Conifers are mostly evergreens, woody or shrubby, with needle-like leaves. The needles are needle-shaped, scaly or linear leaves. Conifers belong to the class of gymnosperms. In total, coniferous plants number about 600 species. It is difficult to list the names of all coniferous trees, but it is possible to provide a list of coniferous trees that are the most famous and widespread in our strip.
Pine is an evergreen coniferous tree that grows everywhere throughout Russia, is distinguished by long needles and unpretentiousness to natural conditions. Sunny pine groves are a real natural sanatorium.
- a coniferous ornamental tree from the cypress family, many varieties of arborvitae are widely cultivated for landscaping parks and private farms.
- in the wild it grows in the tropical zone, it is also successfully bred as an ornamental tree or shrub, the foliage differs from all previous conifers, the leaves on upward shoots are arranged spirally, on horizontal shoots - linear. Yew is very poisonous, only pitted berries are edible.
- coniferous shrub of the cypress family, used for ornamental gardening.
- a mighty tree of the North Ocean coast of America of the cypress family. Trees - centenarians from this genus live for several thousand years.
- a beautiful coniferous tree that grows wild in the mountains of China.
The above list of conifers describes plants, each of which has many species - these are just the most common conifers.
In addition to those listed, conifers include: cypress, hemlock, ginkgo, araucaria, libocedrus, pseudo-hemlock, cunningamia, cryptomeria, sciadopitis, sequoiadendron and many others.
Among the plants that adorn our gardens, conifers occupy a special place. They give the garden a noble look and decorate it all year round. They are loved because they are very decorative and set the tone in many compositions. But, conifers are especially popular in winter - on the eve of the New Year. They look spectacular in New Year's decoration in our apartments, under snow caps in large parks and squares, and in very small areas.
As regards the planted coniferous plants, then we can say that the sympathies of gardeners are almost evenly distributed among various types of spruces, pines, thujas, junipers and larches. All of them can be called centenarians, many of them live even more than one hundred years.
Almost all coniferous plants are evergreen. Only some of them, for example, larch, sheds needles for the winter. All the rest update their needles gradually. Once every few years, old needles fall off, and new young green needles appear in their place.
The variety of coniferous plants allows gardeners to choose the most suitable tree or shrub for their garden.
The following advantages of conifers make them very popular in landscape gardening:
- They tolerate the lack of light and moisture well.
- Many varieties naturally have the correct shape, and therefore do not need a haircut.
- Due to the medicinal coniferous aroma, they are widely used in folk and official medicine.
- Due to the variety of types and forms, they are actively used in landscape compositions in areas of any size.
If you decide to plant a coniferous plant on your site, you need to approach the choice very carefully.
Key questions to ask yourself:
- What do you want to plant - a tree or a shrub
- Is the composition ready for the conifer
- Have you taken into account your climatic conditions and soil composition on the site
coniferous plants go well, in particular with cereals, with roses, etc. If the answers are ready, you can start selecting the variety, type and shape of the coniferous plant.
Types of coniferous plants
Spruce
Evergreen monoecious and wind-pollinated plant. Its Latin name (Lat. Picea) spruce is due to the high content of resin in the wood. Widespread use in industry is due to the softness of wood and the absence of a core.
Spruce- perhaps the most beloved and common coniferous tree in our country. These beautiful slender trees with a pyramidal crown occupy one of the first places in the coniferous kingdom and have almost 50 plant species in their genus.
The largest number of spruce species grows in Western and Central China and in the northern hemisphere. In Russia, 8 types of spruce are well known.
Spruce is considered a fairly shade-tolerant plant, however, it still prefers good lighting. Her root system is superficial, i.e. close to the ground. Therefore, the earth at the roots is not dug up. Spruce is demanding on soil fertility, loves light loamy and sandy loamy soils.
Types of fir trees successfully used in landscaping the site:
Sometimes reaches 40 meters. Fast growing tree. Due to the special color of the needles - the top is a brilliant dark green, and the bottom - with noticeable white stripes - it gives the impression that the tree is bluish-green. Brown-purple buds give the plant a special charm and elegance.
Serbian spruce looks great, both in a single and in a group planting. An excellent example is the magnificent alleys in the parks.
There are dwarf varieties with a height of no more than 2 meters.
(Picea obovata). On the territory of our country, it grows in Western and Eastern Siberia, the Far East and the Urals.
A coniferous tree up to 30 m high. The crown is dense, wide-conical, with a pointed top. The bark is fissured, gray. Cones ovoid-cylindrical, brown. It has several subtypes that differ in the color of the needles - from pure green to silver and even golden.
European spruce, or common (Picea abies). The maximum height of a coniferous tree is 50 m. It can live up to 300 years. This is a slender tree with a dense pyramidal crown. Norway spruce is considered the most common tree in Europe. The trunk width of an old tree can reach 1 m. Mature cones of an ordinary spruce are an oblong-cylindrical shape. They ripen in autumn in October, and their seeds begin to fall from January to April. European spruce is considered the fastest growing. So, in a year it can grow by 50 cm.
Thanks to breeding work, several very decorative varieties of this species have been bred to date. Among them there are weeping, compact, pin-shaped spruces. All of them are very popular in landscape gardening and are widely used in park compositions and as hedges.
