Many people prefer to grow decorative conifers on their plots. They often use spruce and fir to decorate their spaces. However, in reality, not every person knows exactly how fir differs from spruce. These plants are characterized by different appearance. They also differ in their cultivation characteristics and areas of application.
What do trees have in common?
Despite a number of differences, the cultures in question have many similarities. Common signs include the following:
- long life expectancy;
- significant height - reaches 30-70 meters;
- cone-shaped crown;
- spreading branches - the lower shoots are located near the surface of the earth and are located at right angles;
- presence of needles.
The wood of the plant species in question is often used in construction and industry. In addition, trees are often used in landscape design. This is due to their excellent decorative characteristics.
Key differences
To distinguish one tree from another, there are many aspects to consider. First of all, the difference between the cultures in question concerns appearance. There are also differences in the care and uses of plants.
Appearance
The difference between fir and spruce lies in appearance. Fir branches do not extend beyond visual boundaries. In this case, the tree is characterized by a regular symmetrical shape. It is distinguished by thick needles, through which the trunk and branches are not visible. The height of the crop reaches 70 meters.
Other distinctive features of trees include the following:
- Bark – Spruce has brown bark with a reddish tint. It is covered with cracks that differ in length and direction. Fir is characterized by the presence of a smooth and solid gray bark. There are resinous tubercles on its surface.
- Needles – spruce is characterized by tetrahedral light green needles, which are characterized by an arbitrary direction of growth. The culture has sharp and hard needles, the length of which is 3 centimeters. Fir is characterized by soft needles. At the same time, its needles expand upward.Their length reaches 4 centimeters. At the same time, the needles are distinguished by a bright green color with light stripes along the edges.
- Cones - spruce fruits are distinguished by their elongated cone-shaped shape and brown color. They form at the ends of branches and are located top down. Fir is characterized by round, pale green cones that are distinguished by their vertical arrangement.
- Seeds – spruce is characterized by ovoid seeds with regularly shaped wings of a dark brown hue. The fir is characterized by wedge-shaped grains with an asymmetrical beige wing.
Care requirements
Fir grows well in well-drained loamy soil. It is able to grow in semi-shaded areas. The crop needs to be watered abundantly 2 times a month. It is recommended to use 20 liters of water per plant.
Fir, like spruce, needs to be pruned every year, removing diseased and injured branches. This procedure should be carried out in early spring - before the start of sap flow.
Spruce grows well in any type of soil. It is recommended to plant it in well-lit areas. Seedlings of this crop are highly resistant to frost. Therefore, they do not need to be covered for the winter.
Application
The plants in question differ in color and wood texture. Spruce is characterized by light-colored wood with fine grained lines. It is characterized by high density and strength. Fir is a soft and fragile gray material. It is characterized by a coarse texture and rough surface.
Spruce wood is more valuable. It is used in carpentry. The material is also used to make musical instruments and furniture. Fir wood is considered less valuable. It is almost never used in construction.Typically, the material is used to produce paper and various types of containers.
Which tree to choose
The choice of wood depends on the application. For example, spruce wood is more suitable for construction and furniture making. At the same time, fir is often used to build barrels and boxes for vegetables and fruits.
Both types of trees are used in landscape design. The choice of a specific plant depends on a person’s personal preferences. Both varieties serve as excellent decoration for the area. The only difference is that fir has a more intense aroma. In addition, it is worth considering that spruce is considered more prickly. Therefore, planting it is much more difficult. This requires the use of special protective devices.
The choice of a specific plant often comes up on the eve of the New Year holidays. In this case, many people prefer fir, which has a rich smell and is less prickly, which is very important if there are small children in the house.
Spruce and fir are popular conifers that have many similarities. However, these cultures also have a number of important differences. They affect visual features, rules of agricultural technology, and application features. All this should be taken into account when choosing a specific option.
