functional disorders of the central and peripheral nervous system: for various neuroses, neurasthenia, radiculitis, plexitis, neuritis, overwork, weakening of muscle tone, with polyarthritis, as well as in the treatment of hypertension stages 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 ° С, the duration of the procedure is 10–15 minutes.

The drug "Pinabin"

The drug "Pinabin" is also made from the needles of spruce and pine. It is a solution of 50% heavy fraction of essential oils from spruce and pine needles in peach oil. Pinabin has antispasmodic and some bacteriostatic effects. 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. Pinabin can be used only as directed by a doctor, since an overdose causes pain in the stomach and intestines, and impaired blood circulation. Materials used:

Tatiana Dyakova, Candidate of Agricultural Sciences

Norway spruce is the most widespread coniferous tree in the western sector of the forest zone of Eurasia. Simply put, this is our usual Christmas tree, well known to everyone. But even in the familiar, the familiar, the everyday one can find the new and the unknown.

Norway spruce, or European

Ordinary spruce is also called European spruce. Although in Western and Central Europe, the tree grows only in the mountains. This spruce is most common in Northern Europe, Belarus, in the north of Ukraine. And, of course, in the north of European Russia, where it forms significant forests.

In the east, closer to the Urals, and in the very north of the forest zone, ordinary spruce is replaced by a close species - Siberian spruce. The species is close, but still different - with shorter and prickly needles, smaller cones, less height. And the ability to survive in harsher climates.

The view is different, but still close. Ate common and Siberian interbreed, forming viable hybrids. They even talk about a special transitional form - Finnish ate.

If you carefully examine the cones of common and Siberian spruce, you can notice the differences that are considered species characteristics. The edge of the scales in the Siberian spruce is rounded and smooth, and in the common one - with small teeth, notches.

Spruce belongs to the pine family. Indeed, despite the obvious differences, these trees have a lot in common. In addition to green needles, which persist for several years, common spruce combines dioeciousness with pine - both male and female cones ripen on the same tree. The structure and origin of cones, the structure of pollen and seeds, the processes occurring during pollination and fertilization are also similar.

There are many differences. Unlike pine, spruce trees are capable of growing tall and slender trees, regardless of whether they grow in a dense forest or in an open place. The fact is that common spruce grows mainly with its apical bud. It is she who gives the longest shoots - from 30 to 50 cm annually.

Moreover, the spruce grows with its tip all its life. However, on condition - if the apical kidney is not damaged. Or the shoot bearing this bud has not been removed for some reason. In this case, the apical function is taken over by one of the lateral kidneys. But the tree will never grow tall and slender.

The top of the spruce is always crowned with a "crown" of buds: one apical and several lateral. In the spring they sprout. And a whorl is formed. Just like Scots pine. And the age of a young spruce is also easy to determine by counting the number of these whorls and adding 5-7 years. During the first years of life, whorls are not formed on the tree.

Lateral branches also grow annually, but much less than the top. Moreover, on the lateral branch of the spruce, lateral shoots grow every year - already relative to this branch itself. These are also whorls, only not complete - the branches do not go off in all directions, but close to one plane. A spruce branch is formed, which we usually call a spruce paw.

Spruce shoots, unlike pine, are of only one type - elongated. Let me remind you that, in addition to the annually growing elongated shoots, there are also shortened ones, only a couple of millimeters long. A pair of pine needles grows on them. Together with the needles, these shoots fall off after 2 - 3 years, or a little more.

Spruce needles grow directly on an elongated shoot. Needles, much shorter than pine needles, dot the entire shoot, arranged in a spiral. A needle sits on a leaf cushion. When it falls, a leaf trail remains on the bark.

Spruce needles are flattened-tetrahedral, with a prickly top. The length of the needles is 1 - 2 cm. It stays on the tree longer. Under natural conditions, the lifespan of the needles is up to 10 - 12 years. True, in trees growing in conditions of increased air pollution, the needles change much earlier.

Common spruce, like other representatives of this genus, tolerates shading well. Therefore, even in a dense spruce forest, the crown of the tree remains highly developed. Only the lowest branches dry up from a lack of light. The crown of a spruce growing in an open place is usually pyramidal. Branches grow on the trunk almost to the ground.

