Content
In its wild habitat, Korean fir grows on the Korean Peninsula, forms coniferous forests or is part of mixed forests. In Germany, in 1986, breeder Günter Horstmann created a new variety of crop - Silberlock fir. Coniferous trees have been grown in Russia relatively recently. The decorative habit of a perennial crop has found application in landscape design.
Description of Korean fir Silberlock
The perennial coniferous plant is the most frost-resistant representative of its species. Silberlok fir feels comfortable in the climate of central Russia. The buds bloom when the temperature reaches above zero and are extremely rarely damaged by return frosts. A crop with high drought resistance, therefore coniferous trees can often be found in the southern regions.
Korean fir Silberlok is undemanding in terms of soil composition and grows on neutral, slightly acidic, alkaline, and even saline soil types. The only condition is that the soil must be light, the best option is a loamy composition or deep sandy loam.Korean fir Silberlok does not tolerate waterlogging of the soil and loses the decorative properties of its needles in the shade.
The evergreen tree grows slowly, the annual growth is 7-8 cm. By the age of 10, the height of the Silberlok fir reaches 1.5-1.7 m. Then the growth is reduced, the tree does not grow above 4.5 m. The duration of the biological cycle of the Korean variety Silberlok is within 50 years.
External characteristics:
- Korean fir Silberlok forms a symmetrical cone-shaped crown. The volume of the lower part is 1.5 m; when the end point of growth is reached, it grows to 3 m. The lower skeletal branches are located low, touch the ground, and grow at an angle. The higher the branches are located, the smaller the growth angle and length. The trunk is wide, narrowing from bottom to top into one, less often into two crowns.
- The bark of young Korean fir is dark gray, smooth, the color darkens with age, and longitudinal grooves form on the surface. Young shoots in the spring with needles in the form of yellow rudiments, by autumn they become dark burgundy.
- The decorative quality of the Korean fir is given by its needles; it reaches a length of up to 7 cm, is flat, crescent-shaped, the ends are concave towards the trunk. Grows in two rows. The lower part is light green, the upper part is light blue. The needles are thin at the base, widen upward, there is no point, they seem to be cut, soft and non-thorny. Visually, the crown is perceived as completely green, covered with frost on top.
- When the plant reaches 7 years of growing season, cone-shaped cones form on annual shoots. They grow vertically, the length of the fruit is 4-6 cm, the width is 3 cm. The surface is uneven, the scales are pressed tightly, they have a bright purple color.
Korean fir does not have resin channels, the enzyme accumulates on the surface, the fruit is heavily impregnated with resin, sticky to the touch.
Young trees are brighter, there are more cones on the branches. After 15 years of growth, the lower part of the needles becomes dark green, the upper part acquires a steel color.
Silberlock fir in landscape design
The variety of Korean fir Silberlok, due to its decorative habit, is a favorite in design compositions. The blue color of the needles and bright cones add festive solemnity to the site. Single and mass plantings of Korean fir Silberlok are used to decorate city parks, front entrances of private estates and administrative buildings. Used as an element of landscape design when landscaping:
- Garden paths - planted in a line along the edges to imitate an alley.
- Coastal zone of artificial reservoirs.
- Japanese rock garden to mark the border of a rock garden.
- Rock garden background.
- City microdistricts.
Used as a tapeworm in the center of flower beds and lawns. Korean blue fir Silberlok looks aesthetically pleasing in composition with barberry and spirea. Combines harmoniously with juniper and golden thuja.
Planting and caring for Silberlock fir
The location for the Korean Silberlock fir is determined taking into account that the evergreen tree will remain on the site for many years. The coniferous crop does not tolerate transplantation well; in most cases, after transfer, Korean fir does not take root and dies.
For normal development and formation of a decorative crown, photosynthesis of Silberlok fir requires excess ultraviolet radiation. The perennial crop is placed in a well-lit area.The root of the seedling does not respond well to waterlogging; soil with adjacent groundwater is not considered for planting.
Preparing seedlings and planting area
The designated area for Korean fir is prepared 3 weeks before planting. Dig up the soil and remove the roots weed, add ash and a complex of mineral fertilizers. The fir root system is deep, the fertile layer of soil nourishes the tree only for the first 2 years, then the root goes deeper. For planting, a nutrient composition is prepared from sand, soil from the site where the seedling is placed, and peat in equal parts. For 10 kg of composition add 100 g of nitroammophoska.
Korean fir seedlings are purchased when they are no younger than 3 years old. It should have a closed root system, a smooth trunk and the presence of needles. If fir is bred with its own material, preventive maintenance and disinfection of the root system are carried out before planting. The seedling is placed in a 5% manganese solution for 2 hours, then in an antifungal drug for 30 minutes.
Landing rules
Fir seedlings can be planted in the spring, when the earth has warmed up to 150 C, or autumn. For regions with a temperate climate, it is better to carry out work in the spring, so that the seedling has time to take root well over the summer. For warm climates, planting time is not important. Work is carried out approximately in April and early September. The best option is in the evening.
