Mountain pine Uncinata is one of the most popular types of conifers that are grown in the garden for decorative purposes. The tree is resistant to cold climates and is considered low maintenance. It has a fairly fluffy crown that can be used to create various compositions. At the same time, to preserve the decorative appearance of the plant, it is still necessary to adhere to a number of rules.
Description of the tree
Pine Uncinata is considered a tree crop. The plant reaches a height of 20 meters. Moreover, the diameter of its crown is 8 meters.Based on these indicators, we can conclude that the plant has a very impressive size.
The culture of this variety is considered a real long-liver. It develops faster than some conifers. By the age of 10, the size of the plant can reach 4 meters, and by the age of 30 – 8. In 1 year, the crop increases by 20 centimeters.
The crown is distinguished by a neat appearance and average parameters of splendor. At first, the crown is characterized by an ovoid-conical shape, but over time it becomes more spreading.
The pine has a slender trunk, which is covered with gray-brown bark. It consists of angular scales that split near the base. The ends of the shoots are directed upward and are characterized by a uniform distribution.
Pine cones have a very interesting shape. They are characterized by hook-shaped, curved ends. The length of the fruit is 2.5-6 centimeters. Immature cones are purple in color, while ripe ones are dark brown. They take 2 years to mature.
Benefits and Features
According to the botanical description, the culture has a number of pros and cons. The main advantages of the plant include the following:
- spectacular appearance;
- saturating the air with a healthy aroma;
- attractive appearance;
- low maintenance requirements;
- resistance to drought and average frosts;
- undemanding to the composition of the soil;
- resistance to adverse weather conditions.
The only disadvantage of pine is its impressive size. This feature must be taken into account when purchasing a seedling. Another disadvantage is the high cost of the plant.
Application
Mountain pine is suitable for decorating gardens and park areas. Most often it is combined with conifers or herbaceous crops. The plant fits perfectly into rock gardens, rockeries and rocky gardens.
Growing area
Unziata grows well in mountainous areas. The culture can grow at an altitude of 800-2300 meters above sea level. This tree is often called Pyrenean because it is found in the Alps and Pyrenees. When planting a crop, you need to choose a sunny place with light soil.
Landing rules
Cuttings that are cut from a tree have difficulty rooting. Therefore, it is best to buy ready-made seedlings or propagate them by grafting. Planting work can be carried out from March to November. When planting several crops, the interval between them should be at least 4-5 meters.
To plant a crop, you need to do the following:
- Prepare a hole for planting. This should be done 10-14 days in advance. The diameter and depth of the hole should be twice the size of the seedling's root system.
- Mix the soil from the recess with river sand and peat in a ratio of 3:1:1. You also need to add 25 grams of combined fertilizer for conifers.
- Place a drainage layer measuring 10-15 centimeters on the bottom. For this, it is permissible to use crushed brick, expanded clay and pebbles.
- Place the seedling in the hole. In this case, it is important to ensure that the root collar is located at the same level with the surface of the earth.
- Fill the hole with fertile soil and compact it with your hands to get rid of voids.
- Form a tree trunk circle around the young plant, enclosing it with a 2-3 centimeter border.
- Water the plant generously. After absorbing moisture, cover the tree trunk circle with a mulch layer.
Recommendations for cultivation
Uncinata is considered an undemanding plant, so the gardener will not need to spend a lot of effort caring for the tree. After successful rooting, seedlings need sufficient moisture for active development. Mature plants need to be fed with nutrients from time to time.
The Uncinata pine variety can withstand drought well, but for normal development the young crop needs moderately moist soil. Therefore, in hot summers during drought, the tree requires watering.
The crop responds well to the addition of nutrients to the soil. However, excessive amounts of fertilizer have a bad effect on the condition of the roots. Therefore, the crop needs to be fed correctly, adhering to the following rules:
- for rooting, the seedling needs to be watered with a root-forming solution - for example, “Kornevin”;
- every spring, apply complex fertilizing - for example, Kemiru-Universal;
- in the summer, carry out foliar feeding - for this it is worth spraying the trees with Epin or Zircon.
To improve air flow to the roots, the tree trunk circle should be systematically loosened to a depth of about 10 centimeters. This procedure should be supplemented with weed removal. A layer of mulch made from pine bark, peat or rotted compost will help maintain soil moisture. To do this, organic materials are laid out in a circle near the trunk, forming a layer measuring 5-7 centimeters.
Mountain Unziata pine is a popular plant that is often used for ornamental purposes. The culture fits well into a variety of compositions, but requires compliance with certain agrotechnical rules.
