In the article we talked about the structure and properties of wood and its areas of application. This publication describes wood in detail coniferous species, from larch to yew.
Coniferous wood
In construction, coniferous wood is most often used because of its greater strength, biostability and lower production costs compared to hardwood.
In addition, coniferous trunks have a more regular shape with fewer defects. The most popular among conifers in construction pine, spruce, larch, fir And cedar.
Juniper And yew for the manufacture of building elements do not apply. These breeds are valued as good finishing material and are used mainly for the production of carpentry and furniture.
Larch
Larch (Larix) - coniferous tree from genus Larix of the pine family (Pinaceae). It is durable, lives up to 900 years or more and reaches a height of 45 m with a trunk diameter of 80–180 cm. It is found in nature in the east and northeast of the European part of Russia, in the Urals, in Western and Eastern Siberia, in Altai and Sayan Mountains.
This is the most common breed in Russia. It makes up 2/5 of the forested area. The breed is sound with resin passages. Has a beautiful texture. The annual layers are clearly visible in all sections. The sapwood is narrow, white with a slight brownish tint. The kernel is reddish-brown, sharply different from the sapwood. The medullary rays are not visible, the resin ducts are small and few in number.
The wood contains essential oils (pinene), has a fairly strong pleasant odor and includes bioflavonoids and phytoncides - microscopic volatile substances that evaporate during the entire period of use and have a positive effect on health, preventing colds and viral diseases.
– an excellent building material because it has high density and strength, there are few knots in it, it belongs to the group of biostable (does not rot or be affected by fungi). Larch is strong, elastic, hard, durable, and resists rot and insects well. Long-term exposure to water leads to an increase in the hardness of larch, which is why it was used for the construction of bridges and piers. All Venetian buildings stand on larch stilts.
Larch wood easily cracks during the drying process and splits. More difficult to process on a machine than other rocks (due to high density and resin content). Resinous substances make planing, polishing and varnishing somewhat difficult, but in general the wood can be painted and polished successfully after proper filling.
The best wooden buildings are built from this type of wood. It is used for making carpentry, window frames and for floor coverings.
Volumetric weight at standard humidity (12%) – 650–800 kg/m3.
Pine
Pine (Pinus) . Eurasian tree coniferous species, grows in the territory from Scotland to Eastern Siberia. It occupies about 1/6 of the area of all forests in Russia. Lives 400–600 years and in adulthood (120–150 years) reaches a height of about 30 m. The most common Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris).
The rock is the most popular building material because it has the most straight, even trunk. Pine is well saturated with antiseptics.
The rock is sound, with resin passages, soft, moderately light, mechanically strong, non-plastic. It is well processed and finished.
It has a slightly pinkish core, which over time becomes brownish-red, wide sapwood from yellowish to pink, clearly visible annual layers with a clear boundary between early and late wood, rather large and numerous resin ducts.
The wood is of medium density, medium hardness, fairly high strength and resistance to decay, can be processed well, and glues relatively well. Widely used in construction, mechanical engineering, furniture and packaging production, railway transport, for securing mine workings, etc.
It is used as a raw material for chemical processing to obtain cellulose and feed yeast; Pine timber is exported in large quantities.
Volumetric weight at standard humidity (12%) – from 460 to 620 kg/m3.
Norway spruce
Norway spruce (Picea abies) – evergreen coniferous tree pine family (Pinaceae), 20–50 m high, with a cone-shaped crown and flaky brownish-gray bark. Lives up to 300 years. The trunk is round and straight.
It grows in damp places, on rich loamy soils, rising into the mountains to a height of up to 1800 m above sea level (forms pure spruce forests). Widely distributed in Central, Northern and Northeastern Europe above 69°N latitude, north of the Pyrenees to Russia and Scandinavia.
Other types: Ayan spruce (Picea ajanensis), Korean spruce (Picea koraiensis), Siberian spruce (Picea obovata).
Spruce is a coreless mature wood species. The wood is white with a yellowish tint, low resinous. Resistant to cracking. The annual layers are clearly visible. In terms of strength, density and resistance to rotting, spruce is in no way inferior to pine. However, it is more difficult to process it, compared to pine, due to large quantity it contains knots and their increased hardness.
Spruce is very susceptible to insect damage.
Spruce wood characterized by the largest value of the acoustic constant, which characterizes the emission of sound. Tannins are obtained from spruce bark. The wood is soft, easy to process, polish, and varnish. It is used in the same areas as pine, but especially in the pulp and paper industry and in the production of musical instruments.
Cedar
Cedar (Cedrus) - a genus of coniferous evergreen trees of the pine family. Reaches a height of 36 m or slightly more and a diameter of 1.5 m. It grows in the mountains at an altitude of 1300–3600 m, forming cedar forests. Distributed in the Atlas Mountains, in northwestern Africa (Atlas cedar), in Lebanon, Syria and the Cilician Taurus in Asia Minor (Lebanese cedar), on the island of Cyprus (short-coniferous cedar) and in the western Himalayas (Himalayan cedar).In Europe, cedar is often grown in gardens and parks.
All types of cedar have similar wood colors. Light brown or yellow-brown kernel, which becomes homogeneous when exposed to atmospheric influences Brown color, differs from the narrow sapwood with a whitish color.
