Engelmann spruce description photo varieties Glauca pendula snake bush leys, leys, Jasper blue harbor burns in spring what to do

Latin name Picea engelmannii Engelm.

Description

Engelmann spruce tree up to 30 - 50 m tall and trunk diameter 90 cm.

The crown is dense, pyramidal, the branches are slightly drooping. Durable, lives 300 - 400 years.

The needles are gray, sharp, softer than those of prickly spruce, and remain on shoots for 10-15 years, in cultivation only 7-8 years.

Cora in at a young age red-brown, later light brown.

Spreading

Engelmann spruce. It has been cultivated since 1862.

Growing

Agricultural technology

Winter-hardy.

Those given in a separate article are based on many years of experience growing various types and decorative forms of spruce in Moscow, in the Main Botanical Garden of the Russian Academy of Sciences.

Reproduction

Propagated by seeds, cuttings, grafting.

Engelmann spruce Varieties

Glauka, Gray (“Glauca’) Tree 20 - 40 m tall, with a dense cone-shaped crown, without a clear horizontal layering of branches. The needles are less prickly, more flexible and less spaced than those of prickly spruce, bluish-blue, the color is especially clear in early spring. In winter, the needles are not so attractive, but still decorative. Grows quickly. Winter-hardy. Propagated by seeds, cuttings, grafting. Cultivated since 1874. Very often found in gardens abroad. Recommended for single, group and alley plantings in large gardens.
After getting acquainted with the assortment, it is important to learn the features of planting and growing spruce in conditions middle zone Russia.

snake snake

blue harbor blue harbor

Application

Use in landscape design

In decorative terms, it is somewhat inferior to the prickly spruce, but remains a beautiful tree.

Conifers today are a fairly common type for landscaping, and are also widely used in construction and furniture making. It is for this reason that today on the market you can find a very large number of the most different varieties and types of coniferous trees. Among them we can note the Engelmann spruce.

Description

The tree is named after the German scientist T. Engelmann. This evergreen from the pine family. In nature, spruce grows in mixed forests, adjacent not only to other coniferous plants, but also gets along with deciduous trees. The birthplace of the tree is America. But today it is widespread throughout the northern hemisphere of the planet.

In our country and Europe, spruce began to be grown only in early XIX century. This tree has a rather aesthetic appearance; it is for this reason that Engelmann spruces are often planted in our parks and squares.

The tree's lifespan is very high; it can live up to 500 years, growing up to 50–60 m in height. This species is quite frost-resistant and can withstand temperatures down to -47°.

The crown of the tree is not spreading, the diameter of the tree is usually no more than 1 m. The bark of all varieties of this species is scaly, thinner than that of other conifers, and has a light brown color that gives off a reddish tint.

The spruce needles are unique: they have a tetrahedral shape and reach no more than 2.5 cm in length.

They have a very interesting pale blue color that varies slightly depending on the variety.

The cones are no different either large sizes, the largest are about 6–8 cm long. They are cylindrical in shape and light brown in color. They ripen in one season, and by the beginning of autumn the seeds are already ready.

Agricultural technology

In nature, as a rule, reproduction occurs by dispersing seeds, and people plant seedlings in their gardens. The tree is not demanding on climate and soil conditions when planting. It grows well even on chalky soil. One of the rules that must be followed is not to plant a tree in a place that will be constantly in the shade. The tree loves sunlight.

And also when planting, it is necessary to arrange a drainage system and sprinkle with fertile soil. When filling the root system, you should use a mixture of peat, leaf and turf soil and sand. This is done so that the tree takes root better. Trees should be planted at a distance of 3 m from each other, otherwise they will interfere with each other as they grow.

Immediately after planting, the tree needs to be watered once a week, and it should also be fed at the rate of 150 g of nitroammophos fertilizer per tree. The crown needs to be looked after: it needs to be sprayed with water. This helps wash away dust and nourish the needles. Every few weeks the soil must be loosened and sprinkled with peat.

Only seedlings that are less than 1.5 m need to be prepared for wintering.

To do this, you need to put up shields to protect the seedling from the wind from the north, wrap the tree in several layers of agrofibre, and cover the roots with leaves and soil.

Pests

There are several types of pests, which are extremely dangerous for the life of a coniferous plant.

• Sitka aphid. The insect is small in size, reaches a maximum of 2 mm, and is practically invisible to the naked eye. To detect it, you need to place a white sheet of paper under the bush and shake the bushes. To combat this insect, use clean or soapy water, which is used to wash infected and healthy plants. In this case, you need to make sure that soapy water does not get on the roots of the plant.

• Needle beetle, spruce leaf roller. Very small size caterpillars that eat the needles of a plant, covering it with a web that holds the needles. But at the slightest gust of wind, the needles fall off and the tree remains bare. To combat this pest, soapy water is also used to wash the infected bushes. There is also an option to completely remove the affected areas, provided that the plant has just begun to hurt.

