Majestic Blue spruce is called a spectacular ornamental plant that is used to create beautiful ensembles. The culture is used as a tapeworm and in group compositions. Under natural conditions, the plant has become widespread in North America. In order for the crop to retain its decorative properties, planting work must be carried out correctly. Compliance with the rules for caring for crops is of no small importance.
Botanical description
Blue spruce Glauka Majestic Blue is a rather attractive crop imported from the USA. The plant is considered the official state tree of the states of Utah and Colorado. It is actively used as a decorative element in the USA and European countries. The lifespan of the plant reaches approximately 600 years.
A distinctive feature of spruce is the densely growing horizontal branches that form a conical crown. By the age of 30, the plant reaches a height of 10-50 meters. At the same time, with age, the correct shape of the spruce becomes slightly deformed.
This variety occupies a leading position among spruce trees. Even young needles have an attractive blue color. The width of the tree reaches 6 meters. The top of the trunk is covered with scaly gray bark. It is also distinguished by dense needles measuring 3 centimeters, which are attached to yellow-brown branches.
Throughout the year, the shade of the needles changes slightly. In early spring they are almost white in color, and by autumn they become bluish-blue. Cones appear on the tips of branches of mature trees over 30 years old. Their size is 6-15 centimeters. The culture of this variety is characterized by high frost resistance parameters. It can withstand temperatures down to -40 degrees.
Why is it called that?
Picea pungens Glauca Majestic Blue got its name from its appearance. It has hard needles 2-3 centimeters long. Moreover, on the lower branches they are larger in size than on the upper ones.
The needles have a tetrahedral shape and a sharp tip. This feature is associated with the presence of the word “pungens” in the name. In Latin, this word means "sharp, as if a puncture wound." Over time, the plant turns silver-blue. That's why they call him Blue.The word "glauca" is translated from Latin as "carpet", and "majestic" means "majestic".
Landing requirements
Blue spruce can be planted in early spring or late fall. In the first case, it is recommended to shade the crop from direct sunlight. When planting in autumn, protection from winter wind and severe frost is needed.
When purchasing spruce seedlings, you need to give preference to plants with a closed root system. To grow a crop successfully, you must adhere to a number of rules. First of all, you should wisely choose the material for planting. High-quality seedlings have a height of no more than 60 centimeters. These spruce trees take root well. In addition, they have a more affordable price.
Do not be afraid to buy a spruce with a crooked trunk - over time, this drawback will disappear. It is much more important to monitor the color and structure of the needles - they should look healthy. In addition, young seedlings tolerate transplantation much better.
To plant a crop, you need to do the following:
- Prepare a hole that is twice the size of the container with the seedling.
- At the bottom of the recess, arrange a drainage layer. Its size should be at least 10 centimeters. Crushed stone or crushed brick can be used as drainage.
- Combine the soil from the hole with sand, leaf soil and turf peat. These components must be taken in equal parts. Mineral fertilizers should not be used when planting. They are used during the growing season of the plant as a top dressing.
- Sprinkle the drainage layer with the prepared substrate. The thickness of this layer should be 3-5 centimeters.
- Place the seedling in the hole, carefully removing it from the container. At the same time, it is important to monitor the safety of the root ball of soil.
- Sprinkle the voids around the root system with the remains of the prepared substrate. After which it needs to be carefully compacted around the plant. When planting a crop, it is important to ensure that its root collar is flush with the ground surface.
- Water the planted crop generously. Approximately 10 liters of water are required for 1 plant. If the soil settles after absorbing the liquid, you need to add soil and water again.
- The next day, cover the soil with a layer of mulch. This can be done using pine needles, cones, remnants of bark, and chopped branches.
Care instructions
For a culture to develop normally, it needs to be provided with complete and high-quality care. At the initial stage, spruce needs increased attention. But over time it becomes more unpretentious.
When and how to water
Blue spruce is considered a very moisture-loving plant. Until one year of age, the crop needs to be watered 2 times a day. This is done in the morning and evening. In this case, watering directly at the root is prohibited. It is recommended to moisten the plant by sprinkling. Particular attention should be paid to the crown of the tree so that it acquires a more attractive color.
Loosening
The soil around the Majestic Blue spruce needs to be regularly weeded and loosened. If the tree trunk circle is mulched, these procedures do not need to be carried out. The use of this method supplies the plant with oxygen, but the moisture evaporates rather weakly. In addition, the material is an excellent insulation for the winter.
Does it need to be trimmed?
Spruce of this variety can be subjected to sanitary and shaping pruning. It is recommended to form a crown at the initial stages of development. This needs to be done in early spring.Sanitary pruning is performed as necessary. It involves removing dry and damaged branches. In this case, the cuts do not need to be processed, since the tree contains a lot of its own resin.
Pest Control
The culture of this variety often suffers from attacks by spider mites. These pests are most active in dry and hot weather. The plant can also be affected by aphids. To avoid deterioration of the decorative properties of spruce, it must be treated with insecticidal preparations. This is recommended to be done in early spring. To prevent pest attacks, it is worth using such means as “Match", "Aktara", "Aktellik».
It is important to consider that Majestic Blue spruce is susceptible to many pests that can lead to the destruction of the root system. These include, in particular, scoop, khrushch and many others. To cope with such parasites, it is worth using tools such as “Antikhrushch”, “Aktara», «Prestige».
These substances are recommended for watering plants. In this case, it is important to treat the root part of the trunk measuring 10 centimeters. Prepare working mixtures of drugs according to the instructions. It is recommended to treat spruce every 1-1.5 months.
Sometimes the tree suffers from fungal infections. They are caused by a high degree of humidity, thickening of plantings, and soil contamination. Most often, spruce of this variety suffers from bark necrosis, needle rust, and ulcerative cancer. It is also susceptible to shutter and tracheomycosis wilt. Powdery mildew and anthracnose lead to a significant deterioration in the appearance of needles.
At the first signs of pathology, it is necessary to get rid of the affected shoots. To avoid the development of diseases, preventive spraying is required.For this it is worth using Bordeaux mixture concentration 1%. If the plant is still damaged, it is necessary to carry out treatment twice a month. To do this, you should use "Fundazol", "Champion", "Paracelsus", "Skor" and other antifungal agents.
Application in landscape design
Spruce Majestic Blue is characterized by a high degree of resistance to the influence of adverse factors. It is able to withstand the negative effects of dust, gases, and contaminants. Thanks to this, the plant is often used to decorate alleys, avenues, and squares. This attractive and unpretentious variety is often found in botanical gardens.
The culture can be used for solo plantings or group compositions. Sometimes gardeners use this crop as a hedge or Christmas tree. This perennial crop lends itself well to pruning. Therefore, you can create balls, pyramids and other geometric shapes from it.
Majestic Blue Spruce is an attractive plant that is often used in landscaping. In order for a crop to grow and develop normally, it is important to plant it correctly. Providing proper tree care is of no small importance.
