Description and photo of European spruce. Spruce and its species Spruce coniferous tree description

Find out in today's article about the structural features of spruce. How to propagate spruce? The oldest and tallest pine trees. If the topic interests you, keep reading.

European spruce (ordinary)- a coniferous plant belonging to the Pine family. Coniferous plants include both trees and shrubs. What unites them general device leaves - in conifers they are needle-shaped and evergreen (perennial), although there are also deciduous representatives, for example, larch. We are used to seeing firs in the forests, but in Lately The trend of using Norway spruce in decorating courtyards and creating large-scale landscape compositions. Don't forget about medicinal properties tree, beginning with essential oil, ending cones. Wood is actively used in industrial purposes. If we install on New Year according to the good old tradition.

Features of the structure of spruce:

• Evergreen tree;
• Reaches 30-50 m in height;
• The crown is cone-shaped;
• The branches are drooping, multi-tiered;
• The bark is grayish-brown, connected by platinum;
• Leaves are 4-sided needles on pads;
• Life expectancy up to 300 years;

Phytoncides– biologically active substances that are released by plants and kill bacteria – they perfectly purify the air, soothe or tone nervous system depending on the season. Scientists conducted a study on 1 group of volunteers in summer and winter. People were asked to walk through a pine forest at different times, after which their condition and mood were assessed. In summer, the smell of spruce perfectly calms, and in winter it tones. Walk through a coniferous forest and see for yourself that strength increases and stress disappears.

Peculiarities of spruce reproduction

Reaches maturity from 20 years. The period of seed production is long and can occur even at 60 years of age. The period depends on the location of the spruce: single trees ripen faster, while closely planted trees take a long time to “decide”. Seeds are formed every year. Has female cones 15 cm long - megastrobiles, with the help of which seeds are stored and further reproduction takes place. Cones form on two-year-old branches. Pollination occurs in May. As autumn approaches, the branches droop. Having survived the winter, in early March, spruce seeds begin to scatter on the crust(dense crust of snow), which is typical for forests.

Spruce – unique plant, capable of withstanding a small fire. Many coniferous plants are considered forest protectors, and, for example, larch is often planted near buildings - there are many examples when the tree “saved” from fire. Coniferous plants are real long-livers. Although they are given up to 300 years, bristlecone pine grows in California, which, theoretically, can quietly develop up to 5000 years.

Conifers also include:

• Fir;
• Juniper;
• Sequoia (tallest tree in the world);
• Cedar;
• Cypress;
• Sciadopitis;

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The well-known spruce is a representative of the largest family of conifers, namely the pine family. The word “spruce” translated from ancient Slavic means resin.

In the plant kingdom, one of the first and most important places is occupied by the spruce, which belongs to a genus that includes more than 50 types. The plant is distributed throughout the world from Central Asia and North America before South Africa.

Norway spruce

How long does a spruce live? What types of spruce are there? How to grow spruce at home? All these issues are discussed in this article.

Description

Spruce is an evergreen, straight-barreled, very slim tree with a cone-shaped crown. The tree trunk is very difficult to see, because it is hidden behind the wide “paws” of the spruce.

Spruce trees of all ages are covered with branches to the very base. The bark of young trees has grey colour with a brownish or brick tint, smooth to the touch. Old spruce trunks are rough, the bark is peeling in places, and streaks of resin are visible. The needles are needle-type and stay on the branches for up to 10 years. In an urban environment, the lifespan of needles does not exceed 5 years, and environmental degradation shortens the lifespan even more.

Conifer needles are tetrahedral in cross-section, single, arranged in a spiral on the branches. The cones are dense, elongated and cylindrical in shape. The position of the cones on the branch is hanging. In the fall, the cones ripen and open to disperse seeds.

The seeds are covered with seed scales, they are equipped with “wings”, in the shape of a bowl. The wings are designed to fly seeds with the wind. Simple observational experience will show that one the seed can fly a distance of 150–200 m.