• False shield. It spreads mainly on young plants, attacks in colonies, sucking all the juices out of the tree. If this happens, young trees die, older trees slow down their growth, and their crown shape is deformed. To prevent the tree from being attacked by the pest, it must be planted correctly: the false scale insect attacks plants that grow in the shade.

Application

Such a tree can often be found abroad in gardens and parks. It looks great if planted alone, separately from other trees. But at the same time, it does not lose its beauty if it grows next to a small number of other bushes. It is often used to create alleys and park areas.

This spruce, unlike other types of coniferous plants, is practically not used in construction and furniture making, but is widely used in medicine.

Since ancient times, people have used coniferous trees to maintain health, to prevent diseases, and as an antimicrobial and disinfectant.

Varieties

There are several varieties of this spruce.

• "Glauka" is the most popular of them. These ate large in size. The peculiarity of this variety is its color. The color of the needles is unusual for us: it has a bright turquoise blue color, sometimes the shade even becomes white. This tree is characterized by a very wide crown. This spruce will look great in large gardens. The size of an adult tree (about 30 years old) is 15–20 m in height and more than 4 m in width. Over the course of a year, growth is 25–30 cm.

• "Talbot." The tree grows very slowly, has the shape of a sphere, growth is about 1–3 cm per year, the color of the needles has a silver-blue tint.

• "Snake." An interesting plant that has branches growing in a chaotic manner, the shape of the branches is extraordinary. This spruce is very stable, the root system is thoroughly seated in the soil, and not a single gust of wind can pull it out. The color of the needles is dark blue-green. It grows quite quickly, at 10 years the growth is about 2.5 m.

• "Blue Magoo" The color of the crown is silver-blue, especially pronounced in early spring. Annual growth is usually about 15 cm.

• "Bush Lace". This spruce looks very original: you get the feeling that there is a skirt at the bottom of the spruce. Has a very beautiful bluish green color crown, which forms a pronounced contrast with the young silver-blue needles in early spring. This spruce will look good in any garden or park; it will attract attention. This tree looks good when combined with other coniferous and deciduous trees.

Engelmann spruce is a representative of the conifers of the Pine family.

This tree is widespread in the wild in the forests of the Rocky Mountains of the North American continent, climbing to a height of 1.5 to 3.5 thousand meters above sea level. The range reaches the upper border of the forest belt, but primarily includes shady valleys and slopes. Tolerates low temperatures well.

Engelmann spruce prefers the proximity of other representatives of its family: fir, larch, pseudo-hemlock, various types of hemlock, pine. Together with these trees, it forms huge forests. Cultivated in Europe as ornamental plant since 1863. The first samples came to Russia at the end of the 19th century, this moment it can rarely be found in the vastness of our homeland. To date, more than a dozen varieties of this plant have been bred.

This Christmas tree lives for about three to four centuries. Its height is 30-50 m, the trunk width is up to 90 cm in diameter. The appearance is very decorative, similar to prickly spruce, differing from the latter in softer needles and less spreading branches. The crown is cone-shaped, dense, often asymmetrical, the branches droop slightly. Cora is very beautiful, with a large number scales and cracks, thin, reddish-brown in color. New shoots are light brownish with rusty pubescence.

Engelmann spruce needles are 1.5-2 cm, with four sides, each side has 2-4 stomatal lines, the color of the needles is bluish-green. The needle lives on the branch from 10 to 15 years. The cones of the Engelmann spruce are round-cylindrical in shape, from 4 to 7 cm long, with a diameter of about 2.5 cm. Until they ripen, they are painted in a beautiful burgundy color, after ripening they become light brown. The scales are thin and flexible, loosely located along the edge. They ripen in late summer - early autumn. Shedding occurs in spring next year.

Chemical composition

Spruce needles contain an impressive amount essential oil and phytoncides - volatile substances with bactericidal, prostitocidal (killing protozoan pathogens) and antifungal (antifungal) effects; it also abounds in tannins, vitamins E and K, carotene, ascorbic acid, polyprenolic alcohols, resins and microelements. There is also a lot of essential oil in the buds and cones - from 0.2%. There are also wood vinegar, bornyl acetate ester with a characteristic camphor odor, and also salts of manganese, copper, aluminum, chromium, and iron. Resin, in addition to acetic acid, contains turpentine, turpentine and rosin. The seeds contain a lot of fatty oil, and the bark contains up to 14% tannins (tannins).

Medicinal properties

Since time immemorial, the majestic forest beauty gives people health, protects from illnesses and saves from wounds, being:

• antimicrobial;
• fungicidal;
• antiscorbutic;
• against rheumatic;
• anti-cold;
• painkillers;
• warming up;
• hemostatic;
• diuretic;
• fixing;
• choleretic (increasing the flow of bile to 46.6% of the original, with an increase in the production of bilirubin);
• disinfectant.