Spruce, like any other coniferous plant, becomes especially beautiful with the advent of winter. Any shade of needles effectively emphasizes the snow cover, and the garden looks elegant and noble.
In addition to the above types of spruce, prickly, oriental, black, Canadian, Ayan spruce are popular with gardeners.
The genus of pine consists of more than 100 names. These conifers are distributed throughout almost the entire Northern Hemisphere. Also, pine grows well in the composition of forests in Asia and North America. Artificially planted pine plantations feel good in the southern hemisphere of our planet. It is much more difficult for this coniferous tree to take root in the conditions of the city.
It tolerates frost and drought well. But the pine does not really like the lack of light. This coniferous plant gives a good annual growth. The dense crown of pine is very decorative, and therefore pine is successfully used in landscaping parks and gardens, both in single planting and in group planting. This conifer prefers sandy, calcareous and rocky soils. Although there are several types of pine that prefer fertile soils, these are Weymouth, Wallich, cedar and resinous pine.
Some properties of pine are simply amazing. For example, the peculiarity of its bark delights, when the bark below is much thicker than the one above. This makes us once again think about the wisdom of nature. After all, it is this property that protects the tree from summer overheating and a possible ground fire.
Another feature is how the tree prepares in advance for the winter period. After all, the evaporation of moisture in frost can destroy the plant. Therefore, as soon as the cold approaches, the pine needles are covered with a thin layer of wax, and the stomata close. Those. pine stops breathing!
Scotch pine. It is rightfully considered a symbol of the Russian forest. In height, the tree reaches 35-40 meters, and therefore it is deservedly called a tree of the first magnitude. The circumference of the trunk sometimes reaches 1 meter. Pine needles are dense, bluish-green. The shape is different - sticking out, curved, and even collected in bunches of 2 needles.
The life expectancy of needles is 3 years. With the onset of autumn, the needles turn yellow and fall off.
Pine cones, as a rule, are located 1-3 pieces on legs. Ripe cones are brown or brown in color and reach a length of 6 cm.
Under adverse conditions, Scotch pine may stop growing and remain a "dwarf". Surprisingly, different instances can have a different root system. For example, in arid soils, a pine tree may develop a taproot that extracts water deep underground. And in conditions of high occurrence of groundwater, lateral roots develop.
The life expectancy of Scots pine can reach 200 years. There are cases in history when a pine lived for 400 years.
Scotch pine is considered fast growing. For a year, its growth can be 50-70 cm. This coniferous tree begins to bear fruit from the age of 15. In the conditions of the forest and dense planting - only after 40 years.
The Latin name is Pinus mugo. This is a multi-stemmed coniferous tree, reaching a height of 10-20 meters. Dwarf varieties - 40-50 cm. Trunks - semi-lodging and ascending. In adulthood, it can reach a diameter of 3 m. A very decorative coniferous plant.
The needles are dark, long, often curved. The bark is brownish-gray, scaly. Cones ripen in the 3rd year.
To date, more than 100 varieties of mountain pine have been registered. And this number is increasing every year. In landscape gardening, dwarf varieties are especially used, which form beautiful compositions along the banks of reservoirs and in rocky gardens.
Magnificent view with a narrow pyramidal crown. Homeland - North America. In our country, it grows well in the southern and middle lane. Grows up to 10 meters. It does not tolerate urban conditions very well. Especially at a young age, it often freezes slightly. Prefers places protected from the winds. Therefore, yellow pine is best planted in groups.
The needles are dark and long. The bark is thick, reddish-brown, cracking into large plates. Cones ovoid, almost sessile. In total, there are about 10 varieties of yellow pine.
A very showy variety of pine. Homeland - North America. The needles have a blue-green tint. The cones are large and somewhat curved. An adult tree can reach a height of more than 30 meters. It is considered a long-liver, as it can live up to 400 years. As it grows, it changes its crown from narrow-pyramidal to wide-pyramidal. It acquired its name thanks to the English Lord Weymouth, who brought it home from North America in the 18th century.
It does not tolerate salty soils and. It is relatively resistant to frost, but does not like winds. Weymouth pine is characterized by reddish pubescence on young shoots.
A relatively low coniferous plant - up to 20 m high. This is a slow-growing tree. The bark is light gray, lamellar. The needles are bright green, hard, curved. Cones are yellowish, shiny, long. The diameter of the crown can reach 5-6 meters.
Some experts consider it Geldreich's pine. Indeed, the resemblance is great. However, since there are varieties under both names, we will still focus on whitebark pine. To date, about 10 varieties of this species are known. Approximately the same number of Geldreich's pines. Often varieties can be mixed.
This type of pine in the conditions of our country takes root best in the southern regions, as it does not tolerate frost well. Whitebark pine is photophilous, it is undemanding to the nutritional composition of the soil, but it grows better on moderately moist, drained and moderately alkaline soils.
Looks good in a Japanese, rocky and heather garden. Great for both solitary planting and mixed group.
