Description of black spruce, its planting and care, application in landscape design

Black spruce is a fairly unpretentious plant that has pronounced decorative properties. This conifer comes from North America. In Europe, it began to be grown in the eighteenth century. In order for the culture to develop normally, it is important to carry out planting work correctly and provide the plant with proper care.

What kind of tree is it and what does it look like?

This spruce is called Picea Mariana Aurea. It literally translates to “black spruce native to Maryland.” Most likely, the plant was first identified in this state.In Europe, spruce began to be planted in Germany in the first half of the eighteenth century. When describing culture, it is worth identifying the following parameters:

1. Height – spruce is considered a medium-sized crop. Its maximum size does not exceed 20-30 meters. In nature, plants are usually found no more than 10 meters high. Some decorative species do not exceed 1 meter - in particular, Nana.
2. The trunk diameter is approximately 30-90 centimeters.
3. The conical crown is narrow and dense. Often it has an irregular shape and has horizontal shoots. Older spruce trees are characterized by the fact that their lower branches bend strongly to the ground surface.
4. Gray-brown or reddish bark. It is quite thin and has a scaly structure. Young branches have a richer red-brown color.
5. Dark blue-green needles - have a prickly structure, but are small in thickness. The length of the tetrahedral needles reaches 1-1.5 centimeters, and the width - 0.5-0.7 millimeters. The needles on the shoots are very dense. At the same time, it lasts quite a long time - more than 8 years. The specific period depends on growth conditions. The needles of the plant have a pronounced aroma.
6. Small cones - have a size of 2-3 centimeters. The cones are ovoid in shape. At an early stage they are purple in color, but later darken and become black-brown. It is worth noting that the cones do not fall off for a long time. They can survive on trees for up to 20-30 years.

This type of spruce is characterized by slow development even in favorable conditions. Its lifespan reaches 350-400 years. Black spruce is a shade-tolerant plant that has low demands on soil composition. The culture has average frost resistance parameters.It can easily withstand temperatures down to -30 degrees.

Popular varieties

The plant has quite high decorative properties. This type is not very often used for decorating summer cottages. However, there are a number of varieties that are often grown in European countries and North America. These include the following:

1. Baisneri is a small tree whose height does not exceed 5 meters. The culture is characterized by a wide-round shape. This means that it has the same dimensions in height and width. The needles are characterized by a silver-blue color. The variety is characterized by slow growth. It was launched back in 1915. This culture is perfect for decorating large gardens. There is also a dwarf variety of spruce bred by Dutch breeders - Baisneri Compacta. The height of this crop is no more than 2 meters.
2. Nana is a dwarf plant that usually reaches a maximum height of 50 centimeters. The name of the culture means "low". The tree is characterized by a round, uniform crown. In addition, the variety has delicate and thin needles of a light green-blue hue. Over the course of a year, spruce grows only slightly, but Nana develops well in harsh climates and easily withstands frosts. The variety must be propagated by cuttings. It can be grown in open ground or used to decorate terraces, balconies and roofs. The plant grows well in a container. It can be used to decorate flower beds and alpine slides.
3. Kobold is another low-growing variety of black spruce.By the age of 20, the height of the crop reaches 1 meter. At the same time, the plant grows by a maximum of 5 centimeters per year. The culture is characterized by a spherical and fairly dense crown of a dark green hue. This spruce was bred in Germany in 1951. It develops well in the middle zone and is excellent for creating a hedge.
4. Doumeti is a relatively small plant, the height of which does not exceed 6 meters. The crop is characterized by a wide, conical crown. It has dense shoots that ascend upward. The culture has a dense crown of light blue color. Another feature of the culture is the cones that grow directly on the trunk. The Doumeti variety differs from other types of black spruce in its rapid growth. The variety was obtained in France in 1855. Spruce is ideal for decorating parks and squares. It looks great as a solitaire and is often used to create all kinds of compositions.

Area

This species comes from North America. Under natural conditions, it is found in territories from Alaska to Minnesota. The culture came to the Old World in the mid-eighteenth century. It quickly took root in European countries.

Black spruce has become widespread in areas with permafrost. It is also often found in areas of sphagnum bogs. The tree mainly grows in the taiga. It is also sometimes found in mixed forests.