Resinous (oily), with a pungent cedar odor. The annual layers are clearly distinguished by the contrast between the early and late wood zones. Medium texture. The grain is usually straight, although straight grain is more common in Himalayan cedar. Longitudinal sections of this cedar show uneven brown lines formed by frequent tangential rows of traumatic resin ducts. Resistant to damage by fungi and insects.
Cedar wood is soft and easy to process in all directions. Cedar dries quickly and without big problems. Before finishing works resin must be removed.
In the Urals and Siberia, cedar was used as a finishing material for homes. In Tobolsk, Tyumen and Turinsk, buildings decorated carved platbands from its wood. Cedar was also used for carpentry.
Today it is used only for exclusive interior work, for finishing yachts and interior decoration and for manufacturing wooden houses from logs (most often hand-cut).
Volumetric weight at standard humidity (12%) is about 580 kg/m3.
White fir and Caucasian fir
White fir (Abies alba) . Coniferous evergreen plant of the pine family, 30–50 m high, with a narrow pyramidal crown. The trunk is up to 150 cm in diameter, with white-gray smooth bark. Places of growth - mountains of southern, central and western Europe, prefers very fertile soils.
Fir is very similar to spruce, but unlike it, fir does not have resin accumulations. The color of the wood varies from yellowish-white to reddish-white with a gray tint. Fir trunks often suffer from atmospheric pollution, insects, and animals that eat young shoots.
It is easy to process and covers well with most varnishes and paints. The tree is soft, moderately resistant to weather influences and not resistant to fungi and pests.
Volumetric weight in air-dry condition is about 450 kg/m3.
Caucasian fir (Abies nordmanniana) in its physical and mechanical properties it is in no way inferior to spruce, unlike Siberian fir, which has less density and strength. It is used for the manufacture of wooden structures, musical instruments, and is often used together with spruce in the production of furniture.
Very common in house construction (especially Caucasian fir). Previously, shingles were made from fir (along with spruce) to cover the roof. Now these are mainly door and window blocks, floors, baseboards, friezes and many other products.
Volumetric weight at standard humidity (12%) is about 450 kg/m3.
Juniper
Juniper (Juniperus) . Most junipers are shrubs, but in southern Karelia there are also tree-like forms up to 12 m high and 16 cm in diameter. The only representative cypress family (Cupressaceae) in the northern forests. It is found both in dry pine forests on sandy soil, and in spruce forests that are excessively moist and even swampy.
It grows slowly, is frost-resistant, and light-loving. Does not tolerate smoke and soot well. Distributed in the northern and middle parts of the European territory of Russia, in Western Siberia, and enters Eastern Siberia.
Juniper is a sound species. Near the bark there is a narrow light yellow strip of sapwood, forming a wavy ring of irregular shape. Inside the ring is red-brown core wood. Over time, the sapwood turns dark yellow with a greenish tint, and the heartwood acquires beautiful olive-blue hues. On the end section of a juniper, the annual layers are clearly distinguished. The texture is beautiful, with a reddish tint, sometimes striped or wavy. Particularly impressive in cross section.
Juniper, unlike other conifers, does not have resin passages, so it easily accepts various dyes and is easily polished. Strong, heavy and dense juniper wood well processed by various cutting tools. The cuts are clean and glossy.
Juniper wood has slight shrinkage and practically does not swell when wet. It can be successfully used for very thin flat-relief and volumetric carvings; small decorative items, canes, sculptures, small crafts and toys are made from it. End cuts are used in inlay.
Yew wood
Tiss (Taxus) - a very ancient breed. An evergreen coniferous tree from the yew family (Taxaceae), about 20 m high (the highest known height is 27 m), trunk thickness is 1 m. The crown is wide-spreading, very dense. The needles are soft, flat, dark green, located on the branches in two rows.
Yew berry and yew pointed
Yew berry (Taxus baccata) grows in the mountains of the Caucasus and Crimea. It is often called European because it is found in almost all of Western Europe. The range of yew berry also covers areas of Western Belarus ( Belovezhskaya Pushcha), Western Ukraine (Bukovina), Southern Crimea, the Caucasus, as well as the Azores, the mountains of Algeria, Asia Minor and Syria.
Second type - pointed yew, or Far Eastern (Taxus cuspidata) , distributed in the Primorsky Territory and Sakhalin. The wood is hard and heavy, almost impossible to rot. Sometimes on the yew there are nodules, densely covered with very short shoots with pale needles.
The lifespan of yew berry is up to 1500 years, and sometimes up to 3-4 thousand years. Sapwood and heartwood yew wood are very different from each other. The color of the core ranges from red-brown to orange-brown.
A characteristic feature of yew wood is tiny black dots, ideally grouped on the surface. The annual layers are sinuous and look like wide, dark rings.
Yew is easy to dry and process. Its wood is toxic and must therefore be processed with extreme care. It has a beautiful texture and is used for making furniture and as a finishing material, it is very durable and is used for various carpentry projects.
Volumetric weight at standard humidity (12%) is about 620 kg/m3.
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Ornamental and coniferous shrubs are widely used in landscape design. They are distinguished by their endurance and beautiful appearance.
We invite you to find out what are the most common coniferous trees and shrubs that can be grown in a variety of climates.
Coniferous trees: names and photos
Next you see the names of what types of coniferous trees there are, which can grow in many regions of our country. There are many photos of coniferous trees from different angles. We hope that the names and photos of coniferous trees will help you make right choice seedlings for your garden.