Medicinal use

The use of any type of spruce is the same. Pine needles are a high-vitamin product and have saved many people from scurvy. Young shoots, cones and pine needles are used to prepare infusions and decoctions. They are taken against prolonged colds, dropsy, skin rashes, catarrh of the upper respiratory tract, and asthma of any type. They are used for inhalation for runny nose and cough. In the form of baths, adding salt, they are used for rheumatism, radiculitis and hypothermia. A decoction of the buds and an infusion of young shoots with vodka are useful for pulmonary tuberculosis. From resin boiled with beeswax and lard, they get an effective ointment for furunculosis.

For medicinal purposes, immature female (containing seeds) cones are used. Male cones are smaller and contain pollen. To avoid mistakes, choose the largest and most beautiful ones. The collection is carried out in early autumn, until the cones open. For some recipes, young cones collected in June are used. The resin is harvested from June to September.

Recipes

A decoction of young cones or shoots (ARVI, influenza, pneumonia, asthma):

Boil 30 g of spruce raw material in 1 liter of milk for 20 minutes, then strain. Reception - three times a day.

Bark decoction (diarrhea, food poisoning, internal inflammation):

1 tbsp. Boil spruce bark fibers in half a liter of water for 10 - 15 minutes, let sit until cool, drain the liquid. Drink the decoction as the discomfort recurs, half a glass at a time.

Ointment (abscesses, abrasions, burns):

Take spruce resin, wax, honey and sunflower oil in equal volumes. Heat over low heat with constant stirring until smooth. When hot, filter, removing all large particles that could further injure the affected area.

Vitamin drink (vitaminosis, scurvy, colds):

Pour a glass of boiling water over a handful of spruce needles. Wait for it to brew, remove the greasy film that forms on the surface with a spoon, add the juice of a whole lemon or orange, a pinch of cinnamon and a tablespoon of honey.

Bath infusion:

Boil spruce spruce branches with the addition of sea salt for 5-10 minutes. Add burdock root, ground into a pulp, to the slightly cooled solution to create a soapy environment. Use to wash and rinse the body between sweat sessions.

Syrup from pine needles against cough, to reduce appetite and stimulate brain activity:

Fill a 0.5 liter glass jar with needles from a forest tree (growing far from roads, industrial enterprises) by a quarter. Pour the remaining volume with liquid honey. Leave at room temperature for 3 weeks. Strain the composition. For cough, eat ½ tsp. 5-6 times a day. Take ½ tsp against appetite. 5-10 minutes before meals. During preparation for exams, increased mental stress, eat 1 tsp. of this syrup per day.

A decoction of kidneys for pain in muscles and joints, bronchitis, tuberculosis:

1 tbsp. Scald fresh Christmas tree buds with boiling water, add 200 ml of water, boil for 20 minutes. Filter through 3 layers of gauze. Sweeten the slightly cooled broth with honey. Drink the resulting volume in several doses throughout the day.

Tincture of spruce resin for impotence:

1 tsp pour 0.5 liters of vodka over oleoresin and leave for a week. Take 30 ml before bedtime. Course of treatment: 30 days of admission - 10 days of break - 30 days of admission.

Contraindications

People suffering peptic ulcer or gastritis with increased stomach acidity, are deprived of the opportunity to take medicinal drugs from spruce orally. People with an individual reaction to the camphor smell or other individual components in the plant should avoid it altogether.

The coniferous plant spruce grows almost everywhere. There are a considerable number of species of this evergreen tree. One of the most beautiful is the Engelmann spruce. Read about its varieties, when to plant and how to care for it in the article.

General information

Engelmann spruce from the genus Spruce of the Pine family. In its natural environment, its habitat covers the rocky mountains of the forest belt North America. Grows in the shade of mountain slopes and valleys on high altitude, 1500-3500 meters above ground level in vast areas of pure and mixed forests.

Its neighbors in the lower zone in the place of growth can be monochromatic and pretty firs, western hemlocks, larches, lodgepole pines, and in the upper zone - subalpine firs, mountain hemlocks, Lyell larches, blond, soft pines.

As an ornamental conifer, it has been cultivated in Europe for a long time, since the mid-19th century, and in Russia - since the end of the same century. Engelman spruce - fast growing tree. It is not widespread, since few regions are suitable for its growth. On average, she lives three hundred to four hundred years, but in some cases her life expectancy reaches six hundred years. Has high frost resistance.

Characteristics of the species

This is an evergreen plant with high decorative qualities. Although every form of this plant has properties that set it apart from other spruce trees, all of which fit the description of “large”. Indeed, this plant reaches twenty meters or more in height and ninety centimeters in diameter. Its powerful coniferous cover measures three centimeters in length and two millimeters in width.