Planting Silberlok fir:
- Dig a hole taking into account the size of the root system: measure the length of the root to the neck, add 25 cm for drainage and a layer of mixture. The resulting depth will be approximately 70-85 cm. The width is calculated based on the volume of the root with an addition of 15 cm.
- Drainage is placed at the bottom, you can use small fragments of brick, coarse crushed stone or gravel.
- The mixture is divided into 2 parts, one part is poured onto the drainage, and a hill is made in the center of the hole.
- The root system is dipped into a thick clay solution, placed on a hill in the center, and the roots are distributed along the bottom of the hole.
- Fill the remaining soil in parts and compact it carefully so that there is no void left.
- Leave 10 cm to the top of the hole and fill it with sawdust.
- The root collar is not deepened.
The tree trunk circle is mulched with crushed tree bark or peat.
Watering and fertilizing
Caring for Korean Silberlock fir is not labor-intensive. The tree is unpretentious and tolerates low air humidity well. Only young trees up to 3 years of growing season are watered using the sprinkling method. If precipitation falls once every 2 weeks, there is enough moisture for the fir. In dry summers, the plant is watered according to the same schedule. For an adult culture, such a procedure is not necessary. The tree gets enough moisture from the soil thanks to its deep roots.
Nutrients when planting fir are enough for 2 years. In the next 10 years of growth, mineral fertilizers are applied every spring; Kemira has proven itself well.
Mulching and loosening
Loosening of Korean fir seedlings is carried out constantly; compaction of the top layer of soil should not be allowed. The root system will be weak if there is a lack of oxygen. Weeds are removed as they grow. After 3 years of age, these measures are irrelevant; weeds do not grow under the dense crown, and the root system is sufficiently formed.
Mulch the fir immediately after planting. By autumn, the seedling is hilled up, covered with a layer of peat mixed with sawdust or tree bark, and covered with straw or dry leaves on top.In the spring, the tree trunk circle is loosened and mulch is replaced, taking into account that the neck is open.
Trimming
The formation of the crown of the Korean fir Silberlok is not required; it forms a regular pyramidal shape with decorative blue coloring of the needles. Perhaps in early spring a cosmetic correction will be required, consisting of removing dry areas.
Preparing for winter
For an adult tree, preparatory measures for winter consist of increasing the layer of mulch. If the summer was hot and without precipitation, water-recharging watering is carried out on the fir about 2 weeks before possible frosts.
Young trees up to 3 years of growing season in cold winter conditions require protection:
- the seedling is watered abundantly;
- hill up, mulch with a layer of at least 15 cm;
- the branches are carefully collected to the trunk, covered with covering material and wrapped with twine;
- covered with spruce branches.
In winter, the structure is covered with snow.
Reproduction
Korean fir can be propagated on the site by seeds, layering and cuttings. An alternative method is to purchase a 3-year-old seedling from a nursery. Silberlok fir is not a hybrid; it provides complete planting material that completely preserves the habit and varietal characteristics of the mother tree.
Generative reproduction:
- The cones are formed in the spring, they ripen until the fall, and during the winter the seeds remain in the fruit until the following spring.
- The cones are taken in early spring, the ones that have opened are selected, where the seeds are clearly visible on the scales.
- Seeds are sown in a mini-greenhouse or large container.
- After 3 weeks, shoots will appear; if there is no threat of frost, the plant is taken to the site in a shaded place.
Cuttings are carried out in spring or autumn:
- take material from annual shoots;
- cut cuttings 10 cm long;
- place the lower part of the shoot in wet sand for rooting;
- after rooting, they are planted in separate containers.
The next year they are moved to a place designated for the fir.
The fastest and most productive method of propagating Korean fir Silberlok is by layering from the lower branches. The shoots are located close to the soil, many lie on the ground and take root on their own. The rooted area is separated from the branch and immediately transplanted to another place. If there are no layerings, they are obtained independently. The lower shoots are fixed to the ground and covered with earth.
Diseases and pests of Silberlok fir
The Korean fir variety Silberlok is rarely affected by infection; the appearance of fungus is facilitated by waterlogging of the root system. Red-brown, less often variegated, root rot appears. The disease spreads to the trunk, then affects the crown. Deep depressions remain at the site of the fungus. The needles turn yellow and fall off, the tree begins to dry out.
At an early stage, an infected tree can be saved with Fundazol or Topsin. If the lesion is extensive and antifungal treatment is ineffective, the tree is removed from the site so that the pathogen spores do not spread to healthy trees.
It parasitizes the Korean Hermes fir; the larvae of the pest feed on the needles and quickly spread throughout the tree. The crown is treated with insecticides, the trunk with copper sulfate. Areas of mass accumulation of larvae are cut off and removed from the area.
When spider mites spread, the tree is sprayed with Actofit.
Conclusion
Silberlock fir is a variety of Korean fir.Frost-resistant, light-loving crop, tolerates high air temperatures well, grows with minimal humidity. Coniferous trees with a decorative blue crown are used to decorate personal gardens, public gardens, recreation areas, and administrative offices. The culture is adapted to the ecology of megacities; Silberlok fir is planted in urban microdistricts, on the walking grounds of children's and educational institutions.
