What kind of needles does the common spruce have? Norway spruce (European)

Botanical name: European or common spruce.

Homeland: Europe.

Lighting: moderate.

Soil: moist, nutritious.

Watering: moderate.

Average duration life: 250-300 years.

Landing: seeds and cuttings.

Norway spruce (ordinary) - the most common in Europe conifer. Its range is so vast that it does not affect only the North German Lowlands and the British Isles. At favorable conditions the tree can live up to 400 years.

Norway spruce: description of the species

The height of the tree is 50 m with a trunk width of 1 m. It is a slender tree, the crown is dense and pyramidal. The branches are horizontal or drooping, descending low along the trunk. The branches are collected in whorls. If there is sufficient lighting, the lower tier of branches lasts for a very long time. The bark when young is smooth and brown in color.

By old age it becomes scaly-rough, gray or brown. Shoots are yellow or brown. They may be bare or covered with red hairs. The buds are light brown. The needles are quite hard and green.

The shape of the needles is oblate-tetrahedral, length is 1-3 cm. The needles last on the tree for about 7 years. Mature cones of Norway spruce have an oblong-cylindrical shape. Their length is 10-15 cm, width - 3-4 cm. The cones ripen in October, but the seeds, as a rule, fall in January-April. Seed length is 3-5 mm. The seed has a yellowish wing that is easily separated from it. The tree blooms at the age of 25-30 years.

Spruce wood is yellowish-white in color with a slight pinkish tint. It is characterized as soft, light, shiny. The root system is horizontal and superficial, due to which the tree can freely turn out of the ground even in strong winds.

Of all the species, Norway spruce (European) is the fastest growing. IN at a young age(up to 10 years) the increase is small, but increases rapidly with age. The annual growth is 50 cm. From 100-110 years it begins to decline and by 250 years the plant begins to dry out. In some cases, it can live up to 500 years.

To date, several have been released decorative varieties of this type: weeping, compact, pin-shaped. All these varieties are often used in landscape design and landscaping. Common spruce is often found in hedges along highways and railways.

Growing Norway spruce

Sandy loam, loamy, fertile, slightly wet soils. Tolerates short-term flooding, but does not tolerate long-term stagnation of water. Shade tolerant, but requires sufficient light to regenerate. Frost resistance is due to thin scales that protect the buds from frost. It tolerates haircuts well, but suffers from polluted air, although it itself has phytoncidal, ionizing properties. Due to the shallow root system, the tree is afraid of wind blows.

Very often, seedlings can develop on a fallen trunk or collapsing stump. This is explained by the fact that the plant tends to absorb nitrogen compounds. Mycorrhiza (symbiosis of spruce roots and edible cap mushrooms) helps spruce trees get nutrients from the soil. It is mycorrhiza that explains the presence in spruce forests large quantity porcini mushrooms.

Reproduction occurs by seeds or layering. Moreover, the lower branches of the tree take root directly on the soil, which is rare for conifers. But it is better to propagate by cuttings and grafting, since during seed propagation there is a loss of characteristic decorative qualities.

European spruce care

New plantlets are not resistant to dry air and soil. Therefore, on hot days they require daily watering at the rate of 10-12 liters per plant. Irrigation of the crown is also advisable. After each watering, it is necessary to loosen the soil in the tree trunk circle, weed out weeds and mulch with peat.

If a spruce grows as a hedge, then it requires special shaping. By pruning, you can achieve the effect of an impenetrable green wall. In other cases, diseased, dry, broken branches are removed from trees in autumn and spring. And the main formation of a beautiful regular crown occurs naturally. However, with the simultaneous growth of 2 tops, one must be removed by cutting it out at the base.

IN special training By winter, only young Christmas trees need, except for frost, they require protection from direct sun rays, causing burns. The soil under young plants must be mulched, and the needles are covered with spruce branches, non-woven material or kraft paper.

Spruce is a coniferous evergreen tree of the pine family. This is a riddle about her: “Winter and summer in the same color.” The message will take a closer look at this interesting tree, tell you where it grows and how it is used in the national economy.

Description

A Christmas tree is a slender tree that can grow up to 35 meters high. During the first 10 years it grows very slowly - a few cm per year, then the growth rate increases, but after 100-120 years it slows down again. It has a pyramidal (triangular) crown with a sharp tip. The branches are densely located throughout the trunk. It is often difficult to see behind the spruce feet.