The developed crown provides the tree with nutrients well. After all, the more leaves (needles) on the tree, the more sugars are produced during photosynthesis. But such a crown can cause serious problems for the tree.

In winter we have a lot of snow. Even birch trees without leaves often bend or even break under its weight. Ate ordinary heavy snowfalls do not cause much trouble. Thin, but strong and flexible branches also bend under the weight of the snow. And dump it!

But strong winds with a large windage of the crown often turn out the tree entirely. This is also facilitated by the characteristics of the spruce root system. Only up to fifteen years of age a taproot grows on the tree. And then the lateral roots grow actively, lying in the upper layer of the soil. Such roots cannot keep a tall tree in a strong wind. And the forest giants are crumbling.

European spruce lives up to 250 - 300 years. It's just that you will hardly be able to find such trees in the forest. Is it somewhere in the reserve. Most of the spruce is cut down before the centenary.

Never chopped spruce forest leaves unforgettable impressions! I had to visit such a forest many years ago. This is in the northwest of the Vologda Oblast, almost on the border with Karelia, in the upper reaches of the Andoma River. The associations are ... fabulous. It seems that Baba Yaga is about to look out from behind a nearby tree. Or Goblin.

Powerful columns of fir trees go up tens of meters. Their diameter at the butt is more than a meter. The branches are hung with the beards of a lichen dormant. Quiet in such a forest and gloomy. The soil, dead wood, including the whole trunks of huge spruces that have fallen from old age or the wind, are all covered with a thick layer. Only blueberries grow from shrubs, and even then not everywhere.

Where it is lighter - near a forest stream, for example - some herbs appear. The white stars of the European septenary are sparkling. And in places of close occurrence of groundwater, green mosses are replaced by marsh ones.

On fresh stumps in a clearing under the forest road, which had already reached these places, one can count the annual rings, which the botanists of our expedition did not hesitate to do. There were 250 - 300 rings.

As a result of the expedition, in which I worked then, the Verkhneandomsky state reserve was created. The array of indigenous spruce forests was taken under protection. What is there now - I can't say ...

Norway spruce is much more demanding than pine for soil conditions. It will not grow on dry sands or on a raised bog. She also does not tolerate droughts. Therefore, already in the south of the forest zone it is less common.

Trees spend winter in a state of hibernation, when life processes slow down. Coniferous trees are no exception. The stomata on the needles are tightly closed - you need to save water. The roots cannot provide enough of it for the tree, the roots practically do not absorb water in the cold soil.

However, at temperatures above -5 degrees, photosynthesis still begins in the needles. But such temperatures are not typical for our winters.

But then spring comes and everything begins to change rapidly. Even at the turn of the seasons, at the time, poetically called by MM Prishvin "", on dry sunny days, spruce cones open up, pouring out the seeds carried by the wind. In May, with the arrival of heat, the buds first swell, and then the buds open, giving rise to new vegetative shoots.

Consider the spruce paws at this time. At the ends of the branches, large buds swelled, covered with pale yellow caps of soil scales. In some places, these scales have already moved apart, or even fallen off. From under them, a brush of light green needles is born. This is a young escape.

Young needles differ from old ones not only in color. They are soft and not prickly at all. If the "brush" is ripped off and chewed, a sour taste is felt. And no resinous aftertaste and aroma.

Young shoots grow rapidly. In May - early June, they still differ from the old ones in the color of their needles. But with the arrival of real summer, the growth of shoots stops, the needles harden and acquire their usual properties.

Generative buds also bloom almost simultaneously with vegetative buds. Modified shoots of the common spruce appear from them - its female and male cones. The spruce "blooms". This happens almost simultaneously with the flowering of bird cherry.

Of course, biologists correct - conifers do not bloom, they do not have a flower. But nevertheless, the similarity is great, especially when you consider that the cones at this time look very spectacular.

There is a separate article about the "blooming" of spruce in more detail.

It is usually quite difficult to consider young spruce cones, since they are located in the upper part of the crown. Unless you are lucky ... Small yellowish or reddish male cones (or male spikelets) appeared on the tops of last year's shoots. In sacs under the scales, a huge amount of pollen matures.