In addition, the Engelmann spruce, no matter what its type, is characterized by a special position of the branches: they are all slightly tilted down, as if they were crying. The dense crown has a cone shape and is often asymmetrical. The thin bark with numerous cracks is covered with scales. It has a reddish-brown color. Young shoots have a yellowish tint.

The buds are cone-shaped, and the needles are tetrahedral. It is sharp, with two to four stomatal lines visible on each side. The color of the needles is young and the color of the old tree is green. Growing in the places of their origin, spruce trees do not shed their needles from their branches for fifteen years.

Description of fruits

The cones have an ovoid-cylindrical shape. They are in a hanging position on the branches. Their length reaches four to seven centimeters, width - two and a half. Immature buds are burgundy in color, while mature ones are light brown in color. Serrated scales are located loosely on the surface. Ripening period is August or September. The cones fall in the spring for next year, but they do not crumble.

The seeds are located in the axils of the scales. Their length is three millimeters. They are colored and have one wing twelve millimeters long. The seeds are very small. For comparison: one thousand pieces of seeds weigh only three grams.

Usage

Spruce is often a guest in foreign gardens. It looks better in single plantings, although it does not lose its decorative effect even in group plantings from non-woven materials. large quantity copies. It is planted in public gardens, along city roads, and in squares. Used to create alley areas.

This variety coniferous species There are several varieties of trees. The most popular is the Engelmann Glauk spruce. Some trees are dwarf, with small growth and an unusual color of needles for us, which can be white.

Glauka spruce

The name speaks for itself: this type of coniferous tree is American. Spruce is the main species in the formation of the Canadian taiga. The tree can grow at an altitude of one thousand five hundred meters. According to the climatic conditions of growth, it is analogous. Therefore, Siberia is a second home for Glauka.

Translated from Latin, the name spruce means “gray.” Although many spruce trees have decorative bluish forms. But for the Canadian variety, this coloring of the needles is the norm. Growing in a natural environment, spruce has less brightly colored needles than cultivated trees and a greater height, up to thirty meters. The crown is dense, cone-shaped, reaching two meters in diameter. In young trees, the branches are directed tangentially upward, while in old spruce trees they are directed downward.

Lives for a long time, three hundred to five hundred years. Grows on soils of any composition, but prefers loamy soils with good drainage. Engelmann spruce glauca is resistant to Siberian frosts. Garden forms and varieties of Canadian spruce (there are many of them) reproduce vegetatively. The main method is rooting cuttings.

Low-growing varieties are called snow varieties. Their growth in Siberia does not cause problems. But other varietal varieties need shading during the bright winter and early spring rays of the sun. This is especially true for conical trees.

Spruce Pendula Serbian

This is the most beautiful plant among tree species characterized by a weeping form. . The Engelmann spruce Pendula reaches a height of twelve meters at the age of twenty years. It grows ten to fifteen centimeters in a year. And after ten years its height is fifteen meters. The crown is wide, its diameter is one and a half meters. Flexible shoots hang down. The flat needles are green, with a whitish coating below, and up to two centimeters long.

Spruce prefers neutral soils and moderate moisture. Does not tolerate compacted soils and stagnant water. Therefore, it needs to be planted away from the accumulation of large quantities. groundwater. A layer of drainage twenty centimeters thick should be placed at the bottom of the planting hole. For this you can use broken brick or sand. For group plantings, the distance between spruce trees should be two to three meters. The planting holes are deep, fifty to seventy centimeters. When planting, the root neck does not go deep into the soil; it should be flush with the surface of the earth.

For better survival of seedlings, you can independently prepare the soil from turf and leaf soil, sand and peat. Mix two parts of the first two components and one part of the last. As soon as planting is completed, the seedlings are watered with plenty of water: forty to fifty liters in each hole. Simultaneously with watering, fertilizers are applied: nitroammofoska and kornevin, respectively, one hundred and ten grams per bucket of water.

The Engelmann spruce, the photo of which is presented for review, does not tolerate dry weather. In extreme heat, it needs watering, which should be done weekly, once is enough. Each tree is watered with ten buckets of water. The soil in the tree trunk circle must be regularly loosened to a depth of five centimeters, prevent the formation of a crust, and in the winter mulched with peat six centimeters thick. After the cold period, the mulch is not removed, but mixed with the soil.

Fertilizers are applied twice during the growing season. Spruce trees are pruned in exceptional cases when their shoots form a hedge. It is better to leave this procedure until the end of May or the beginning of June, since at this time the active movement of juice stops. Healthy branches are not removed. The tree is removed from dry and diseased branches.

Spruce Bush Lace

The name of this species with in English translated as "Bush's lace". reaches seven meters in height and about two meters in width. At the age of ten, its height is two and a half meters. In a year it grows thirty centimeters in height.