Fir
Tall (up to 60 m) coniferous tree with a conical crown. A bit like a spruce. It can be up to 2 meters in diameter. This is a real long-lived plant. Some specimens live 400-700 years. The trunk of a fir is straight, columnar. The crown is dense. At a young age, the fir crown has a cone-shaped or pyramidal shape. As they grow older, the shape of the crown becomes cylindrical.
The needles, depending on the variety, have different lengths and live 8-10 years. Fir begins to bear fruit from the age of about 30 years. Cones are erect and long (up to 25 cm).
This coniferous plant does not tolerate frost, drought and great heat. The pluses include the fact that this is the most shade-tolerant tree. Sometimes shoots can appear under the mother tree in full shading. With good lighting, firs naturally grow better.
This coniferous plant is a real find in landscape gardening. Fir is used both in a single planting and for decorating alleys. Dwarf forms look great in a rocky garden and on an alpine hill.
Botanical name Abies balsamea "Nana". This coniferous plant is a dwarf cushion tree. Naturally grows in North America.
In care unpretentious. He likes good lighting, but he also tolerates shade well. For balsam fir, not so much frost is terrible as strong gusty winds that can simply damage a small tree. The soil prefers light, moist, fertile, slightly acidic. It reaches a height of 1 m, which makes it a favorite decorative object in landscape gardening. It is equally good for decorating a garden, landscaping terraces, slopes and roofs.
Propagated by seeds and annual cuttings with an apical bud.
The needles are dark green with a special reflection. Exudes a characteristic resinous aroma. Cones are red-brown, elongated, reach a length of 5-10 cm.
It is a very slow growing coniferous plant. For 10 years, it grows no more than 30 cm. It lives up to 300 years.
Fir Nordmann (or Caucasian). An evergreen coniferous tree that came to us from the mountains of the Caucasus and Asia Minor. Sometimes it grows up to 60-80 meters in height. The shape of the crown is a neat cone-shaped. It is for this neat appearance that gardeners love Nordmann fir.
It is she who is dressed up instead of a Christmas tree for the New Year holidays in many European countries. This is largely due to the structure of the branches - the branches are often located and raised up. This is a distinctive feature of the Nordmann fir.
The needles are dark green with some sheen. Young shoots are light green, even yellowish. Needles - from 15 to 40 mm, look very fluffy. If the needles are lightly rubbed between the fingers, you can feel a specific citrus aroma.
The trunk of an adult plant can reach a diameter of two meters. At a young age, the bark of the Caucasian fir is grayish-brown, smooth. As it matures, it cracks into segments and becomes matte.
Nordmann fir is growing quite fast. Under favorable conditions, this coniferous tree can live up to 600-700 years. Moreover, the increase in height and width continues until the very last day of life!
Depending on the type of soil, the root system can be either superficial or deep with a central core. The cones of this fir are large, up to 20 cm, arranged vertically on a short stem.
It has a unique property - the needles on the branches remain even after they have dried, up to mechanical damage.
A coniferous evergreen plant belonging to the Cypress family. It can be both a tree and a shrub. Common juniper (Juniperus communis) grows mainly in the Northern Hemisphere of our planet. However, in Africa you can also find your own juniper - East African. In the Mediterranean and Central Asia, this plant forms juniper forests. Quite common are undersized species that creep along the ground and rocky slopes.
To date, more than fifty species of juniper are known.
As a rule, it is a photophilous and drought-resistant culture. Absolutely undemanding to soils and temperatures. However, like any plant, it has its own preferences - for example, it develops better in light and nutritious soil.
Like all conifers, it belongs to centenarians. Its average life expectancy is about 500 years.
The needles of the juniper are bluish-green in color, triangular, pointed at the ends. The cones are spherical, gray or blue in color. Rod root.
Magical properties were also attributed to this coniferous plant. For example, it was believed that a juniper wreath scares away evil spirits and brings good luck. Perhaps that is why in Europe there was a fashion to hang wreaths on the eve of the new year.
In landscape design, both juniper trees and shrubs are widely used. Group plantings are good for creating hedges. Single plants also do an excellent job with the main role in the composition. Low-growing creeping varieties are often used as ground cover plants. They strengthen slopes well and prevent soil erosion. In addition, juniper lends itself well to a haircut.
Scaly juniper (Juniperus squamata)- creeping shrub. Thick branches with the same dense needles look very decorative.
Evergreen coniferous plant. Has the appearance of trees or shrubs. Depending on the genus and species, it differs in color, quality of needles, crown shape, height and life expectancy. Representatives of some species live up to 150 years. At the same time, there are specimens - true centenarians, who live up to almost 1000 years!
In landscape gardening, thuja is considered one of the basic plants, and like any conifer, it is good both in group planting and as a solo plant. It is used to decorate alleys, hedges and borders.
The most common types of thuja are western, eastern, giant, Korean, Japanese, etc.
Thuja needles are soft needle-shaped. In a young plant, the needles have a light green color. With age, the needles acquire a darker shade. The fruits are oval or oblong cones. Seeds ripen in the first year.
Thuja is famous for its unpretentiousness. She tolerates frost well, and is not capricious in care. Unlike other conifers, it tolerates gas pollution in large cities well. Therefore, it is indispensable in urban gardening.
