Prickly spruce Erich Frahm is a slender tree that originates from North America. It has a symmetrical cone-shaped crown and horizontal strong branches. The tree is characterized by beautiful green or gray needles and cylindrical cones. All these features allow the active use of culture in landscape design. To grow a tree successfully, you must adhere to certain rules.
Description of appearance
The Erich Fram spruce was developed by breeders in North America. This culture adapts well to different climatic zones. Subsequently, the variety became widespread in many European countries.The culture is distinguished by its compact size and neat appearance. It is characterized by medium size. An adult tree does not exceed 10 meters in height and 3 meters in diameter.
This plant is characterized by rather slow development. In 1 year, the plant grows a maximum of 5-6 centimeters. By the age of 10, the plant does not exceed 2 meters in height. Moreover, its width is 1 meter. Subsequently, the culture begins to take on a more elongated shape.
A distinctive feature of spruce is its tiered, symmetrical crown. Thanks to this, the tree acquires its usual classic shape. At a young age, the trunk may be slightly deformed. But after a few years it becomes straighter and grows properly. Strong branches form a fairly dense crown. They are distinguished by horizontal growth and help achieve volume.
The plant is characterized by dense tetrahedral needles that stick out in different directions. It does not exceed 2-3 centimeters in length and has a spiky structure. At first, the spruce has a light color. As it develops, it becomes green-blue.
The tree has a superficial root system. The cones are cylindrical in shape and 5-10 centimeters long. They reach 2-3 centimeters in diameter. Unripe fruits are green-yellow in color. Subsequently they become light brown.
Advantages and disadvantages
According to the description, Erich Frahm spruce has proven itself well in North America. There the culture showed excellent characteristics. Breeders managed to obtain a universal variety that can be grown in different climatic zones. Spruce has strong immunity to diseases and pests.
Another advantage of the Erich Frahm spruce is its resistance to drought. Moreover, this feature has a permanent effect. Drought does not cause plant degradation.
The downside of the crop is the need to comply with agrotechnical recommendations for the normal development of the crop. Otherwise, the tree will quickly lose its decorative effect.
Application
Erich Frahm spruce is often used in landscape design. It is used as a tapeworm and as part of park compositions. In this case, spruce trees of different heights are used. Various shades of needles and leaves can also be combined.
The culture goes well with herbaceous and shrub plants. It can be used to decorate parks, schools, and lawns.
Landing instructions
When planting Erich Frahm spruce, it is important to follow a number of recommendations. First you need to select and prepare the soil. It is important to consider that the seedling will not be able to develop normally in nutritious soil, since this will lead to active growth of branches upward. As a result, it does not form a regular pyramidal crown.
Before planting, the nutrient substrate must be acidified with ammonium chloride, ammonium sulfate or ammonium nitrate. This must be done carefully to achieve the effect of slightly acidic soil. It is also permissible to use soil from a coniferous forest for planting.
When planting a plant, it is necessary to provide drainage.It is made from crushed stone, vermiculite or brick. The thickness of the drainage layer should be at least 20 centimeters.
When choosing a seedling, you should give preference to plants of medium height that have the correct crown. It is recommended to choose a tree with closed roots. This will help prevent them from drying out.
To carry out planting work, you need to do the following:
- Clear the soil of weeds and dig a hole larger than the container with the seedling. Usually the size of the pit is 80x80 centimeters.
- Place a drainage layer at the bottom. It may consist of crushed bricks, medium gravel or vermiculite.
- Place the spruce so that the root collar is located 3-5 centimeters from the surface of the ground.
- Cover the tree with soil from a container or use forest soil.
- Compact the tree to prevent air from entering the root system.
- Water the crop generously.
Proper care
Caring for the Erich Frahm spruce is not difficult. This plant is considered to be very moisture-loving, so it needs to be watered daily. Young spruce trees are moistened in portions 5-6 times during the day. At the same time, it is worth spending 1-2 liters of water on 1 seedling. 10 liters of water are poured under adult plants once. It is also useful to irrigate the crown.
The plant withstands sanitary pruning and crown formation well. Young crops require preparation for winter. To do this, in cold weather they are covered with cotton material.
Erich Frahm spruce is an attractive ornamental plant that fits perfectly into a variety of landscape compositions. With proper planting and adequate care, the tree will look attractive for many years.
