Among the plants that adorn our gardens, coniferous trees occupy a special place. They give the garden a noble look and decorate it all year round. They are loved because they are very decorative and set the tone in many compositions. But, conifers are especially popular in winter - on the eve of the New Year. They look spectacular in New Year's decoration in our apartments, under snow caps in large parks and squares, and in very small areas.
As regards the planted coniferous plants , then we can say that the sympathies of gardeners are almost evenly distributed among various kinds firs, pines, thujas, junipers and larches. All of them can be called centenarians, many of them live even more than one hundred years.
Almost all coniferous plants are evergreen. Only some of them, for example, larch, sheds needles for the winter. All the rest update their needles gradually. Once every few years, old needles fall off, and new young green needles appear in their place.
The variety of coniferous plants allows gardeners to choose the most suitable tree or shrub for their garden.
The following advantages of conifers make them very popular in landscape gardening:
- They tolerate the lack of light and moisture well.
- Many varieties naturally have correct form and therefore do not need a haircut
- Due to the medicinal coniferous aroma, they are widely used in folk and official medicine.
- Due to the variety of types and forms, they are actively used in landscape compositions in areas of any size
If you decide to plant a coniferous plant on your site, you need to approach the choice very carefully.
Key questions to ask yourself:
- What do you want to plant - a tree or a shrub
- Is the composition ready for the conifer
- Have you taken into account your climatic conditions and soil composition on the site
coniferous plants go well, in particular with cereals, with roses, etc. If the answers are ready, you can start selecting the variety, type and shape of the coniferous plant.
Types of coniferous plants
Spruce
Evergreen monoecious and wind-pollinated plant. Its Latin name (Lat. Picea) spruce is due to the high content of resin in the wood. Widespread use in industry is due to the softness of wood and the absence of a core.
Spruce- perhaps the most beloved and common coniferous tree in our country. These beautiful slender trees with a pyramidal crown occupy one of the first places in the coniferous kingdom and have almost 50 plant species in their genus.
The largest number of spruce species grows in Western and Central China and in the northern hemisphere. In Russia, 8 types of spruce are well known.
Spruce is considered a fairly shade-tolerant plant, however, it still prefers good lighting. Her root system is superficial, i.e. close to the ground. Therefore, the earth at the roots is not dug up. Spruce is demanding on soil fertility, loves light loamy and sandy loamy soils.
Types of fir trees successfully used in landscaping the site:
Sometimes reaches 40 meters. Fast growing tree. Due to the special color of the needles - the top is a brilliant dark green, and the bottom - with noticeable white stripes - it gives the impression that the tree is bluish-green. Brown-purple buds give the plant a special charm and elegance.
Serbian spruce looks great, both in a single and in a group planting. great example serve magnificent alleys in the parks.
There are dwarf varieties with a height of no more than 2 meters.
(Picea obovata). On the territory of our country grows in Western and Eastern Siberia, on Far East and in the Urals.
A coniferous tree up to 30 m high. The crown is dense, wide-conical, with a pointed top. The bark is fissured, gray. Cones ovoid-cylindrical, brown. It has several subtypes that differ in the color of the needles - from pure green to silver and even golden.
European spruce, or common (Picea abies). The maximum height of a coniferous tree is 50 m. It can live up to 300 years. This is a slender tree with a dense pyramidal crown. Norway spruce is considered the most common tree in Europe. The trunk width of an old tree can reach 1 m. Mature cones of an ordinary spruce are an oblong-cylindrical shape. They ripen in autumn in October, and their seeds begin to fall from January to April. European spruce is considered the fastest growing. So, in a year it can grow by 50 cm.
Thanks to breeding work, several very ornamental varieties of this kind. Among them there are weeping, compact, pin-shaped spruces. All of them are very popular in landscape gardening and are widely used in park compositions and as hedges.
Spruce, like any other coniferous plant, becomes especially beautiful with the advent of winter. Any shade of needles effectively emphasizes the snow cover, and the garden looks elegant and noble.
In addition to the above types of spruce, prickly, oriental, black, Canadian, Ayan spruce are popular with gardeners.
The genus of pine consists of more than 100 names. These conifers are distributed throughout almost the entire Northern Hemisphere. Also, pine grows well in the composition of forests in Asia and North America. Artificially planted pine plantations feel good in the southern hemisphere of our planet. It is much more difficult for this coniferous tree to take root in the conditions of the city.
It tolerates frost and drought well. But the pine does not really like the lack of light. This coniferous plant gives a good annual growth. The dense crown of pine is very decorative, and therefore pine is successfully used in landscaping parks and gardens, both in single planting and in group planting. This conifer prefers sandy, calcareous and rocky soils. Although there are several types of pine that prefer fertile soils, these are Weymouth, Wallich, cedar and resinous pine.
Some properties of pine are simply amazing. For example, the peculiarity of its bark delights, when the bark below is much thicker than the one above. It makes once again think about the wisdom of nature. After all, it is this property that protects the tree from summer overheating and a possible ground fire.
Another feature is how the tree prepares in advance for the winter period. After all, the evaporation of moisture in frost can destroy the plant. Therefore, as soon as the cold approaches, the pine needles are covered with a thin layer of wax, and the stomata close. Those. pine stops breathing!
Scotch pine. It is rightfully considered a symbol of the Russian forest. In height, the tree reaches 35-40 meters, and therefore it is deservedly called a tree of the first magnitude. The circumference of the trunk sometimes reaches 1 meter. Pine needles are dense, bluish-green. The shape is different - sticking out, curved, and even collected in bunches of 2 needles.
The life expectancy of needles is 3 years. With the onset of autumn, the needles turn yellow and fall off.
Pine cones, as a rule, are located 1-3 pieces on legs. Ripe cones are brown or brown in color and reach a length of 6 cm.
Under adverse conditions, Scotch pine may stop growing and remain a "dwarf". Surprisingly, different instances can have a different root system. For example, in arid soils, a pine tree may develop a taproot that extracts water deep underground. And in conditions of high occurrence of groundwater, lateral roots develop.
The life expectancy of Scots pine can reach 200 years. There are cases in history when a pine lived for 400 years.