FIR ABIES
Flat needles are usually white or gray from the bottom side. Most species grow too tall for the average garden. The exceptions are the blue-gray Arizona Fir (A. arizonica) 'Compacta' - 2 m and the dwarf variety Balsam Fir (A. balsamea) 'Hudsonia' - 30 cm.
CEDAR CEDRUS
- Location: best sunny
- Reproduction: acquiring new plants
Cedar of Lebanon (C. libani) is too large for the average garden, but there are dwarf and weeping varieties such as ‘Nana’ and ‘Sargentii’. Atlas cedar (C. atlantica) ‘Glauca’, 3 m high, has blue-green needles, and Himalayan cedar (C. deodara), also 3 m high, has hanging shoots of the lower variety ‘Golden Horizon’.
CYPRESS CHAMAECYPARIS
- Location: best sunny
- Reproduction: acquiring new plants
A very popular genus. Eat dwarf varieties for rock gardens and tall trees for a large garden. Lawson's cypress (C. lawsoniana) is the most popular view; has many varieties - 'Elwoodii' (turns blue in winter), 'Minima Aurea' (golden, dwarf variety) and 'Lane' (golden, columnar).
KUPRESSOCIPARIS CUPRESSOCYPARIS
- Reproduction: cuttings under glass in summer
Cupressociparis has replaced Lawson's cypress in a coniferous hedge. It can withstand heavy pruning. C. leylandii reaches a height of 10 m if pruned and a height of 20 m if left unpruned. Trim the hedge 3 times from late spring to early autumn.
CYPRESS CUPRESSUS
- Location: best sunny
- Reproduction: acquiring new plants
Stake young trees to stakes and do not prune. There are columnar K. evergreen (C. sempervirens) 3 m high, and K. large-fruited (C. macrocarpa), also 3 m high, with a conical crown shape. Its popular yellow variety is 'Goldcrest'.
LARCH LARIX
- Location: best sunny
- Reproduction: acquiring new plants
This tree can grow in a country estate, but not in the average garden. This is one of the few deciduous coniferous trees. In winter it stands with bare branches, and in spring bunches of needle-like leaves appear on them. European larch (L. decidua) in adulthood reaches a height of 25 m or more.
SPRUCE PICEA
- Location: best sunny
- Reproduction: acquiring new plants
Norway spruce (P. abies) is a traditional tree. Serbian spruce (P. omorika) has a narrow conical crown; the Norway spruce variety ‘Nidiformis’ is a dwarf 30 cm high with a flat top. There are also other colors - Prickly Spruce (P. pungens) is blue, and Eastern Spruce (P. orientalis) ‘Aurea’ is 3.5 m high with yellow needles.
PINE PINUS
- Location: must be sunny
- Reproduction: acquiring new plants
Most pines are too tall, but there are slow-growing and dwarf varieties. Scots Pine (P. sylvestris) has a number of varieties, and Black Pine (P. nigra) is a good tree for single planting. Dwarf varieties include Mountain Pine (P mugo) 60cm tall and Weymouth Pine (P. strobus) ‘Nana’.
Coniferous shrubs: names and photos
Now get acquainted with such a magnificent group of plants as coniferous shrubs. On this page you see the names and photos of coniferous shrubs for landscape design. The photo of coniferous shrubs shows various types of plot design. The names of coniferous shrubs are given in generally accepted usage.
CRYPTOMERIA CRYPTOMERIA
- Location: best sunny
- Reproduction: acquiring new plants
Cryptomeria japonica (C. japonica). The green leaves turn reddish-brown in winter. K. japonica has a height of 6 m, but at maturity can reach 25 m. ‘Elegans’, 3 m tall, has feathery foliage; ‘Vilmoriniana’ is a popular dwarf variety for rock gardens.
JUNIPER JUNIPERUS
- Location: sunny or partial shade
- Reproduction: acquiring new plants
There are many types - creeping ones, such as Juniperus horizontalis (J.horizontalis); medium-sized shrubs like M. media (J. media) ‘Pfitzerana’; and tall trees such as J. virginiana ‘Skyrocket’. You can find junipers with green, gray, blue or yellow leaves.
TISS TAXUS
- Location: sunny or partial shade
- Reproduction: acquiring new plants
Slow growing coniferous plants. Yew berry (T. baccata), 2 m tall, is a popular species for hedges. The ‘Fastigiata’ variety has a narrow columnar crown shape; ‘Repandens’ is a dwarf with a height of 60cm. Medium yew (T. media) ‘Hicksii’ forms rounded bushes.
Among the plants that decorate our gardens, conifers occupy a special place. They give the garden a noble look and decorate it all year round. They are loved because they are very decorative and set the tone in many compositions. But, coniferous plants are especially popular in winter - on the eve of the New Year. They look impressive in New Year's decoration in our apartments, under caps of snow in large parks and squares, and in very small areas.
As for the landed coniferous plants, then we can say that the sympathies of gardeners are almost evenly distributed among the various types of spruce, pine, thuja, juniper and larches. All of them can be called long-livers; many of them live for hundreds of years.
Almost all conifers are evergreen. Only some of them, for example, larch, shed their needles for the winter. Still, the rest renew their needles gradually. Every few years the old needles fall off and new young green needles appear in their place.