Pollen grains of Norway spruce, like pine, have air sacs, due to which they specific gravity small. The pollen is carried away by the wind, covers the leaves of trees, grass. If it rains, yellow pollen is clearly visible in the puddles.

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Since childhood, at Christmas and New Years, people have become accustomed to smelling fir branches. Mixing with the scent of tangerines, this fragrant pine scent was a harbinger of miracles, gifts, new experiences and the New Year.

For many centuries, the Spruce has personified a symbol of a new cycle. In ancient times, while remaining evergreen, Spruce was an allegory of eternal youth and immortality, longevity and fidelity.

For the same reasons, Spruce "spruce branches" were and remains in many villages a sign of a bygone life. During the funeral procession, spruce branches are thrown underfoot, saying goodbye to the departed. Their age is over, but passed into eternity.

In Scandinavia, Spruce was used for ceremonial fires. Resinous firewood gave the fire a unique strength.

spruce names

The word "Spruce" comes from the old slavic word "Jedlъ", which means "prickly".

The first mention of this tree in Russian writings appeared in the 11th century. Single-root words are found in all languages \u200b\u200bof the Slavic group.

The Latin name for Spruce is Picea, which means "resinous".

Where does the Spruce grow?

Spruce forests are found throughout Russia. These are mainly dense, dense thickets with a small amount of undergrowth.

Despite the fact that the Spruce grows best in an open place, there are its shade-tolerant counterparts.

The most common type of tree is the Common Spruce. It is found in the European part of Russia, Finland and northern Europe. Spruce groves are found in Siberia and the Urals.

Brothers of the Common Spruce can be found in the Caucasus and the Far East, on the Kuril Islands and Sakhalin. Even in North America and China grow certain types of this thorny, fragrant tree.

What does a spruce look like?

Spruce is a tall, stately tree with a straight, strong trunk and a dense crown. The branches are arranged in the form of a pyramid and have spiky needles. Spruce bark is dense and covered with scales.

Spruce can be up to 30 meters high, while the trunk volume of many species exceeds 1.5 meters.

The average lifespan of a tree is 250 - 300 years. There are long-livers 600 years of age.

After 10 - 15 years of life, the tree changes its root system, getting rid of the main root. That is why in the forest you can find these giants blown down by the wind with upturned roots.

When does Spruce bloom?

Female flowers form small cones, which, after pollination, turn into the very spruce decorations.

Male flowers form elongated earrings that scatter pollen in May.

In October, seeds ripen in cones and become prey for forest rodents. Fluffy proteins strive to prepare seeds for the winter.

The healing properties of Spruce

For medicinal purposes, spruce cones, needles and resin are used.

Daily use of 3-4 spruce needles for a month can restore immunity and increase resistance to a number of viral diseases.

Several branches of spruce branches, placed in a vase in a room, can kill harmful bacteria in the room, leaving a pleasant aroma in the air.

Spruce cones are rich in tannins and essential oils... They also contain copper, manganese, aluminum, and iron.

Essential oils are used in the fight against acute respiratory infections and diseases of the upper respiratory tract.

Ate kidney syrup is prescribed for microinfarctions.

A decoction of pine needles is used for inhalation to treat tonsillitis and sinusitis.

Eli resin or sap has antiseptic properties and can be used in ointments to heal wounds and ulcers.

Spruce Applications

Spruce wood - the most common material for construction and fuel. Wood is also used to make paper.

Spruce wood very soft and straight grained. Despite its widespread use in construction, untreated wood is short-lived and quickly decays. That is why spruce wood is treated with antiseptics and mordants.

At the same time, Spruce wood is a part of many modern materials, such as fiberboard, chipboard, glued beams and others.

The musical properties of spruce wood have been noticed for a long time, therefore, decks, bodies and other parts of musical instruments are made from this fragrant tree.

Contraindications

Despite the huge number of useful properties, preparations from Spruce have contraindications. Inhalation from spruce needles is contraindicated for patients with asthma.

If you have an individual intolerance to the substances contained in spruce cones and needles, you must be careful with the use of Eli for medicinal purposes.