Larches
Coniferous plants with needles falling down for the winter. This partly explains its name. These are large, light-loving and winter-hardy plants that grow quickly, are undemanding to soils and tolerate air pollution well.
Larches are especially beautiful in early spring and late autumn. In spring, larch needles acquire a soft green hue, and in autumn - bright yellow. Since the needles grow every year, its needles are very soft.
Larch fructifies from 15 years. Cones have an ovoid-conical shape, somewhat reminiscent of a rose flower. They reach a length of 6 cm. Young cones are purple in color. As they mature, they turn brown.
Larch- long-lived tree. Some of them live up to 800 years. The plant develops most intensively in the first 100 years. These are tall and slender trees, reaching 25-80 meters in height depending on the species and conditions.
In addition, larch is a very useful tree. It has a very hard and durable wood. In the industry, its red core is in the greatest demand. Also, larch is valued in folk medicine. Folk healers harvest its young shoots, buds and larch resin, from which "Venetian" turpentine (turpentine) is obtained, which is used for many diseases. The bark is harvested throughout the summer and used as a vitamin remedy.
Photo of coniferous plants
Enjoy the beauty of nature with us
Coniferous trees are a beauty all year round, their resistance to the change of seasons invariably attracts gardeners and landscape designers. For the most part, they are undemanding to growing conditions and care, they endure both summer heat and winter cold. In addition, at present there are many varieties of coniferous plants - trees and shrubs, it is not at all difficult to choose something suitable for this site.
Spruce
Spruce is a landscape classic, an evergreen tree that is appropriate for any site. Spruce will look great both as a centerpiece and as a backdrop for other plants; in a single landing, in a group, in the form of a hedge. Currently, there are more than 40 species of spruces, including species of natural origin, and hybrid varieties. Many of the natural species have several ornamental varieties.
Spruce is a long-lived tree; in Sweden, a spruce grows in the national park, whose age is 9550 years. This is a record figure even for spruces, whose average life expectancy is 200-500 years. The long-liver received his own name - Old Tikko.
Spruce grows slowly, in 10 years it grows only up to one and a half meters in height, but it grows for centuries. In nature, this tree can be seen in the forests of the Northern Hemisphere. The spruce forest is dark and dense, most often without undergrowth, consisting of beautiful, slender trees up to 30 meters high.
Spruce is a monoecious tree, the crown is cone-shaped or pyramidal, with a whorled, outstretched or drooping arrangement of branches.
The roots of young trees are taproot, but with age the main root dries up, it is replaced by numerous shoots that spread horizontally and shallow in the ground.
The bark is gray or brown-gray, with thin exfoliating plates. The needles are tetrahedral, short, sharp, green. Each needle grows separately, from a leaf cushion, which becomes noticeable after the needles fall off.
Cones are oblong and pointed, up to 15 cm long, 3-4 cm in diameter. They do not crumble, but fall off after the seeds ripen in the year of fertilization. Seeds - lionfish ripen in October, and fall out of the cones. At this time, the wind picks them up and carries them around. Once in favorable conditions, they germinate and give life to a new tree, their germination capacity lasts about 10 years.
In the photo, one of the representatives of the family is a dwarf Canadian gray spruce:
Cedar
Cedar is another coniferous tree that has numerous and attractive shapes for designers. Naturally, if it is a real cedar, and not a cedar pine. The cedar differs from other coniferous trees in the arrangement of needles, it is collected in bunches of 20-50 pieces, while in pines and spruces it is single. A similar fastening of needles is observed in larch, but its needles are soft, while in cedar it is prickly and hard, and does not fall off in autumn.
Cedar cones stand on branches, and do not hang down, like those of pines and firs. They are similar in shape to fir cones, but rounder. After ripening, they break into pieces, while the seeds are dispersed by the wind.
The shape of the crown is also unique. In the Lebanese cedar, it is wide, sprawling like an umbrella. The branches in it are arranged in tiers, the symmetry of which is not observed in all trees. The needles are green, gray-green, blue-green, the length of the needles is 3-4 cm, they are collected in bunches of 30-40 pieces.
Atlas cedar
Atlas cedar has a cone-shaped crown, which is similar to an ordinary spruce. His needles are also collected in bunches, it is very short - about 2.5 cm. In color - silver-gray, or blue-green.
There is even a weeping form of Atlas cedar, which, no doubt, will become the highlight of the landscape, especially if it is a rocky Japanese garden with a natural or artificial reservoir. See photo:
Atlas cedar
Its branches hang down just like a weeping willow, only instead of tender leaves there are prickly needles that look unusual, but quite gentle and attractive:
atlas cedar
himalayan cedar
Himalayan cedar - the owner of a wide cone-shaped crown with a blunt top and horizontally growing branches. But he also has hanging shoots, although a non-specialist will easily mistake him for a spruce tree of a slightly unusual shape:
himalayan cedar
The needles of the Himalayan cedar are light green, up to 4-5 cm long, growing in bunches.
Despite certain differences, cedars have a lot in common. All of them are evergreen trees growing to a height of 50-60 meters. At an early age they grow slowly, then they increase in growth faster.
The bark of young specimens is smooth, becoming scaly, cracking, dark gray in color with age.