The variety of coniferous plants allows gardeners to choose the most suitable tree or shrub for their garden.
The following advantages of conifers make them very popular in landscape gardening:
- Tolerates lack of light and moisture well
- Many varieties naturally have the correct shape and therefore do not require pruning
- Thanks to its medicinal pine aroma, it is widely used in folk and official medicine.
- Due to the variety of types and shapes, they are actively used in landscape compositions in areas of any size.
If you decide to plant a coniferous plant on your site, you need to approach the choice very carefully.
Key questions to ask yourself:
- What do you want to plant - a tree or a shrub?
- Is the composition ready for the conifer?
- Have you taken into account your climatic conditions and soil composition on the site
Coniferous plants go well, in particular with cereals, roses, etc. If the answers are ready, you can start selecting the variety, type and shape of the coniferous plant.
Types of conifers
Spruce
An evergreen monoecious and wind-pollinated plant. Its Latin name (lat. Picea) spruce is due to the high resin content in the wood. Widespread use in industry is due to the softness of the wood and the absence of a core.
Spruce- perhaps the most beloved and widespread coniferous tree in our country. These beautiful slender trees with a pyramidal crown occupy one of the first places in the coniferous kingdom and number almost 50 species of plants in their genus.
The largest number of spruce species grows in Western and Central China and in the northern hemisphere. In Russia, 8 species of spruce are well known.
Spruce is considered sufficient shade-tolerant plant However, it still prefers good lighting. Its root system is superficial, i.e. close to the ground. Therefore, they do not dig up the soil at the roots. Spruce is demanding on soil fertility and loves light loamy and sandy loam soils.
Types of fir trees successfully used in landscaping:
Sometimes it reaches 40 meters. Fast growing tree. Thanks to the special color of the needles - the top is shiny dark green, and the bottom has noticeable white stripes - it gives the impression that the tree is bluish-green. Brown-purple cones give the plant a special charm and elegance.
Serbian spruce looks great both in single and group plantings. An excellent example is the magnificent alleys in parks.
There are dwarf varieties no more than 2 meters high.
(Picea obovata). On the territory of our country it grows in Western and Eastern Siberia, the Far East and the Urals.
Coniferous tree up to 30 m high. The crown is dense, wide-conical, with a pointed apex. The bark is fissured, gray. The cones are ovoid-cylindrical, brown. It has several subtypes, differing in the color of the needles - from pure green to silver and even golden.
Norway spruce or common spruce (Picea abies). The maximum height of a coniferous tree is 50 m. It can live up to 300 years. This is a slender tree with a dense pyramidal crown. Norway spruce is considered the most common tree in Europe. The width of the trunk of an old tree can reach 1 m. Mature cones of the common spruce are oblong-cylindrical in shape. They ripen in the fall in October, and their seeds begin to fall from January to April. Norway spruce is considered the fastest growing. So, in a year she can grow 50 cm.
Thanks to breeding work, several very decorative varieties of this species have been developed to date. Among them there are weeping, compact, and pin-shaped spruces. All of them are very popular in landscape gardening and are widely used in park compositions and as hedges.
Spruce, like any other coniferous plant, becomes especially beautiful with the arrival of winter. Any shade of pine effectively emphasizes the snow cover, and the garden looks elegant and noble.
In addition to the types of spruce described above, prickly spruce, oriental spruce, black spruce, Canadian spruce, and ayan spruce are also popular among gardeners.
The pine genus consists of more than 100 names. These conifers are distributed throughout almost the entire Northern Hemisphere. Also, pine grows well in forests in Asia and North America. Artificially planted pine plantations do well in the Southern Hemisphere of our planet. It is much more difficult for this coniferous tree to take root in urban conditions.
Tolerates frost and drought well. But pine doesn’t really like the lack of light. This coniferous plant gives good annual growth. The dense crown of pine is very decorative, and therefore pine is successfully used in landscaping parks and gardens, both in single and group plantings. This conifer prefers sandy, calcareous and rocky soils. Although there are several types of pine that prefer fertile soils - these are Weymouth, Wallich, cedar and resin pine.
Some properties of pine are simply amazing. For example, the peculiarity of its bark is fascinating: the bark below is much thicker than the one above. This makes us think once again about the wisdom of nature. After all, it is this property that protects the tree from summer overheating and possible ground fire.
Another feature is how the tree prepares for the winter in advance. After all, the evaporation of moisture in frost can destroy the plant. Therefore, as soon as cold weather approaches, pine needles are covered with a thin layer of wax, and the stomata close. Those. The pine tree stops breathing!
Scots pine. It is rightfully considered a symbol of the Russian forest. The tree reaches a height of 35-40 meters, and therefore is deservedly called a tree of the first magnitude. The trunk circumference sometimes reaches 1 meter. Pine needles are dense, bluish-green. They come in different shapes - protruding, curved, and even collected in bunches of 2 needles.
The lifespan of needles is 3 years. With the onset of autumn, the needles turn yellow and fall off.
Pine cones, as a rule, are located 1-3 pieces on the legs. Ripe cones are brown or brown in color and reach a length of 6 cm.
Under unfavorable conditions, Scots pine may stop growing and remain a “dwarf”. Surprisingly, different specimens can have different root systems. For example, in dry soils, a pine tree can develop a taproot that extracts water deep underground. And in conditions of high occurrence groundwater lateral roots develop.
