Perennial coniferous crops are an excellent decoration for parks and country houses. Tall varieties with fluffy blue needles are considered especially popular. One of these crops is considered to be Royal Blue spruce. It looks quite impressive and fits perfectly into a variety of compositions. In order for the plant to develop normally and maintain its decorative properties, it must be adequately cared for.
Appearance of spruce
Royal Blue spruce is an evergreen coniferous crop that has a long life cycle.It is considered a tall crop that has powerful, upright shoots. They form neat tiers. In addition, the crop has a regular cone-shaped crown.
The plant is characterized by dense and prickly needles and a taproot system. An unusual feature of the culture is the blue tint of the needles, which includes silvery notes. The needles are fluffy and harsh. At the same time, it looks like a solid canvas.
The length of the needles is 2-3 centimeters. The variety is characterized by slow development. The annual growth does not exceed 8-15 centimeters. By the age of 10, the coniferous plant reaches 4.5-5 meters. The diameter of the crown is about 3 meters.
The advantages of this variety include the following:
- Good adaptation to urban conditions. Spruce is not afraid of exhaust gases, smoke, dust and other factors.
- Frost resistance. The tree can withstand temperatures down to -35 degrees.
- Simple agricultural technology. Despite the impressive size of the crop, it is not difficult to care for.
- Dense texture of pine needles. This prevents unsightly gaps from forming in the wood.
- Resistant to sunlight. Under their influence, the color of the needles does not change.
- Versatility. The plant can be used in landscape design in different ways.
The disadvantages of culture include the following:
- intolerance to prolonged drought;
- insufficiently strong immunity;
- high demands on the structure and quality characteristics of fertilizers.
What do the bumps look like?
According to the description, Royal Blue spruce is characterized by decorative cones measuring 6-10 centimeters in size.They are distinguished by a neat ovoid shape and an attractive light brown hue. The formation of cones occurs at the tips of the branches. Thanks to this, it is possible to emphasize their correct location.
Popular varieties
Royal Blue spruce is far from the only variety of blue spruce. The most popular crops include the following:
- Herman Naue is an excellent ornamental plant that belongs to the dwarf varieties. This plant has become very popular due to the unusual shape of its cones. They even appear on young shoots. At first the fruits have a red tint, but later become brownish-cream. The tree has blue-gray needles. The size of the plant is 60 centimeters in length and 80 centimeters in width.
- Nimetz is a popular dwarf crop, the height of which is no more than 80 centimeters. Spruce of this species has a pronounced crown. This is due to the fact that the tips of spruce trees are distinguished by white growth. Thanks to this, the culture has an unusual appearance.
- Glauka Prostrata is a rare variety. Thanks to its unusual shape, the tree becomes a real decoration of any garden. The plant is considered low-growing. Mature plants do not exceed 1 meter in height. The diameter of the trunk is approximately 1 meter.
- Spiny gray - distinguished by bluish-green needles and a symmetrical triangular crown. The plant reaches significant sizes - 10-15 meters in height. The diameter of the trunk is 7 meters. This variety is often used as a tapeworm or for planting massifs. It is also found along streets and alleys.
- Spiny silver – characterized by increased resistance to air pollution. An important advantage of spruce is that it is decorative at any time of the year.An adult plant reaches an average height of 20-25 meters, but there are also specimens up to 40 meters.
- Erich Frahm is considered one of the most demanding and light-loving varieties. However, this culture adapts well to places with polluted air. Some branches of the culture are distinguished by their serpentine shape and reach the very ground. An adult tree reaches a height of 10 meters.
Growth area
Spruce of this variety most often grows at an altitude of 1.8-3 thousand meters above sea level. It is mainly found in mountains and foothills, near rivers or streams. The culture prefers moist soil. North America is considered the birthplace of blue spruce. It is found there most often.