Grows in Russia several subspecies of common spruce:

• "Acrosona".
• "Barryi."
• "Crusita"
• "Cupressina"
• "Echiniformis".

Plant characteristics

The description of the common spruce is very clear: one of the most unpretentious plants on the globe. Spruce does not require fertile soils and thrives well on poor clay soils and loams, as well as on sandy hills.

Spruce trees are not afraid of shady slopes or areas with stagnant water in the ground. The plant is incredibly frost-resistant and is not afraid of continental and northern climates. It grows in the taiga, tundra and the Arctic Circle.

Spruce cannot withstand gas pollution and does not tolerate smoke well. Despite this, this tree is used in urban landscaping and is excellent for planting park areas in both single and group plantings. Spruce is widely used for planting snow protection strips. Low-growing or dwarf decorative forms are excellent for alpine slides, garden plots or landscape decoration. No landscape rock garden is complete without dwarf spruce, which goes well in combination with thujas and wild stone.

The name of the coniferous tree speaks for itself and the name precisely indicates its habitat. Norway spruce grows in Central and European Russia, it is the main coniferous tree forming the taiga.

The territory of European Russia and Northern Siberia is gradually replacing ordinary spruce with Siberian spruce. There is no significant difference between the species. There are no intraspecific differences from pine and larch.

However, spruce, when choosing a growing condition, is unpretentious, while larch is very shade-loving and very difficult to grow in unshaded areas. Pine at the shoot stage is damaged by spring frosts or may get sunburn.

It is important to remember that all plants suffer greatly from forest fires, whether caused by humans or seasonal burning.

Spruce needles are used in medicine, because they contain a huge amount of vitamins, minerals and other useful substances:

• vitamins B3, K, C, E, PP;
• essential oils;
• phytoncides;
• tannins;
• carotenoids;
• natural bioregulators;
• resins;
• manganese, copper, iron, chromium.

Many people are treated with tinctures and decoctions of spruce needles. various diseases and pathologies, for example:

• viral diseases of the upper respiratory tract;
• bronchial asthma;
• kidney diseases;
• neurosis, radiculitis, plexitis;
• fungal skin infections;
• hypertension, atherosclerosis.

Periods and characteristics of tree growth

Norway spruce is famous for its poor mineral metabolism and is very grows slowly in the first 10 years of life. Then the growth rate increases sharply and stops only after 120–150 years. Spasmodic, uneven growth distinguishes European spruce from Siberian spruce.

It has long been known that spruce is a recognized long-liver and, if conditions permit, it survives without problems. up to 300 years.

Spruce develops best on loams and sandstones.

This kind of soil allows the tree to form a branched root system that goes deep underground and holds the tree on the surface. Do not forget that spruce is a lover of damp places. However, in places with excess moisture in the soil, spruce forms a superficial root system of small diameter, so in the event of a strong gust of wind, the root system may not be able to support the tree.

The unpretentious tree is found even in swampy areas if the swamp is flowing. The root system is small compared to pine, this explains the instability of spruce in winds and external factors. Another feature of the tree is the phenomenon in which the lower branches dry out, but do not die. For this reason, spruce forests are always damp and dark.

Despite all its unpretentiousness, spruce remains a very delicate wood species. Spruce can be grown in almost any region. Spruce grows well under the canopy of trees, such as oak, pine, birch, and ash. Under the cover of other representatives of the flora, spruce remains much more demanding than pine in growing conditions. If you still don’t need a large number of water. For these reasons, you rarely see pine and fir trees growing nearby.

Reproduction

Spruce propagates by seeds, which are very easy to assemble. It is enough to cut a few fir cones and keep them warm until completely dry. There is no point in trying to get the seeds or peeling the cone, because the cones open on their own and you will get seeds whose germination rate is excellent.

It would be a good idea to treat the seeds potassium permanganate solution.

