Spruce of the Compakta variety is a popular coniferous crop that is characterized by slow growth. Mature trees reach a height of 1.5-2 meters. They have a conical crown and small needles that shoot upward. Thanks to its doll-like appearance, spruce is often sold in nurseries as a New Year tree. An additional advantage of the plant is its low maintenance requirements.
History of the tree
Today it is not known for certain whether this spruce variety is authentic or a hybrid. There is also no information about who first discovered the Compact variety.Moreover, the first mention of this plant dates back to 1864. This compact plant has a number of features and differences from ordinary spruce.
What does it look like
The Kompakta variety is a dwarf spruce, which is characterized by a dense and fairly dense crown. Young trees first have an oval or broadly ovoid shape. Subsequently they become more rounded. Over time, the crown takes on a cone-shaped shape and becomes wider.
The attractiveness of the plant is associated with the shiny needles, which have a rich green color. The length of the needles is 10-14 millimeters. Annual shoots of the plant have brown bark. At the top of the trunk there are short skeletal branches. They are slightly raised at the top. In this case, the lower shoots are spaced from each other at a certain interval.
Compact spruce is characterized by a slow growth rate, which does not exceed 3-5 centimeters per year. This variety is a durable conifer. Its lifespan reaches 150 years. The plant thrives in low temperatures and can withstand frosts down to -34 degrees. At the same time, the crop does not tolerate waterlogged soil well.
Growing and care
When preparing a hole for planting, it is important to make it large enough. It should be twice the size of the root ball of soil. In clay soil, it is worth providing a drainage layer of 10-20 centimeters of drainage. Its functions can be performed by expanded clay, crushed stone, gravel.
The pit should be filled with a special substrate for conifers. You can also make a soil mixture of 2 parts earth, 1 part peat and 1 part sand. When carrying out planting work, you can add “Kornevin” or another root growth stimulator to the recess. It is also permissible to use WMD for coniferous plants.
The seedling must be placed so that the root collar is flush with the ground surface. After planting is completed, the plant should be watered well and covered with a mulching layer of bark, wood chips, and sawdust.
Compact spruce is considered an unpretentious crop. However, to maintain its attractive appearance, you should follow some rules. A tree can go without watering for a long time. However, in hot and dry conditions the soil still needs to be slightly moistened. You can also sprinkle the crown.
For feeding, it is worth using special products for conifers. They include a balanced composition of microelements. The plant does not need pruning, but can withstand shearing well. It is best to carry out this procedure at the end of winter or early spring.
The benefits of such a tree
Compacta is often used to create group compositions. It should be used to design heather and rocky gardens. The tree also looks great in rock gardens and rockeries. The culture goes well with small trees and shrubs. In addition, wood can be used as an accent.
Compact spruce is an attractive coniferous tree that serves as an excellent decoration for summer cottages. In order for the culture to develop normally and delight with its decorative appearance, it is important to adhere to a number of rules of agricultural technology.