U young tree the bark is smooth gray-brown in color; in the old bark it becomes gray and peels off in thin plates. The needles are dark green and shiny, sharp and prickly. The needles are much shorter than those of pine, up to 3 cm long.

They stay firmly on the branches for 7-10 years. But in urban conditions, with heavy smoke in the air, the lifespan of needles is greatly reduced: they fall off after only 3 years.

The spruce root system is located close to the surface, so strong winds can knock down the tree.

Spruce is a long-liver, she lives 250-300 years.

Where does it grow

She grows throughout the Northern Hemisphere. It can be found in Central and Northern Europe. It is widespread in Russia: in Siberia, the Urals, the Far East, the Caucasus, steppe zone. Also grows in China and Japan.

In total there are 50 types oil. The most common: Siberian, European, Caucasian, Canadian, white, red, black.

The Christmas tree is the basis of the taiga. She grows in mixed forests, well adjacent to pine, oak, linden, aspen, hazel. It also forms pure spruce forests, which have a number of features:

It's damp and dark here;
the soil is completely covered with moss;
under the spruce paws grow dense thickets of blueberries, lingonberries, wood sorrel, and cuckoo flax.

Growing conditions and reproduction

For a spruce to grow well, it needs the following conditions:

Shadow. This is a tree doesn't really like the sun young Christmas trees often get sunburn in open places.
Sufficient hydration. Christmas tree does not tolerate drought well.
Temperate climate. The tree is cold-resistant, not afraid of frost, but it grows poorly in the southern regions, where the summers are too hot and long,
The soil should not be too dense, but moderately fertile.

Spruce is a monoecious plant. This means that male spikelets and female cones grow on the same tree. Propagated by seeds the germination rate of which is very good. The cones open in late November - early December, the seeds fall out, are picked up by the wind and carried far around the surrounding area.

In early spring, the seed awakens and begins to grow. The main condition for the sprouts to take root and begin to develop well is a warm spring, because they die during spring frosts.

Use in the national economy

Spruce plantations can often be seen in sanatoriums. Because they pine needles release phytoncides that clean and disinfect the air. Also, spruce often becomes the basis of landscapes in personal plots.

High-quality musical instruments are made from this wood. Soft wood is used to make paper, rayon, and smokeless gunpowder. Resin, tar, rosin, turpentine are obtained.

Fir cones are widely used in folk medicine. Healers believe that a Christmas tree is a donor tree; if you lean against it and stand there for a few minutes, it will give a person energy and strength.

forest guest waiting on New Year kids.

How much joy it brings, filling the house with a special forest smell and pleasing the eye with its beauty!

If this message was useful to you, I would be glad to see you

Since childhood, on Christmas and New Year, people have become accustomed to smelling spruce branches. Mixing with the smell of tangerines, this fragrant pine aroma was a harbinger of a miracle, gifts, new experiences and the New Year.

For many centuries, Spruce has personified the symbol of a new cycle. In ancient times, remaining evergreen, Spruce was an allegory of eternal youth and immortality, longevity and fidelity.

For the same reasons, the Spruce “spruce branches” were and remain in many villages a sign of a bygone life. During the move funeral procession“spruce branches” made from spruce branches are thrown at the feet, saying goodbye to the departed. Their age has ended, but has passed into eternity.

In Scandinavia, spruce was used for ritual bonfires. The resinous firewood gave the fire unique strength.

names of Spruce

The word “Spruce” comes from the ancient Slavic word “jedlъ”, which means “prickly”.

The first mention of this tree in Russian writings appeared in the 11th century. Cognate words are found in all languages of the Slavic group.

The Latin name for Spruce is Picea, which means “resinous”.

Where does Spruce grow?

Spruce forests are found throughout Russia. Basically these are dense, dense thickets with a small amount undergrowth.

Despite the fact that Spruce develops best in an open area, its shade-tolerant counterparts are found.

The most common type of tree is “Normal Spruce”. It is found in the European part of Russia, Finland and northern Europe. Spruce groves are found in both Siberia and the Urals.

Brothers of the Norway Spruce can be found in the Caucasus and Far East, on Kuril Islands and on Sakhalin. Even in North America and China, certain species of this thorny, fragrant tree grow.

What does El look like?