Calcined river sand will be an excellent soil for planting seeds. Pour soil into the pot, water it a little and deepen the seed by 1.5–2 cm. The container must be placed in the refrigerator or on the balcony for stratification. The stratification procedure is necessary for seeds, since in their natural environment conifer grains are exposed to cold in winter. Stratification stimulates rapid seed germination. The seeds should be kept in the cold for about 3 months; this period simulates wintering. Seeds that have not undergone stratification may lie in the ground for several years, but never sprout. After time, containers with seeds are placed in a warm, bright place and wait for germination.

The ideal time for sowing is October-November, so that keeping the seeds in the ground will prepare them for the winter. In February-March, when removing the container from the balcony or refrigerator, the seeds fall favorable conditions for germination. With the onset of spring, the length of daylight hours increases and plants begin to grow.

While in the ground, the seeds require generous watering, which corresponds to natural conditions, because in winter the snow periodically melts, creating a cushion of water. Humidity and warmth are the main conditions for the start of sprouting of coniferous plants.

When the containers are moved to a bright place, after a couple of weeks the baby spruce will emerge. It will be immediately obvious that this is real conifer tree, because the needles appear first.

Now it is important to maintain a balance in watering to avoid over-watering or under-watering. Once a week, young spruce trees need to be fed with fertilizers and also loosened upper layer soil.

When the frosts recede and the weather gets warmer, it’s time to plant the small seedlings in the soil. Before planting, humus or compost mixed with soil is added to the hole.

You can add a small amount mineral fertilizers. Adults do not feed spruce trees. The seedlings are placed in the hole, the roots are carefully covered with prepared soil, lightly compacted and watered. For each sprout they create a small greenhouse made of film, plastic bottle or glass jar. The procedure is necessary for rapid acclimatization.

Seedlings must be ventilated every day. They need to be opened, ventilated, soil moisture checked and condensation removed. After 10 days, the greenhouses can be removed, and the soil around the young Christmas trees can be covered with mulch to retain moisture.

Seedlings stay in containers for 3–4 years. In conditions of slow growth, this period is considered optimal. At this age, seedlings are most adapted to strong temperature changes; they are not afraid of burns and frosts.

Like all coniferous species- spruce ornamental plant. Spruce has always decorated gardens, parks, and old Russian estates. Thanks to modern breeding work, many varieties of spruce have been developed that are used in landscape and garden design. Norway spruce, grown from seeds with your own hands, will decorate any area, and can also become the ancestor of many traditions. This method of growing common spruce is suitable for tall varieties. Growing seedlings yourself is a guarantee of rapid adaptation to climatic conditions in your area.

Among the existing varieties are landscape designers Special attention pay dwarf spruce. The growth of dwarf spruce is usually does not exceed 1 m, the crown is wide and dense, the needles are soft. Dwarf spruce perfect for garden compositions, landscape objects and alpine slides.

The most popular representative of the dwarf species is nidiformis. It is the most spectacular and easy to cultivate.

The crown of nidiformis is round in shape, reaches a diameter of 3 m, and a height of barely 1 meter. The crown is flattened in shape and resembles a nest. This is due to the absence of the main branches of the tree; numerous thin branches grow in the shape of a fan. The needles are high density, short and dark green, very soft and thick, evenly covering the branches in a spiral pattern.

The tree grows very slowly, gaining no more than 4 centimeters in height and 8 cm in width per year. The Christmas tree is unpretentious to the soil and grows well in loams and sandstones of any acidity level. Thanks to its slow growth, the plant allows you to preserve the created landscape for many years. Nidiformis is very frost-resistant, but it is still better to cover young plants for the winter. Nidiformis is not a pure species, so propagation is carried out exclusively by the vegetative method - layering or cuttings. Nidiformis seeds are useless. The reason is that such a plant was selected from various types conifers The ancestors of nidiformis were tall coniferous trees.

If you can’t grow such a conifer, your only option is to go to the store. Dwarf nidiformis are sold in pots or containers. The main principle for choosing this expensive plant is the belief that the root system is strong. There is no mechanical damage and the needles are not infected with pests.

Before going to the store, read the information about the shape of the crown, the size of the plant, as well as the features of caring for it.