The lifespan of Scots pine can reach 200 years. History knows of cases when pine lived for 400 years.
Scots pine is considered a fast-growing tree. Over the course of a year, its growth can be 50-70 cm. This coniferous tree begins to bear fruit at the age of 15. In forest and dense planting conditions - only after 40 years.
Latin name Pinus mugo. This is a multi-stemmed coniferous tree reaching a height of 10-20 meters. Dwarf varieties - 40-50 cm. Trunks - semi-lodging and ascending. In adulthood it can reach a diameter of 3 m. A very decorative coniferous plant.
The needles are dark, long, often curved. The bark is brownish-gray, scaly. The cones ripen in the 3rd year.
To date, more than 100 varieties of mountain pine have been registered. And every year this number increases. In landscape gardening, dwarf varieties are especially used, which form beautiful compositions along the banks of reservoirs and in rocky gardens.
Magnificent species with a narrow pyramidal crown. Homeland - North America. In our country it grows well in the southern and middle zones. Grows up to 10 meters. It does not tolerate urban conditions very well. Especially at a young age, it often freezes. Prefers places protected from winds. Therefore, it is better to plant yellow pine in groups.
The needles are dark and long. The bark is thick, reddish-brown, cracking into large plates. The cones are ovoid, almost sessile. There are about 10 varieties of yellow pine.
A very impressive variety of pine. Homeland - North America. The needles have a blue-green tint. The cones are large and somewhat curved. Mature tree can reach a height of more than 30 meters. It is considered a long-liver, as it can live up to 400 years. As it grows, it changes its crown from narrow-pyramidal to wide-pyramidal. It acquired its name thanks to the English Lord Weymouth, who brought it to his homeland from North America in the 18th century.
Does not tolerate salty soils well. It is relatively resistant to frost, but does not like winds. Weymouth pine is characterized by red pubescence on young shoots.
A relatively low coniferous plant - up to 20 m high. It is a slow-growing tree. The bark is light gray, lamellar. The needles are bright green, hard, curved. The cones are yellowish, shiny, long. The crown diameter can reach 5-6 meters.
Some experts consider it Geldreich's pine. Indeed, the similarities are great. However, since there are varieties under both names, we will still focus on whitebark pine. To date, about 10 varieties of this species are known. Geldreich's pine has about the same amount. Often varieties can be mixed.
In the conditions of our country, this type of pine takes root best in southern regions, as it does not tolerate frost well. Whitebark pine is light-loving and undemanding to the nutritional composition of the soil, but grows better on moderately moist, drained and moderately alkaline soils.
Looks good in Japanese, rocky and heather gardens. Excellent for both solitary planting and mixed groups.
Fir
Tall (up to 60 m) coniferous tree with a conical crown. A bit like spruce. The diameter can reach 2 meters. This is a real long-lived plant. Some specimens live 400-700 years. The fir trunk is straight and columnar. The crown is dense. At a young age, the fir crown has a cone-shaped or pyramidal shape. As it matures, the shape of the crown becomes cylindrical.
The needles, depending on the variety, have different lengths and live 8-10 years. Fir begins to bear fruit at the age of approximately 30 years. The cones are erect and long (up to 25 cm).
This coniferous plant does not tolerate frost, drought and extreme heat. The advantage is that this is the most shade-tolerant tree. Sometimes seedlings may appear under the mother tree in complete shade. With good lighting, firs naturally grow better.
This coniferous plant is a real find in landscape gardening. Fir is used both in single plantings and for decorating alleys. Dwarf forms look great in a rocky garden and on an alpine hill.
The botanical name is Abies balsamea "Nana". This coniferous plant is a dwarf cushion-shaped tree. It grows naturally in North America.
Unpretentious in care. Loves good lighting, but also tolerates shadow well. For balsam fir, it is not so much frost that is dangerous as strong gusty winds, which can simply damage a small tree. Prefers light, moist, fertile, slightly acidic soil. It reaches a height of 1 m, which makes it a favorite decorative object in landscape gardening. It is equally good for decorating the garden, landscaping terraces, slopes and roofs.
Propagated by seeds and annual cuttings with an apical bud.
The needles are dark green with a special sheen. Exudes a characteristic resinous aroma. The cones are red-brown, elongated, reaching a length of 5-10 cm.
This is a very slow growing coniferous plant. In 10 years it grows no more than 30 cm. It lives up to 300 years.
Nordmann fir (or Caucasian). An evergreen coniferous tree that came to us from the mountains of the Caucasus and Asia Minor. Sometimes it grows up to 60-80 meters in height. The crown shape is neat cone-shaped. It is for this neat appearance and gardeners love Nordmann fir.
It is she who is decorated instead of a Christmas tree on new year holidays in many European countries. This is largely due to the structure of the branches - the branches are often located and raised upward. This is a distinctive feature of the Nordmann fir.
The needles are dark green with some shine. Young shoots have a light green, even yellowish tint. The needles are from 15 to 40 mm and look very fluffy. If you lightly rub the needles between your fingers, you can feel a specific citrus aroma.
The trunk of an adult plant can reach two meters in diameter. When young, the bark of Caucasian fir is grayish-brown and smooth. As it matures, it cracks into segments and becomes dull.