Scotch pine is considered fast growing. For a year, its growth can be 50-70 cm. This coniferous tree begins to bear fruit from 15 - summer age. In the conditions of the forest and dense planting - only after 40 years.
The Latin name is Pinus mugo. This is a multi-stemmed coniferous tree, reaching a height of 10-20 meters. Dwarf varieties - 40-50 cm. Trunks - semi-lodging and ascending. In adulthood, it can reach a diameter of 3 m. A very decorative coniferous plant.
The needles are dark, long, often curved. The bark is brownish-gray, scaly. Cones ripen in the 3rd year.
To date, more than 100 varieties of mountain pine have been registered. And this number is increasing every year. In landscape gardening, dwarf varieties are especially used, which form beautiful compositions along the banks of reservoirs and in rocky gardens.
Magnificent view with a narrow pyramidal crown. Homeland - North America. In our country grows well in southern and middle lane. Grows up to 10 meters. It does not tolerate urban conditions very well. Especially at a young age, it often freezes slightly. Prefers places protected from the winds. Therefore, yellow pine is best planted in groups.
The needles are dark and long. The bark is thick, reddish-brown, cracking into large plates. Cones ovoid, almost sessile. In total, there are about 10 varieties of yellow pine.
A very showy variety of pine. Homeland - North America. The needles have a blue-green tint. The cones are large and somewhat curved. An adult tree can reach a height of more than 30 meters. It is considered a long-liver, as it can live up to 400 years. As it grows, it changes its crown from narrow-pyramidal to wide-pyramidal. It acquired its name thanks to the English Lord Weymouth, who took her home from North America in the 18th century.
It does not tolerate salty soils and. It is relatively resistant to frost, but does not like winds. Weymouth pine is characterized by reddish pubescence on young shoots.
A relatively low coniferous plant - up to 20 m high. This is a slow-growing tree. The bark is light gray, lamellar. The needles are bright green, hard, curved. Cones are yellowish, shiny, long. The diameter of the crown can reach 5-6 meters.
Some experts consider it Geldreich's pine. Indeed, the resemblance is great. However, since there are varieties under both names, we will still focus on whitebark pine. To date, about 10 varieties of this species are known. Approximately the same number of Geldreich's pines. Often varieties can be mixed.
This type of pine in the conditions of our country takes root best in the southern regions, as it does not tolerate frost well. Whitebark pine is photophilous, it is undemanding to the nutritional composition of the soil, but it grows better on moderately moist, drained and moderately alkaline soils.
Looks good in a Japanese, rocky and heather garden. Great for both solitary planting and mixed group.
Fir
Tall (up to 60 m) coniferous tree with a conical crown. A bit like a spruce. It can be up to 2 meters in diameter. This is a real long-lived plant. Some specimens live 400-700 years. The trunk of a fir is straight, columnar. The crown is dense. At a young age, the fir crown has a cone-shaped or pyramidal shape. As they grow older, the shape of the crown becomes cylindrical.
The needles, depending on the variety, have different lengths and live 8-10 years. Fir begins to bear fruit from the age of about 30 years. Cones are erect and long (up to 25 cm).
This coniferous plant does not tolerate frost, drought and great heat. The pluses include the fact that this is the most shade-tolerant tree. Sometimes shoots can appear under the mother tree in full shading. With good lighting, firs naturally grow better.
This coniferous plant is a real find in landscape gardening. Fir is used both in a single planting and for decorating alleys. Dwarf forms look great in a rocky garden and on an alpine hill.
Botanical name Abies balsamea "Nana". This coniferous plant is a dwarf cushion tree. Naturally grows in North America.
In care unpretentious. He likes good lighting, but he also tolerates shade well. For balsam fir, not so much frost is terrible as strong gusty winds that can simply damage a small tree. The soil prefers light, moist, fertile, slightly acidic. It reaches a height of 1 m, which makes it a favorite decorative object in landscape gardening. It is equally good for decorating a garden, landscaping terraces, slopes and roofs.
Propagated by seeds and annual cuttings with an apical bud.
The needles are dark green with a special reflection. Exudes a characteristic resinous aroma. Cones are red-brown, elongated, reach a length of 5-10 cm.
It is a very slow growing coniferous plant. For 10 years, it grows no more than 30 cm. It lives up to 300 years.
Fir Nordmann (or Caucasian). An evergreen coniferous tree that came to us from the mountains of the Caucasus and Asia Minor. Sometimes it grows up to 60-80 meters in height. The shape of the crown is a neat cone-shaped. It is for this neat appearance that gardeners love Nordmann fir.
It is she who is dressed up instead of a Christmas tree for the New Year holidays in many European countries. This is largely due to the structure of the branches - the branches are often located and raised up. This distinguishing feature fir Nordmann.
The needles are dark green with some sheen. Young shoots are light green, even yellowish. Needles - from 15 to 40 mm, look very fluffy. If the needles are lightly rubbed between the fingers, you can feel a specific citrus aroma.
The trunk of an adult plant can reach a diameter of two meters. At a young age, the bark of the Caucasian fir is grayish-brown, smooth. As it matures, it cracks into segments and becomes matte.
Nordmann fir is growing quite fast. Under favorable conditions, this coniferous tree can live up to 600-700 years. Moreover, the increase in height and width continues until the very last day of life!
Depending on the type of soil, the root system can be either superficial or deep with a central core. The cones of this fir are large, up to 20 cm, arranged vertically on a short stem.
It has a unique property - the needles on the branches remain even after they have dried, up to mechanical damage.
Coniferous evergreen belonging to the Cypress family. It can be both a tree and a shrub. Common juniper (Juniperus communis) grows mainly in the Northern Hemisphere of our planet. However, in Africa you can also find your own juniper - East African. In the Mediterranean and Central Asia, this plant forms juniper forests. Quite common are undersized species that creep along the ground and rocky slopes.
To date, more than fifty species of juniper are known.
As a rule, it is a photophilous and drought-resistant culture. Absolutely undemanding to soils and temperatures. However, like any plant, it has its own preferences - for example, it develops better in light and nutritious soil.
Like all conifers, it belongs to centenarians. Average duration his life is about 500 years.