The Engelmann spruce Leis is extremely beautiful. The central conductor is strong, the branches are different interesting feature. At the base they are raised, and their tips are drooping. The branches form a wide skirt around the trunk. The narrow crown of the spruce is vertical, with a rich blue needles The unusual shape and unusual color of the needles attract beauty connoisseurs. Spruce is used for landscaping areas as a tapeworm and in group plantings.

The coniferous plant spruce grows almost everywhere. There are a considerable number of species of this evergreen tree. One of the most beautiful is the Engelmann spruce. Read about its varieties, when to plant and how to care for it in the article.

General information

Engelmann spruce from the genus Spruce of the Pine family.

In its natural environment, its habitat covers the rocky mountains of the forest belt of North America.

It grows in the shade of mountain slopes and valleys at high altitudes, 1500-3500 meters above ground level in vast areas of pure and mixed forests.

Its neighbors in the lower zone in the place of growth can be monochromatic and pretty firs, western hemlocks, larches, lodgepole pines, and in the upper zone - subalpine firs, mountain hemlocks, Lyell larches, blond, soft pines.

As an ornamental conifer, it has been cultivated in Europe for a long time, since the mid-19th century, and in Russia - since the end of the same century. Engelman spruce – fast growing tree.

It is not widespread, since few regions are suitable for its growth. On average, she lives three hundred to four hundred years, but in some cases her life expectancy reaches six hundred years.

Has high frost resistance.

Characteristics of the species

This is an evergreen plant with high decorative qualities.

Although each form of this plant has properties that set it apart from other spruce trees, they all fit the description of “large.”

Indeed, this plant reaches twenty meters or more in height and ninety centimeters in diameter. Its powerful coniferous cover measures three centimeters in length and two millimeters in width.

In addition, the Engelmann spruce, no matter what its type, is characterized by a special position of the branches: they are all slightly tilted down, as if they were crying.

The dense crown has a cone shape and is often asymmetrical. The thin bark with numerous cracks is covered with scales. It has a reddish-brown color.

Young shoots have a yellowish tint.

The buds are cone-shaped, and the needles are tetrahedral. It is sharp, with two to four stomatal lines visible on each side. The color of the needles of young spruce is bluish-green, and that of old trees is green. Growing in the places of their origin, spruce trees do not shed their needles from their branches for fifteen years.

Description of fruits

The cones have an ovoid-cylindrical shape. They are in a hanging position on the branches. Their length reaches four to seven centimeters, width – two and a half.

Immature cones are burgundy in color, while mature ones are light brown. Serrated scales are located loosely on the surface. Ripening period is August or September.

The cones fall in the spring for next year, but they do not crumble.

The seeds are located in the axils of the scales. Their length is three millimeters. They are colored brown and have one wing twelve millimeters long. The seeds are very small. For comparison: one thousand pieces of seeds weigh only three grams.

Usage

Spruce is often a guest in foreign gardens.

It looks better in single plantings, although it does not lose its decorative effect even in group plantings of a small number of specimens.

It is planted in public gardens, along city roads, and in squares. Used to create alley areas.

This type of coniferous tree has several varieties. The most popular is the Engelmann Glauk spruce. Some trees are dwarf, with small growth and an unusual color of needles for us, which can be white.

Glauka spruce

The name speaks for itself: this type of coniferous tree is American. Spruce is the main species in the formation of the Canadian taiga.

The tree can grow at an altitude of one thousand five hundred meters. According to the climatic conditions of growth, it is analogous to Siberian spruce.

Therefore, Siberia is a second home for Glauka.

Translated from Latin, the name spruce means “gray.” Although many spruce trees have decorative bluish forms. But for the Canadian variety, this coloring of the needles is the norm.

Growing in a natural environment, spruce has less brightly colored needles than cultivated trees and a greater height, up to thirty meters. The crown is dense, cone-shaped, reaching two meters in diameter.

In young trees, the branches are directed tangentially upward, while in old spruce trees they are directed downward.

Lives for a long time, three hundred to five hundred years. Grows on soils of any composition, but prefers loamy soils with good drainage. Engelmann spruce glauca is resistant to Siberian frosts. Garden forms and varieties of Canadian spruce (there are many of them) reproduce vegetatively. The main method is rooting cuttings.

Low-growing varieties are called snow varieties. Their growth in Siberia does not cause problems. But other varietal varieties need shading during the bright winter and early spring rays of the sun. This is especially true for conical trees.

Spruce Pendula Serbian

This is the most beautiful plant among tree species characterized by a weeping form. . The Engelmann spruce Pendula reaches a height of twelve meters at the age of twenty years.

It grows ten to fifteen centimeters in a year. And after ten years its height is fifteen meters. The crown is wide, its diameter is one and a half meters. Flexible shoots hang down.

The flat needles are green, with a whitish coating below, and up to two centimeters long.

Spruce prefers neutral soils and moderate moisture. Does not tolerate compacted soils and stagnant water. Therefore, it needs to be planted away from the accumulation of large amounts of groundwater. A layer of drainage twenty centimeters thick should be placed at the bottom of the planting hole.

