Canadian spruce Rainbow End is a very attractive ornamental crop that is often used for landscaping city parks and summer cottages. The popularity of the plant is explained by the unusual shape of the crown and the rich shade of the needles. To get a beautiful and healthy tree, it is important to carry out planting work correctly and provide the crop with quality care.
What kind of tree is this
Canadian spruce Rainbow End is an attractive ornamental crop. According to the description, by the age of 10 it reaches 90-180 centimeters.In this case, the crown diameter is 40-60 centimeters. The plant grows 7-10 centimeters per year. The estimated lifespan of the tree is 50 years. Moreover, its maximum dimensions are 2.5-3 meters.
Spruce of this variety is characterized by a dense crown. This is due to the presence of short internodes. The plant has a regular cone shape and a sharp crown. After some time, the contours become less clear. In this case, the branches of the spruce are directed upward and covered with needles measuring 1-1.5 centimeters.
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Young growth is creamy in color. At the same time, by summer it acquires a golden yellow hue. Subsequently, the needles turn green. When a tree is grown in partial shade, it acquires a less bright shade. If the tree gets very little sun, the yellow color is not as pronounced.
Young needles are soft. But over time it becomes tough and prickly. If you rub the needles, they emit a blackcurrant aroma. The spruce root system is characterized by a superficial location. In this case, there are practically no cones on the tree.
Popular varieties
Canadian spruce has many interesting varieties. They are similar in shape and small in size. However, each of the varieties is characterized by its own characteristics.
Konica
This is the most popular variety of blue spruce. The plant has excellent decorative properties, and therefore can become a decoration for any area. The shape of the spruce resembles a narrow cone. Another feature of the culture is its dense crown.
The plant is characterized by bluish-green soft needles. The root system is of the rod type and has compact dimensions. In this case, most of the roots are located near the surface of the soil.This must be taken into account when loosening the soil.
Konica is characterized by slow development. During the year, the tree grows by a maximum of 3-4 centimeters. With adequate care it can reach 3 meters in height. However, the average height of the plant does not exceed 1 meter. El Konika Suitable for creating hedges. Its main disadvantage is considered to be severe burning of the crown under the influence of sunlight in the spring.
The sun is radiant
This variety is characterized by slow development. Its maximum height usually does not exceed 1 meter. This crop is characterized by a cone shape and has an ideal shape. The crown is considered quite dense and has excellent decorative properties.
Young needles are pale yellow in color, but later they acquire a blue-green tint. Spruce of this variety is considered undemanding to care and can grow in any type of soil. To increase the decorative value of the plant, it should be planted in well-lit places.
Daisy
This small tree is characterized by very slow development. In 10 years, the crop grows to a maximum of 80 centimeters. For Daisy varieties Characterized by soft short needles, which are distinguished by their green color.
Young branches are yellow-white in color, but later they acquire a green tint. It is important to consider that light pine needles fade quickly. Therefore, it needs to be protected from spring sun rays.
The high decorative characteristics of the Daisy variety make it possible to use this crop to create a heather garden. The plant also looks great in compositions with other compact conifers.
Sanders Blue
Spruce Sanders Blue It has a conical shape and very small dimensions. By the age of 10, the height of the plant does not exceed 70 centimeters.The tree has many shoots with thin and short silver-blue needles.
To obtain a decorative crop, it needs to be provided with good lighting. However, during the first few years it is recommended to protect the plant from burns. When choosing a site for planting, you should give preference to slightly acidic soil. It should be moderately moist and well drained. Sanders Blue spruce does not tolerate stagnant moisture.
Albert Glob
This variety is considered a mutation of Konica, but differs from it in appearance. The culture is an evergreen shrub, which has a spherical shape. Young needles are characterized by a yellow-green color. Over time, it acquires a rich green tint. This variety is characterized by slow development. The crown diameter of an adult plant does not exceed 1 meter.
Spruce Alberta Globe needs good lighting. However, the plant also does well in the shade. The root system of the plant is characterized by a superficial location. Therefore, the culture needs to be constantly moistened. Spruce of this variety fits perfectly into oriental compositions. It is also often grown in pots.