The needles of the juniper are bluish-green in color, triangular, pointed at the ends. Cones are spherical, gray or of blue color. Rod root.
This coniferous plant was attributed and magical properties. For example, it was believed that a juniper wreath scares away evil spirits and brings good luck. Perhaps that is why in Europe there was a fashion to hang wreaths on the eve of the new year.
In landscape design, both juniper trees and shrubs are widely used. Group plantings are good for creating hedges. Single plants also do an excellent job with the main role in the composition. Undersized creeping varieties often used as ground cover plants. They strengthen slopes well and prevent soil erosion. In addition, juniper lends itself well to a haircut.
Scaly juniper (Juniperus squamata)- creeping shrub. Thick branches with the same dense needles look very decorative.
Evergreen coniferous plant. Has the appearance of trees or shrubs. Depending on the genus and species, it differs in color, quality of needles, crown shape, height and life expectancy. Representatives of some species live up to 150 years. At the same time, there are specimens - true centenarians, who live up to almost 1000 years!
In landscape gardening, thuja is considered one of the basic plants, and like any conifer, it is good both in group planting and as a solo plant. It is used to decorate alleys, hedges and borders.
The most common types of thuja are western, eastern, giant, Korean, Japanese, etc.
Thuja needles are soft needle-shaped. In a young plant, the needles have a light green color. With age, the needles acquire a darker shade. The fruits are oval or oblong cones. Seeds ripen in the first year.
Thuja is famous for its unpretentiousness. She tolerates frost well, and is not capricious in care. Unlike other conifers, it tolerates gas pollution in large cities well. Therefore, it is indispensable in urban gardening.
Larches
Coniferous plants with needles falling down for the winter. This partly explains its name. These are large, light-loving and winter-hardy plants that grow quickly, are undemanding to soils and tolerate air pollution well.
Larch trees are especially beautiful in early spring and late autumn. In spring, larch needles acquire a soft green hue, and in autumn - bright yellow. Since the needles grow every year, its needles are very soft.
Larch fructifies from 15 years. Cones have an ovoid-conical shape, somewhat reminiscent of a rose flower. They reach a length of 6 cm. Young cones are purple in color. As they mature, they turn brown.
Larch- long-lived tree. Some of them live up to 800 years. The plant develops most intensively in the first 100 years. These are tall and slender trees, reaching 25-80 meters in height depending on the species and conditions.
In addition, larch is very useful tree. It has a very hard and durable wood. In the industry, its red core is in the greatest demand. Also, larch is valued in folk medicine. Folk healers harvest its young shoots, buds and larch resin, from which "Venetian" turpentine (turpentine) is obtained, which is used for many diseases. The bark is harvested throughout the summer and used as a vitamin remedy.
Photo of coniferous plants
Enjoy the beauty of nature with us
In the pre-New Year's turmoil, people storm the Christmas tree markets. Of course, what is a holiday without the traditional "fluffy beauty"? The smell of pine needles brings peace, comfort, and a festive mood to the house. But most of us do not even suspect that one of the most popular Christmas trees is not spruce at all, as is commonly believed, but its close relative - fir. Outwardly, these conifers are very similar, but upon closer examination, you can see a number of differences.
Description of spruce and fir
Spruce – evergreen tree belonging to the pine family, the average height is 20-40 meters. Spruce has a pyramidal shape, a straight trunk, gray - brown bark. It is a "long-liver" and can reach the age of 500 years.
Fir also belongs to the genus of evergreens, height is about 40-60 meters. The symmetrical pyramidal shape of the fir makes it valuable as ornamental plant. It lives long enough, a fir is known that has reached 1300 years. Fir trees do not have resin canals, which makes these trees unlike other conifers.
Spreading
Spruce mainly grows in the Northern Hemisphere. And if in the taiga it forms full-fledged spruce forests, then closer to the Central part of Europe it becomes part of mixed forests. Many species of spruce are named after the area of growth, for example, Serbian spruce, eastern spruce.
Due to the fact that fir is rather capricious and requires certain growing conditions, for example, high humidity and certain soil, it is less common in our forests than spruce. In addition, fir trees grow extremely slowly up to 10 years, though then their growth accelerates. This tree is common in the South of Primorsky Krai, North-East of China, North of the USA and Korea.
Needles and cones
Spruce needles are located spirally around the branch, the length can reach 2.5 centimeters, the needles have a tetrahedral shape.
thuja tree
If you clear the branch of needles, you can see the tuberculate surface of the shoot. Adherents of a “live” Christmas tree for the New Year holidays are well aware of how prickly the needles of the Christmas tree are. Spruce cones grow at the ends of branches and are egg-shaped.
Fir needles are long, up to 4.5 cm, flat, dark green with two white stripes, narrowed at the base. Its main property, which distinguishes it from other conifers, is softness and lack of causticity. The fir cones are also quite remarkable: they grow at the very top of the tree and are directed not down, but up.
Use of wood
Durable spruce wood is the second most used wood after pine. It is used in the construction of houses, the manufacture of furniture and even musical instruments such as violins. Due to the white color of the wood, spruce is an indispensable raw material for the pulp and paper industry. In addition, spruce has healing properties, its needles are widely used in medicine as an anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial and analgesic.
Fir wood is also used to make paper. In construction and furniture production fir is not valued as highly as other conifers, due to brittleness and fragility. But due to the property of wood, do not give food products foreign odors, it is used in the manufacture of barrels for storing these same products. IN medicinal purposes often used "fir oil" as a medicine against rheumatism and colds.
Conclusions TheDifference.ru
- For ornamental crop production, fir is more advantageous due to its symmetrical shape and the absence of resin passages.
- Due to the fact that fir is more demanding on growing conditions and grows slowly, its cultivation is more costly.
- Fir needles are not prickly, wider and longer than spruce, and the cones grow up, not down, like spruce.
- Spruce wood is more durable than fir wood, so it is used more often in furniture production and construction. Both fir and spruce are widely used in medicine and the production of medicines.
Thuja: planting and care, reproduction and types
A story about coniferous trees. Reflection. Yatskova O.A.
Senior educator MBDOU No. 316
Yatskova O.A.