Conclusion

European spruce or as it is also called ordinary - A wonderful decoration for any garden plot. A suburban area planted with spruce trees always looks as if it is ready to celebrate the New Year.

Norway spruce (European) is a worthy decoration for any suburban area. Spruce appeared in Europe in the 16th century; there is a description of spruce propagation dated 1511, then seedlings were very rare.

Nowadays, there are more than a hundred garden and design forms of spruce, and seedlings and seeds can be easily purchased in specialized stores and nurseries.

Everyone knows Christmas tree called European Spruce, is the only local species in Central Russia. Belongs to the plant kingdom, the genus Spruce. Not everyone knows where this type of spruce grows. There is a lot of it beyond the Urals, in Siberia, in the territory of central and northern Europe, Finland. After pine, it ranks second in prevalence.

Tall evergreen trees are planted in the green areas of megacities and other settlements. They are used in the creation of artificial landscapes, decorative design parks, squares, garden plots. Used for hedges. Through photosynthesis, the tree converts carbon dioxide into oxygen, improving the composition of the surrounding air.

In addition to the woodworking industry, wood is used in the pulp and paper industry. Despite the presence of knots, building materials are produced from spruce wood - boards, lining, skirting boards, parquet. The common Christmas tree is often referred to as red fir because of the pinkish hue of the wood, which distinguishes it from other species. Tar, rosin, and turpentine are extracted from it. Unripe fruits - green cones are recognized as medicinal raw materials.

There are many in the world different varieties this tree. Their wood differs in type and quality. Heartwood and sapwood do not differ in color.

Characteristics of the plant

In nature, the spruce tree is classified as a forest-forming species. Dense spruce forests can be found in the taiga. For Middle zone Russia is characterized by mixed forests consisting of spruce and pine. This tree is a scioheliophyte. It can develop normally, grow both in shady places and on sunny edges. Consists in biosynthesis with insects, animals, birds, which carry seeds and promote the spread of the species.

Spruce is a monoecious plant that has a pyramidal crown. The height does not exceed 20 meters, but peculiar champions are also known, reaching a mark of 50 m. The trunk in girth is up to 2.4 m. The bark is gray, peeling off with plates. It has four-sided shiny needles, the length of which is 1-2 cm, it can remain on the branches up to 12 years. From the age of 15, bumps begin to appear. Can form dwarf forms. The sprout of Norway Spruce requires the following conditions for good development:

• fertile soil;
• the soil must be moistened running water, the tree does not grow in wetlands;
• despite the fact that the tree shows resistance to drought and severe frosts, areas with returning frosts should be excluded.

The Christmas tree is a hardy and long-living tree. Up to 10 years, growth is slow, and then the annual growth is about 70 cm. Some species reach an age of 120-150 years. Occasionally, there are three-hundred-year-old trees. The oldest single spruce lived to be 468 years old. If the trunk is dead, the fir trees successfully produce basal clones. In the first 15 years, the tree has a taproot, then it gradually dies off, and the entire system continues to develop as a superficial one.

The oldest tree on the planet is the spruce growing on Mount Fulufjallet in Sweden. The age of the modern trunk, which has its own name Tikko, is estimated at several hundred years, its height is about 5 m. The total age of the tree organism producing new clones was obtained by scientists using radiocarbon dating. It is over 9,500 years old.

Once a year, new “floors” of branches appear on the spruce tree. Therefore, it is easy to determine how many years a small spruce grows; just count the tiers and add 3 - 4 years, the time required for the development of the very first of them.

Types and varieties

The spruce genus includes 50 species. Many of them have decorative forms. You can find trees with a weeping crown and blue or silver needles. They also differ in height. The shortest ones do not exceed 50 cm, and the slender ones can grow up to 50 m.

In addition to Norway spruce, small-seeded spruce is also common. They grow on Far East. Another name for it is Ayanskaya spruce. This is a slender tree, 40-50 m high. The length of the needles is up to 2 cm, it is gray below and green above. It is difficult to tolerate replanting and pruning.

