Pine is an evergreen coniferous tree, dwarf or shrub that belongs to the Pine family. This plant can live 100-600 years. It has excellent decorative properties and has a healing effect. This is due to the high popularity of the culture. Today there are many types of pine trees, each of which has its own characteristics.
Description of pine
Pine most often grows as a bushy tree or creeping shrub.The shape of the crown of a crop can vary - from pyramidal to spherical. Shoots can be regular, long or short. The needles have a triangular or flat shape and form bundles of 2-5 pieces. They are stored on shoots for 3-6 years. The base of the bundles is surrounded by small scales.
Cones can be straight or drooping. Over time they become lignified. The seed scale has a thickened section at the end - the apophysis. It is complemented by a tubercle. Seeds can be with or without wings.
Popular varieties and types
Today there are quite a few varieties of pine trees known, each of which has its own characteristics.
Bolotnaya
This is a rather massive tree, which reaches a height of 47 meters and has a diameter of 1.2 meters. The characteristic features of this species include spectacular yellow-green needles. Another feature of the culture is considered to be the high fire resistance of wood. The plant is found in the southeastern part of North America.
Montezuma
This variety is characterized by a height of up to 30 meters. It is distinguished by long gray-green needles, which form bunches of 5 pieces. The tree is also called white pine. It is predominantly found in western North America and Guatemala. In temperate climates, Montezuma pine can be grown as an ornamental crop. In addition, it is considered a source of delicious nuts.
Ordinary
This type of pine is considered the most common. It is found in Asia and Europe. The tallest specimens can be seen near the Baltic Sea. How tall are they? Such plants reach 40-50 meters. The straight trunk is covered with bluish-brown bark.
Scots pine is characterized by sharp needles 8 centimeters long. Trees of this species have blue-green needles and a high degree of rigidity.The cones reach a length of 7 centimeters and are ovoid in shape. Inside are gray and black seeds. The young plant has a cone-shaped shape, which expands and rounds over time. The flowering period occurs in May and June.
Cedar Siberian (Siberian cedar)
Siberian pine pine is considered the closest relative of the common variety. The tree can reach a height of 40 meters. However, most often it does not exceed 20-25 meters. The crop is characterized by thick branches and a dense crown. The straight trunk is distinguished by a gray-brown color.
It takes 14-15 months for the buds to ripen. However, they fall in September next year. 1 pine tree can produce up to 12 kilograms of nuts during the season. This plant is often found in Western and Eastern Siberia.
Mountain
This crop is a creeping shrub with one or several trunks. It has a gray-brown bark that exfoliates in the form of plates. The culture is characterized by thick, curved needles of a dark green color.
The cones grow singly or form bunches of 2-3 pieces. They are directed in different directions. Fruit ripening occurs in the spring of the third year. This culture is widespread in the center and south of Europe. It is also found in Russia.
Belokoraya
In Latin this crop is called Pinus albicaulis. An adult plant reaches a height of 21 meters.The diameter of the trunk is 1.5 meters. The crown changes its shape from conical to rounded. The branches are distinguished by a red-brown color and covered with a glandular tuft. In this case, the knots become grayish over time.
Whitebark pine needles form bundles of 5 pieces. The needles reach a length of 3-7 centimeters and live for 5-8 years. It is distinguished by its yellow-green color and rounded edges. The characteristics of the needles include a sweetish aroma and taste. The cones remain on the tree and do not open on their own. They are characterized by a spherical or ovoid shape. The length of the fruits reaches 4-8 centimeters. The color of the cones varies from light gray to black-violet.
Stlanikovaya
This crop is also called dwarf cedar. It is a low bushy tree with widely spread branches. The crown can have a different shape - creeping, tree-like or cup-shaped.
Tree-like plants reach a height of 4-5 meters. Sometimes they grow up to 7 meters. Creeping pines are pressed to the ground. At the same time, their tips rise by 30-50 centimeters. Dwarf pine is distinguished by bluish-green needles measuring 4-8 centimeters.
Pine is characterized by small ovoid or elongated cones. The nuts are small in size and reach a length of 9 millimeters. In a good year, up to 2 centners of nuts can be obtained from 1 hectare.
Elf cedar is considered an unpretentious crop that can easily tolerate the harsh northern climate. The plant has become widespread from Primorye to Kamchatka.
