Botanical name: European or common spruce.
Homeland: Europe.
Lighting: moderate.
The soil: moist, nutritious.
Watering: moderate.
Max Height: 50 m.
Average life expectancy: 250-300 years.
Landing: seeds and cuttings.
Norway spruce (ordinary) is the most common coniferous tree in Europe. Its range is so vast that it does not affect only the North German Lowlands and the British Isles. Under favorable conditions, the tree can live up to 400 years.
Norway spruce: description of the species
The height of the tree is 50 m with a trunk width of 1 m. It is a slender tree, the crown is dense and pyramidal. The branches are horizontal or drooping, descending low along the trunk. The branches gather in whorls. If there is sufficient lighting, the lower tier of branches lasts for a very long time. The bark when young is smooth and brown in color.
By old age it becomes scaly-rough, gray or Brown. Shoots of yellow or brown shades. They may be bare or covered with red hairs. The buds are light brown. The needles are quite hard and green.
The shape of the needles is oblate-tetrahedral, length is 1-3 cm. The needles last on the tree for about 7 years. Mature cones of Norway spruce have an oblong-cylindrical shape. Their length is 10-15 cm, width - 3-4 cm. The cones ripen in October, but the seeds, as a rule, fall in January-April. Seed length is 3-5 mm. The seed has a yellowish wing that is easily separated from it. The tree blooms at the age of 25-30 years.
Spruce wood is yellowish-white in color with a slight pinkish tint. It is characterized as soft, light, shiny. Root system horizontal, superficial, due to which the tree can freely turn out of the ground even in strong winds.
Of all the species, Norway spruce (European) is the fastest growing. At a young age (up to 10 years) the increase is small, but with age it increases rapidly. The annual growth is 50 cm. From 100-110 years it begins to decline and by 250 years the plant begins to dry out. In some cases, it can live up to 500 years.
To date, several have been released decorative varieties of this type: weeping, compact, pin-shaped. All these varieties are often used in landscape design and landscaping. Common spruce is often found in hedges along highways and railways.
Growing Norway spruce
Sandy loam, loamy, fertile, slightly moist soils are preferred. Tolerates short-term flooding, but does not tolerate long-term stagnation of water. Shade tolerant, but requires sufficient light to regenerate. Frost resistance is due to thin scales that protect the buds from frost. It tolerates haircuts well, but suffers from polluted air, although it itself has phytoncidal, ionizing properties. Due to the shallow root system, the tree is afraid of wind blows.
Very often, seedlings can develop on a fallen trunk or collapsing stump. This is explained by the fact that the plant tends to absorb nitrogen compounds. Mycorrhiza (symbiosis of spruce roots and edible cap mushrooms) helps spruce trees extract nutrients from the soil. It is mycorrhiza that explains the presence of a large number of porcini mushrooms in spruce forests.
Reproduction occurs by seeds or layering. Moreover, the lower branches of the tree take root directly on the soil, which is rare for conifers. But it is better to propagate by cuttings and grafting, since during seed propagation there is a loss of characteristic decorative qualities.
European spruce care
New plantlets are not resistant to dry air and soil. Therefore, on hot days they require daily watering at the rate of 10-12 liters per plant. Irrigation of the crown is also advisable. After each watering, it is necessary to loosen the soil in the tree trunk circle, weed out weeds and mulch with peat.
If a spruce grows as a hedge, then it requires special shaping. By pruning, you can achieve the effect of an impenetrable green wall. In other cases, diseased, dry, broken branches are removed from trees in autumn and spring. And the main formation of a beautiful, regular crown occurs naturally. However, with the simultaneous growth of 2 tops, one must be removed by cutting it out at the base.
Botanical characteristics of spruce
Norway spruce or European spruce- Picea abies (L.) Karst. - a well-known evergreen coniferous tree from the pine family (Pinaceae), 20-30 (up to 40, and in Western Europe even up to 50) m high with a pyramidal crown. Growth in height does not stop almost throughout life, and even old trees retain their pointed conical shape. The trunk is slightly tapering, that is, it gradually decreases in diameter from the base to the top. Very large individuals have thick trunks with a diameter at the base of up to 1 m. The bark of the branches is red-brown, smooth, brownish-gray on the trunks, with an uneven surface, peeling off in small areas. The branches are arranged in regular whorls, each year is marked with a new whorl, which makes it easy to determine the age of the tree by their number.