Rainbow End
Rainbow End spruce is a small crop that is distinguished by its cone shape. In spring, the plant is characterized by an attractive green color. However, in summer it turns bright yellow. The tree is characterized by slow development. It does not exceed 1 meter in height.
The culture is characterized by soft and short needles. Young shoots are distinguished by a soft green color. In early spring, they often fade under the scorching rays of the sun. Therefore, the shoots of the plant must be shaded.
When growing crops in the shade, the needles will become dull. Therefore, it is best to plant spruce in well-lit areas.In landscape design, the plant is often used for contrasting plantings. The crop is also grown in containers.
Pendula
This culture has a very unusual appearance. It has hard hanging shoots. Moreover, some of them practically lie on the surface of the earth. The central spruce shoot must be tied up. This is required for the tree to grow upward. The height of the plant depends on this. If the plant is not tied up, it begins to grow downwards. This leads to the formation of a weeping form. At the same time, the spruce branches descend all the way to the ground.
A distinctive feature of this culture is its short green needles. On young shoots it has a lighter color. In order for the Pendula variety to look decorative, it needs to be properly cared for. So, a tree needs high-quality watering, although it can do without moisture for some time.
The correct choice of site for planting is of no small importance. Spruce varieties Pendula A well-lit area and light fertile soil are required.
Planting a tree
Canadian spruce is resistant to cold weather. At the same time, it is recommended to plant it in sandy loam or well-drained loamy soil. The plant can also be placed in sandy soil. It is best to plant the crop in a well-lit area, but it can also develop in partial shade. The plant is resistant to drought and air pollution.
To plant blue spruce, it is recommended to do the following:
- Select a suitable site. It should be well lit and protected from drafts.
- Make a hole 2 times larger than the size of the root system. When planting several trees, it is necessary to maintain an interval of at least 2 meters between them.
- Place crushed bricks or compost in the bottom of the hole.
- Place the seedling in the hole so that the root collar is flush with the soil surface.
- Cover the seedling with soil.
- Gently tamp down the soil. It is recommended to do this carefully so as not to damage the root system.
- Fill the spruce with 1 bucket of water and sprinkle with mulch. To do this, it is permissible to use leaves, peat or grass.
Care requirements
In order for a spruce to look decorative, it needs to be provided with complete and high-quality care.
Watering
During the first 2 weeks after planting, the spruce requires regular and abundant watering. The soil should not dry out even for a short period of time. Subsequently, you can water the plant less often. However, in the summer heat, the soil still needs to be moistened every week. In this case, excess moisture leads to the development of rot. A particular danger is when the root collar gets wet.
Should I cover it from the sun?
Young dwarf trees may burn out after planting. To avoid such problems, it is recommended to shade the plants in the spring. It is best to plant such crops near large trees with a not too thick crown, through which diffused sunlight breaks through.
Trimming
Rainbow End spruce has an attractive pyramidal crown that does not require formative pruning. In this case, sometimes it is necessary to remove accidentally grown shoots of normal size.If this is not done, the branch will become dominant, which will ruin the varietal spruce.
It is impossible to carry out sanitary pruning of the crop. The plant is characterized by the presence of a large number of short dry branches that are located inside. To get rid of them, a special procedure is carried out - cleaning the crown.
Application
Rainbow End is distinguished by its compact size, beautiful crown and unusual color. Therefore, the plant is often used in landscape design. This culture is perfect for decorating small areas. It can be placed in flower beds, rock gardens and rock gardens.
Due to its compact size, spruce of this variety cannot be used as a tapeworm. In addition, placing the crop in an open area leads to burning out of the needles. This feature should definitely be taken into account and the spruce should be placed in partial shade. The tree should be placed in the shade of plants that can protect its needles at midday.
Spruce of this variety looks great in the foreground of landscape compositions. It is also permissible to place it in regular plantings along the perimeter of the ground floor lawn. The plant will be an excellent decoration for walking paths or the entrance to the house. It can be safely used as a repeating element in long flower beds.
Also, Canadian spruce of this variety can be grown in containers. This option is considered convenient. In this case, the plant will be able to be moved around the site and used to decorate different zones.
Canadian spruce Rainbow End is an attractive ornamental plant that is widely used in landscape design. In order for a crop to grow and develop normally, it is important to plant it correctly and follow basic agrotechnical recommendations.
