Glauka is a beautiful coniferous plant that is grown by many summer residents. This culture is often used by designers to design alleys, parks, squares and gardens. It is undemanding to care and develops well even in the unfavorable conditions of large cities. This plant can tolerate exposure to dust and polluted air. With proper care, the Glauka spruce can live for more than 500 years.
What it is
Glauka spruce is also called gray or Canadian.It belongs to the Spruce genus and the Pine family. Another representative of this group is blue spruce. It is distinguished by its larger size and bright blue needle color.
Canadian Glauka spruce is an evergreen coniferous plant that reaches an average height of 15-20 meters. However, sometimes it reaches a height of 40 meters. The trunks are no more than 1 meter in diameter and are covered with scaly bark.
Young trees have an upward conical crown. Gradually it becomes cylindrical. The needles have a diamond-shaped cross-section. The outside of the needles is blue-green in color, and the inside is whitish. It reaches 12-20 millimeters in length.
Types of spruce
Gray spruce has many varieties, each of which has certain characteristics.
Globoza
This dwarf tree was bred in the Netherlands in 1937. According to the description, the maximum height of this plant is 2 meters. Moreover, in young specimens the crown has an almost spherical shape.
The annual increase is relatively small. It is only 10 centimeters. As it develops, the crown becomes conical. Globoza spruce has beautiful silver needles. It is characterized by a bright shade throughout the year. Spruce branches are densely covered with needles, so the tree looks fluffy.
Konica
This tree is compact in size. The height of the crop is approximately 4 meters. Its shoots are covered with soft needles.The plant is considered shade-loving and is resistant to frost down to -29 degrees. This variety has become widespread. It is used to design shady and sunny beds. The crop is also grown on balconies and terraces. However, at home, the plant requires a constant flow of air. Otherwise, there is a risk of his death.
Compacta
This is a compact coniferous plant that has a dense and very dense crown of a wide pyramidal shape. By the age of 10, the tree reaches a height of 1 meter. At the same time, the crown width has the same dimensions.
The branches grow horizontally from the trunk. The needles have a silver-blue color and a rigid structure. It has a spiral arrangement. This spruce responds well to crown formation. At the same time, it requires sunny areas that have fertile and well-drained soil.
Procumbens
This decorative dwarf tree has a very wide, flattened crown. A coniferous plant can easily be confused with a shrub. By the age of 10, the tree is about 50 centimeters tall. Moreover, in diameter it can reach 1.2 meters. By the age of 30, the culture has already grown to 3 meters. This plant is considered quite resistant to frost. It can withstand temperatures down to -29 degrees.
Arizona
Seedlings of this species are often labeled “Spruce Glauka Kaibab.” An adult tree reaches a height of 2-3 meters. This variety is distinguished by very dense branches. It has short needles that do not exceed 1.2 centimeters in length. The plant is also characterized by silver-blue needles. It is very thick and prickly. When grown in the shade, the needles turn dark green. The tree is considered light-loving. At the same time, it is resistant to drought.
Ducharme
This plant has a compact size and a spherical crown, which has densely spaced shoots. The needles are blue-gray in color. By the age of 10, the tree reaches a height of only 30 centimeters. Over the course of a year, the crop grows by less than 2.5 centimeters. A distinctive feature of the variety is the ease of cuttings. Cut branches take root easily when compared with other species.
Perfecta
This variety has a regular symmetrical crown, which has a pronounced pointed crown. In 10 years the plant reaches a height of 1 meter. The maximum height is 4 meters. Over the course of a year, spruce grows a maximum of 4 centimeters. Young needles are usually light green and then become darker. The branches of the plant are directed upward at an acute angle.
Spruce Lilu
For this spruce trees are characterized by beautiful decorative properties. The culture resembles a flowering bush in appearance. It has dense and shiny needles of a light green hue. At the end of summer, cones 10-15 centimeters in size appear on the plants. They have a crimson-red hue. This tree is characterized by an asymmetrical crown. The culture grows very slowly - a maximum of 10 centimeters per year. Therefore, a 10-year-old seedling has a height of no more than 1 meter.
