Spruce is a genus of coniferous evergreen trees of the Pine family. They can be considered the most beautiful trees in the world. They are permanent attributes of the holiday beloved by many nations, the New Year. How many years have green beauties lived and what types of them exist - read the article.
Types of Christmas trees
Ayan or small seed - comes from the Far East. It is distinguished by its harmony, conical shape and two-color needles (from below it is bright bluish, from above it is dark green, about 20 mm long). Her cones are in the shape of a cylinder, light brown, about 60 mm long. The species belongs to giant spruce trees and can reach 40–50 m in height. It grows well in the shade, does not tolerate wetlands. Ideal soil is slightly moist loam. Sensitive to spring frost, pruning and transplanting.
Serbian or Balkan - very similar to the previous view. It differs in horizontally diverging branches, in which the middle part is slightly bent. The shoots of the new growth hang like a fringe, adding unusual appearance to the plant.
Ordinary or European is the most common species in our strip. It has a conical crown and horizontally extending lateral branches, the ends of which are slightly lowered. Needles tetrahedral, shiny, dark green color, not more than 20 mm in length. Very frost-resistant, tolerates shade. He likes moist loam. It does not tolerate drought and stagnation of moisture. Reaches 50 meters in height, adding about half a meter annually. At the age of 15–25, the tree releases its first cones. They are light brown in color, 15 cm long.
Canadian, gray, white - the most winter-hardy of all species. It is also distinguished by early and annual fruiting (cones appear at 8-10 years). Not whimsical to the soil. A tree grows in North America. It has a slender conical crown. At the beginning of their lives, the branches of the spruce look up at an angle. Over time, they begin to sink down. Needles are bluish in color and short (about 15 mm).
Blue or prickly - tolerates frosts, is resistant to winter winds and drought. The best takes root in the conditions of the city. The birthplace of the tree is the mountainous regions of North America. It is high, up to 40 m, branches - conical with long, about 30 mm, needles. Cones grow small, the size of a needle, of a light brown color. Ripen in early autumn and remain on the tree until spring.
The color of the blue spruce needles depends on the thickness of the wax coating on the young needles. The larger it is, the lighter the needles.
Siberian - grows in the northern part of Europe and Asia. Ideal conditions for her are the harsh climate. The quality of the soil does not matter to it. It grows quietly in the shade. It can reach 30 meters in height. At the age of 12 years, her height is 4 m. Her crown is cone-shaped, the needles are dark green, small (10–20 mm). Cones are also small, 60–70 mm, shiny, dense, red-brown color.
Tien Shan - is a subspecies of Schrenka spruce. Coming from the Middle Kingdom. This is a magnificent tree (45 m) with a narrow crown and slightly lowered ends of the branches. The needles are curved, gray. Cones are large (about 120 mm), glossy brown. It tolerates frosts, loves moist air and soil, sunlight.
Engelman - another species with slightly lowered branches. First, they are decorated with cherry, after - light brown cones. The needles are gray-green, 30 mm long. The tree has a conical crown. It rises above the ground by 20 m. It easily tolerates frosts, not capricious to growing conditions.
The life span of an ordinary spruce
Conifers have a long lifespan. An ordinary spruce lives on average 250-300 years. Some specimens survive to 400-600. Siberian, on average, lives a century longer.
How to determine the age of the Christmas tree
The age of conifers is determined by counting the number of paired branches on the trunk. Each year, such a plant forms only one pair. After calculating their number, 4 should be added to the result, since as soon as after this time from the beginning of the life of the spruce, the first pair of branches appears in it.
In this way, you can calculate an age that is less than 30-40 years. In older fir trees, the lower branches fall off, and the place of their growth is overgrown and it is difficult to distinguish it. Then the method of radiocarbon analysis is applied.
Did you know? The oldest clone tree is Old Tikko in Sweden, a representative of European spruce. Its roots, which constantly revive the dead trunk, are 9,550 years old.
How to extend the life of a Christmas tree
Adult non-dwarf species ate easily tolerate drought. Low-growing and young growth due to lack of moisture can easily die. Therefore, they need to be watered in a timely manner, especially if they are planted in winter. To avoid soil jamming and rapid evaporation of moisture, you need to mulch the trunk circle.
For better growth and longer life spans, evergreen trees must be nourished with complex fertilizers. When transplanted, they should be watered with growth stimulants and rootins.
Trimming may sometimes be necessary to maintain growth. Dry and diseased branches are removed, which take away strength from the tree and shorten life span.
Record trees
Perhaps the record holder for longevity can be called Sith spruce, originally from North America (Pacific coast). Its representatives live 500-800 years. Engelmann lives a little less - 400-600 years. The thorny look can live as much.
An ordinary spruce is famous for its good life expectancy. So in Slovakia grows one instance, which is 430 years old. The Canadian species of coniferous beauty lives 300-350 years. Fir trees are beautiful coniferous trees that have been living for hundreds of years. Their dwarf varieties allow you to decorate your sites with this plant.
