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Black spruce is one of the most undemanding varieties of coniferous trees. The plant has interestingly colored needles and cones, which is why it is actively used to decorate city parks and summer cottages.
Why is spruce called black
Spruce of this species was cultivated at the beginning of the 18th century in Germany. The Latin name sounds like Picea Mariana Aurea. This can be literally translated as “black spruce native to Maryland.” This name could presumably be due to the fact that the culture was found in this part.
Description of black spruce
The culture is an evergreen species that reaches large sizes. At the same time, it grows slowly, even if the conditions for this are good. It has a long lifespan, can grow for 350-400 years.
The trunk diameter reaches 90 cm
Height and dimensions of black spruce
Black spruce belongs to the category of medium-sized trees. Its height varies from 20 to 30 m. However, in its natural habitat you can most often find spruce trees about 10 m high. There are low varieties.Their height may not exceed 1 m. It is quite massive, the trunk width ranges from 0.3 to 0.9 m.
The crown has a conical shape. It is not too wide, quite dense. In most cases it has an irregular shape, the branches grow straight. In this case, the lower part tends to the ground. Dark needles have a predominant blue-green tint with a slight silver tint. It consists of small and prickly needles with a length of up to 1-1.5 cm. They are densely located on the shoots.
Small oval-shaped cones form on the shoots. Their length is approximately 2-3 cm. The small cones are purple in color. Over time, it acquires a rich dark brown hue.
Cones can hang on branches for up to 20-30 years
Where does it grow
The natural habitat of black spruce is forest-tundra, which is an area located where the tundra and taiga meet. Despite the severity, this climate is ideal for this tree.
Spruce feels good in European territory. In addition, it is distributed throughout North America. Spruce often grows in swampy areas, lowlands and shaded areas. In addition, it has good frost resistance and can withstand temperatures down to -30 OWITH.
Application
Black spruce belongs to valuable species. Its use is widespread not only in landscape design. The culture is also actively used in folk medicine. Wood is popular in the pulp and paper industry, where it is actively used for the production of finishing and lumber.
Varieties of black spruce
There are many varieties of black spruce.However, only some varieties are most widespread.
Beissneri (Mariana Deissneri)
A small tree reaching a height of 5 m. The crown is round in shape and painted light green with a silver tint. The variety is characterized by a slow growth rate. Baisneri spruce also has a dwarf subvariety that grows only up to 2 m. This variety is actively used for landscaping streets and parks.
The height and width of the variety are almost the same
Nana
The variety belongs to the dwarf trees; it grows only up to 0.5 m. It has a rounded crown, colored green with a bluish tint. The culture is growing very slowly. Due to its small size, it is used not only for landscaping outdoor areas. It is suitable for growing in containers; the tree can be grown on terraces, roofs, and balconies.
The variety is suitable for growing in unfavorable weather conditions
Kobold
The variety belongs to low varieties. Its height is about 1 m. The crown has the shape of a ball and is painted in a rich green color. The tree is abundantly covered with lilac-colored cones. In landscape design, spruce is often used to create hedges.
Every year the spruce grows by about 0.5 cm
Doumetti
A low variety of black spruce, growing up to 6 m. A distinctive feature is a wide crown, which is shaped like a cone. The branches ascend upward, the needles are colored light blue. A characteristic feature of this variety is its active growth. Spruce is actively used for landscaping squares and parks.
The Doumeti variety has cones growing directly on the trunk
Aurea
This is a rather rare variety that can be found in few places. Spruce has a fast growth rate.The needles have a silvery tint, with a light golden coating at the ends. In sunny weather, it looks as if its crown is shining. Spruce is planted in parks, squares, and used to decorate squares.
The variety is suitable for use in both group and single plantings
Planting and caring for black spruce
Black spruce is an unpretentious tree that can be grown in almost any conditions. It feels good in shaded areas and does not make any demands on the composition of the soil. When choosing where to plant a spruce, you should give preference to places protected from the scorching sun. In such conditions, it will not grow well and may get sick, and the needles will turn yellow.
The best time to move black spruce outdoors is spring. Planting is also allowed in the autumn. If the seedling was purchased in a container, then it can be transferred to open ground in the summer. The planting process consists of the following steps:
- Dig a hole corresponding to the size of the earthen ball on the seedling. Place a thick drainage layer on the bottom. Sand, crushed stone, and broken bricks are excellent for these purposes.
- Place a small layer of soil mixture on top, consisting of turf, leaves, sand and peat. Place the seedling in the center of the planting hole. It does not need to be deeply buried; the root system should be close to the surface.
- Sprinkle the planting with soil and compact it thoroughly. To fix it, drive two sticks on both sides and tie the seedling to them.
- Water the planting and mulch the tree trunk circle. Peat, sawdust, and tree bark are excellent for this purpose.
For a tree to grow well, it needs proper care, which is not difficult at all. Spruce needs timely watering. In normal weather, you need to moisten the soil once a week. You need to pour water into the circle around the trunk, without bringing the bucket too close to the trunk. In dry weather, this needs to be done more often, the main thing is not to overdo it.
The root system needs air, so the soil in the tree trunk circle needs to be loosened regularly. Young trees need winter shelter. For this you should use spruce branches. With the onset of warmth, the shelter must be removed. During this period, you can apply nitrogen fertilizer.
The tree grows for a long time, so it does not need frequent pruning. Periodically it is worth getting rid of diseased, dry branches. Frequent pruning is only necessary if the tree is part of a hedge.
Reproduction
The main method of propagation is cuttings. If desired, you can grow a seedling from seeds. But this process takes a lot of effort and time and rarely gives the desired result. Some varieties of black spruce cannot be propagated from seeds at all.
Diseases and pests
Black spruce has good immunity. However, she can also get sick. It is most often affected by fungal infections, bud rust and root rot. To prevent disease, you need to periodically inspect the tree for damage. It is necessary to remove old branches in a timely manner and treat the cut areas. From time to time, preventive treatments can be carried out using fungicidal agents.
Among the pests that attack the crop, the most dangerous are aphids, spider mites, spruce sawflies, bark beetles, and pine pine moths. Plants should be periodically inspected for the presence of insects and preventative treatments carried out using insecticidal preparations.
Black spruce in landscape design
Black spruce is actively used in landscape design in urban areas and in summer cottages.
Tall varieties are suitable for single planting in squares and parks; in addition, they look great in group plantings
Low and medium-growing varieties are a good choice for creating hedges. It is recommended to plant them in alpine hills and rockeries.
Small trees can be used to decorate balconies, verandas, terraces
Conclusion
Black spruce is a plant that adapts well to any climatic conditions. It is not difficult to care for, so even a novice gardener can cope with its cultivation.
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