Young branches are densely covered with leaves. The leaves are single, hard, needle-shaped, up to 2-2.5 cm long and 1-1.5 mm thick, dark green, shiny, tetrahedral, pointed at the end, therefore spiny. Such leaves are called needles. Each needle lives and stays on the branches for 6-7 (sometimes 12) years, although in urban plantings the life of needles is shorter.
Spruce does not have pronounced leaf fall: the needles fall off gradually, and new ones do not grow at the same time.
The plants are monoecious: one individual develops both male and female generative organs, collected in spikelets. Spruce, like all other gymnosperms, does not have flowers or true fruits. In the lower part of the shoot there are male spikelets, in the upper part - female ones, larger in size, reddish-brown in color. Male spikelets are elongated-cylindrical, look like reddish-yellow cones 2-2.5 cm long, surrounded at the base by light green scales. Pollen disperses in May-June, after which the male spikelets fall off. Pollination is carried out by the wind. Each speck of dust is equipped with two appendages - air sacs, which provides it with exceptional volatility. Observations have shown that the spread of pollen from a spruce tree can reach 8-10 km.
Fertilized ovules develop into seeds, and the entire female spikelet during the summer and autumn is transformed into a kind of organ - a cone, consisting of an axis and woody light brown scales attached to it; seeds are placed in their axils. The cones are hanging, cylindrical, smoothly rounded at both ends, 10-16 cm long and 3-4 cm in diameter. At first they are red, then turn green, and when they become mature, they turn brown. A good-sized cone can develop up to 200 seeds. The seeds are dark brown, ovoid, small - there are 1 05-1 10 thousand spruce seeds in 1 kg.
Spruce seeds ripen in September-October and spill out of the cones only in winter and early spring, but the opened cones themselves continue to hang on the tree for quite a long time. They fall whole, covering the soil in places with a continuous cover, and do not collapse for a long time. Each seed is equipped with a light brown wing that facilitates the dispersal of seeds by the wind. In the second half of winter, the snow is often covered with an ice crust (crust). So, the wind often blows spruce seeds across the crust over a considerable distance.
Spruce reproduces by seed. Experts have calculated that in good years there may be up to 5 million seeds per 1 hectare of spruce forest. Of course, not all of them germinate and, moreover, not at the same time. Seeds remain viable for up to 10 years. The seedlings bring to the surface 8-9 (from 5 to 1 0) cotyledons, which remain green for 2-3 years, although in the very first years real leaves-needles appear. During the first year of life, seedlings reach only 4-5 cm in height. And in subsequent years, the seedling is not distinguished by its rapid growth - by the age of 10, the Christmas tree grows by 1-2 m. Only from 15-20 years old does the growth of the spruce accelerate; it gives the largest increase (up to 70 cm per year) at the age of 35-65 years. Unlike many tree species, spruce continues to grow in height until the end of its life.
The first cones (and seeds) appear on young spruce trees at 15 years old if they grow in lighted areas. In the forest, spruce begins to bear seeds only at 25-30 years old, and in dense plantations even later - at 50-70 years old. It is curious that trees that are just beginning to produce seeds develop only female spikelets in the first years. Seed years are repeated every 3-7 years. The total lifespan of spruce trees is from 200 to 400 years, but individual trees reach an age of 600 and even 800 years.
Norway spruce is widespread throughout the forest zone of Europe, including European Russia, forming pure and mixed forests. The southern border of spruce forests generally coincides with the northern border of chernozem. This does not mean that it cannot grow on black soil - it grows well in plantings throughout the Russian Black Earth Region.
In the Cis-Ural region, Norway spruce is gradually being replaced by a related species - Siberian spruce (Picea obovafa Ledeb.J, which is distinguished by smaller cones with wide whole scales. The range of Siberian spruce extends from the northernmost latitudes of Scandinavia to the coast of the Sea of Okhotsk. In the sector between the White Sea and the Urals it forms the northern border of the forest. This is an important forest-forming species of the Ural and Siberian taiga. In total, about 25% of the total forest area in our country is occupied by spruce plantations.