Too frequent consumption of decoctions and drinks from the Eating can be dangerous for the kidneys.

In ancient times on new year holidays The spruce was hung with its roots up, and not installed in the corner, as in modern times.

In Scandinavia, spruce branches cover the paths followed by the corteges of rulers.

Blue Spruce has become widespread in cities, not only because of the beauty of the needles, but also due to its resistance to polluted air.

Young shoots can grow from the dead root of the Spruce, which later become real trees. Thus, the tree clones itself.

A similar tree grows in Sweden, the age of which is close to 10 thousand years.

Spruce cones are often depicted on flags different countries... This fruit symbolizes a high goal and a pinnacle.

E l is one of the most famous genera of conifers. Its representatives belong to long-lived trees, the age of some known specimens exceeds 600 years.

Classification

The spruce genus unites 40 to 50 species. The difference is due to the fact that several subspecies of ate are distinguished by some scientists into separate species. The genus got its scientific Latin name Picea from the word "resin". Literally, the name of the spruce can be translated as "resinous" or "resinous". The genus belongs to the Pinaceae family, which in turn belongs to the class of Conifers. All conifers growing on Earth belong to the type of gymnosperms that flourished millions of years ago. Spruce is one of the oldest representatives of the flora kingdom, which has survived to this day. In the photo: European spruce / ordinary >

Area

The natural habitats of all representatives of the Spruce genus are limited to zones of temperate and cold climates, where they form spruce forests or mixed biocenoses with deciduous tree species - oak, beech. Some spruce species grow together with fir.

Spruce: description and morphological features

The life form of spruce is a tree, occasionally a shrub with a monopodial type of branching. The root system is pivotal, but over time, the main root dies off, only the adventitious roots remain, forming a fibrous root system. The roots are close to the surface, taking up a large area around the tree. Because of this feature, the spruce often suffers: during strong winds - the tree is uprooted.
Trees are characterized by a main, pronounced trunk, from which horizontal or drooping branches of the second order extend. The leaves of the plant look like needles. In cross-section, they are tetrahedral, in some species of spruce they are flat, sitting on cushions. The needles are arranged one by one in a spiral order - this is a sign of the archaic structure. The lifespan of the needles is several years, after which it falls off, and characteristic traces remain on the branches.
Spruce cones of a cylindrical shape, hanging, ripening in a year. Their size is 10-15 cm, depending on the type or variety of spruce. Mature buds retain their shape and do not crumble. After the seeds ripen, scales open in them, allowing the seeds to spill out. Spruce uses air currents and wind (aerochoria) to spread its seeds. Each seed has a wing to improve aerodynamic properties.
Since the spruce belongs to gymnosperms, it forms only seeds, it cannot bloom and form fruits. Therefore, the expression "spruce blossoms" is often used only so that people who are not related to biology understand what is at stake. In this case, the word "blossoms" is more logical to write in quotation marks.

Spruce: common types, varieties, forms

Among the many natural species, selected varieties and forms, we will consider some.

Picea abies - European spruce - varieties and varieties
Norway spruce (synonym - European - Picea abies) - a tree that in natural conditions reaches 45 m. Spruce has a beautiful pyramidal crown shape, decorative all year roundgrowing slowly. Many varieties of spruce have been bred with different shades of needles, in various shapes crowns and different sizes, including creeping and dwarf varieties:
"Aurea" - with bright yellow young needles;
"Argentea" - with grayish-blue young shoots;
"Reflexa" - with drooping branches;
"Globosa" - shape with a round crown;
"Pumila Nugra" is a dwarf form with a spherical crown and delicate shoots that remain light green for a long time;
"Nana", "Humlis" and "Mariae Orfiiae" are pit-shaped dwarf trees;
"Hornibrookii" is a dwarf form with a flat crown;
"Columnaris" is a tall tree with a pin-shaped crown.

