Siberian cedar is a fairly common coniferous plant. It can reach a height of 44 meters. The trunk diameter is 2 meters. This tree has a significant lifespan, which can reach 500 years. Moreover, according to some sources, this period is 800 years. However, not every person knows exactly how long cedar grows.
What does growth depend on?
Cedar is a coniferous tree that belongs to the Pine family.There are several types of such crops, each of which is characterized by certain characteristics. It is noteworthy that back in the fifteenth century there was a cedar grove near Yaroslavl. Some trees still grow from it, although their age exceeds 400 years. It is impossible to set limits after so many years. The fact is that many trees are rotten from the inside.
Siberian cedar reaches a height of 44 meters. Moreover, its average life expectancy is 250 years. However, today, low-growing varieties are grown to a greater extent. The needles stay on the branches for 10 years, after which they are renewed. The cones are placed on top of the tree.
Under natural conditions, cedar development is extremely slow. A five-year-old seedling grows only 35 centimeters. From 15-25 years old, the tree grows by 35 centimeters per year. When planting a crop in an open and well-lit area, fruiting occurs after 15-30 years. If the plant competes with other trees, the first fruits appear only by 40-50 years.
Cedar plants go through several main growth stages in their development:
- initial phase - characterized by slow growth of the crop and lasts for 5-10 years;
- intensive phase – lasts 10-30 years;
- the final phase - culture gradually slows down its development.
The lifespan of cedar is approximately 500 years. At the same time, some varieties reach an age of 800 years. There are centenarians up to 3000 years old, but they are extremely rare in nature. Thus, while the tree reaches its maximum age, more than one generation of people has time to change.
The duration of development of a cedar to the first cone is determined by many factors. The primary role in this is played by internal factors. This concerns the characteristics of the growth and development of a tree in its initial years of life. You should also take into account nutrition, external soil factors, location among other crops, and tree density.
The pace and duration of development depend on the type and variety of cedar. The Sosen genus includes Siberian and Korean varieties that are found in Russia. This also includes dwarf cedar, which is a creeping crop. The tree, which grows in valleys sheltered from the wind, reaches a height of 4-7 meters. By the age of 100, its trunk reaches 12 meters and has a thickness of 25 centimeters.
The dwarf pine is characterized by slow development. Its average lifespan is 300 years. Korean cedar, which is listed in the Red Book, on the contrary, is a fast-growing species. It reaches a height of 40 meters. Moreover, by the age of 10 the plant grows to 1.7 meters. Fruiting of the crop begins at 20 years of age. However, in the first years the young tree develops quite slowly. Its growth does not exceed 10-15 centimeters.
Often pine cedars are characterized by early and intensive fruiting, but have a low growth rate. However, there are specimens that are distinguished by significant growth. For example, the Plantation, On-and-Ona varieties add 50 centimeters per year.At the same time, the Subalpine and Emerald varieties increase by 40 centimeters within 12 months.
Approximate periods of growth
Cedar has certain periods of growth and development. At the same time, the germination of seed material, the development of seedlings and adult trees have certain characteristics.
How long does it take for seeds to germinate?
To speed up the rate of germination of seed material, they should be stratified before planting. This process needs to be done in stages:
- Pour hot water into a deep container and place the nuts there. Change the water to fresh water every day for 3 days. Nuts that float must be thrown away - they are empty.
- Treat the nuts with a solution containing potassium permanganate and a fungicidal preparation. To do this, the composition must be diluted in a small container and the fruits placed there for several hours.
- Proceed to cold stratification. To do this, it is recommended to take fine sand and calcine it in the oven. After which the nuts need to be mixed with sand in a ratio of 1:3.
- Place the prepared mixture in a fabric bag and place it in a wooden box with good ventilation.
- Place the box on the bottom shelf of the refrigerator or in the cellar. For seed germination, a temperature of +4-6 degrees is required.
It is important to ventilate the bag every 2 weeks to avoid rotting of the nuts. Germination of seed material will begin in 1-1.5 months. Seeds must be planted in open ground in the fall. In this case, you can expect sprouts to appear in the spring. If the seeds are planted without pre-treatment, the cedar will begin to grow only after 1 year.
How long does it take for a seedling to grow?
How quickly seedlings grow depends on a number of factors. These include the following:
- plant quality;
- the presence of damage to the root system and its size;
- climatic conditions and weather conditions at the time of planting;
- soil characteristics and parameters of its fertility;
- quality of care;
- air humidity parameters;
- the presence of other plants nearby;
- exposure to rodents and harmful insects.
In the first year of life, the plant usually reaches 3 centimeters. Next year the crop doubles or even more. On average, cedar growth is 3-5 centimeters per year. By the age of 4, the seedlings reach a height of 20-30 centimeters.
When do the first bumps appear?
The appearance of the first cones directly depends on the place where the crop is grown. In dense forests, cedar begins to bear fruit after a long time - after 60-70 years. If the crop grows in an open place, the fruits appear much earlier - at approximately 15-20 years of age. On average, the crop begins to bear fruit at 25-30 years of age.
Growth rate of an adult cedar
During the first 5 years, cedar develops quite slowly. In this case, the culture can reach a height of 25-35 centimeters. By the age of 10 years, the tree grows up to 1.5 meters. However, from the age of 15 the growth rate accelerates. Moreover, in 1 year the tree grows by 15-35 centimeters. With proper care during this time, the crop begins to bear fruit.
The development of cedar has a number of features. The rate and duration of its growth depend on many factors - the variety and variety of the crop, climatic factors, and proximity to other plants. Of no small importance is the composition of the soil and the implementation of agrotechnical rules when growing a tree in a summer cottage.