Cypress
Cypress is a completely different matter, a special species in the family of evergreen conifers and shrubs. No wonder in the East he is considered the standard of harmony. This tree, with all its appearance, seems to indicate that it will not take up much space in your garden and will not require special care. But not all cypresses are concise; among them there are shrubs with wide, sprawling crowns. This numerous family consists of 20 genera and 140 species.
Cypress prefers a warm climate. In the Northern Hemisphere, it can be seen in the tropical and subtropical zones, on the coasts of the Black and Mediterranean Seas. And also in the Himalayas, in the Sahara, and in China. In the Western Hemisphere, it grows in Central America, Mexico and the southern states of the USA.
The leaves of cypresses are small, at first they are needle-shaped, similar to needles, then they are scaly, tightly pressed to the branches. Cypress is a monoecious plant - male and female flowers appear on the same tree. Cones are ovoid or round, ripen in the second year after emergence, the seeds are flattened, with wings.
cypress evergreen
Evergreen cypress is a tree that can be seen on the Black Sea coast of the Caucasus and Crimea. Its height reaches 30 meters, the crown is narrow, columnar, with short branches raised up and pressed against the trunk. In culture, it has been grown since ancient times, it is a real long-liver, able to live for more than 2 thousand years. In Turkey, it is considered a tree of sorrow, and is planted in cemeteries. Pictured are evergreen cypresses:
cypress evergreen
Arizona cypress
Arizona cypress, native to the southwestern regions of the United States and Mexico. This is a fairly tall tree, up to 20 meters high with well-developed roots. Despite its southern origin, it endures frosts down to -25 degrees, but young trees must be covered with agrofiber for the winter.
Arizona cypress
large-fruited cypress
Large-fruited cypress has a columnar crown. But this feature happens only in young specimens, with age the branches become flat, bend and form a wide, sprawling crown.
The needles of large-fruited cypress have a pleasant lemon smell, so it is readily grown in winter gardens, or in bonsai culture.
large-fruited cypress
weeping cypress
Weeping cypress - the owner of dangling branches. The plant comes from China, where it is often planted in cemeteries.
Cypress is also part of the Cypress family, and has 7 species that grow in the Northern Hemisphere. The plant is evergreen, monoecious, coniferous, with a cone-shaped crown. Branches growing upwards, or prostrate and drooping, the trunk is scaly, brown or brown. Under natural conditions, it grows up to 70 meters, in culture - up to 20-30 meters.
The leaves of the cypress are pointed, similar to small scales. Cones are not large, woody, round, up to 12 mm in diameter. Seeds ripen in the first year.
weeping cypress
Lawson's cypress
Lawson's cypress is a tall and slender tree with a narrow cone-shaped crown, expanding downwards. The top is tilted to the side. Trunk with thick, reddish-brown bark that becomes patchy and scaly over time. The needles are shiny, green, with whitish stripes. Cones are oval and rounded, about 1 cm in diameter, light brown, with a bluish-blue bloom.
In general, the tree is very beautiful, looks great in alleys and plantings along with cypress trees of other species, but, unfortunately, low frost resistance does not allow growing it in regions with harsh winters. In the photo, Lavson's cypress:
Lawson's cypress
Pea cypress
Pea-bearing cypress is a tall, up to 30 meters, tree with a cone-shaped crown, originally from Japan. Outwardly, from afar it looks like deciduous trees, but its needles are the same as those of all members of the family.
Pea cypress
Cryptomeria
Cryptomeria - the name of this evergreen tree is often written or pronounced along with the definition: "Japanese". And not without reason - the tree comes from the Japanese islands, is considered a symbol of the Land of the Rising Sun, and has a second name: Japanese cedar. Although it belongs to the Cypress family, it does not belong to the genus of cedars.
In nature, there is only one species of this plant; there are no hybrid varieties based on it yet, although it has been known in culture since 1842. In Russia, it is grown in the Crimea and on the Caucasian coast of the Black Sea.
The tree is quite tall and fast growing, growing up to 70 meters. The crown is dense but narrow. The bark is fibrous, red-brown, the trunk is massive - up to 4 meters in diameter.
The needles are awl-shaped, more like rose thorns than needles, but up to 3 cm long. The color of the needles is light green, but in winter it acquires a yellowish tint.
The tree is monoecious, male flowers grow from the axils of the shoots in bunches. Female solitary, located at the ends of the shoots. Cones are round, 2 cm in diameter, ripen in the first year, but fall off the next summer. Seeds with wings, about 5-6 mm long.
In the photo, Japanese cryptomeria:
Cryptomeria japonica
Larch
Larch is a deciduous tree of the Pine family. The leaves of this tree are very similar to needles, but in the fall they fall off, and in the spring they reappear, like in deciduous trees, which is why it is called larch in Russia. In total, there are 20 species of this tree, 9 of them grow in Russia.
The tree is large, up to 50 meters high, and with a trunk diameter of about 1 meter. For a year, the growth is 1 meter, larch is a long-liver, able to live up to 400 years, but it is rarely used in culture.