In Russia, this culture is rarely found. It mainly grows in forest areas. Even under favorable conditions, the crop is characterized by slow growth.

Landing

Black spruce is considered an undemanding crop. It grows well in shady places and in partial shade.However, the crop can hardly withstand heat and prolonged exposure to direct sunlight. They lead to a slowdown in the development of the crop and yellowing of the needles. In addition, the plant’s immunity is weakened. Spruce is undemanding in terms of soil nutritional parameters. It grows normally even in wetlands.

When choosing a planting site, it is important to give preference to an area with good protection from wind and draft. The roots of the tree are not deep enough to withstand powerful gusts. A hurricane can uproot a spruce tree.

It is not recommended to plant the crop near fruit or vegetable crops, as the tree will absorb many valuable components from the soil. This will lead to a decrease in the quality and quantity of the crop.

When planting a plant, it is recommended to take into account a number of important features:

1. During the year, it is recommended to plant spruce in spring or autumn. It is permissible to move seedlings in containers into the ground at other times.
2. Before planting, the soil needs to be prepared. Although black spruce is not too demanding on the composition of the soil, a fertile substrate will have a good effect on the survival and development of the seedling. You can make soil with your own hands. To do this, you should mix turf, leaf soil, sand and peat. It is recommended to do this in a ratio of 2:2:1:1.
3. The size of the recess for planting should match the volume of the earthen lump on the roots of the plant.
4. Be sure to provide good drainage at the bottom. It is best to use expanded clay. It is also permissible to use crushed stone or crushed brick. It is important that the thickness of the drainage layer is 20 centimeters.
5. When immersing a seedling in a hole, it is important to consider that the root collar should be flush with the surface of the earth.
6. The root system of the crop should be carefully straightened. After which it needs to be sprinkled with soil and compacted loosely.
7. To secure the seedling, you should use pegs. It is recommended to tie the trunk to them.
8. Finally, the spruce needs to be watered generously. After which the tree trunk circle should be covered with a mulch layer. It may include sawdust, peat, wood chips.

Care

For full development, it is worth following some rules of agricultural technology. With age, the root system acquires a superficial type. Therefore, trampling the tree trunk circle is not recommended. For the same reason, you should not replant a tree older than 1 year.

When caring for crops, you should follow these rules:

1. Water the plants in a timely manner. It is recommended to irrigate young spruce trees quite abundantly. At the same time, you should use 2-3 buckets of water for 1 plant. The exact amount depends on the weather. It is recommended to water mature trees in dry weather.
2. Loosen the plantings. After watering, this must be done to a depth of 10 centimeters.
3. Trim plants. It is important to remove dry and affected shoots. To thicken the crown, it is recommended to cut the plants heavily - by half.

To retain moisture in the soil and prevent weeds from growing, it is worth covering the tree trunk circle with a mulch layer. This requires the use of wood chips or peat. The mulch layer should be 10 centimeters.

Reproduction methods

It is recommended to propagate black spruce by cuttings. Propagation of the crop by seed is allowed, but this method is rarely used. This is due to the fact that the process itself is labor intensive and not very efficient.

Pest Control

The most common pathologies of black spruce include fungal infections – Schutte and Fusarium. Mold can also cause problems. Thus, the plant is susceptible to root rot and bud rust. To prevent problems, it is important to systematically inspect plants and remove old branches.

Before planting, the root system must be treated with fungicidal substances. When signs of disease appear, the solution is recommended to be used to water the plant.

Spruce can also suffer from various types of insects. Of the sucking parasites, the crop is more susceptible to attacks by aphids, needle beetles, spider mites, and Hermes. Among the pine-eating pests, it is worth highlighting the sawfly. There are also pests that attack shoots and cones. These include bark beetles and pine pine moth. It is recommended to systematically inspect the plantings and, if necessary, treat them with insecticides.

Application

Black spruce is considered a fairly valuable plant. It is often used in the paper industry and to make lumber. The culture is often used for the manufacture of finishing materials.

The plant is perfect for decorating garden plots. Tall varieties can be used as a solitaire or to create attractive group compositions. Low-growing crops can be planted in flower beds or used to decorate alpine slides. They also look great as a hedge.

Black spruce is a popular and sought-after plant that fits perfectly into a variety of compositions. In order for the crop to maintain its attractiveness, it is important to adhere to the basic rules of agricultural technology.