Balkan (Serbian) spruce differs from others in having shaggy branches that diverge horizontally. Shoots of new growth hang from them in long threads. Collectors did not ignore the beautiful trees and developed the short forms Gnome (1.5 m) and Nana (3 m).

At the European Spruce large group decorative varieties. They differ in size and appearance:

1. Compacta is a low, dense tree with dense hanging shoots.
2. Elegance is an elegant and slender spruce.
3. Inverse - with weeping drooping branches and a height of no more than 8 m.
4. Clan Brassiliana - resembles a wide hornet's nest.
5. Echiniformis is a dwarf tree for alpine slides. Differs in slow growth.

For those who want to create a uniquely colored landscape in their garden, Aurea, whose needles have an unexpected golden color, or Argentea, with branches shimmering in silver, is suitable.

Araucaria - Norfolk spruce. Up to a certain age, a young tree is suitable for growing indoors. Unlike other, even low-growing and decorative varieties, which require a temperature of -8-12 C for normal growth, araucaria grows in winter at -15-18 C. There are 15 varieties of “domestic spruce”.

Blue spruce is native to North America. It is also called Prickly Spruce. She feels great in large, polluted cities. It's big beautiful tree- a real long-liver, the age of some specimens is approaching 5 centuries. But her cones are small, about 3 cm. Decorative forms blue Spruce trees have white, blue, silver and yellowish needles, the color of which gradually turns green before winter. This type includes the following luxurious decorative varieties:

1. Lutescens - famous for the yellow halo of its branches that lasts throughout the year.
2. Atviridis - its deep, dark green color can serve as an accent spot in a landscape composition.
3. Compact - has a flat crown.

So that these trees grow into spectacular beauties, in early spring it is necessary to remove the buds at the ends of the shoots.

It is difficult to ignore the Tien Shan spruce (Eastern Tien Shan and neighboring regions of Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan), which is a subspecies of Schrenk spruce, growing in the PRC. Height up to 60 m. Compact crown. The branches are drooping, with long (up to 4 cm) curved needles and large (up to 12 cm) cones. Frost-resistant and light-loving. Its spherical, unique shape (diameter - 1.8 m) Globose can become worthy decoration any park and square.

How to grow

Spruce cannot be called a capricious tree, but it needs to be looked after. It's easy to grow, you just need to follow the rules simple rules, promoting better survival and adaptation of the seedling.

Initially, choose a landing site. We must not forget that this is a tall, long-lived tree, with a shallow root system, because of which it can be dangerous during storms, hurricanes or a sharp increase in winds. Therefore, it cannot be planted near houses and other buildings, unless it is an ornamental variety.

Christmas trees love sunny meadows, forest edges, open spaces. There they can grow into real fluffy beauties. However, one must take into account the fact that under them it is unlikely that a decent crop of vegetables or berry crops will be harvested - a thick shadow will not allow them to reach normal sizes. Slightly acidic or neutral soil is suitable. It is better to plant in late April or early May. Here are some planting tips:

1. Purchase a two-year-old strong seedling from a reputable nursery.
2. Please note - when digging or buying a seedling, an earthen lump must be preserved, protecting the roots.
3. A pit for planting spruce should be prepared in two weeks. Its size: depth 1 m, diameter 70 cm.
4. If you plant spruces to create a hedge, then the distance between the pits should be 2-3 m.
5. Make drainage - a layer of broken bricks about 20 cm thick. Two-thirds fill the hole with a nutrient substrate consisting of turf, leaves and sand in a ratio of 2: 2: 1: 1;
6. Add 150 g of nitroammophoska to the substrate and mix everything.
7. Water the hole and place a layer of peat on top.
8. When planting, make sure that the root collar is flush with the ground.

Spruce can also be planted in the fall. But definitely in cloudy, cool weather. From August 20 until the end of September, trees have a chance to grow strong.