Her crown is not dense, in young specimens it is cone-shaped, in areas with constant winds it can be one-sided, or flag-shaped. The root system is strong, branched, without a pronounced main root, but with numerous and deeply extending lateral processes.
The needles are soft, bright, on elongated shoots it grows spirally, and on short ones - in bunches, like a cedar. Falls off completely in autumn. The tree is monoecious with male and female flowers. Seeds develop in female cones, from 15-20 years.
From afar, larch can be mistaken for a sprawling beautiful spruce:
Larch
Microbiota
Microbiota is a coniferous shrub of the Cypress family. There is only one species of this plant - the microbiota is cross-pair, growing in the Far East of Russia. The number of the species is declining, due to the fact that the seeds cannot spread far from the parent bush, and perennial thickets are destroyed by forest fires, so the species is included in the Red Book of Russia.
This is a prostrate shrub, with thin creeping shoots, so it can be mistaken for a creeping form of arborvitae. The needles are scaly, green in summer and brown in winter, in young plants it is needle-shaped on shaded shoots. Cones are small, one-seeded, consist of 2-3 scales. The root system is uric, dense.
The microbiota grows very slowly, it produces only 2 cm of growth per year, but it is distinguished by longevity - it can grow in culture for more than 100 years. In general, the microbiota looks very appropriate in single and group plantations, therefore it is always in demand among gardeners. On the picture:
Microbiota
Juniper
Juniper is a dioecious, coniferous plant of the Cypress family, very common in the Northern Hemisphere. More than 70 species of this plant inhabit various climatic zones of the planet, some of which feel good in the Russian expanses, and can live up to 600 years.
Arborescent junipers are able to form separate forests, shrubs grow as an undergrowth or third tier in coniferous and deciduous forests, as well as on rocky slopes.
Juniper shrubs are creeping, with shoots about 1.5 meters long, but tree-like forms can reach 30 meters in height.
Juniper leaves are opposite, needle-shaped, oblong. In young specimens, they can be in the form of needles, in adult plants - scaly, pressed against the stems. The berries are cone-shaped, with tightly closed scales, each with 1 to 10 seeds that ripen for 2 years.
Juniper
Fir
Fir is a coniferous tree of the Pine family. Like the cedar, its cones grow upwards and disintegrate on the tree. Up to 50 species of fir grow in the Northern Hemisphere. The tree is powerful and tall - up to 60 meters, with a moderately spreading cone-shaped crown.
The bark of the trunk is gray, in different species it can be smooth and thin throughout its life, or thick and fissured.
In the photo, Korean fir cones:
The root is taproot, strong deepened. The needles are flat, with a pointed or rounded tip, located singly or spirally on the branches.
Cones are cylindrical, ripen in 1 summer, disintegrate in autumn, throwing out seeds with wings, carried by the wind.
In Russia, dark coniferous forests occupy quite significant areas, in the European part and in Eastern Siberia - approximately 15 million hectares, with a total timber reserve of 2.6 billion m3. Coniferous tree species grow both in mountainous regions and on the plains. In dark coniferous forests, mainly evergreen, shade-tolerant coniferous trees grow, such as:
- Fir;
- Spruce (European or ordinary);
- Siberian Cedar Pine.
In these forests it is always gloomy, shady, humid. This is explained by the fact that in them low illumination and low warming of the underlying forest plants and soil is observed due to the densely folded crowns of these trees and the high density of the tree canopy.
The average temperature in dark coniferous forests in July, the warmest month, is slightly over 10 degrees. It is at this temperature that, firstly, in coniferous trees, the “ripening” of young shoots that appeared in the spring occurs; secondly, the formation of a tank-protective layer on the surface of the needles and branches, which is necessary for the wintering of these plants.
In dark coniferous forests, both pure stands and mixed species of coniferous trees with other, deciduous species are observed. For example, in the Carpathians and the Caucasus, Fir grows together with Beech; in Siberia - Fir and Siberian Cedar Pine; in the Far East - Korean Cedar Pine, Fir, Ash; on about. Sakhalin and the Kuril Islands - Fir along with Ayanskaya Spruce. Mountain fir forests are of great importance for water protection, climate control, soil protection and water control.
Fir
Pine family, common in the mountains, less often - on the plains, from the Carpathians to the Kuril Islands. This is an evergreen ornamental, coniferous pine tree of a dark coniferous forest. It has a straight trunk, the height of which reaches 80 (sometimes - 100 m), diameter - 0.5-2 m, a dense cone-shaped crown with whorled branching and inter-whorled shoots. At the ends of the shoots - developing buds, blunt or slightly pointed, greenish, reddish or brownish in color, in some species of Fir - resinous.
Numerous swellings (nodules) containing a fragrant, transparent gum are visible on the smooth bark of the plant.
Fir leaves are perennial, flat, linear, fragrant, non-thorny, dark green, shiny needles. At the top, the needles are slightly blunt, on its underside there are two oblong, white stripes. Each strip contains 3-4 rows of stomata. Observations have shown that each needle can remain on a tree for 7-10 years. Fir blossoms in May.
In the lower part of the chrome, on the upper side of two-year-old shoots, in the axils of the needles, there are male spikelets (microstrobiles), solitary, oblong, with yellow or red anthers. The transfer of spikelet pollen even over long distances occurs due to the presence of two flying, air sacs in the pollen grains.