Spruce is a tall, stately tree with a straight, strong trunk and a dense crown. The branches are arranged in a pyramid and have spiny needles. The bark of Spruce is dense and covered with scales.

The height of Spruce can reach 30 meters, while the trunk volume of many species exceeds 1.5 meters

The average lifespan of a tree is 250 – 300 years. There are centenarians up to 600 years old.

After 10–15 years of life, the tree changes its root system, getting rid of the main root. That is why in the forest you can find these wind-fallen giants with their roots turned upside down.

When does Spruce bloom?

Female flowers form small cones, which, after pollination, turn into those same spruce decorations.

Male flowers form elongated catkins that scatter pollen in May.

In October, the seeds ripen in the cones and become prey for forest rodents. Fluffy squirrels strive to prepare seeds for the winter.

Medicinal properties of Spruce

Fir cones, pine needles and resin are used for medicinal purposes.

Daily consumption of 3–4 spruce needles for a month can restore immunity and increase resistance to a number of viral diseases.

Several spruce branches placed in a vase in a room can kill harmful bacteria indoors, leaving a pleasant aroma in the air.

Fir cones are rich in tannins and essential oils. They also contain copper, manganese, aluminum, and iron.

Essential oils are used in the fight against acute respiratory infections and diseases of the upper respiratory tract.

Syrup from the buds of Spruce is prescribed for microinfarctions.

A decoction of pine needles is used by inhalation to treat sore throat and sinusitis.

Spruce resin or resin has antiseptic properties and can be used in ointments to heal wounds and ulcers.

Applications of Spruce

Spruce wood– the most common material for construction and fuel. The wood is also used to make paper.

Spruce wood very soft and straight-layered. Despite its widespread use in construction, untreated wood is short-lived and quickly rots. That is why spruce wood is treated with antiseptics and mordants.

At the same time, Spruce wood is included in many modern materials, such as fiberboard, chipboard, laminated veneer lumber and others.

The musical properties of spruce wood have been noticed for a long time, so soundboards, bodies and other parts are made from this fragrant wood musical instruments.

Contraindications

Despite the huge number of beneficial properties, preparations from Spruce have contraindications. Inhalations from spruce needles contraindicated in patients with asthma.

If you have an individual intolerance to substances contained in spruce cones and needles, you must be careful when using Spruce for medicinal purposes.

Too frequent consumption of decoctions and drinks from Spruce can be dangerous for the kidneys.

In ancient times on new year holidays The spruce was hung with its roots up, and not installed in a corner, as in modern times.

In Scandinavia, spruce branches are used to cover the paths along which the rulers' motorcades follow.

Blue Spruce has become widespread in cities not only because of the beauty of its needles, but also because of its resistance to polluted air.

Young shoots can grow from a dead Spruce root, which later become real trees. Thus, the tree clones itself.

A similar tree grows in Sweden, its age is close to 10 thousand years.

Spruce cones are often depicted on flags different countries. This fruit symbolizes a high goal and peak.

(Picea abies Karst.)

European or common spruce is an ordinary miracle!

Spruce (Picea) is a genus of coniferous evergreen trees of the pine family. Spruce is one of the main forest-forming species in our country and one of the most powerful trees. In Russia, Norway spruce or common spruce grows in northern and middle lanes the European part of the country, in the south to the central black earth strip of forest-steppe, in the east it reaches the Urals; Siberian spruce is widespread in the Urals and Siberia. Spruce grows in damp places, on rich loamy soils, in parks.

The growth of spruce does not stop throughout the life of the tree, and by 150-200 years it can reach a height of 50 meters and a trunk diameter of 80-100 cm. In total, about 40 species of spruce are known, all of them grow in the Northern Hemisphere. Spruce is frost-resistant, can withstand temperatures down to -52°C in winter, although young trees

They do not tolerate spring and autumn frosts well; young branches may freeze.

Most best holiday Every year we meet with a Christmas tree or spruce branches, bringing a fresh smell of pine needles and a feeling of freshness into our home. Spruce is a coniferous tree with a cone-shaped crown, pointed, flattened tetrahedral needles, male and female cones, dark brown seeds with long wings. Seeds remain viable for 8 - 10 years.

Spruce, like other representatives of the pine family, releases a huge amount of phytoncides that kill any harmful microflora in the air. IN spruce forest there is always clean, fresh, almost sterile air - that’s why many sanatoriums try to locate in coniferous forests, so that a person’s stay there around the clock has its healing effect.