For this you can use broken brick or sand. For group plantings, the distance between spruce trees should be two to three meters. The planting holes are deep, fifty to seventy centimeters.

When planting, the root neck does not go deep into the soil; it should be flush with the surface of the earth.

For better survival of seedlings, you can independently prepare the soil from turf and leaf soil, sand and peat. Mix two parts of the first two components and one part of the last.

As soon as planting is completed, the seedlings are watered with plenty of water: forty to fifty liters in each hole.

Simultaneously with watering, fertilizers are applied: nitroammofoska and kornevin, respectively, one hundred and ten grams per bucket of water.

The Engelmann spruce, the photo of which is presented for review, does not tolerate dry weather. In extreme heat, it needs watering, which should be done weekly, once is enough. Each tree is watered with ten buckets of water.

The soil in the tree trunk circle must be regularly loosened to a depth of five centimeters, prevent the formation of a crust, and in the winter mulched with peat six centimeters thick. After the cold period, the mulch is not removed, but mixed with the soil.

Fertilizers are applied twice during the growing season. Spruce trees are pruned in exceptional cases when their shoots form a hedge.

It is better to leave this procedure until the end of May or the beginning of June, since at this time the active movement of juice stops. Healthy branches are not removed.

The tree is removed from dry and diseased branches.

Spruce Bush Lace

The name of this species variety is translated from English as “Bush's lace.” This tree reaches a height of seven meters and a width of about two. At the age of ten, its height is two and a half meters. In a year it grows thirty centimeters in height.

The Engelmann spruce Leis is extremely beautiful. The central conductor is strong, the branches have an interesting feature. At the base they are raised, and their tips are drooping. The branches form a wide skirt around the trunk.

The narrow crown of the spruce is vertical, with a rich blue color of the needles. The unusual shape and unusual color of the needles attract beauty connoisseurs.

Spruce is used for landscaping areas as a tapeworm and in group plantings.

Source: http://.ru/article/317085/el-engelmana-opisanie-i-foto

Engelmann spruce (Picea engelmannii)

Synonyms: Picea engelmannii (Parry) Engelm.

- a type of evergreen tree from the genus Spruce of the Pine family.

In nature, it grows in the forest belt of the Rocky Mountains, where it rises to a height of 1500-3500 m above sea level to the upper border of the forest in the valleys and along the shady slopes of the mountains.

Forms pure and mixed forests in the lower belt with single-colored, noble and comely fir, Menzies pseudo-hemlock, western hemlock and western larch, western white pine and lodgepole broad-coniferous, in the upper belt with mountain hemlock, subalpine fir, Lyell larch, soft pine, whitebark and spinous, as well as Callitropsis nutkan. It has been cultivated as an ornamental tree in Europe since 1863; it was brought to Russia at the end of the 19th century. Lives 300-400 (600) years.

It is a tall tree 30-50 m in height, the trunk diameter reaches 90 cm. Slow-growing, annual growth reaches 20 cm. The crown is cone-shaped, asymmetrical, dense, with slightly drooping branches.

The bark is scaly, fissured, thin, red-brown in color. Young shoots with rusty pubescence, yellowish-brown. The buds are ovoid-conical, 5-6 mm in length, resinous at the apex.

The kidney scales are red-brown, obtusely triangular, with reflexed tips.

The needles are tetrahedral, 15-25 (30) mm long, 1.5-2 mm wide, sharp, hard (softer than those of prickly spruce), straight or slightly curved, directed towards the tip of the shoot, bluish-green, over time the color fades. Stays on the tree for 5-10 (15) years. When rubbed, the needles have a sharp, specific odor.

The cones are 4-7 cm long and 2-2.5 cm wide, ovoid-cylindrical, immature, purple in color, later light brown. The scales are ovoid, thin, flexible, wavy or coarsely toothed along the upper edge.

The seeds are greyish-brown to black, 2-3 mm long, with a yellowish-brown wing that is 4-5 times the length of the seed. The cones ripen in August-September and fall off in the spring of next year. There are 160-350 thousand seeds in 1 kg.

Weight of 1000 pieces is approximately 3 g.

Subspecies: Picea engelmannii mexicana

Decorative forms:“Glauca”, Gray (“Glauca”), silver (f. argentea), blue weeping (f. glauca pendula), Fendler’s (f. Fendleri), small coniferous (f. microphylla), Picea engelmannii ‘Blue Magoo’

Frost resistance zone: 2a (-45.6° C)

Location: hardy against unfavorable climatic factors. It is unpretentious to soil and can grow in any soil if there is sufficient moisture.

The total amount of precipitation is more than 600 mm per year. In nature it grows in cold and humid climates, with long and snowy winters and cold, short summers.

Grows on different mountain soils (calcareous and non-calcareous).