Dear teachers and caring parents!
Kids, these are big whys. They constantly ask us interesting, sometimes difficult questions. And you don’t always know how to answer a child a particular question.
When my son was just a baby, he explored the world with great interest. And one day he heard the expression "coniferous trees", immediately without delay, asked what "coniferous trees" were. Of course, every adult knows what it is and what benefits it brings. It seems that I told my son everything. But just recently I found an amazing story for children "Coniferous Trees" (author's project "Children's Hour", 2012-2016), which will help any parent or teacher to explain very easily. I want to share this story with you.
Coniferous trees. Story for children.
Conifers are trees whose leaves are needle-shaped. They got their name - "coniferous" from the word "needles".
Thuja: an overview of the most interesting varieties
Needles are a lot of green needles covering the branches of trees.
Coniferous trees differ from other trees in that their leaves do not fall for the winter, while all our deciduous trees remain bare-branched in the coldest season.
The needles of coniferous trees are not eternal, they change, but this happens gradually, almost imperceptibly. Replacement takes place sometimes within a year, sometimes every two or three years...
And since the branches of coniferous trees are of unequal age, the leaves from them fall off at different periods. Therefore, a significant part of the needles is always stored for the winter, and the trees remain constantly green.
Coniferous trees differ from deciduous trees in that their seeds are formed in large woody cones.
The most common of our coniferous trees are spruce and pine. Their leaves are narrow, spiny, and unlike those of most other trees.
In addition to spruce and pine, conifers also include larch, fir, cedar, juniper, sequoia, yew, cypress.
Coniferous trees, due to the rigidity of their needles, do not serve as a source of food for the animal world.
In a coniferous forest, only a few plant species can grow due to a lack of sunlight. They are always cold.
In relation to coniferous trees, the expression "most-most" is often used. Most ancient tree, the tallest tree, the thickest tree - all these champions among trees are representatives of the coniferous kingdom.
The main types of conifers
Coniferous plants belong to a large and ancient group of gymnosperms, only cycads and ferns are more ancient. Coniferous trees have more than 560 species. These plants are found all over the world, growing both in the hot tropics and beyond the Arctic Circle.
Coniferous trees are quite diverse: conical firs, fluffy pines, spreading spruces, creeping junipers are an integral part of coniferous mixborders, hedges, borders, alleys, rocky gardens. There is nothing to be surprised here, varieties of all conifers are an endless source.
Evergreen large beautiful tree always attracts the eye, because it is the most prominent component of any garden.
Thank you for your attention!
Subject:"Deciduous and coniferous plants." (Grade 1) for children with disabilities
Bernikova Lyubov Vladimirovna, primary school teacher.
C ate a lesson:-introduce the variety of coniferous plants;
To teach by needles to determine the type of tree;
- foster respect for nature.
During the classes.
Repetition of what has been learned.
1. Teacher. -What changes in nature occurred with the advent of autumn? How do plants prepare for winter?
Consider pictures. Try to determine the time of year from different trees.
What are trees with leaves called? Choose the correct answer:
(coniferous, deciduous)
- What is leaf fall?
Leaf fall - adaptation of plants to the harsh conditions of winter
Why do trees need leaf fall?
Tree protection from winter drought. (leaves evaporate a lot of moisture)
Getting rid of the tree toxic substances from earth and air.
Protection of thin and fragile branches from the weight of falling snow.
New topic.
What are plants that have needles called?
Compare leaf blade and needles.
What is the difference? What coniferous trees do you know?
Acquaintance with coniferous trees.
We even ate at first
They did not distinguish from pine:
Once the needles stick out -
So these are trees.
And when they ate on a branch
We took a better look
It turned out that she
Not like pine.
A spruce forest is called a spruce forest. Sharp apex, widening towards the bottom. Loves moisture. Needles are prickly, solitary. The crown is dense, gives a strong shade. Spruce lives 300-500 years. Spruce wood is used to make paper and artificial silk.
blossom in spring,
I bear fruit in summer
I don't fade in autumn
I don't die in winter
I look like a tree
But the needle is longer.
The pine forest is called a forest. Pine loves light. Pair of needles. Pine grows on any soil. Healing air in the pine forest. wood is good building material.
Larch.
Eating 
b at a relative of the Christmas tree
Non-thorny needles.
But unlike the tree
Those needles are falling off.
People call larch the queen of Siberian forests. In autumn, golden needles fall to the ground like leaves. Hence the name of the tree. The needles are collected in bunches of 20-60 pieces. Photophilous. The wood doesn't rot.
Fir and cedar are also conifers.
Consolidation of what has been learned. Check of knowledge.
Crossword What tree is this leaf from?
Answers: 1. Oak. 2. Birch. 3. Spruce. 4. Maple.
Test.
1.Which sheet has a complex sheet plate?
2. What is superfluous?
3. How to correctly name a leaf of a coniferous tree?
a) thorn; b) a needle; c) needle.
4. Which of the coniferous trees sheds needles for the winter?
a) pine; b) larch; c) spruce.
Summary of the lesson. Thank you for your work.
Adapted educational program of the basic general education mbskou "Boarding school No. 37 of the VIII type"
Educational program
… educational program 5-9 classes for children with violations ... plants Gymnosperms. Pine and spruce - coniferous trees. Their difference from deciduous… (correctional) educational institution for children With limited opportunities health" (edited by ...
The main educational program of primary general education of the mobu "Kirov Primary General Education School"
Main educational program
… specific conditions for children With limited opportunities health on … 2 classes) and subject or complex excursions (3 and 4 classes) For studying… plants, their features. Conifers And deciduous trees. wild plants …
Work program Educational area: Natural science Subject: The world around us Grade: 1-4 Teacher
Working programm
… to people with limited opportunities health. Chapter … plants Deciduous And coniferous plants. Aesthetic impact plants… project execution children learn: - ... albums For drawing. K Hardware class Student …
Educational program of primary general education for the period 2011-2015
Educational program
… plants(algae, mosses, ferns, coniferous, flowering), species plants. Breathing and nutrition plants. Reproduction and development plants. Role plants… adaptive learning environment for children having limited opportunities health and problems...