The scientific name of the genus picea is from Latin word pix - “resin”, which is abundantly secreted by all plants of the pine family. The scientific name of the species, abies, is translated from Latin as “spruce.” Russian name of the genus “spruce” - is of Indo-European origin.

Since ancient times, spruce has been used by people to treat various diseases. WITH therapeutic purpose Spruce needles, young shoots, and young cones are used as medicinal raw materials. They contain tannins, vitamin C, carotene, essential oil, resin, mineral salts of iron, chromium, copper, aluminum, manganese.

Spruce preparations have diuretic, diaphoretic, choleretic, antiscorbutic, analgesic, and wound-healing effects. To prepare the preparations, take fresh pine needles or those located in outdoor conditions, since when the pine needles are ate in a warm place, the vitamin C content in it quickly decreases. Spruce branches can be stored in a room for no more than 10 days, dipping the lower ends into water.

Spruce beneficial properties. Useful properties of pine needles

Spruce needle oil, added to water for inhalation, miraculously relieves coughs, facilitates sputum separation, and treats purulent otitis media and sore throat. An infusion of young pine needles has the same effect, which, in addition to its bactericidal effect, is a source of vitamins.

With a lack of vitamin C - vitamin deficiency, as an antiscorbutic remedy,

for acute and chronic diseases respiratory organs - sore throat, bronchitis, tracheitis, bronchial asthma:
- Pour 40 g of chopped spruce needles with a glass of boiling water, boil for 20 minutes, leave, then strain. The resulting infusion is drunk during the day, 1/3÷1/2 cup.

This infusion of spruce needles is very useful after serious illnesses, with dry and cracking skin. The infusion of pine needles has a diuretic and antimicrobial effect, as it contains essential oil, beneficial properties needles are used for treatment of kidney and urinary tract diseases .

You can also prepare a vitamin infusion from fresh pine needles:

- 4 cups of spruce needles pour 0.5 l cold water, add citric acid, leave for 2 - 3 days in a dark place, strain. Drink 1 glass a day in 2-3 doses for vitamin deficiencies.

Spruce cones have medicinal properties . A decoction of unripe spruce cones (collected in June - September) is used to prevent infectious diseases.

For sore throat, tonsillitis, laryngitis, sinusitis, rhinitis:

- Pour 50 g of crushed cones into a glass of water, boil for 30 minutes over low heat, then strain. Use 5-6 times a day as a rinse or instill a few drops into both nostrils.

For the treatment of rheumatism, nervous and skin diseases It is good to use pine baths.

For skin diseases, gout and joint damage due to rheumatism:

Pour 500 g of the tops of young branches with buds into 2.5 liters of water, boil for 30 minutes, then add the decoction to a bath of warm water;
Pour 500 g of crushed pine needles into 2.5 liters of water, boil for 10 minutes, then leave for 12 hours, strain, add to a bath with warm water.

Watch a short video about the beneficial properties of pine needles Let's heal with the Christmas tree! :

Boils, pustules, difficult-to-heal ulcers and wounds are dealt with using an ointment prepared from spruce resin, wax and butter. For the same purpose, you can use dry spruce resin powder.

WARNING:

The use of spruce preparations is contraindicated for gastritis, stomach and duodenal ulcers!

In the pharmaceutical industry, synthetic camphor is extracted from spruce, which is included in balms for rubbing joints for rheumatism and arthritis, as well as drugs prescribed for heart disease. Turpentine, purified in a special way, is also used in official medicine for the preparation of warming, analgesic ointments - turpentine ointment, "Efkamon" ointment and balms - "Tiger" balm. Ready-made extracts are available for sale that have a relaxing, calming effect in the treatment of nervous and cardiovascular diseases.

Spruce wood is soft, but strong and elastic, used in the manufacture of furniture, in construction for interior decoration, paper and musical instruments are made from it.

Turpentine, rosin, and tar are obtained from spruce wood, tannins are obtained from the bark, and oil is obtained from cone seeds. Terpene hydrate is obtained from turpentine, a substance with an expectorant effect; it is used in the form of tablets for the treatment of chronic bronchitis.

Tar, obtained from wood, is widely used in the form of 10 - 30% ointments for the treatment of eczema, lichen, and other skin diseases.