Periods and characteristics of growth

Most of the characteristics of the growth of seedlings are made up of climatic conditions and the characteristics of the place of growth itself. There are also certain growing patterns:

1. During the first growing season, the embryonic root grows, the hypocotyl elongates, and the epicotyl develops. After this, the formation of the root system and assimilation apparatus takes place. Seedlings begin to form needles after 20 days.
2. The development of annual seedlings occurs slowly and gradually. New vegetative organs are formed in stages. They finish their growth in August, when they become partially lignified.
3. The root system begins to develop with the appearance of root endings. The lateral endings of the 3rd order complete the creation of the root system of the annual spruce and can form in September, when the plant has stopped its above-ground growth.
4. The engraftment phase is indicated by a two-year period. Then, the process of formation of the forest stand is highlighted, which can last 10-20 years.
5. The formation of trunks depends on the characteristics of the rock and terrain and ranges from 15 to 30 years.
6. The process of increasing fruiting lasts 10-20 years.
7. The onset of the ripeness phase, when it is advisable to cut down the forest.

Young trees may suffer from sunburn received in early spring. They do not tolerate drought and stagnant moisture.

Reproduction

Spruce can be grown in several ways. One of the simplest is sowing seeds. Fir cones collected in the fall, placed on a sheet of paper, will open after some time. Before the seeds fall out of the cone, you need to prepare a place for planting. 1 bucket of peat, half a bucket of sand, and a liter jar of ash are poured into the hole. The seeds are moistened, leveled and covered with a layer of soil. After winter stratification, the seeds will germinate the following spring, although some of them may do this only in the second year. The grown seedlings should be transplanted to permanent place in two years.

Cuttings are taken from a 6 or 9 year old tree. The tip of the cutting is cleared of needles and placed in a solution of a growth stimulator. After 10 minutes, it is planted in the soil at an angle of 30 °, covered with film. Then, as needed, water and fertilize.

For alpine slides and creating flower beds, seedlings are grown from one cone planted in the ground in the spring. In autumn, multiple cushion-shaped sprouts appear, which have a short lifespan of 3-4 years. But some gardeners like to design their flower beds and flower beds in this way.

Watering and care

Watering is carried out in such quantities that there is no stagnation of moisture. But the soil near the root system should not be allowed to dry out. From May to September, during active growth, you need to water the seedlings with the addition of mineral fertilizers.

If plants are grown indoors, they are moistened with a sprayer in winter. At a temperature of 5-10 C, water 2 times a month, at 0 C - 1 time.

Spruce trees are susceptible to fungal diseases. They cause needles to turn brown and die in the spring.

You can grow spruce at home, and when it reaches a certain size and age, plant the tree in open ground. The structure of the root system and further growth do not allow keeping spruce trees at home.

The well-known common spruce belongs to a large family of conifers, namely the pine family. Translated from the ancient Slavic language, “spruce” means “resin”. Among the plants, the main place is occupied by spruce, which includes about 50 species. The culture is widespread throughout the planet and grows from Central Asia to South Africa and North America. It is important to consider the description of the common spruce in more detail.

Description of culture

Spruce is an evergreen crop, has an erect, slender trunk and a dense cone-shaped crown. The trunk of the crop is quite difficult to distinguish, since it is hidden under the branches.

Ate different ages covered a large number branches that grow to the very base. The bark of young crops is gray-brown or brown in color and quite smooth to the touch. Old spruce trunks are rough to the touch, the bark is very cracked in some places, and resin stains can be discerned. The needles of the common spruce needle continue to remain on the plant for ten years. When growing in the city, the lifespan of spruce is no more than five years, and environmental deterioration further shortens the life of the plant.

Conifer needles in a tetrahedral section are located singly along the perimeter of the entire spiral of the branch.

Features of plant growth

Norway spruce has a poor metabolism and therefore develops very slowly in the first decade after planting. Afterwards, the process of cultural development begins to accelerate and stops only after 120 years. The uneven growth of European spruce distinguishes it from Siberian spruce.

Spruce is considered a long-liver that can grow freely in one place for three centuries. The culture is best formed on sandstones and loams.