Spruce is widely grown in urban plantings, and along with domestic species, some foreign forms are also cultivated, which are particularly decorative, for example, blue spruce of North American origin. Norway spruce is widely grown in roadside plantings; in particular, it is used to line railways, which protects them from snow drifts.
Norway spruce is a shade-tolerant and frost-resistant species that avoids habitats with stagnant moisture. In unfavorable conditions, for example on the northern border of the forest, it forms an elfin form. Its root system is superficial, lying mainly in the layer of soil and ground to a depth of 0.8-1 m, so the spruce weakly resists wind blows. It suffers greatly from forest fires, even ground fires, since its bark is quite thin and the cambium tissue quickly dies from overheating. Does not tolerate high temperatures and especially dry air.
Spruce conquers new territory only with the help of small-leaved tree species, most often birch. A birch tree grows in a free area, and in this new birch forest the spruce seeds that have flown here germinate. Spruce seedlings feel good under the birch canopy (on open areas they die from various reasons, including due to strong illumination and dry air intolerable to them). Young fir trees gradually outgrow the birch in height and, instead of being grateful for the good conditions of the “children’s and youth’s” life, they choke the birch tree, creating unbearable lighting conditions with their dense crowns.
Economic use of spruce
Spruce wood serves as the main raw material for the production of paper and cardboard. Until recently, 70% of world paper production came from spruce raw materials. Spruce wood is widely used in construction (“a spruce hut and a healthy heart”), in carpentry production, in particular in the manufacture of furniture. Telegraph poles and railway sleepers are made from it. Spruce wood is irreplaceable for making some musical instruments, such as violins. For this purpose, trees that are most often chosen are those that have withered on the root and have stood dry for several years. Trees whose wood is suitable for making stringed instruments are called resonant spruce. ,
Waste spruce wood that is not needed by woodworking production: sawdust, chips, trimmings, shavings, etc., is a raw material for chemists. From this seemingly garbage, ethyl alcohol is obtained through hydrolysis, which is consumed in many industries, as well as a valuable building material - plasticizer. By dry distillation of non-commercial spruce wood, acetic acid and methyl alcohol are obtained - intermediate products of many valuable chemical compounds.
Spruce bark contains a lot of tannins used in tanning. Turpentine and rosin are obtained from resin obtained by cutting the bark of spruce trees. And these products, as you know, are in wide demand in various sectors of the economy, culture and medicine.
Unfortunately, spruce as a medicinal plant is still clearly underused. Scientists have calculated how unacceptably we waste the so-called gifts of nature. Their calculations are so impressive that I would like to present them in full, although they seem to be boring and intended for specialists.
In our country, up to 200 million m3 of commercial spruce timber were harvested annually (almost 100% of spruce harvesting was carried out in Russia, so everything said here applies not so much to the USSR as to Russia). For every cubic meter of wood there is up to 500 kg of waste, the main part of it (up to 250 kg) is woody greens (timbered branches), which can serve as raw materials for the production of many useful products, including vitamins and medicines. 
Judge for yourself. Spruce needles contain: chlorophyll, potassium, calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, silicon salts; microelements: Al, Ti, Mn, Fe, Ni, Co, Cu, Zn, Ag, Pb, S, B. 19 amino acids were isolated from spruce needles, incl. lysine, arginine, glycine, threonine, valine, leucine, alanine, aspartic and glutamic acids. The total amino acid content is 0.7-4.9% by weight of dry needles.
Spruce needles are a concentrate of vitamins. The following were found in dry needles: carotene (provitamin A), tocopherol (vitamin E), phylloquinone (vitamin K), ascorbic acid (vitamin C), flavonoids with P-vitamin activity, thiamine (vitamin B), riboflavin (vitamin B2), pantothenic acid (vitamin B3), nicotinic acid (vitamin B5), pyridoxine (vitamin B6), biotin (vitamin B7), folic acid (vitamin B9).
And all this wealth is practically not used.