Pleshakova A. A. at the course "The world around us" for grades 1-4 A.
Thuja in the city and in the country: planting, care, reproduction
A. Pleshakov
Working programm
… limited possi… plants Manifold plants. Trees, shrubs, herbs. Deciduous And coniferous plants. Aesthetic impact plants … opportunity … children. Specially For family activities are designed inserts in workbooks 1 and 2 classes …
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Despite the high prevalence of pine crops in coniferous forests, natural spruce forests (Piceeta abietis) grow in the altitudinal zone of 1200-1650 meters above sea level, where the forest litter mainly consists of layers of immature humus. Such plantings were especially well formed in the conditions of the Marmaro crystalline massif and the Chernogorsk ridge. Here spruce forms pure plantations over large areas.
Fir-spruce forests (Abieto-Piceetum) were formed on very acidic, poor, but with a high proportion of fine earth, mainly on waterlogged soils in the mountain fir-beech belt. Under such habitat conditions, the beech is not competitive.
In some places on the border of the forest, cedar pine (Pinus cembra) and larch (Larix decidua) grow. Relic cedar-fir and larch-cedar-fir plantations are under protection in the Kedrin Reserve and on the slopes of Mount Popadya.
Mountain pine (Pinus mugo), green alder (Alnus viridis) and Siberian juniper (Juniperus sibirica) form almost completely pure thickets throughout the area with an undergrowth that varies depending on the properties of the substrate, exposure and other habitat factors.
douglas green
(Another name: pseudo-hemlock green) (genus "Douglas")
The tree is up to 125 m high and 5 m in diameter. It lives 500-800 (1500) years. It was brought to the territory of Russia in 1827. The trunk is straight, columnar, full-wood, cleared of branches by 55-75%, and therefore gives a large yield of clean lumber. The crown is dense, broadly cone-shaped or broadly pyramidal, pointed. Branches are irregularly ring-shaped. The needles are perennial (up to 8 years), placed spirally on elongated annual shoots. The age of maturity of Douglas reaches 10-20 years. Bears fruit annually. This breed is moderately whimsical to heat. Big frosts, heat, late spring frosts, long droughts and dry winds are poorly tolerated.
Siberian larch
(Genus "larch")
The tree is 30-37 meters high and 80-160 cm in diameter. It lives 400-500 years. The trunk is straight, full-wood, cylindrical, highly delimbed. The bark of young trees is thin, in old trees it is thick, deeply fissured, red at the turn. The crown at a young age is narrow, at an older one it is wide. The needles are 2.5-5.0 cm long and up to 1 mm wide, placed singly, spirally. On shortened shoots, the needles are collected in bunches of 25-60 pieces. In space it blooms from 12-15 years. Cones are 1.5-3.0 cm long and 18-35 mm thick. The root system is strong (strongly developed main tap root and deep lateral ones). This breed is much demanding on light, frost-resistant, winter-hardy and heat-resistant. Not whimsical to soil fertility.
European larch
(Genus "larch")
Photo of European larch
The tree is 25-45 m high and 80-100 (160) cm in diameter. It lives 450-500 years. The trunk is straight (sometimes saber-curved from below), full-wood. In young trees, the crown is narrow-conical, peaked, and in old ones - irregular shape. Longitudinal shoots are bare, thin and yellowish-brown. The needles are 1-4 cm long and 1.5 mm wide, light green, with a sharp yellowish tip. Needles appear in March-April, turn yellow and fall off in autumn. Propagated by seeds. Fruits in 15-20 years and repeats every 3-5 years. Very light-loving breed. Relatively frost-resistant and winter-hardy. Windproof, tolerates air pollution well, is not demanding on moisture and soil.
Spruce
(Another name: common spruce, European spruce) (genus "spruce, fir")
The tree is 30-45 m high and up to 1.5 m in diameter. It lives 250-300 (500) years. The trunk up to 1/3 of the height is almost cylindrical, slender. Dead branches do not fall off for a long time. The bark is thin. The crown is dense and compact. The needles are shiny, hard, prickly, 2-3 cm long, and up to 1.5 mm wide. The cones are hanging, cylindrical, 10-15 cm long and 3-4 cm in diameter. In the wild, it bears fruit from 15-20 years. Harvest years repeat every 4-7 years. Seeds ripen in the year of flowering. The root system is superficial, but on loose soils the lateral roots are deep. Shade-tolerant, moderately whimsical to soil fertility.
Spruce or European spruce (Picea abies) - dominant tree species alpine and subalpine belts in the Alps and northern taiga. In the forests of Montenegro there are for her optimal conditions growth. It can reach an age of 500-600 years, a height of 60 meters and a diameter of 2 meters. Its crown is cone-shaped or pyramidal, and the external shape is very different and is determined by the type of branching. Depending on the location of the branches - hanging, brush-like. The slender, column-like crowns of pines in the higher belts of Montenegro are striking. Thanks to such crowns, they do not experience a large snow load.
Young needles appear here, depending on the height above sea level, from mid-May to early June and grow for 5-7 years. Strict conditions in the upper belts determine some features in the biology of pine. So, in the lower belts, abundant harvests are repeated after 3-6 years, and high in the mountains - only after 6-9 years. Also, with height, both the size of the cones and the weight of the seeds decrease. A thousand pine seeds weigh only 5-8 grams.
Siberian spruce
(Another name: spruce) (genus "spruce, fir")
The tree is 25-30 m high and 0.7-0.9 m in diameter. It lives 250-300 years. View close to the previous one. The crown is narrow and dense. Stems are straight. Poorly de-knotted. Shoots are relatively thin. The needles are 10-15 (20) mm long and 1 mm wide. Blooms in June from 20-25 years. Hanging cones. According to environmental indicators, it is close to the common spruce. But more frost-resistant, cold-resistant and drought-resistant.
