Content
European cedar pine is a unique coniferous tree that has become popular for its beauty, cold resistance and medicinal properties. In garden plots, European cedar, despite its large size, is widely used in landscape design. This powerful, beautiful plant captivates with its slender trunk, thick greenish-blue needles and dark brown cones, which ripen 24 months after pollination.
Description of European cedar
The homeland of the European pine is the mountain forests of Central Europe. Under natural conditions, it can be found in the south of France, in the eastern regions of the Alps and Carpathians.
On moderately moist soil, the plant reaches 25 m in height and 8 m in width. The ovoid massive crown is formed by long, thin needles, emerald-sky color. The needles are collected in a bunch and remain on the shoots for several years. Flowering occurs in summer.
In early September, purple-green, edible cones up to 25 cm long appear on the cedar pine. The cones ripen the next year after pollination, forming seeds up to 12 mm in size.Ripe cones turn dark brown.
The fruits of the European pine pine are valued as a delicacy, medicine and as a valuable nutritious product. Since ancient times, the European cedar pine has been considered a breadfruit tree, since it can feed not only people, but also forest inhabitants. If European cedar pine grows on a personal plot, fruiting occurs after 15 years, the harvest is obtained every 2 years.
Thanks to its powerful taproot system, cedar pine does not need regular watering and tolerates drought well. European cedar pine is unpretentious in terms of care, soil composition and air humidity. Ephedra is cold-resistant, so it can be grown in all regions of Russia. Cedar pine is a long-liver, growing in one place for about 400 years or more.
Thanks to the painstaking work of breeders, about 100 decorative varieties of European cedar pine have been created. Most popular:
- Columnaris – pine forms a columnar crown.
- Viridis – the tree is covered with bright emerald needles.
- Aurea – attractive for the golden hue of the needles.
- Verigata – the variety has become popular for the attractive color of its needles. The tips of the needles are covered with a golden color, the rest is striped or spotted. Thanks to this, the crown has an original variegated color.
- Compacta Glauc – dwarf, slow-growing variety. The height of the tree does not exceed 80 cm. Greenish-blue needles on the outside and snow-white needles on the inside cover short, vertical shoots.
- Pygmea – the variety is used to decorate an alpine slide. Plant height is 40-60 cm, the needles are delicate, curved, of different lengths.
European cedar pine is widely used in the woodworking industry and medicine. The wood is strong and durable, which is why it is used for making souvenirs, furniture, interior cladding and dishes. It is believed that if you keep milk in a cedar bowl, it will not sour for a long time and acquires a pleasant taste.
In folk medicine, needles, cones, bark, resin and nuts are used:
- Cedar oil is made from the seeds, which helps against varicose veins;
- the shell treats mastopathy, osteochondrosis, arthritis and radiculitis;
- a decoction based on pine needles has a diaphoretic effect,
- infusion from the shell relieves stress, diseases of the stomach, liver and kidneys;
- The resin, due to its bactericidal properties, is used for cuts, wounds and burns.
To grow European cedar in your garden and see the beauty of this evergreen beauty, you need to look at the photo and read the description in detail.
European cedar in landscape design
European cedar pine is widely used for landscaping and garden plots. It looks attractive both in single and group plantings, next to ornamental trees and shrubs.
European cedar pine produces oxygen and phytoncides. Thanks to these properties, the air is disinfected and filled with a pleasant pine aroma, which has a beneficial effect on the human body.
To create a relaxing effect, European cedar pine is planted next to a recreation area, near ponds and surrounded by other conifers.
Planting and caring for European cedar
European cedar pine is undemanding in terms of care, soil composition and air humidity.To grow a beautiful, useful plant,
It is necessary to prepare the site, choose the right seedling and carry out timely care.
Preparing seedlings and planting area
It is better to purchase a cedar pine seedling from a nursery with a closed root system. This will enable the plant to quickly adapt to a new location and grow a powerful root system. Also, a seedling purchased in a pot can be planted in spring, summer and autumn.
To make the needles look beautiful and have a rich color, choose an open, well-lit place for planting. European cedar pine is undemanding in terms of soil composition, but grows and develops better in fertile soil. When planting, a soil mixture is prepared from sand, clay and turf soil in a ratio of 2:1:1. If the site has heavy loam, before planting make drainage from sand or broken brick with a layer of 20 cm.
How to plant European cedar
When planting European cedar pine, the distance between planting holes is maintained at 4-6 m. The root system should be placed in the hole freely and without bending. Technology for planting European cedar pine:
- A hole is dug 1 m deep and 1.8 m wide.