Norway spruce
This variety has an unusual appearance and resembles a fairy-tale tree. An adult crop has a height of 6-8 meters. The young plant develops quickly. Over the course of a year, it increases by 40 centimeters. The crown is characterized by a cone-shaped crown, which consists of long drooping branches. The variety is considered very moisture-loving. It needs high air humidity.
Range and distribution
Canadian spruce became widespread in the cold regions of North America.It covers large areas from Alaska to northern Montana. Nowadays, cultivated varieties have gained wide popularity in European countries. They are often found in gardens and parks.
Care requirements
The optimal period for planting is spring. However, it can be postponed to the end of August. It is necessary to plant plants at intervals of 2 meters, since Glauka spruce does not tolerate thickening of plantings. When choosing seedlings, it is important to ensure that they are not damaged.
The depth of the planting holes should be 60 centimeters. A drainage layer measuring 15 centimeters is required at the bottom. For this, it is permissible to use crushed ceramics or gravel. The soil from the hole must be mixed with peat and humus.
When planting a plant, it is important to ensure that the root collar is flush with the ground. It is necessary to pour mulch or sand around the trunk, since spruce does not like too compacted soil. After planting, the plants need to be watered. Each tree requires 20 liters of water.
Glauka spruce is considered low maintenance. Artificial watering is required for moisture-loving plants. The rest have enough natural precipitation. Since dwarf trees grow slowly, they do not require frequent feeding. When using fertile soil for planting, the first fertilizing should be done only after 2-3 years. In this case, it is recommended to use a complex mineral fertilizer, which is intended for coniferous crops.
Reproduction
The culture is best propagated by cuttings. Thanks to this, it will be possible to preserve the growth characteristics of the plant. However, this method can only be used by experienced gardeners. The result depends on the selected cutting.Its size should be 10 centimeters. In this case, a piece of bark should remain at the edge of the cut. Harvesting of shoots should be carried out in mid-spring or autumn.
After this you need to do the following:
- Place the trimmed fragments in a special solution that will activate growth processes. After 2 days, the cuttings should be planted in the ground at an angle. It is recommended to make the nutrient substrate yourself. To do this, you need to combine sand with peat and perlite in equal parts. You definitely need to put drainage at the bottom.
- Cover the cuttings with film, moisten the soil and place the container in the shade.
- A year after the roots appear, plant the plants in a greenhouse. At the initial stage they require a lot of light. In greenhouse conditions, the spruce should grow for another 4 years. Only after this is she planted in a permanent area.
Pests and diseases
Glauka spruce is a plant that does not require frequent watering and processing. However, sometimes it suffers from pests. Most often, the crop is attacked by the following parasites:
- Stem pests – lead to the formation of small holes in the bark. When such parasites are detected, treatment with insecticides is required.
- Spider mites - most often affect dwarf crops. Parasites can be identified by a thin layer of cobwebs and yellow spots on the needles. Complex acaricides help control pests.
- Aphids - most often attack the lower branches and bark of a tree. A soap solution will help deal with parasites. Affected branches should be removed and burned.
The plant may also suffer from infection by Kabatina fungi. The infection leads to gradual withering of the upper branches and complete drying of the tree.Repeated treatments with systemic fungicides should be used to kill fungi.
In addition, the fungus Rhizosphaera kalkhoffii is a fungus for spruce. The first sign of the disease is the appearance of yellow needles at the end of August. After a while they turn burgundy or crumble. Systemic fungicides help cope with pathology.
Where is it used?
Glauka spruce has a small height and excellent decorative properties, which is why it is often used to decorate summer cottages. In this case, you need to take into account a number of rules.
Landscape design
This spruce is ideal for a medium-sized plot. Trees look great on the sides of paths that lead to the exit from a house or park. With the help of such plants it is possible to divide the space into zones. If you plant spruce trees in a checkerboard pattern, you will be able to protect yourself from air pollution.
Glauka fits perfectly into group or single compositions. The plant looks good against the backdrop of a bright green lawn. When creating group compositions, the crop can be combined with various deciduous shrubs. It can also be combined with barberry, willow, oak, and maple.
Glauka spruce is a fairly common coniferous plant that has excellent decorative properties. This culture looks good in any area and is considered low maintenance.