Nordmann fir grows quite quickly. Under favorable conditions, this coniferous tree can live up to 600-700 years. Moreover, the increase in height and width continues until the very last day of life!
Depending on the type of soil, the root system can be either superficial or deep with a central core. The cones of this fir are large, up to 20 cm, located vertically on a short stem.
Possesses unique property– needles remain on the branches even after they dry out, even to the point of mechanical damage.
A coniferous evergreen plant belonging to the Cypress family. It could be either a tree or a shrub. Common juniper (Juniperus communis) grows mainly in the Northern Hemisphere of our planet. However, in Africa you can also find your own juniper - the East African one. In the Mediterranean and Central Asia This plant forms juniper forests. Quite common are low-growing species that spread along the ground and rocky slopes.
Today, more than fifty species of juniper are known.
As a rule, this is a light-loving and drought-resistant crop. Completely undemanding to soils and temperatures. However, like any plant, it has its own preferences - for example, it develops better in light and nutritious soil.
Like all coniferous plants, it is a long-lived plant. Its average lifespan is about 500 years.
The needles of juniper are bluish-green, triangular, pointed at the ends. The cones are spherical in shape and gray or blue in color. Tap root.
This coniferous plant was also attributed magical properties. For example, a juniper wreath was believed to ward off evil spirits and bring good luck. Perhaps this is why in Europe there is a fashion for hanging wreaths on the eve of the New Year.
IN landscape design Both juniper trees and shrubs are widely used. Group plantings are good for creating hedges. Single plants also do an excellent job of playing the main role in the composition. Low-growing creeping varieties are often used as ground cover plants. They strengthen slopes well and prevent soil erosion. In addition, juniper lends itself well to pruning.
Scaly juniper (Juniperus squamata)- creeping shrub. Dense branches with equally dense needles look very decorative.
Evergreen coniferous plant. Looks like trees or shrubs. Depending on the genus and species, it differs in color, quality of needles, crown shape, height and life expectancy. Representatives of some species live up to 150 years. At the same time, there are specimens - true centenarians that reach almost 1000 years!
In landscape gardening, thuja is considered one of the basic plants, and like any conifer, it is good both in group planting and as a solo plant. It is used to decorate alleys, hedges and borders.
The most common types of thuja are western, oriental, giant, Korean, Japanese, etc.
Thuja needles are soft, needle-like. U young plant the needles are light green. With age, the needles acquire a darker shade. The fruits are oval or oblong cones. The seeds ripen in the first year.
Thuja is famous for its unpretentiousness. It tolerates frost well and is easy to care for. Unlike other coniferous plants, it tolerates gas pollution well major cities. Therefore, it is indispensable in urban landscaping.
larches
Coniferous plants with needles that fall off in the winter. This partly explains its name. These are large, light-loving and winter-hardy plants that grow quickly, are undemanding to soil and tolerate air pollution well.
Larches are especially beautiful in early spring and late autumn. In spring, larch needles acquire a soft green hue, and in autumn they become bright yellow. Since the needles grow every year, their needles are very soft.
Larch bears fruit from the age of 15. The cones have an ovoid-conical shape, somewhat reminiscent of a rose flower. They reach a length of 6 cm. Young cones are purple in color. As they ripen, they acquire a brown tint.
Larch- a long-lived tree. Some of them live up to 800 years. The plant develops most intensively in the first 100 years. These are tall and slender trees, reaching 25-80 meters in height, depending on the type and conditions.
In addition, larch is very useful tree. It has very hard and durable wood. In industry, its red kernel is in greatest demand. Also, larch is valued in folk medicine. Folk healers harvest its young shoots, buds and larch resin, from which they obtain “Venetian” turpentine (turpentine), which is used for many diseases. The bark is harvested throughout the summer and used as a vitamin supplement.
Photos of coniferous plants
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Conifers are various types of trees and shrubs that are distinguished by needle-shaped foliage. They are mostly woody and are classified as evergreens. There are about four hundred species in the world, most of which are concentrated in the Northern Hemisphere. Most of them are used as building materials, the basis for the furniture industry, as well as in medicine, and even in cooking - cedar nuts are incredibly tasty and healthy.
Characteristics of conifers
A summary of the most common coniferous crops:
- Spruce is the most common type of coniferous tree. In addition to common spruce, blue spruce, prickly spruce, and Canadian spruce are the most valued. The culture is unpretentious in care, withstands frosts well, and is able to survive in conditions of urban gas pollution. Prefers sunny places, but can also grow in shaded areas. Due to their shearing ability, they are highly valued in landscape design, used as hedges and solitary plants.
- Cedar is a large type of coniferous tree, which, due to its high decorative properties, is widely used in landscape design in alley plantings and group plantings. The most popular are Himalayan, Atlas and Lebanese varieties. The culture is famous for its tasty, healthy and nutritious nuts.
- Cypress is an evergreen, exclusively decorative type of coniferous crops. Thanks to its unusual pyramidal shape, the tree looks very impressive and is widely used in parklands, both to create alleys and in single and group plantings.