This soil mixture helps the crop form branched rhizomes, which are attached deep underground and help the plant to stay firmly on the surface. It is also important to remember that spruce especially likes to grow in damp areas. But in places where there is too much liquid in the soil, the crop develops shallow roots small size. In strong winds, such a root system may not support the plant.

Spruce can even grow in swampy areas if the swamp is flowing. The root system of the crop is small compared to pine, this can explain the instability of the plant when exposed to strong winds and external factors. Another property of the plant is that its branches dry out, but do not die completely. Spruce forests are always particularly damp and shaded.

Despite undemanding growing conditions, spruce continues to be a delicate plant. It is allowed to grow it almost anywhere. The culture grows well under sloping trees, for example, pines, ash-trees and oaks. Spruce continues to be more demanding in terms of growing conditions compared to pine. It is important to provide the culture with some amount of water, even if it is minimal. It is for these reasons that it is very rare to see spruce and pine growing close to each other. Place one seed in a container with soil and deepen it a few centimeters. It is important to place the container in the refrigerator or in a cold place in the house (this will be stratification). It is especially important to carry out this procedure, since in nature pine needle grains winter time exposed to low temperatures.

Stratification helps speed up seed germination time. The seeds should be kept in cold temperatures for three months; this time will help ensure that the crop survives the winter. That planting material, which has not passed stratification, can long time lie in the ground, but never sprout. After some time, the container with the seeds inside is placed in a bright place and wait for the first sprouts.

It is best to choose October or November for sowing, so that the seeds are in the ground during the winter season. In March, a container with seeds that was in the refrigerator or on the balcony will become the best material for germination of seedlings.

(lat. Pícea) - a genus of plants of the Pine family (Pináceae), in terms of prevalence among coniferous trees it ranks second after pine. Spruce lives for 250-300 years; there are trees up to 500-600 years old. In the USA (Colorado), a long-living spruce grows - the Engelmann spruce, whose age is 852 years.

Monoecious trees with a pyramidal crown, whorled branching and interwhorled shoots. The trunk is full-wood, up to 40-50 m high, in some species - up to 80-90 m, with a diameter at the butt up to 1-2 m, the bark is red-brown or gray, flaking with thin scales; young branches are brown or reddish, glabrous or slightly drooping, with strongly protruding leaf marks, buds are ovoid-conical, pointed, brownish, non-resinous. The needles are hard, prickly, tetrahedral, flat in the lower part of the crown (shadow needles), and do not fall off for 6 - 9 years.

Spruce forests (spruce forests) are evergreen dark coniferous forests with a predominance of spruce in the tree layer. They are among the naturally progressive edificators that can invade other phytocenoses and even displace them. Spruce forests grow in the temperate zone of the Northern Hemisphere, occupying a significant part of the territory of Europe, Asia and North America.

In Russia they are distributed from the western to the eastern borders. They shape the appearance of the landscape of the taiga zone. The total area of ​​spruce forests in Russia is about 70 million hectares with a timber reserve of over 10 billion m3. Spruce forests are in fourth place in terms of area after larch, pine and birch forests. In spruce forests, both pure stands and those mixed with deciduous and coniferous species are formed.

Spruce wood

Spruce is a coreless mature wood species. The spruce wood is white, with a slight yellowish tint, and low in resin. Engelmann spruce has darker wood - yellowish-brown. Resinous passages are few and small. Spruce wood has a homogeneous structure with annual layers clearly visible in all cuts, disturbed by numerous knots.

Spruce belongs to species with low density and with a sharp difference in the structure of early and late wood of annual layers. The number of annual layers per 1 cm of the cross section and the percentage of late wood depend both on the species and on the place of its growth. So, for example, for common spruce (European) in the north of the European part of Russia, the number of annual layers is 12.1, and the percentage of late wood is 21, for Siberian spruce (Western Siberia) - 6.5 and 25, respectively, for eastern Siberia - 9 and 25.

The microroughnesses remaining after processing the surface of spruce wood are 8-60 microns, which is significantly lower than hardwood. Freshly cut spruce wood has a moisture content of about 110%. Maximum humidity during water absorption is 212%.

