Blue spruce , or prickly spruce ( lat. Pīcea pūngens ), - a tree; species of the genus Spruce .
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Picea pungens Engelm. | |||||||||||||||||||
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Content
Distribution and habitat
The natural range of the species is west of North America from the southeast of Idaho to the south through the states of Utah and Colorado to Arizona and New Mexico .
It grows at heights of 1750-3000 m. Most often grows in mountain valleys along rivers and streams, where the soil is wetter [1] [2] .
The species is very common, conservation status is rated as the lowest threat ( LC ).
Botanical Description
Blue spruce is an evergreen coniferous tree 25-30 m high , rarely up to 46 m. The trunk diameter is up to 1.5 m. The bark is thin, scaly. The crown is narrow-conical in young trees, in old trees it becomes cylindrical.
Needles 15-30 mm long , rhombic in cross section. The color of the needles is from grayish green to bright blue [1] [2] .
Cones are weakly cylindrical, 6–11 cm long and 2 cm wide when closed, and up to 4 cm when open. The color of the cones is from reddish to purple, the mature cone is light brown. Seeds are black, 3-4 mm long with a light brown wing 10-13 mm long [1] [2] .
From left to right: bark; young bumps; mature bump | ||||||||||
Economic Significance and Application
Often used as an ornamental plant .
It is a tree symbol of the states of Utah and Colorado .
Breeding
In conditions of low winter temperatures, blue spruce does not take root well, almost does not produce seeds. As a result of 15 years of work, I. P. Kovtunenko determined that fresh spruce and pine cones, in which the mushroom develops rapidly, are a nutrient medium for growing blue spruce seedlings . For developing a method for growing blue spruce from seeds Kovtunenko was awarded the 1952 Stalin Prize [3] . Seedlings of blue spruce, grown according to the methods of Kovtunenko, were planted near the Kremlin wall in Moscow , on Mamaev Kurgan , near the walls of the Brest Fortress .
Varieties and forms
- f. glauca . This name refers to all wild-growing or cultivated seedlings that have not undergone selection , with a more or less bluish tint of needles. Selected and named clones form a group of varieties Glauca.
- ' Glauca globosa' . Received in 1937 from Ant Clois from seeds. Currently widespread. Dwarf form, at first slightly loose and uneven, later semi-rounded and very dense, up to 1 m high and 1.5 m wide. No data on maximum sizes. Annual shoots are 5-8 cm long. The needles are slightly sickle-shaped, blue-white, 10-12 mm long, 1 mm thick, with 3-4 stomatal lines on each side.
- ' Glauca pendula' . The shape is curved or strictly straight; lower branches obliquely hanging, higher branches first horizontal, later more often hanging. Needles, as in the species, but silver-gray, sometimes bluish-gray, sickle-shaped. Imported in 1895 by Bonfire and company (Boscop). Very diverse form, various clones are possible.
- ' Glauca procumbens' . Dwarf form, bushy, wide-spread, uneven. Boughs are often kinked. Needles, like 'Koster'.
- ' Glauca prostrata' . A dwarf form lying flat on the ground. Adult plants are about 2 m in diameter at a height of about 40 cm [4] .
- ' Misty Blue' (syn .: 'Glauca' Misty Blue). A large tree with a beautiful conical crown, at the age of 15 years, height 5-7 m. The needles are rigid, from bluish-green color, prickly [5] .
- ' Filip's Blue Compact' . The variety was found in 2003 among seedlings. It has been implemented since 2005. Crohn's compact, shiny needles, green-blue [6] .
- ' Frieda' F. Etzelstorfer (Austria), 2000. A dwarf variety that is wider than tall. The needles are gray-blue. The variety is obtained from seedlings and named after the wife of the originator [7] .
- ' Hermann Naue' . Dwarf variety. The crown is ploskosharovidny, dense. Dimensions at the age of 10 years: 60 × 80 cm, the maximum diameter of the crown is 1-2 m. Old plants take the form of a wide cone. The branches are very thick, hard. The needles are gray-bluish-green. In fairly young plants, the formation of numerous cones is observed, in the beginning they have a red color, later they become light brown. It tolerates summer drought. It grows well both on chernozem soils of the steppe zone, and on peat soils of the north. It can grow on dry sandy, as well as on excessively moist rocky soils. Zones of frost resistance are from 4 to warmer [8] [9] .
Notes
- ↑ 1 2 3 Farjon, A. Pinaceae. Drawings and Descriptions of the Genera. - Koeltz Scientific Books, 1990. - ISBN 3-87429-298-3 .
- ↑ 1 2 3 Flora of North America: Picea pungens
- ↑ Pshibiev A. S. Review of some personal funds for significant dates . Archives and society (August 8, 2011). Date of treatment January 17, 2012. Archived February 3, 2012.
- ↑ Kruessman G. Conifers / Per. with him. - M .: Forest. industry, 1986. - S. 111-112. - 256 s. - 7500 copies. - ISBN 3-489-60222-6 .
- ↑ Świerk kłujący . Krzewów Ozdobnych MarcPol. Date of treatment April 8, 2014.
- ↑ De Filip Collection on Boomkwekerij Edwin Smits
- ↑ Picea pungens 'Frieda' . Library of conifers. Date of treatment December 15, 2013.
- ↑ Picea pungens 'Hermann Naue' . Library of conifers. Date of treatment February 27, 2014.
- ↑ Picea pungens 'Hermann Naue' . Związek Szkółkarzy Polskich Wszelkie Prawa Zastrzeżone. Date of treatment February 27, 2014.
Literature
- Flora of the USSR : in 30 tons / hl ed. V.L. Komarov . - L .: Publishing House of the Academy of Sciences of the USSR , 1934. - T. 1 / ed. volumes M. M. Ilyin . - S. 150 .-- 302, XVI p. - 5,000 copies.