- Larch is a deciduous conifer; in our climate, only this coniferous tree sheds its needles in the winter. Because of this feature, larch is used differently in landscape design, often planted in alleys and mixed compositions. The strength and durability of these trees is also known. These conifers have long been used not only for construction, but also for the manufacture of ships. Thanks to its strength and high resin content, larch products are able to retain their original properties for centuries, even under the influence of moisture. Thus, St. Petersburg still stands on stilts made of larch, driven into the river bottom under Peter the Great; the use of this wood in the construction of Venice has also been proven, where the material has also shown its effectiveness the best side. And in Moscow, a durable and high-quality cycling track surface is made from this rock.
- Microbiota - there is only one species in this genus, which naturally grows in the Far East of Russia, but due to its beauty it is widely used in landscaping throughout the middle zone. The low-growing shrub has soft, drooping shoots and is similar in appearance to juniper. Due to its shape, it is used as a ground cover crop and looks very impressive in rock gardens, fences, along lawns and on steep slopes. The winter crop is stable, easy to care for and is not of interest to pests.
- Juniper - very popular coniferous shrub, which is not only perfect for creating picturesque groups and border plantings, but is also distinguished by high pharmacological properties. The resins and volatile substances released by the culture perfectly cleanse the surrounding air of pathogenic bacteria and kill all infections. Since ancient times, juniper groves have been used to treat pulmonary patients. For this purpose, people with bronchitis, pneumonia and even tuberculosis were evicted to the landing area and food was regularly brought to them, not allowing them to leave until they had fully recovered. Surprisingly, only the air filled with juniper aroma healed even the most hopeless patients, without the use of antibiotics and other medications. Therefore, by planting juniper on your site, you can not only decorate your green spaces with an unusual ground cover bush, but also improve your health. Depending on the variety, the shrub may have different shapes from a gentle hill to a candle-shaped bush. easy to care for, resistant to external influences and decorative. Often used as a single planting and mixed groups.
- Fir is a beautiful and majestic tree that requires special care and suitable conditions. Due to their large size, species varieties are grown only in parks and gardens of large areas, but now it is possible to use small varieties of cultivars, ideal for group plantings. The most decorative varieties are blue and low-growing firs, characterized by large and abundant cones.
- Pine is a familiar coniferous tree species, ubiquitous in our latitudes. The most common species is Scots pine, which covers mountains and endless forests. It is often used to create garden plantings, but more often more compact and decorative varieties– mountain, Crimean, cedar, Weymouth.
- Yew - this genus includes many evergreen shrubs and trees. The most commonly used plant in landscaping is the yew berry, which has a dense, fluffy crown. Species varieties have the appearance of a spreading shrub, and those bred can be in the form of a candle, sphere, cone or ground cover bush. The crop tolerates shearing well, so it is used as a hedge and to create green compositions. But we must remember that most varieties of yew are very poisonous, especially the berry variety; its bright red fruits look attractive and can cause poisoning to children and animals.
- Hemlock is an evergreen species common in North America and the Asian part of the continent. It is especially valued in landscaping for its weeping, flexible branches that form a dense canopy. Thanks to its slow growth, hemlock is suitable for small gardens; moreover, it is unpretentious and resistant to frost, shade and disease.
- Pseudosuga is a species of evergreen tree brought from the north of the American continent. The plant looks similar from a distance to blue spruce, but upon closer inspection it stands out with its unusual cones. There are varieties with flexible weeping branches and miniature types of pseudosugi, which are widely used for decorating rock gardens and single plantings.
- Thuja – different strong aroma and the characteristic shape of the needles. Of all the varieties, only thuja occidentalis is suitable for our climate, characterized by high frost resistance and unpretentiousness. Breeders have developed many ornamental species that differ in tree shape, height and even foliage color - the most common are thujas with lush green needles, but there are also varieties with bright sunny needles.
Softwood
These crops have long been used not only for landscaping gardens, courtyards and park areas, but also for building houses, ships, making furniture and other household items. After all, the forests in our latitudes are huge and there has never been a shortage of material. Strong hardwoods were often used, but conifers were also held in high esteem, for example, pine and larch were used as piles and ship rigging.
The popularity of coniferous wood still exists, and there are many explanations for this:
- Spruce and pine have a high resin content, which protects the wood from the harmful effects of moisture, fungi and insects that cause irreparable damage to more delicate hardwood boards.
- They lend themselves well to grinding, which makes working with them easier and speeds up the cutting process.
- Due to the malleability of wood, such species are easy to process, which is why pine and spruce wood are often chosen for creating small and complex structures, for example, railings, stairs, balconies.
- The low density allows the boards and bars to be well impregnated with protective substances, which increases the durability, strength and beauty of the wood.
- Even sawdust from coniferous trees is useful, for example, technical hydrolytic alcohol is made from it, and in compressed form it is used to make cheap furniture; they are often used for heating.
- A house built from pine and spruce is guaranteed to last up to 50 years, but more noble types of wood, for example, cedar, will last for centuries. In addition, cedar is used to make not only building materials, but also musical instruments.
- Wood is also valued for its low thermal conductivity, because wooden wall 10 centimeters thick retains heat as well as brickwork half a meter.
As in every industry, there are certain standards for wood harvesting and woodworking enterprises so that the resulting boards and beams meet state and international requirements. For this purpose, special GOSTs have been developed that consider various characteristics of wood.
For coniferous trees, GOST 8486-86 and GOST 24454-80 are used, according to which all sawn wood is divided according to technical requirements by grade - 5 for boards and timber (selected, 1, 2, 3 and 4 grades) and 4 for beams (grades 1, 2, 3, 4).
