Crimean pine is a fairly popular plant that has excellent decorative properties. The culture was named after the English academician Peter Pallas. It was he who brought the seeds of the plant to England in the seventies of the last century and received a cultivated form. The crop is listed in the Red Book, therefore it cannot be cut down.
What kind of variety is this
According to the botanical description, this tree belongs to the Pine genus.Its species name is Pinus nigra, and its subspecies is Crimean or Pallas.
Appearance
Crimean pine is a tall conifer that reaches a height of 30-40 meters. In this case, the maximum value is 45 meters. Young trees are characterized by a pyramidal crown, which is quite wide. In older plants it has an umbrella-shaped shape.
Crimean pine of the Fiolent variety and other varieties are characterized by a horizontal arrangement of branches. At the same time, they bend upward a little. The trunk is covered with dark bark. It can be brown or almost black. The top of the trunk is covered with cracks or deep grooves and has a reddish color. At the same time, young branches have a shiny yellow-brown surface.
The plant has long dark green needles. The needles are dense and prickly. They have a slightly curved shape. The length of the needles is 8-12 centimeters, and the width does not exceed 2 millimeters. The buds are quite large and covered with straight scales.
The cones are located horizontally. They are placed on branches singly or immediately after several pieces. The cones are characterized by a brown color and shine. They differ in ovoid or conical shape. The length of the fruit is 5-10 centimeters, and the diameter is 5-6. Young scutes have a blue-violet tint, while mature ones have a brown-yellow hue.
Growth area
Under natural conditions, Pallas pine grows in the Crimea and the Caucasus. The culture is able to develop in limestone soil.It grows well in conditions of lack of moisture and can withstand strong winds. The plant can withstand temperatures down to -25 degrees.
In temperate climates, young trees often freeze to death. Therefore, in cultivation, Crimean pine is usually grown only in the southern regions of the European part of Russia. It can also be planted in the Moscow region and in the Central zone.
Landing instructions
Crimean pine, just like Caucasian pine, requires compliance with certain instructions for planting.
Selection of seedlings
To grow pine in garden plots and parks, you should give preference to young seedlings. For a tree to adapt better, it should be no older than 5 years. In order for the plant to withstand the harsh climate of the middle zone, it is worth choosing seedlings that are at least three years old.
You can buy the plant in any Crimean nursery. High-quality seedlings are sold in a container with a closed root system. Shoots on a young plant should be quite flexible. They should be free of mold, stains or other signs of disease.
Soil preparation
To plant plants in the country, you should give preference to places with deep groundwater. It is best to plant the plant in light sandy and sandy loam soil. Otherwise, a drainage layer 20 centimeters thick must be made in the planting recess. It may consist of expanded clay or river sand. Light soil should be used for backfilling. To reduce the acidity of the soil, chalk or dolomite flour should be added.
The culture is considered very light-loving. It is characterized by slow growth and can hardly withstand transplantation in adulthood. This must be taken into account when choosing a planting site and area for the plant.
Step by step guide
To carry out planting work, you need to do the following:
- Choose a well-lit place that is protected from strong winds.
- Dig a hole for planting up to 1 meter in size. It is important to ensure that the root collar of the seedling is flush with the ground surface.
- To avoid moisture stagnation, it is recommended to provide drainage. It may consist of sand and small stones.
- When planting several pine trees, you need to leave space between them. It is best to keep the distance at least 1.5-2 meters.
Tree care
In order for a tree to develop normally, a number of care rules must be followed. The plant should be fed, moistened, and pruned on time. Preparation for frost is important.
Watering and fertilizing
The crop is considered quite resistant to drought. However, this only applies to mature trees. Young pines need moderate and regular watering. With sufficient moisture, seedlings quickly take root and grow green.
Moistening is carried out as the soil dries. In this case, it is necessary to take into account seasonal precipitation. Young conifers definitely need to be watered in the autumn. It is recommended to do this 1 month before the onset of the first frost. Thanks to moisture-recharging irrigation, it is possible to increase resistance to frost.
All evergreen conifers require less fertilizing than deciduous crops. This is due to the fact that they do not shed leaves and do not form fruits.
Under natural conditions, Crimean pines grow in depleted soil. Therefore, they are distinguished by rather slow growth.Fertilizing stimulates plant development. To do this, add nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium. There is always a shortage of them in nature. The use of a mineral complex helps stimulate the growth of young crops and enhance its protective properties.