How to plant correctly
Royal Blue spruce is recommended to be planted in the warm season - from April to October. The tree prefers sunny and well-ventilated areas. It is important to ensure that there are no gusty winds there.
Ephedra requires well-drained and loose soil that allows sufficient moisture and air to pass through. It is important that the soil is not acidic. Suitable options include nutrient sandstone or sand and gravel substrate. The tree has difficulty growing in soil that is too dense.
Before carrying out planting work, it is important to make a volumetric depression. A drainage layer measuring 15-20 centimeters should be placed on the bottom. It is also recommended to place a layer of soil, mixing it with fertilizers.
The seedling should be placed in such a way that its root system does not become jammed. After planting, the crop should be watered abundantly and covered with a mulch layer. When planting several plants, it is important to avoid crowding the beds. Therefore, it is recommended to maintain an interval of 3-4 meters between conifers.
Aftercare
Despite the significant size of the crop, the agricultural technology of Royal Blue spruce is simple. It is recommended to water, weed and loosen the plant on time. This helps improve root respiration. When growing a crop, it needs to be fed and pruned in a timely manner. Preventing pathologies and preparing for winter is of no small importance.
Spruce can withstand pruning well, which is required when dry, infected or injured shoots appear on the plant. It is recommended to cut them to the ground. In this case, the stems are shortened to healthy tissue. It is recommended to prevent the development of pathologies and insect attacks in May-June.
In March-April, the tree must be protected from the sun, which poses a danger to it. To do this, it is recommended to shade the plant with light non-woven material.
Royal Blue spruce is considered a very moisture-loving crop. Therefore, the soil should be systematically moistened. It is recommended to water young trees at intervals of 7-10 days. Mature plants should be moistened as the soil dries out. It is recommended to increase the amount of irrigation in dry weather.
Many gardeners advise combining watering with sprinkling of the crown. This procedure is of great benefit during drought. The plant usually needs to be watered from late June to September.
The perennial plant Royal Blue has a high degree of frost resistance. Therefore, it can withstand harsh and long winters well. In order for the plant to better withstand the cold, sanitary pruning is required at the end of autumn. Mulching the tree trunk circle is of no small importance. Also, in case of gusty winds or heavy snowfall, it is worth securing the lower tiers of branches. This can be done with rope or tape. Additionally, only young trees need to be insulated.
Pest Control
Royal Blue spruce is distinguished by strong immunity, which protects the plant from many standard infections. However, if agrotechnical recommendations are violated, the spruce may suffer. Schutte is considered the most dangerous disease for the crop. Of the parasites, the plant is often attacked by spider mites and hermes.
To avoid the development of pathologies and protect the crop from pests, it is recommended to carefully inspect the tree. If necessary, affected areas should be removed. Fungicides are used to control diseases. Insecticides help control pests.
Reproduction methods
Blue spruce can be propagated in different ways - by seeds, cuttings or seedlings. In the first case, it is recommended to collect seeds from cones, place them in damp sand and put them in the refrigerator until spring. With the onset of warm weather, it is recommended to treat the grains with potassium permanganate and plant them in a substrate of peat and garden soil. Young trees are planted in a permanent place only in the third year.
For cuttings, it is recommended to use shoots from the upper part of the crown. They should be harvested in the spring. In this case, you need to do the following:
- clean the cuttings from needles;
- soak in a solution of potassium permanganate;
- place the branch in a mixture of earth and sand;
- Water the cuttings generously and cover with burlap.
The easiest way to propagate spruce is with ready-made seedlings. The use of this method helps to obtain a full-fledged plant in a short time.
Application
Culture looks great as an accent and in mixed compositions. Blue spruce is often planted along alleys and hedges. It can be used to decorate rock gardens and rock gardens. The plant looks great with other conifers and deciduous crops.
Royal Blue Spruce is a popular crop that is ideal for decorating any area. In order for the plant to maintain its decorative properties, it is important to follow the rules of agricultural technology.