Let us note that GOST 8486-86 is used to evaluate wood that is subsequently intended for use in our country and for sale for export, but more stringent GOSTs are used for aviation wooden building materials.
All lumber can be divided into bars, beams, edged and not edged boards, these definitions and features of types are regulated by GOST 18288.
According to GOST 8486-86, the following indicators are clearly stated:
- - types of wood (according to GOST, pine, spruce, fir, larch and cedar are used for the production of lumber)
- - lengths and permissible deviations from them, depending on the further purpose (for containers, beams, domestic market, export);
- — humidity – depending on the customer’s requirements, they produce dry (humidity up to 20%), raw (22% and above) and impregnated with antiseptics (antiseptic treatment is carried out according to GOST 10950);
- — width and permissible deviations;
- - number and type of knots;
- — presence and type of cracks;
- — presence and size of the core;
- — the presence and size of fungal infections, mold, rot, wormholes, etc.
Thus, GOST ensures that lumber complies with all well-thought-out standards and requirements, which ensures long service life of products made from coniferous trees. In addition, checking that products comply with prescribed standards protects the buyer from purchasing low-quality wood at inflated prices.
Coniferous species of bushes and others have long been highly valued and widely used both as green spaces and for construction, making furniture, musical instruments and even treatment. Various varieties breeds become chic decorations garden plots, while others become indispensable elements in any construction, which is why coniferous trees are so popular and widespread.
Some of the most common representatives of the plant kingdom are conifers. They grow almost all over the land, but mostly in temperate regions. climatic zone. Coniferous plants are widely used by humans and are very important for their life. In addition to the fact that they are the main supplier of oxygen on Earth, pine needles are used in cosmetology and medicine, wood is used to make furniture and build houses, and decorative species are used in gardening and park art. All representatives of this class are very different from the rest, as they have a number of features.
Characteristics of conifers
This class includes about 600 species. Some of them are widespread, while others are quite rare. These plants were named so because the leaves of almost all of them are modified into needles called needles. And in botany they are classified as gymnosperms. All of them are characterized by the fact that the seeds develop in their cones. How else does the class of coniferous plants differ from the rest?
- These are the most ancient representatives of the plant kingdom. Their remains are found in strata belonging to the Carboniferous period. Moreover, they were then widespread even beyond the Arctic Circle.
- Almost all modern conifers are trees. And their structure is also different from all the others. They have one trunk with shoots extending from it in different directions.
- Many representatives of coniferous plants are long-lived. Now there is a North American pine, which is almost five thousand years old, and the mammoth tree lives about 3,000 years.
- In terms of size, coniferous plants are also record holders. The most tall tree in the world it is a sequoia. Its height can reach more than 110 meters. The thickness of the trunk of conifers is also striking in its size: in the Mexican swamp cypress and mammoth tree it reaches 12-16 meters.
- The peculiarities of all conifers also include the presence of resin in their wood. It is thick, has a strong odor and healing properties.
- All representatives of conifers are used by humans in one way or another and are among the most necessary plants on the ground.
Appearance
This class mainly includes trees, but there are also tree-like shrubs. Almost all conifers are evergreen, only some less common species lose their leaves. It is quite easy to distinguish representatives of this class from the rest by the special structure of the leaves. Almost all of them are changed into needles - needle-shaped shoots or flat scales. They have a small surface area and evaporate little water. This makes it possible for such plants not to shed their leaves in winter. In addition, the peculiarities of the geographical distribution of conifers explain other characteristics of their leaves. They are located on the branches in a spiral and have a dark green color. This gives them the opportunity to capture scattered sunlight, because conifers grow mainly in northern and temperate latitudes. Almost all such plants have a dense woody trunk, but thin bark. They have a powerful taproot with lateral branches. This is necessary so that the plant can get water from great depths and stay in mountainous and sandy areas.
Distribution of conifers
They mainly grow in temperate climates. Sufficient soil moisture is necessary for their life. Therefore, coniferous forests are common in northern and temperate latitudes. Some of their representatives are found even close to the permafrost boundary. Their further advance to the north is hampered by the inability to obtain water in such conditions. In warm latitudes, they are found only in the mountains, where it is not very hot.
Basically, all coniferous plants are concentrated near the Pacific Ocean, where conditions are most favorable for them. Most of them are distributed in the northern hemisphere, but they are also found in Australia, New Zealand and South America. We can say that there are coniferous plants in every corner of the globe.
Names of the most common genera
- Pine.
- Cedar.
- Fir.
- Larch.
- Sequoia.
- Cypress.
- Juniper.
Coniferous plants for the garden
Many gardeners use them in the design of their plots. Even an ordinary spruce or pine brought from the forest can decorate a garden. But decorative species grown in a nursery take root better. The richness and variety of shades and sizes of coniferous plants allows you to decorate any area. Even for a small flower bed there are dwarf species, and tall trees give the garden, especially over a large area, an unusual look and splendor. The most common coniferous plants for the garden are spruce and pine. They can be used as hedges and borders. Pine tolerates pruning well and can be given any shape. Medium-sized plants - thuja globulus, juniper and cypress - are also in great demand, as they look beautiful in any area. Flowerbeds can be decorated with creeping varieties of juniper and other dwarf species.