Scotch pine
(genus "pine")
Tree 25-40 m high and more than 1 m in diameter. Lives up to 350 (600) years. The needles of the steam room come out of the leathery brown sheath, 4-9 cm long (it all depends on the age of the tree) and up to 2 mm wide, linear-spiral placed on the shoot, hard, prickly. Above: dark green, below: bluish-green from a wax coating. The needles live 2-3 (8) years. Seeds ripen in the fall of the next year after flowering. Cones solitary or sitting in 2-3 pieces, oblong-ovate, shortly sharpened, 3-7 cm long, 2-4 cm in diameter. Cones open in March-April. For example, one hectare of an old pine forest yields 4-15 kg of seeds. Fruits annually, but fruitful years only after 3-4 years. Scotch pine is a very photophilous breed, as evidenced by the openwork crown. The trunk is cleared of knots. About competition: it is easily replaced by more shade-tolerant and fast-growing breeds. It is not demanding on soil fertility and moisture. The breed is frost-resistant and cold-resistant.
Banks Pines
(genus "pine")
The tree is 18-25 m high and 50-70 cm in diameter. It lives up to 120 years. The crown is of medium density, compact, and in old trees it is wide-spreading, liquefied. Trunks are often lopsided, often forked and gnarled. Coniferous steam room, 2-4 cm long and up to 1.5 mm wide, twisted, bent. Banks pine bears fruit from 5-7 years old annually and abundantly. Cones are lateral, sessile, 2-3 (7) each, oblong-oval, strongly curved. The root system is strong. The breed is frost-resistant and drought-resistant, more shade-tolerant than Scots pine. A fast-growing breed, but growth stops at 40-50 years old.
Weymouth pine
(genus "pine")
The tree is 30-35 (50) meters high and 120-150 cm in diameter. It lives 220-270 years. This breed was brought from North America in 1705 by the Weymouths. The crown is broad-pyramidal, dense. Shoots are thin, greenish. Stems are straight. Highly de-knotted. The bark on trees up to 30 years old is thin, in middle age it is lamellar, and in old age it becomes thicker. The needles are linear, 6-11 cm long and up to 0.5 mm wide, in bunches of 5 pcs. Needles live 2-3 years. Weymouth pine blooms in May. The cones ripen in the fall of the next year. Fruits in 15-25 years (depending on the growth conditions of the tree). Harvest years repeat in 2-5 years. The cones are hanging, slightly bent. The breed is not very demanding on fertility and soil moisture. It tolerates moist soils and even flowing swamps, where the root system is superficial, windiness can be observed. Requires moist air. Moderately sensitive to light.
mountain pine
(genus "pine")
A creeping tree species mountain pine (Pinus mugo), common in the subalpine zone. Individual specimens of mountain pine reach the age of 350 years. In height, the trunks grow up to 12 meters with a diameter of up to 25 cm. Traditional medicine uses mountain pine in the treatment of various colds. Before World War I, there was even a small factory in Montenegro to extract essential oils from it.
Mountain pine often forms dense thickets up to 3 meters high over large areas, almost impenetrable by humans. This, according to legend, was used by a young shepherd who had to tend the sheep of a wealthy peasant. There was a condition: none of the sheep should be torn apart by wolves. The shepherd drove the sheep to Hoverla, where there were pastures surrounded by dense thickets of pines. Natural protection worked - not a single sheep was lost. In the autumn he drove all the sheep into the valley and asked for this the rich man's daughter as his wife. The old one agreed. So the mountain pine helped the young shepherd not only keep the whole flock intact, but also find a wife.
European cedar pine
(Another name: European cedar) (Genus "pine")
The tree is 20-27 m high and 100-130 cm in diameter. It lives 500-600 (1000) years. The trunk is straight, poorly cleared of knots. The bark is smooth when young, then becomes thick and fissured. The crown in youth is dense, cone-shaped, and then pyramidal and wide-cylindrical. Needles of 5 pieces, cones are located at the ends of the shoots, erect. The root system is wide, powerful, even on stony soils they penetrate deep into the ground. Breed wind-resistant, grows slowly. Demanding on soil moisture, quite shade-tolerant.
Korean cedar pine
(Another name: Korean cedar) (Genus "pine")
The tree is 30-35 (60) m high and up to 2 m in diameter. It lives 400-700 years. The crown is of medium density, broadly cone-shaped, lowered low. The trunks are straight, moderately tapered, poorly cleared of knots. Shoots are not thick, green. The needles grow in 5 pieces in rare bunches. Length 7-15 (20) cm, and width up to 1 mm. Seeds are gray-brown. Contains 65% fat. Harvest every three years. The breed is slow growing. For example, at 20 years old, the height reaches only 3 meters. Frost-resistant, shade-tolerant.
Siberian cedar pine
(Another name: Siberian cedar) (Genus "pine")
A tree up to 35 m high and up to 180 cm in diameter live up to 500 years. The trunk in plantations is cylindrical, straight, slightly tapering, and in open spaces it is tapered, strongly thickened in the lower part. The crown is dense, ovoid or oval spreading, wide. Branches of the first order depart from the trunk at a right angle. Blooms in June. Cones are upright. Fruiting occurs at 25-30 years. Most of all in 80-180 years. It reproduces with the help of rodents and birds. This breed is not demanding on fertility and soil moisture. Frost-resistant and cold-resistant, relatively shade-tolerant. Poorly tolerates pollution.
Crimean pine
(genus "pine")
The tree is 25-30 m high and 70-90 (110) cm in diameter. It lives 250 (350) years. The crown at a young age is dense, pyramidal; in old age - flat umbrella-shaped. The needles are steam room, 10-18 cm long and up to 2.5 mm wide. Needles live 3-5 years. Crimean pine blossoms in May. Seeds ripen in the third year. Cones are sessile. Natural renewal is not always successful. The breed is drought-resistant, heat-resistant, photophilous and smoke-resistant.
Yew
(genus "yew")
There are few plants that are as often mentioned in legends as the yew (Taxus boccata). There must be something special about this tree, which can live for more than 5000 years, the wood of which does not rot for centuries and sinks in water like a stone. At the age of 100 to 150 years, yew trees reach a height of about 10 meters and a diameter of 20 to 25 cm.
Previously, yew was very common, as evidenced by the name of the river Tisza. For its valuable timber, yew was heavily cut down in 1400-1700. Because of the decorative, hard and decay-resistant wood, furniture, dishes, jewelry, and even cannonballs were made for the castle in Khust. Yew wood was expensive and the local population, obviously, paid their tribute to them.