Moisture conductivity indicators are an important characteristic for choosing the mode of drying wood; the intensity of isothermal transfer of bound water depends on them. The values ​​of the coefficient of moisture conductivity (Dх1010 m2/s) for spruce are presented in the table.

These values ​​differ little from those of pine, but are 1.5-1.8 times higher than those of larch and hardwoods. Spruce, like pine, is a low-drying species. The uniform structure of the wood and long fibers make spruce less prone to warping and cracking during the drying process (compared to pine).

Spruce is a low-density species. The average density of spruce wood at standard humidity (12%) is 445 kg/m3, absolutely dry - 420 kg/m3, base density - 365 kg/m3.

The permeability of liquids and gases along the fibers of spruce is slightly higher (15-20%) than that of pine, but the difference between gas permeability in the radial and tangential directions in spruce is the largest (in the radial direction it is 10 times greater than in the radial direction; in pine - 2-5 times).

In terms of strength properties, spruce wood is somewhat inferior to pine. In terms of long-term resistance to deformation, it is practically not inferior to pine, as well as in another indicator - the ability to hold fasteners. Spruce wood bends somewhat better than pine wood.

In terms of resistance to decay (biological damage), among domestic species, spruce is classified as a medium-resistant species (it is noticeably inferior to pine heartwood); according to the European standard EN 350 - 2:1994, spruce is classified as a low-resistant species (pine is classified as moderately resistant).

The generally good machinability of spruce wood by cutting is significantly hampered by numerous knots, the hardness of which is often so great that it causes chipping of the blades of carbide tools.

Application of spruce wood

Spruce is a tree that is exceptional in its properties. One of these properties is musicality. Since ancient times, musical instruments, including stringed ones, have been made from spruce. Novgorod harps of medieval Rus' were most often made from spruce.

The tops of violins, cellos, and guitars have long been made from resonant spruce, which provides the instruments with beautiful sound. She seems to hold the sound within herself. There are special requirements for musical wood: not have knots, curls, tilts or other defects. The annual layers should be the same width, and in a radial section straight and parallel.

Musical instruments made from spruce have an amazing sound because the fibers in the wood are distributed very evenly (such wood is called resonant wood). Violins by Italian makers, including Amati and Stradivarius, are made from spruce.

Looking for good stuff craftsmen and restorers musical instruments They find wood when dismantling old houses, which, over decades of a stable microclimate, acquires truly wonderful musical properties. The fact is that with gradual drying in the capillaries of the resin ducts of the wood, microscopic resonance chambers are formed, and it seems to acquire a voice.

The 19th century French explorer Savard calculated the speed of sound in spruce wood. It turned out that it is 15-16 times greater than the speed of sound in air. There have been many attempts to replace spruce wood with wood from other species, but none of them have been successful. Experts believe that it is unlikely that it will soon be possible to find a material whose acoustic properties will be similar to resonant spruce.

Spruce wood is difficult to process due to the great hardness of the knots, but in some areas huts were built entirely from spruce. They believed that in such a hut one could breathe easily, there was even a saying: “A hut is a spruce tree, but the heart is healthy.”

Spruce wood is soft, light, not very durable, used as construction material(boards, beams), for small crafts, for processing into wood pulp.

Spruce is used for the production of wood chemical products - paper and cardboard, cellulose, turpentine, rosin, tar, wood vinegar, methyl alcohol. From pine needles and wood, volatile fractions of different composition are isolated, consisting mainly of terpenoids - the so-called. essential oils, their main component is pinene.

It is used in ornamental gardening and park construction. Notable for its neatness and elegance of the crown, slender trunk, and shade tolerance. Hedge spruce is very dense and almost impenetrable. There are many garden forms and cultivars. Spruce is often used to create windbreaks, especially along roads. The seeds serve as food for forest birds (woodpeckers, crossbills) and rodents (mouse, squirrel). Spruce bark is used as a leather tanning agent. The needles are often used to prepare pine-vitamin flour for livestock feed.