- The hole is filled with 1 bucket of fertile soil and 10 liters of compost. Mix everything thoroughly.
- The seedling is carefully removed from the container, the twisted roots are straightened, trying not to destroy the earthen lump.
- The plant is placed in a bucket of warm water so that the roots do not dry out when planting.
- A small mound is formed in the planting hole and a seedling with a straightened root system is installed.
- When planting, you must ensure that the root collar is located at soil level.
- The roots are covered with soil, compacting each layer.
- The planted seedling is watered abundantly. About 5 buckets of warm water are consumed per plant.
- After the water is absorbed, the soil is mulched.
Watering and fertilizing
European pine is a drought-resistant conifer. It grows and develops well both in dry areas and in moist soil. The tree needs abundant watering only in early spring, when the buds are sprouting. Each young plant requires at least 50 liters of water. Also, in hot summers, cedar pine will not refuse irrigation using the sprinkling method. This procedure will increase humidity, give the needles a healthy and well-groomed appearance, and fill the air with a pine aroma.
The evergreen beauty does not tolerate nitrogenous fertilizers; the root system does not develop from them. Therefore, nitrogen is excluded as a fertilizer. But in order for the European cedar pine not to freeze and to develop well, it can be fed with phosphorus-potassium fertilizers.
Mulching and loosening
Small suction roots are naturally located under the forest floor. Therefore, after planting European cedar pine on a personal plot, the tree trunk circle is mulched. Mulch is necessary to maintain high fertility and aeration of the top layer. The best mulch for European cedar pine will be foliage, pine needles, and bark. When mulch decomposes, the soil acquires a fertile composition, which is necessary for the life of earthworms and microorganisms.Fungal mycelia can improve soil structure and protect the root system from pathogens of fungal diseases.
Mulch also retains moisture and helps the root system survive cold winters. To stimulate the formation of adventitious roots, a new layer of mulch is added annually.
Trimming
European pine does not need pruning, with the exception of:
- sanitary pruning - remove damaged, unwintered and diseased shoots;
- to increase the density of the crown, young, annual shoots are cut to ½ length;
- To slow down the growth of the tree and branches, the annual growths are carefully broken off.
Preparing for winter
European cedar pine is a frost-resistant species; an adult tree calmly tolerates severe cold without shelter. But young shoots can be damaged by frost, so they need shelter. For protection, spruce branches or breathable non-woven material are used to cover the tree after the first frost.
Reproduction
European pine pine is propagated by seeds, since the survival rate of cuttings is very low.
To get a healthy seedling, the seeds must undergo stratification. To do this, they are placed in a container filled with wet sand. The container is removed for 2-3 months in a cool room where the temperature does not rise above + 5 °C.The prepared seed is sown in a greenhouse, since when planted in open ground, germination is reduced by 50%.
Seed propagation of cedar pine is a labor-intensive and time-consuming process, so novice gardeners are recommended to buy seedlings grown in a nursery.
Diseases and pests
European cedar pine has strong immunity to many diseases. But if the rules of care are not followed, the tree can become infected with diseases.
Anamorphic mushrooms. When affected by a fungus, the roots turn brown, and the mycelium penetrates the vessels of the tree, clogs them, and prevents the flow of nutrients. Without treatment, the needles of a cedar pine turn red and crumble, the tree begins to dry out and die.
It is almost impossible to get rid of the fungus, so it is necessary to carry out preventive measures in a timely manner:
- purchase healthy seedlings from trusted suppliers;
- in the spring, before the sap flows, spray the young plant with a copper-containing preparation;
- carry out mulching of the tree trunk circle;
- Remove fallen and damaged needles in a timely manner and burn them.
Cones rust. When affected by the fungus, the tops of the shoots die, the trunk becomes bent, and the cones open and fall off. The fungus is dangerous for young plants; it quickly spreads throughout the plant and in a short time leads to the death of the fragile plant. For prevention, young cedar pine is sprayed in spring and autumn with broad-spectrum fungicides.
Conclusion
European cedar pine is not only an additional detail in landscape design, but also a healing tree that helps with many diseases.When planting 2-3 copies, the air will be filled with an unforgettable pine aroma, which fully reveals itself after the rain. When you are near a tree, you can get a boost of energy and get rid of stress and nervous feelings. With timely care, European pine will reward you with a harvest of cones with tasty and healthy seeds.