Landing: Soil mixture: turf and leaf soil, peat, sand in a ratio of 2:2:1:1. Drainage is made of broken brick, a layer of 15-20 cm. Planting depth: 50-70 cm. Root collar at ground level. The recommended distance between plants is 2-3 m.

Care: after planting, you can fertilize with 100-150 g of nitroammophoska. During dry periods, it is recommended to water 10-12 liters per plant daily. It is also advisable to sprinkle the crown.

Loosening is carried out to a depth of 5-6 cm, while the peat is not removed, but mixed with soil. Young seedlings need to be covered with spruce branches for the winter.

At a young age, it needs shelter from the spring sun; for this, you can throw 2 layers of non-woven material over the tree or put special protective shields on the south side.

Diseases: schutte, snow schutte, fusarium, stem and root rot, bark necrosis, ulcerative (wound) cancer, cone rust, spruce spinner.

Pests: spruce leaf roller, spider mite, Sitka spruce aphid.

Reproduction: seeds, cuttings, grafting. The seeds do not lose their viability for 5 years.

Security status: is not under protected status.

Usage: looks good in single plantings and in small groups, on streets, squares, for city landscaping, in alley plantings.

Source: http://www.vashsad.ua/encyclopedia-of-plants/coniferous/show/1239/

Engelmann spruce, Mexican (Picea engelmannii / mexicana)

Anatoly Orlov

Biologically and externally similar to prickly spruce, but the bumps Engelmann spruce shorter, the needles are softer, young shoots are yellow-brown, matte (in contrast to the furrowed, yellow-orange, more powerful shoots prickly spruce), buds are resinous. R. engelmannii significantly modified over a wide range, a number of changes occur continuously, preventing the recognition of several subspecies as separate species; in addition, in the northern part of its range, it freely hybridizes with R. Glauca. In the Chilliwack River Valley in British Columbia, hybridization occurs with Picea sitchensis .

Subspecies Mexican spruce (Picea mexicana)

Picea engelmannii subsp mexicana

Description: This is a large elegant conifer tree in nature reaches 40 m in height with a trunk diameter of 1.7-2 m. Variety P. engelmannii var.

Mexicana differs from the main type of thin gray bark by narrower needles (1-1.

2 mm) and larger cones (4.5-8 cm, compared to 3-6 cm in the main species) with thinner and longer seed scales (4-6 mm).

Picea mexicana female cones

Ecology: Grows in Mexico, southern Arizona and, at an altitude of 1000-3400 m, in mountain and subalpine forests, where it is found on steep, wet, northern slopes, on dolomite-underlain soils. Present in three isolated locations. The first population was found in the Sierra de la Marta mountains, 75 km southeast of Saltillo in Nuevo Leon, New Mexico. The second population lives in the Sierra Mojinora in Chihuahua. The third group was found in the Sierra El Coahuila in the USA. USDA winter hardiness of this subspecies is in the range of climate zones 6-7. Tolerance of winter temperature limit -23°C-17.7°C.

Picea mexicana male cones

This subspecies, called Picea mexicana, listed in the Red Book in Mexico. Although each of the three population groups probably contains several thousand trees (Ledig et al.

2000), they are, however, widely separated, and grow on some of the most high mountains in the region.

This taxon is one of the most critically endangered conifer species in the world, and is at high risk of extinction in the foreseeable future due to stressors including climate change and fire.

Description of the species: The largest trees of this species in British Columbia reach from 40 to 68 m in height with a trunk diameter of 169 -220 cm in diameter. Dense, narrowly conical, formed by slightly drooping branches. Coratothin, fissured-scaly, gray to reddish-brown.

Picea engelmannii tree bark

Young shoots are yellowish-brown. Differs from prickly spruce somewhat drooping branches and thin, rusty-pubescent young shoots.

Buds 3-6 mm long, cone-shaped orange-brown resinous, bud scales tightly fitting, with short pointed tips below, rounded above, rounded apex.

Picea engelmannii female cone

The blue-green needles are sharp, but not as hard as those of prickly spruce, elongated into an awl-shaped point, matte, 1.5-3 (3.5) cm long, 1.5-2 mm wide.

The needles are tetrahedral in cross-section, on both sides with 2-3 (4) stomatal lines, which clearly protrude on the upward side of the needles, which is why the needles have a color from silver-green to bluish-blue.

When rubbed, it smells peculiarly of camphor, there are no resin passages. In its homeland, the needles last 10-15 years, in European conditions 7 years.

Seed reproduction begins at the age of about 20 - 25 years, with mass fruiting every 2 - 6 years. Blooms in May – June.

Male anthers are reddish, female strobili are ovoid-cylindrical, light brown to dark purple, erect, 4-6 cm long, located in the upper part of the crown.

Immature cones are bright red or reddish-green, initially sessile, later arranged horizontally or slightly oblique, ovate-cylindrical. Mature cones are light brown, 4-8 cm long, 2.5-3 cm wide.