In the upper part of the crown, at the end of last year's shoot, there are seed female cones (megastrobili), solitary, green or reddish-violet. Inside the cone, scales are spirally arranged, covered with a protective layer of resin, in the axils of which the seed of the kidney sits in pairs. Ripe cones are erect, purple or brownish in color, oval or cylindrical. Seeds are winged, after ripening in the first year, in September-October they crumble along with scales.
Fir is propagated by seeds, vegetatively (cuttings and layering) - rarely. Fir is a shade-tolerant, moisture-loving, soil-demanding tree of the pine family: they should be light, sandy, loamy, rather moist, well fertilized. The plant does not tolerate air pollution by smoke and gas; very unstable to fire, so Fir forests are very affected by fires.
Various species of this plant are of great importance in various industries and medicine. Turpentine is obtained from fir resin, and essential oil is obtained from needles of cones - raw material for obtaining medical camphor. In folk medicine, an infusion of needles and a decoction of the kidneys are used to treat various diseases.
As the main forest-forming species, it is used in construction, in the pulp and paper industry, and container production. As a beautiful ornamental plant, it is planted in gardens and parks of populated areas.
European spruce or common spruce
Evergreen coniferous tree, pine family. Distributed in the European part of Russia, in the Baltic States, Belarus, the Carpathians, in Asia and North America. These are graceful, slender, decorative trees of a pine forest, the height of which reaches 20-50 m, they have a straight, large trunk, gradually thinning to the very top. Covered with scaly red-brown bark. The crown is slender, dense, pyramidal, in which horizontally spaced or slightly drooping branches are observed, with ascending branches at the ends.
Since Spruce is a shade-tolerant plant, its lower branches are well preserved and can even take root. But, having a superficial root system, it is unstable and therefore, with a strong wind, it can turn out with roots. On the folds of the bark, which look like oblong pads, needles are located singly, spirally, which persist on the tree for up to 7-8 years. The needles are tetrahedral, prickly, pointed at the top; blooms in May. In a closed forest stand, it begins to "bloom" at the age of 25-30 years, in a rarefied one - from 10-15 years.
In the spring, male spikelets and female cones appear at the Spruce. Male spikelets (microstrobili) are greenish-yellow in color, located at the ends of last year's shoots. They consist of numerous scales spirally arranged on a stem. Each scale has two anthers with pollen grains. Each pollen grain has two air sacs, which increases its ability to fly. This coniferous pine tree is pollinated by the wind.
Female cones (megastrobili) are fusiform or ovoid, have a central axis on which scales are located along the edge - wavy, in the axils of which there are other scales containing two ovules. Cones before ripening are erect, purple in color, after ripening they are sagging, light brown, shiny, the length of which is 10-16 cm, diameter is 3-4 cm. Seeds are oblong, winged, ripen in the year of "Spruce flowering" in October November, after which they completely sleep out (the scales do not crumble). Seed germination is good and lasts for 8-10 years.
Common spruce or European spruce propagates in nature - by seeds and vegetatively (by layering). In culture, mainly -, rarely - vegetatively (by cuttings and grafting of the apical shoot).
The soil for growing these conifers requires well-drained, fresh, loamy, clayey or sandy loam. This frost-resistant plant tolerates frosts of 40-55 degrees Celsius, suffers from both spring and autumn frosts, dry air, and gas pollution.
European spruce, common, is an important forest-forming species. On the territory of Russia, the area of spruce forests exceeds 80 million hectares, the stock of timber is about 12 billion m3. Its elastic, soft wood is used in construction, in furniture production, for the manufacture of paper, musical instruments (violas, violins, double basses).
Rosin, tar, turpentine are extracted from the Spruce, oil for the preparation of drying oil from the seeds of cones, and tannins from the bark. Cone seeds are a favorite treat for squirrels. Spruce kidney decoction, fresh kidney syrup, resin ointment are used in folk medicine. As a beautiful ornamental plant, it is planted in gardens and parks, as well as in forest plantings.
Siberian Cedar Pine
Pine family, distributed in the north-eastern regions of Russia, in Western and Eastern Siberia, in North America. This is an evergreen, coniferous tree, the height of which is 40 m and the diameter of the trunk is 1.5-2 m. has whorled branching. The upper branches are raised up, candelabra-like.
On young branches and trunks, the bark is ash-silver in color, with brownish transverse lenticels. In adulthood, it becomes fissured, gray-brown in color. The needles are long (5-12 cm), soft, in bunches of 5 needles, triangular in cross section, dark green in color with a bluish bloom. It remains on the tree for 3-7 years.
In early spring, male spikelets and female cones appear on the branches of the Siberian Cedar pine. In the middle part of the crown are male spikelets (anther). At the ends of the upper shoots there are female cones, 2-3 at the top bud. Only the upper part of the crown bears fruit, the length of which is 1-1.5 m (rarely - 2 m).
Cones are ovoid, 6-13 cm long, 5-8 cm wide, light brown in color. The scales of the cones are tightly pressed with thickened shields. The cones contain from 80 to 140 brown seeds, 10-14 mm long and 6-10 mm wide. Seeds are mostly wingless, however, rarely found with a falling wing.