Crimean
This is a tall crop that reaches 45 meters. It is predominantly found in Crimea and the Caucasus.This plant has a significant life expectancy, which can reach 600 years.
At the initial stage of development, the tree has a pyramidal crown. Subsequently, it changes its shape and becomes umbrella-shaped. Crimean pine is characterized by prickly needles measuring up to 12 centimeters. The plant is also distinguished by shiny oblong cones. The upper part of the trunk is covered with deep furrows. It is worth considering that this culture has excellent decorative properties.
Himalayan
This plant is found in the Annapurna Mountains in the Himalayas. It grows at an altitude of 1.8-3.76 kilometers above sea level. The tree has excellent decorative properties and reaches a height of 30-50 meters. It is characterized by a beautiful pyramidal crown consisting of gray-green needles and elongated cones.
Pinia
This pine is also called Italian. It has excellent decorative properties and reaches a height of 20-30 meters. The tree is characterized by a compact dark green crown, which, as the culture develops, takes the shape of an umbrella. This is due to the presence of prostrate shoots.
Italian pine is characterized by long needles, which reach 15 centimeters. It is very elegant and quite dense. The top of the needle is covered with a small bluish coating.
Pinia has large cones of almost round shape, the length of which reaches 15 centimeters. The seeds of this variety are 4 times larger than cedar seeds. At the same time, from 1 hectare it is possible to obtain up to 8 tons of nuts.
Since the Italian pine has a very beautiful crown shape, it is a valuable ornamental plant that is often used in the art of bonsai.Under natural conditions, this culture is found along the shores of the Mediterranean Sea. It is also grown in Crimea and the Caucasus.
Black
This variety has quite impressive dimensions and can reach a height of 20-55 meters. The lifespan of such a tree is 600-800 years. The shape of the crown changes as the culture develops. At first, the tree has a pyramidal crown, and then it becomes umbrella-shaped.
The tree is characterized by black-gray bark, which is covered with deep grooves. The dark green needles reach a length of 8-14 centimeters and have a low shine or matte surface. The needles form bundles of 2 pieces. The needles have a solid structure and a slightly pointed shape. It can be straight or slightly bent. Cones may be round or slightly elongated. They reach a length of 5-7.5 centimeters.
Veymutova
This variety is also called eastern white. It is widespread in northeastern North America and southeastern Canada. The tree has excellent decorative properties. It is characterized by a straight trunk with a diameter of 1.3-1.8 meters. The height of the crop can reach 67 centimeters.
Flowering of the Weymouth pine begins only at the age of ten. In young trees, the crown resembles a cone, but over time it acquires an irregularly rounded shape. The plant is covered with bark with a purple tint. The needles have a straight shape and reach a length of 10 centimeters.
Angarskaya
This plant is an ecotype of the Scots pine. It has become widespread in Siberia, in the area of the Angara River basin. The culture also occupies significant areas in the Irkutsk region and in the forests of the Krasnoyarsk Territory.
This plant can reach a height of 50 meters.The girth of the trunk is 2 meters. The culture has a pyramidal crown shape with a pointed crown. At the same time, the bark has an unusual silvery color.
How to plant a pine tree
It is recommended to plant the crop in early autumn or spring. When placing several crops on a plot, it is important to monitor the distance between them. Large varieties are recommended to be planted 4 meters apart. For small plants, a spacing of 1.5 meters is enough.
Before planting a pine tree, you need to choose a place for planting and decide on the type of soil. Sandy or sandy loam soil is considered the best option for the plant. When planting a crop in heavy soil, you need to take care of a high-quality drainage layer.
When planting a tree, you need to carefully spread the roots over the earthen ball. After this, the hole can be filled in. It is important to ensure that the root collar is flush with the ground surface. Then the seedling needs to be watered with warm water.
How to care for her
The plant does not need additional watering. This is only required for young plants. In order for the trees to take root better, they need to be fed during the first 2 years. For this, it is recommended to use mineral fertilizers. To avoid freezing, young plantings should be covered for the winter. Mature plants are pruned to remove dead shoots and form a crown.
Today, quite a few types of pine trees are known, each of which has certain characteristics.This allows each gardener to choose the most suitable option for growing on their site and provide the crop with proper care.