When adding nutrients, it is important to follow the dosages:
- Nitrogen is added only when planting young plants. Adult seedlings do not need to be fed with this substance. For 1 square meter it is worth using 20 grams of the substance.
- Phosphorus - this element is added to young plants three times during the season. At the same time, 20 grams of the product should be used per 1 square meter. Mature crops are fertilized twice - in spring and summer. In this case, 50 grams of the product are added per 1 square meter. The last time the substance is used is no later than August.
- Potassium – young seedlings need to be fed 3 times during the season. In this case, 20 grams of the product are applied per 1 square meter. Adult plants need 50 grams per 1 square meter. They are fed twice. The product should be used in spring and summer. It should be submitted no later than August.
- Magnesium – in spring, seedlings can be fed with dolomite flour. In this case, 1 square meter costs 70 grams of the substance.
Mulching
To increase the permeability of the soil to air and moisture, the area around the tree trunk is loosened from time to time. This must be done after watering. You should also definitely get rid of weeds.
After loosening the soil should be covered with mulch. Thanks to this, it is possible to prevent drying out of the root system and freezing of the soil in winter. In summer, this procedure prevents the risk of weed development. It is permissible to use sawdust, fallen leaves, and peat soil as mulch. Conifer bark is also a good option.
Trimming
A coniferous plant of this species does not require a shaping pruning. At the same time, Crimean pine needs sanitary pruning. This procedure should be carried out in the spring after wintering. In this case, you need to remove broken and burnt branches. If necessary, manipulation is also performed in the spring. In this case, it is necessary to remove diseased shoots. To stimulate tree growth, you can pinch shoots. To do this, it is worth removing a maximum of a quarter of their length.
Preparing for cold weather
An adult tree can easily withstand harsh winters and does not require insulation. Young seedlings often suffer from frost. Therefore, before the arrival of cold weather, they need to be insulated with sawdust, fallen leaves or conifer bark. It is recommended to cover the above-ground part with roofing material or spruce branches.
Reproduction methods
Crimean pine can be propagated by seeds. They are small in size and have wings up to 2.5 centimeters long and up to 2 millimeters wide. Thanks to this, the seeds that fall from the cones fly away from the tree and colonize new territories. It is important to consider that attempts at propagation by layering, cuttings or grafting a tree do not produce results.
Possible diseases
If the rules of agricultural technology are violated, the likelihood of Crimean pine being affected by diseases increases. Most often she suffers from the following pathologies:
- cancer;
- rust;
- stem and root rot.
To avoid the development of diseases, it is important to properly care for the seedling and treat it with fungicidal biological products.
Crimean pine can also suffer from insect attacks. For young plants, the cockchafer is considered very dangerous, as it can damage the roots of the tree. Therefore, before planting, you should carefully inspect the soil.When insect larvae are detected, the soil must be treated with chemicals.
Insects often cause damage to needles. For example, pine silkworm caterpillars are capable of eating up to 700 needles during their development. Such means as “Aktara”, “Karate”, “Enzhio” help to cope with them. Plantings need to be treated in spring and autumn.
Application
Crimean pine is distinguished by its durable and heavy wood, which is resistant to cracks. The material is highly resistant to moisture. It is characterized by resistance to fungal infections and is very durable. Wood can be used as a raw material for the production of turpentine and rosin. It is used in furniture production and construction. However, the material has not found wide application in industry, as it is listed in the Red Book.
Living trees are used to decorate streets and strengthen slopes. They are often used to create beautiful landscape compositions in summer cottages.
Young needles and cones of Crimean pine are actively used in folk medicine. They make decoctions that help get rid of pathologies of the joints and organs of the respiratory system.
Pine pollen is considered an excellent natural biostimulant. It contains many B vitamins, ascorbic acid, and antioxidants. The product is used for the treatment and prevention of the following conditions:
- anemia, physical and nervous exhaustion;
- weakening of the immune system;
- infections;
- digestive disorders;
- pathologies of the heart and blood vessels;
- changes in blood pressure;
- increased blood cholesterol levels;
- diabetes;
- cancer;
- pathologies of the kidneys and liver.
Crimean pine is an attractive decorative crop that fits perfectly into a variety of landscape compositions. In addition, it has pronounced medicinal properties. In order for pine growing to be successful, you must strictly follow the instructions and provide the crop with proper care.