Unlike prickly spruce bumps Engelmann spruce smaller, consist of thin, flexible, loosely adjacent seed scales 13-20 × 9-16 mm, with a truncated, notched apex 3-8 mm wide.

The covering scales are ovate-oblong, blunt, unevenly toothed, 2/3 shorter than the seed scales. They ripen in August-September and fall in the spring of next year.

The seeds are brown-brown, small, obliquely obovate, about 3 mm long, with a long brown-violet wing about 10-12 mm long. There are 160-350 thousand seeds in 1 kg; average weight 1000 pieces - 3 g.

Spruce forest Picea engelmannii

Ecological property of the species.

It grows in western North America from Canada to New Mexico, in the east the range reaches the eastern slopes of the Cascade Mountains in the states of Oregon and Washington..

Favorite places are the forest belt of the Rocky Mountains of North America, the highlands, where it occurs along the shady slopes of the mountains, forming crooked forests on the alpine border, rising to a height of 1500-3500 m.

Below it forms extensive pure and mixed forests with fir (Abies concolor), sweet fir (Abies amabilis), noble fir (Abies procera), pseudo-hemlock (Pseudotsuga menziesii), western larch (Larix occidentalis), western hemlock (Tsuga heterophylla), lodgepole pine broad-coniferous (Pinus contorta) and western white (Pinus monticola)- in the lower belt; in the upper zone - with subalpine fir (Abies lasiocarpa), mountain hemlock (Tsuga mertensiana), Lyell larch (Larix lyallii), whitebark pine (Pinus albicaulis), soft pine (Pinus flexilis), bristlecone (Pinus aristata) and Callitropsis nootkatensis (Chamaecyparis nootkatensis).

Old open cone of Picea engelmannii

AND subalpine fir form one of the most widespread forest communities in the Rocky Mountains.

It can be seen, for example, throughout Jasper Park in Canada and the Rocky Mountains in Colorado. They also form the dominant forest type in the eastern North Cascades. National Park and Pasayten Wilderness in Washington.

The southernmost race of Engelmann Spruce in the United States lives on the top of Chihuahua Mountain in Arizona, this subspecies today is called Mexican spruce (R. Mexicana).

Depending on soil and climatic conditions, it can reach quite large sizes and a respectable age. On average, they live 350-400 years, less often 600 or more years.

So a tree in central Colorado reached 911 years of age by 1995. To date, individuals aged 852 and 760 years have been discovered here, near the alpine borders of the forest.

Picea engelmannii needles

In European culture decorative tree grown since 1862 in Russia since late XIX centuries, is not widespread. It was introduced into Belarus at the end of the last century, but has not yet received proper distribution.

In the Central Botanical Garden of the Republic of Belarus at 40 years old, the height is 15-16 m, the trunk diameter is 14-16 cm, it bears seeds, and is not damaged by frost. Under the same conditions in the Republic of Belarus, spiny spruce grows slower. The growth rate is the same as that of prickly spruce. Quite frost-resistant.

Agricultural technology is possible in zones 3-9 (frost resistance limit between -39.9°C and -34.4°C). It withstands heavy snowfalls well, tolerates shade, but develops better with sufficient lighting.

Prefers fresh loamy soils, poor peaty soils are acceptable, tolerates wet and cold, shallow soils with a pH ranging from 4 -6. Loves plenty of moisture. It tolerates urban conditions satisfactorily - a little worse than prickly spruce.

To some extent, withstands the effects of wind, but having a superficial root system The breed is easily wind-fallen.

Young female cone Picea engelmannii

Reproduction and cultivation. Propagated by seeds, cuttings, decorative forms- vaccination. Cultivation is similar to prickly spruce.

In youth it grows slowly, by the age of 5 the growth accelerates and can reach 40 cm per year; in Europe it grows better in the north than in the south. Prefers a continental climate.

Although the tree is very frost tolerant in its dormant phase, new growth in the spring is very susceptible to damage from late spring frosts.

Purpose and application. The wood is yellowish-brown, fine-grained, light and soft.

In appearance, it is the same as that of Canadian spruce, light, straight-grained; due to the large size of the trees, it usually gives a higher yield of clean, knot-free assortments. It is processed easily and efficiently, and glues satisfactorily.

It is used for carpentry, building construction, plywood, grand piano resonators. It is also valued in the pulp and paper industry as a raw material for paper production. The bark is a source of tannins.

An infusion of the bark is used in the treatment of respiratory diseases and tuberculosis. Crushed pine needles have a pleasant menthol-camphor aroma.

Landscape construction. Slightly inferior in terms of decorativeness prickly spruce. The crown is narrower, the layering of branching is less pronounced.

Planted individually and in small loose groups. The bluish forms look especially beautiful against the backdrop of dark coniferous trees.