We advise you to read:

North American spruce species
Spruce prickly refers to the North American species of spruce, the range of which did not go beyond the continent. But in recent decades, along with many species of spruce, whose homeland is America, it began to be cultivated in other countries of the world. In the photo: Colorado spruce with young cones >
Colorado spruce (Picea pungens) is the most common cultivated species of American conifers. The most famous forms of spruce are prickly with needles of silver and blue colors. These forms are called silver spruce (Picea pungens f.argentea) and gray spruce (f.coerulea). From these two forms, breeders have bred more than 70 different varieties of prickly spruce:
"Blue kiss" - a dwarf form with a spherical crown and blue needles;
"Blue perl" - a miniature variety with blue needles and a round crown shape;
"Blue trinket" - undersized form, with grayish-gray needles and a conical crown;
Edith is a medium-sized, pyramidal variety with short silvery needles;
"Fat Albert" is a tall variety with a pyramidal shape and bright blue needles (especially on young shoots);
"Maigold" - a medium-sized variety is interesting in that the needles on young shoots are lemon-yellow, or cream;
"Hermann Naue" - dwarf variety with a crown that does not support outlines and grayish-blue needles. The highlight of the variety is the early numerous appearance of cones, which give the spruce variety a special charm.

< In the photo on the left Canadian spruce - Picea canadensis ... She is inferior to her relative in the number of bred varieties (there are about 30 of them), but not inferior in beauty and decorativeness. The most famous varieties are:
"Desi`s white" - medium size, conical shape, young shoots are light yellow, almost white;
"Sander`s blue" high grade of spruce, conical crown shape, gray-blue needles;
"Rainbow`s end" dwarf form with a conical crown;
"Zuckerhut" is a low-growing variety with bright green needles and a pyramidal crown;
"Blue planet" is a dwarf variety with a spherical shape and green-gray needles.
The Canadian spruce has many synonymous names: gray spruce (Picea glauca), white spruce (P. alba), arctic spruce (P. arctica) and others.

Black spruce - Picea nigra or P.mariana - interesting with bright cones, which in an immature state are purple with burgundy stripes (pictured on the right > ) ... Representatives of the Black Spruce species perfectly tolerate adverse conditions, and can grow even in wetlands, as well as on soils with poor drainage. There are several forms of black spruce, including dwarf varieties.

< On the left photo Red spruce - Picea rubra - a symbol of Nova Scotia, in nature it can reach a height of 40 meters. Several decorative forms were bred: "Nana" (undersized), "Virgata". Red spruce has a Latin synonymous name Picea rubens. It is especially common in new terminology.

The symbol of Alaska is sitka spruce - Picea sitchensis ... The tree is used in landscape design as a solo or in groups with deciduous and coniferous trees. This type of spruce is resistant to air pollution and excess moisture in the soil. A wild specimen is shown in the right photo >

Eurasian types of spruce

Siberian spruce - Picea obobata (bottom left photo). Due to its taxonomic affinity with Norway spruce, some botanists consider Siberian spruce to be a subspecies of Norway spruce. As one of the arguments, the facts of frequent mutual crossing of these two species and the natural appearance of many forms are cited.

Serbian spruce - Picea omorika - an endemic species that grows only in the valley of the Drina River, in a mountainous area at an altitude of 800 to 1700 m.Despite the narrow natural range, representatives of the species are widespread due to cultivation in gardens, parks and household plots... Bred varieties with bright yellow shoots "Aurea", dwarf: "Exspansa", "Karel" and "Minima". Variety with a pin-shaped crown and shiny green Gnom needles. In the photo: Serbian spruce, wide-gored form >

Oriental spruce - Picea orientalis - a common species in the mountain forests of Asia Minor and the Caucasus. It can grow at an altitude exceeding 2000 meters. Due to poor frost resistance, they are cultivated only in places with suitable climatic conditions. The species is characterized by very small needles (5 mm) and a narrow conical crown. < Photo on the left

Korean spruce Picea koraiensis , whose area is the Far East, is similar in structure to Siberian spruce, but it is adapted to a milder and more humid climate and does not withstand severe frosts. Sometimes Korean spruce is referred to as a subspecies of Koyama spruce, an endemic species that grows only on the island of Honshu. Other scholars attribute the Korean spruce to the form of Siberian spruce. But the chromosome analysis carried out indicates large internal differences between them, despite the external similarity.

The text uses photos from Wikimedia Commons