Description of the Iseli Fastigiata spruce, its planting and use in landscape design

Spruce Iseli Fastigiata is a rather interesting variety bred by American breeders. The culture belongs to blue spruce and is distinguished by a slender, narrow-conical crown. The plant is characterized by beautiful needles. When grown in a sunny area, it appears almost blue. Due to its excellent decorative properties, the plant is often used in landscape design. At the same time, it is very important to properly care for the crop.

Botanical description

The prickly spruce Iseli Fastigiata belongs to the large Pine family. It is characterized by a number of distinctive features:

1. The average height of an adult crop is 10-12 meters.
2. The crown reaches 4-4.5 meters in diameter.
3. The tree grows quite quickly. Over the course of a year, the crop increases by an average of 20 centimeters.
4. The branches of the plant are covered with lush needles. Moreover, the length of the bluish needles is 20-25 millimeters. When grown in a sunny area they turn almost blue.
5. The entire length of the trunk is smooth and straight. It is covered with dense brown bark.
6. The tree is characterized by the presence of densely growing short branches. They are located at an acute angle to the trunk.
7. A young plant is characterized by an uneven cone-shaped crown. However, over time it gradually levels out.
8. The cones are 3-4 centimeters in size. They stay on the tree for several seasons.
9. The culture is considered to be very light-loving and frost-resistant. It can withstand even the most severe frosts.

• The plant is undemanding to the composition of the soil.

Distribution area

Under natural conditions, blue spruce Iseli Fastigiata grows in western North America.

The species is found in different states, including Utah, Idaho, New Mexico, and Arizona. Due to the fact that the tree grows high in the mountains, it has become undemanding and hardy.

Landing

In order for the Iseli Fastigiate spruce to develop normally and maintain its decorative properties, it is important to carry out planting work correctly. In this case, you need to do the following:

1. Dig a planting hole in a place with deep groundwater. Its depth should be 60 centimeters.
2. When planting several trees, maintain a spacing of 2-3 meters between them.
3. Place drainage measuring 15-20 centimeters on the bottom. For this, it is permissible to use crushed brick, expanded clay, and sand.
4. Add 100 grams of nitroammophoska into the recess.It is also useful at this stage to use the Kornevin solution.
5. Place the seedling in the hole and cover it with soil so that the root collar is flush with the soil surface. To fill the depression, you need to make a composition of turf, leaf soil, peat and sand. It is recommended to mix these components in a ratio of 2:2:1:1.
6. After planting, the young ones ate and watered generously. It is recommended to use 30-40 liters of water per plant.
7. Cover the tree trunk circle with a mulch layer. For this you can use peat, bark, and mown grass. Thanks to this procedure, it will be possible to avoid freezing and drying out of the soil. The size of the mulch layer should be 5 centimeters.

Care requirements

Spruce Iseli Fastigiata is a fairly unpretentious plant. However, certain activities still need to be carried out. The variety does not tolerate dry and hot weather well. Therefore, it requires a sufficient amount of moisture. The plant can also be pruned, especially when planting trees as a hedge.

In summer, the spruce needs to be watered once a week. In this case, 1 tree needs 12 liters of water. It is recommended to feed the crop 2 times during the season. To do this, it is worth using special preparations for coniferous plants.

To ensure that the soil breathes better and does not dry out, it is recommended to loosen it regularly. This must be done to a depth of 5 centimeters.Mulching helps retain moisture and ensure the desired level of fertility. For this purpose, grass or humus should be used. The bark of coniferous plants is also an excellent option.

Spruce of this variety does not require regular pruning. The need for this procedure depends on the purpose of planting the tree. When planting in groups or using the plant as a hedge, it is worth periodically pruning - this will increase the decorative properties of the plant. It is also necessary to remove dry or diseased branches.

It is recommended to prune after the end of active sap flow. This should be done at the end of May. In this case, the tree does not require mandatory formation. With age, it itself acquires a beautiful shape. At first, the lower shoots develop faster than the upper ones. But with age, the crown evens out.

Possible pests and diseases

To avoid the appearance of parasites and pathologies on spruce of this variety, it is necessary to regularly carry out preventive treatments with insecticides and fungicides. This type of coniferous plant is characterized by high resistance to disease, since its needles and bark synthesize phytoncides. In addition, the culture includes special resinous components.

However, sometimes the plant still suffers from the following parasites:

1. Aphids – removing weeds around the tree will help get rid of pests. Their chemical agents can be used “Mospilan” or “Dantop”. Among biological preparations, Guapsin and Fufanon are effective. For a small number of parasites, you can use a soap solution or tobacco infusion.
2. Scale insects - help to destroy pests "Aktellik" And "Biotlin" To do this, you need to carry out several treatments, alternating the drugs with each other.To physically remove pests, it is recommended to use a cloth moistened with soapy water.
3. Hermes – to get rid of parasites you should use “Aktar», «Commander", "Spark". A mineral oil suspension solution is highly effective. To prepare it, you need to mix 30 milliliters of the substance with 1 liter of water.
4. Spider mites - these pests can be destroyed using means such as Actellik and Fitoverm. With a small number of parasites, traditional methods are sufficient. In this case, it is permissible to use a soap solution or ammonia.
5. Coniferous mealybug - products such as Calypso, Confidanta, and Mospilan will help get rid of this parasite. As a folk remedy, it is permissible to use a solution of olive oil. To prepare it, you need to take 2 tablespoons of the product per 1 liter of water.

Application in design

Spruce Iseli Fastigiata has pronounced decorative properties, which is why it is often used in landscape design. Such a plant can be placed even in a small area. It won't take up much space.

The variety is resistant to air pollution. Therefore, it is often used to decorate parks, alleys, and squares. An additional advantage is the attractive appearance of the needles when illuminated in the evening.

In addition to its beautiful shape, spruce attracts with the color of its needles. Blue wood goes well with darker conifers. It can also be combined with shrubs that have bright flowers.

Spruce Iseli Fastigiata is a very attractive coniferous plant, which is often used to decorate garden plots. In order for a culture to develop normally, it needs to be properly cared for.