So diverse medicinal properties possesses - an ordinary miracle!

Get to know it better and use the beneficial properties of pine needles to maintain and improve your health!

The other day my son was walking through school To the world around us flowering and non-flowering plants. What is the difference between a fern, a spruce and, say, an apple tree (or cabbage)? That apple tree and cabbage are blooming. That's what it says in the textbook. From a botany point of view, everything is correct, however... I have seen more than once blooming spruce.

Spruce blossom

Strictly speaking, gymnosperms (conifers) do not flower. But what happens to them in the spring performs the same function as flowering angiosperms. Therefore on household level, I think we have the right to talk about spruce flowering. Everyone has probably seen how the spruce blossoms. Not everything is possible realized

At the end of spring, red cones sticking up appear at the ends of spruce branches. This female cones. In the fall they will turn into real brown fir cones. male cones, staminate, smaller, yellow-red or simply yellow. They dust with yellow spruce pollen in the spring.

Female cones are formed on the upper branches (from there the ripened seeds can fly further away). Males prefer lateral branches.

This is how a spruce tree blooms. In the picture there are female “flowers” - reddish bumps:

And here are men's, yellow.

Some years the spruce trees bloom so abundantly that the pollen covers the surrounding area with a yellow coating. By the way, last year, in late spring, a yellow cloud covered the Moscow region - the birches were blooming especially well. We, the villagers, were not at all afraid, birch trees grow under our windows, we saw with our own eyes saw how they gather dust

Spruce propagation

In fact, in botany, the reproductive organs of conifers are called strobiles. These are modified shoots. Male strobili are called microstrobilae, female strobili are called megastrobilae.

On the strobili (both male and female) are formed disputes, macrospores are female spores or microspores are male spores. Female spores develop into an embryo sac, male spores into pollen.

Spruce trees have strobiles collected in cones. A tuft of megastrobilus is a female cone, a tuft of microstrobilus is a male cone. Both male and female cones in spruce, like most conifers, can form on the same tree, that is, monoecious plants.

How spruce grows

Let's return to our spruce trees. In spring, they not only have flower cones, but also open shoots buds from which paws grow. At first they look like cones, covered with light brown scales. But inside they have resinous greenery. I love, while walking through a coniferous forest in the spring, to chew the young shoots of a Christmas tree or pine; they have a pleasant resinous taste.

They write that forest spruce trees bloom in 30-50 years. My spruce plantings began to bloom when I was 10 years old. When a spruce grows in an open place, it does not have to fight so intensely for light, so it thinks about propagation much earlier.

Spruce does not bloom every year, but approximately once every 3-5 years. Spruce grows all its life until old age, although most quickly in youth, from about 10 years old. Spruce trees are not long-lived trees. They live 250-300 years. Due to the fact that adult spruce does not have a tap root, the root system is superficial; they are easily blown over by the wind, forming windfalls. Bark beetles are even worse for our spruce pine forests. In the Moscow region recent years 10 a disaster has unfolded - bark beetles are destroying coniferous forests. But this is a separate unpleasant topic.

How can you determine the age of a spruce tree?

It is known that the age of a tree can be easily determined by its annual rings, since a new ring grows every year. By the relative width of the annual rings, you can determine the direction to the south (the rings are wider there), as well as the comparative “productivity” different years. Sometimes, in order to determine the age of a living tree, without cutting it down, its trunk is drilled and a “puncture” is taken.

With spruce everything is simpler. To determine the age of a spruce tree, you do not need to cut it down or drill it. Just count number of tiers of branches. On spruce trees the branches grow in rings, whorls. Every year a new tier is added. They do not form for the first three or four years, so the formula for calculating the age of a spruce is simple: the number of tiers of branches plus 3. This, of course, if you did not shape the tree and did not cut down the top.

By the way, you can easily distinguish spruce lumber from pine: on spruce logs or boards, knots are never staggered, but follow the same annual tiers.

Needles

Although spruce is an evergreen tree, its needles, like other conifers, do not last forever. The needles live from 6 to 10 years, depending on the species. The fallen needles are renewed. When used in landscape design garden plot In a hedge, you can use the shade tolerance of this tree. In partial shade, the spruce does not wither and remains green right down to the ground. It is possible to make a hedge with vertical walls from spruce trees, but I prefer more natural shape wood - easier to maintain and less violence against nature.