The Siberian Cedar Pine has a tap root system, with lateral, widely spread roots; blooms in June. In closed forest stands "bloom" starts from 40-50 years of age, in discharged - from 13-15 years of age. In the second year after flowering, seeds ripen in August, and in September there is a massive drop in cones.
In a fruitful year, one such large tree of the pine family can produce up to 10-15 thousand cones. Propagated in nature - samen, in culture - seeds, seedlings, seedlings, grafting. Siberian Cedar Pine, being a plant of a sharply continental climate, is frost-resistant. Photophilous in adulthood, can grow on different soils, but loves well-drained, light, loamy, deep loamy, podzolic soils. Cannot tolerate smoke pollution and replanting in adulthood.
Siberian Cedar Pine is the most important forest-forming and nut-bearing species. The total area of forests, which it grows in Russia, is 40 million hectares, the timber stock is 8 billion m3. The industrial collection of Pine nuts mainly takes place in the Urals, in Western and Eastern Siberia.
Pine nuts are a valuable food product - a source of pine nut oil. Resin is obtained from growing trees when cutting them. From needles - vitamin concentrates, coniferous pastes, coniferous flour. From soft, light, pinkish-yellow wood, pencils, furniture, musical instruments are made.
Siberian Cedar Pine is a very ornamental plant, thanks to its dense, golden, bluish, dark green needles. Therefore, it is planted in group or single plantings in gardens and parks in many countries of the world.
Coniferous plants are one of the most popular plants in landscape gardening. Almost all coniferous plants are evergreen and retain their decorative effect and appearance all year round, and only some species shed their needles for the winter.
Most conifers are tall trees: spruce, pine, thuja, fir
Among conifers and evergreens, there are many plants growing in the form of shrubs:
- boxwood
- many types of junipers (Cossack juniper)
- mahonia holly
- laurel (Daphne)
- Fatsia Japanese
- aucuba (Aucuba)
- camellia
- Photinia (Photinia)
Conifers for hedges
Spruces, arborvitae, firs, cypresses are used by gardeners as an ideal backdrop for garden and park plants. A chic evergreen hedge (see more about hedge plants) will not only outline the boundaries of your garden, cover from prying eyes, but also hide landscape imperfections.
If the hedge plants are spruce, then after 3-4 years of regular shearing, you can get a dense green barrier that neither man nor animals can overcome.
With the help of several thujas or firs, the space of the garden can be zoned and its perception can be changed by planting plants taking into account the different shades of the color of the needles.
Without the use of additional materials, you can organize a quiet nest for reflection, a Japanese-style garden, or maybe a regular English park. And all this will not lose its decorative effect all year round!
To make your garden look new every season, you only need to plant beautifully flowering perennials, annuals and bulbous flowers to coniferous and evergreen shrubs.
The combination of coniferous plants and roses is considered the most spectacular and noble, by the way, roses also belong to evergreens and have similar soil and care requirements as conifers.
boxwood
Topiary art - giving plants different shapes with the help of a haircut - is another facet of using coniferous evergreen trees and shrubs in the art of creating an ideal garden.
A variety of forms is far from all the advantages of conifers. Coniferous plants do not require special care and are rarely damaged by pests and diseases.
Healing air energizes us. Coniferous plants are decorative in summer, but they are especially beautiful in winter, when they create a pleasant contrast with deciduous plant forms. Therefore, coniferous plants for the garden are an indispensable choice.
Due to their impressive size and the amazing color of the needles, compositions using coniferous plants will decorate any area.
Experiment, plant conifers - dwarf, slow-growing forms of spruces, pines, thujas and junipers in rocky gardens and on alpine hills. Rocky garden plants covered with juniper paws can grow comfortably even in the sun.
How to care for coniferous trees and shrubs?
Watering. Mostly young trees need watering. They are abundantly watered at least once a week at the rate of 15-20 liters of water per plant.
Coniferous trees need to be watered abundantly in autumn - evergreen crops often dry up in winter not from cold weather, but from lack of moisture. Drought-resistant species (for example, pines) do not need additional watering, and trees such as thuja suffer from a lack of moisture.
Sprinkling. All coniferous plants need sprinkling, especially in spring and summer. In dry weather, it is good to carry out sprinkling in the morning or evening. During the first year after planting conifers, it is carried out every other day. Thanks to sprinkling, the needles are cleared of dirt and dust.
Mulching – Prevents soil from drying out, limits weed growth and maintains proper soil temperature in the root zone. Softwood bark, peat and fallen leaves are used as mulching material.
How to choose the right place in the garden for a coniferous plant
Many conifers prefer areas protected from bright sun and cold winds, sufficiently moist soils and good drainage. Plant your coniferous plant in such a place, and it will fully reveal its decorative qualities. Most conifers overwinter better when placed in groups.
As tapeworms, coniferous plants that normally tolerate wintering in the open air are better suited. It can be pine, spruce, larch. Plant these conifers along with other ornamental evergreens and deciduous plants, and you'll create a warmer, more sheltered microclimate.