In Greek mythology, according to Pliny and Dioscorides, the yew was considered the tree of death. This is true, because almost all parts of the yew, with the exception of the edible red flesh of the fruit, are highly poisonous. The constituent parts of the toxin are now used in medicine in the treatment of certain diseases. nervous system and tumors.
Fir
(Another name: European fir) (Genus "fir)
Tree height 42-50 (60) g., diameter - 1.5-2.0 m. Lives 350-450 (700) years. The trunk is straight, columnar, full-wood, highly delimbed. The bark up to 50-60 years is smooth, thin, light gray. The crown is dense, sharp-pyramidal or cone-shaped in youth. In the older one, it is cylindrical. The needles are 12-30 mm long and 2-3 mm wide, flat, hard, straight or slightly bent. Dumb at the top. Needles live 8-10 years. White fir bears fruit from 30-40 years. Cones 10-18 (25) cm long and 3-5 cm in diameter, erect. The root system of a tree on light soils is taproot, and on heavy soils there is no taproot. Poorly tolerates low temperatures, dry air and soil, high heat. And also the breed is sensitive to late spring frosts.
On the territory of Russia, white fir (Abies alba) forms mainly mixed stands with the participation of fir and beech, less often elm and ash. Fir can reach 500-600 years of age, 65 meters in height, 2 meters in diameter. The crown of young trees is predominantly cone-shaped, later becoming cylindrical shape. In old trees, the growth of the trunk slows down significantly compared to the growth of the upper beech branches, and therefore, the top of their crown acquires a flattened or nest-like shape. Unlike spruce, whose cones hang down, cylindrical fir cones, up to 20 cm long, stand straight on the branches, like candles. After the seeds ripen in late September - early October, the cones quickly disintegrate after the first frosts and only rods remain, which can be seen on the branches of trees for several more years.
In the article we talked about the structure and properties of wood and its areas of application. This publication describes wood in detail conifers, from larch to yew.
Softwood
In construction, coniferous wood is most often used because of its greater strength, biostability and lower production costs compared to hardwood.
In addition, softwood trunks have a more regular shape with fewer defects. The most popular among conifers in construction pine, spruce, larch, fir And cedar.
Juniper And yew are not used for the manufacture of building elements. These breeds are valued as good finishing material and are used mainly for the production of joinery and furniture.
Larch
Larch (Larix) - coniferous tree genus Larix of the pine family (Pinaceae). Differs in durability, lives up to 900 years or more and reaches a height of 45 m with a trunk diameter of 80-180 cm. It occurs naturally in the east and north-east of the European part of Russia, in the Urals, in Western and Eastern Siberia, in Altai and in the Sayans.
This is the most common breed in Russia. It is 2/5 of the forested area. The breed is sound with resin passages. Has a beautiful texture. Annual layers are well distinguished in all sections. The sapwood is narrow white color with a slight brownish tint. The heartwood is reddish-brown, sharply different from the sapwood. The core rays are not visible, the resin passages are small, not numerous.
Wood contains essential oils (pinene), has a rather strong pleasant smell and includes bioflavonoids and phytoncides - microscopic volatile substances that evaporate during the entire period of operation and have a positive effect on health, preventing colds and viral diseases.
- an excellent building material, since it has a high density and strength, there are few knots in it, it belongs to the group of biostable (does not rot and is not affected by fungi). Larch is strong, resilient, hard, durable, resists rot and insects well. Prolonged exposure to water leads to an increase in the hardness of larch, which is why it was used for the construction of bridges and piers. All Venetian buildings stand on larch piles.
Larch wood easily cracks during the drying process, splits. It is more difficult to process other breeds on the machine (due to the high density and resinous content). Resins make planing, polishing and varnishing somewhat difficult, but in general the wood is successfully stained and polished after appropriate filling.
Best wooden buildings built from this type of wood. It is used for making carpentry, window frames and for floor coverings.
Bulk weight at standard humidity (12%) is 650–800 kg/m3.
Pine
Pine (pinus) . Eurasian tree coniferous species, grows in the territory from Scotland to Eastern Siberia. It occupies about 1/6 of the area of all forests in Russia. Lives 400–600 years and reaches a height of about 30 m in adulthood (120–150 years). The most common Scotch pine (Pinus sylvestris).
The breed is the most popular building material, because it has the most straight, even trunk. Pine is well impregnated with antiseptics.
The rock is sound, with resin passages, soft, moderately light, mechanically strong, non-plastic. It is well processed and finished.
It has a slightly pinkish heartwood, which becomes brownish-red over time, a wide sapwood from yellowish to pink, clearly visible annual layers with a clear boundary between early and late wood, rather large and numerous resin ducts.
Wood of medium density, medium hardness, sufficiently high strength and resistance to decay, well processed, relatively well glued. It is widely used in construction, mechanical engineering, furniture and container production, in railway transport, for fixing mine workings, etc.
It is used as a raw material for chemical processing in order to obtain cellulose, fodder yeast; Pine timber products are exported in large quantities.
Volumetric weight at standard humidity (12%) - from 460 to 620 kg/m3.
Norway spruce
Norway spruce (Picea abies) - evergreen coniferous tree pine family (Pinaceae), 20–50 m high, with a cone-shaped crown and flaky brownish-gray bark. Lives up to 300 years. The trunk is round, straight.
Grows in damp places, on rich loamy soils, rising to the mountains to a height of up to 1800 m above sea level (forms pure spruce forests). Widely distributed in Central, Northern and North-Eastern Europe above 69 ° north latitude, north of the Pyrenees to Russia and Scandinavia.
Other types: Ayan spruce (Picea ajanensis), Korean spruce (Picea koraiensis), Siberian spruce (Picea obovata).
Spruce is a non-core ripe wood species. The wood is white with a yellowish tint, low resinous. Resistant to cracking. The annual layers are clearly visible. In terms of strength, density and resistance to decay, spruce is in no way inferior to pine. However, it is more difficult to process it, compared to pine, due to a large number knots in it and their increased hardness.
Spruce is very susceptible to insect attack.
Spruce wood characterized by the largest value of the acoustic constant, which characterizes the emission of sound. Tannins are obtained from the bark of spruce. The wood is soft, easy to process, polish, and also varnished. It is used in the same areas as pine, but especially in the pulp and paper industry and in the manufacture of musical instruments.
Cedar
Cedar (Cedrus) - a genus of coniferous evergreen trees of the pine family. It reaches a height of 36 m or more and a diameter of 1.5 m. It grows in the mountains at an altitude of 1300–3600 m, forming cedar forests. Distributed in the Atlas Mountains, in northwestern Africa (Atlas cedar), in Lebanon, Syria and the Cilician Taurus in Asia Minor (Lebanese cedar), on the island of Cyprus (short coniferous cedar) and in the western Himalayas (Himalayan cedar).In Europe, cedar is often grown in gardens and parks.
All types of cedar wood is similar in color. Light brown or yellow-brown core, with atmospheric exposure acquiring a uniform Brown color, differs from the narrow sapwood of a whitish color.
Resinous (oily), with a sharp cedar smell. The annual rings are clearly distinguished by the contrast between the zones of early and late wood. Medium texture. The fibers are usually straight, although straightness is more common in himalayan cedar. Longitudinal sections of this cedar show uneven brown lines formed by frequent tangential rows of traumatic resin ducts. Resistant to damage by fungi and insects.
Cedar wood is soft and easy to work in all directions. Cedar dries quickly and without major problems. Resin must be removed before finishing work.
On the territory of the Urals and Siberia, cedar was used as a finishing material for dwellings. In Tobolsk, Tyumen and Turinsk, buildings decorated with carved platbands from its wood. Cedar was also used for the manufacture of joinery.
Today it is used only for exclusive interior work, in yacht and interior decoration and for the manufacture wooden houses from a log (most often hand-cut).
Bulk weight at standard humidity (12%) is about 580 kg/m3.
White fir and Caucasian fir
white fir (Abies alba) . A coniferous evergreen plant of the pine family, 30–50 m high, with a narrow pyramidal crown. Trunk up to 150 cm in diameter, with white-gray smooth bark. Places of growth - the mountains of southern, middle and western Europe, prefers very fertile soils.
Fir is very similar to spruce, but unlike fir, fir does not have resin accumulations. The color of the wood varies from yellowish white to reddish white with a gray tint. Fir trunks often suffer from atmospheric pollution, insects, animals that eat young shoots.
Easily processed, well covered with most varnishes and paints. The wood is soft, moderately weather resistant and resistant to fungi and pests.
The volumetric weight in the air-dry state is about 450 kg/m3.
Caucasian fir (Abies nordmanniana) in terms of its physical and mechanical properties, it is in no way inferior to spruce, unlike Siberian fir, which has a lower density and strength. It is used for the manufacture of wood structures, musical instruments, and is often used together with spruce in the manufacture of furniture.
It is very common in housing construction (especially Caucasian fir). Previously, shingles were made from fir (along with spruce), which covered the roof. Now it is mainly door and window blocks, floors, plinths, friezes and many other products.
Bulk weight at standard humidity (12%) is about 450 kg/m3.
Juniper
Juniper (Juniperus) . Most junipers are shrubs, but in southern Karelia there are also tree-like forms up to 12 m high and 16 cm in diameter. The only representative cypress family (Cupressaceae) in the northern forests. It occurs both in dry pine forests on sandy soil, and in spruce forests, excessively moist and even swampy.
It grows slowly, frost-resistant, photophilous. Poorly tolerates smoke and soot. Distributed in the northern and middle parts of the European territory of Russia, in Western Siberia, it enters Eastern Siberia.
Juniper is a sound breed. Near the bark is a narrow light yellow band of sapwood, forming a wavy ring of irregular shape. Inside the ring is red-brown wood of the core. Over time, the sapwood becomes dark yellow with a greenish tint, and the heartwood acquires beautiful olive-blue hues. On the end section of the juniper, the annual layers are clearly distinguished. The texture is beautiful, with a reddish tinge, sometimes striped or wavy. Especially effective in cross section.
Juniper, unlike other conifers, does not have resin passages, so it easily accepts various dyes and is easily polished. Strong, heavy and dense juniper wood well processed by various cutting tools. The cuts are clean and glossy.
Juniper wood has a slight shrinkage; when wet, it practically does not swell. It can be successfully used for very thin flat-relief and three-dimensional carvings; small decorative items, canes, sculptures, small crafts and toys are made from it. End cuts are used in inlay.
Volumetric weight at standard humidity (12%) is about 920 kg/m3.
Tiss
Tiss (taxus) is a very ancient breed. An evergreen coniferous tree from the yew family (Taxaceae), about 20 m high (the highest known height is 27 m), trunk thickness is 1 m. The crown is wide spreading, very dense. The needles are soft, flat, dark green, located on the branches in two rows.
Yew berry and yew spiky
Yew berry (Taxus baccata) grows in the mountains of the Caucasus and Crimea. It is often called European because it is found in almost all of Western Europe. The range of the yew berry also covers the regions of Western Belarus (Belovezhskaya Pushcha), Western Ukraine (Bukovina), the Southern Crimea, the Caucasus, as well as the Azores, the mountains of Algeria, Asia Minor and Syria.
The second kind is yew pointed, or Far Eastern (Taxus cuspidata) , distributed in Primorsky Krai and Sakhalin. The wood is hard and heavy, almost does not rot. Sometimes there are nodules on the yew, densely covered with very short shoots with pale needles.
The life expectancy of the yew berry is up to 1500 years, and sometimes up to 3-4 thousand years. Sapwood and heartwood yew wood are very different from each other. The color of the core is from red-brown to orange-brown.
A characteristic sign of yew wood is tiny black dots, ideally grouped on the surface. The annual layers are sinuous and look like wide, dark rings.
Yew is easy to dry and process. Its wood is toxic and must therefore be handled with extreme care. It has a beautiful texture and is used for making furniture and as a finishing material, it is very durable and goes to various carpentry crafts.
Volumetric weight at standard humidity (12%) is about 620 kg/m3.
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