It is impossible not to mention the custom of meeting New Year with a Christmas tree. The custom is, of course, good, but at the same time it carries great losses for our forests.
Spruce seeds are an important winter food for squirrels and granivorous birds wintering in Russia, such as crossbills, which even hatch their chicks in winter.
Medicinal value of spruce and methods of medicinal use
Spruce has medicinal use in its coniferous branches (“paws”), which can be collected throughout the year (while trying not to damage the tree branches). They contain essential oil, trace elements (iron, manganese, chromium, aluminum, copper), stilbene, caffeic acid. It is believed that the presence of stilbene makes the study of pine needle extracts promising as sources of contraceptives.
Spruce needles contain a significant amount of ascorbic acid. As it turned out, it contains 6 times more vitamin C than lemon and orange, and 25 times more than onions and potatoes. Its greatest concentration is in winter and early spring. People have long used the paws of spruce (as well as other conifers) to obtain a drink rich in vitamin C. This drink is used to treat scurvy, and they drink it to prevent vitamin deficiencies, especially in late winter and early spring, when there are no other vitamin-containing greens yet. Add 40g of pine needles to 1 cup of boiling water, boil for 20 minutes. and insist. The resulting infusion is drunk in 2-3 doses throughout the day.
In the midst of a flu epidemic, it is useful to burn small pieces of spruce resin several times a day in the room where a flu patient is lying. The persistent resinous smell that accompanies this procedure pleasantly aromatizes the room. The resin itself and its combustion products have a healing effect on the patient and disinfect the air.
Spruce is the most ancient medicinal tree in the Russian forest. Even primitive people used it for treatment. The air in the spruce forest is almost sterile. Fans of walks through the spruce forest have probably noticed how the feeling of depression and helplessness that arises at the sight of dark green giants, under whose crowns nothing grows, is replaced by self-confidence and peace of mind. Walking through a green forest is very good for your health.
For throat diseases, colds, acute and chronic respiratory diseases (tonsillitis, tracheitis, bronchial asthma, rhinitis, sinusitis, tonsillitis), use an infusion of pine needles. Gargle with the decoction and drop into the nose (for vasomotor rhinitis), 4-5 drops into both nostrils. The temperature of the decoction is 35 °C.
Folk remedy for cough, flu, pharyngitis, laryngitis, bronchitis - syrup from honey and spruce buds. Spruce or fir buds are collected at the end of May, when they have grown 3-5 cm, washed in cold water, and finely chopped. % For 1 kg of kidneys - 3-4 liters of water. Boil in an enamel bowl for 10-15 minutes, strain, let it settle and strain again through cheesecloth. For 1 kg of the resulting decoction, add 1 kg of honey and South propolis extract (extract: 30 g of propolis per 100 ml of alcohol), mix well and heat to 40-45 ° C. Once cooled, pour into bottles and store them closed in a cool place. Take 1 teaspoon before meals 3 times a day.
Make a mixture of spruce resin and yellow wax (one part by weight of each component). Melt the mixture and cool. Place pieces of the mixture on hot coals, breathe in the smoke released in case of persistent old cough, chronic bronchitis.
At the same time, you can take a decoction of spruce shoots in milk orally. Pour 30g of shoots or young cones into 1 liter of milk and cook in a sealed container for 30 minutes. Strain and take in small portions throughout the day. This decoction is also recommended for the treatment of inflammatory processes in the respiratory system, dropsy and scurvy. 
Green spruce cones are poured with water in a ratio of 1:5 and boiled for 30 minutes. The resulting decoction is gargled and dripped into the nose.
For kidney stones and renal colic, the drug pinabine is used, which is a mixture of essential oil from spruce (or pine) needles and peach oil (in equal parts). It has an antispasmodic effect on the muscles of the urinary tract and inhibits the development of pathogenic bacteria in them.
Take 5-20 drops of sugar 2 times a day before meals for 4-5 weeks.
You can take pinabine only as prescribed by a doctor, as there are contraindications for it.
Various ointments are used to treat pustules, wounds and ulcers. The simplest of them is an ointment made from spruce resin melted with lard.
Resin resin coniferous species- 100g, unsalted pork lard - 100g, natural beeswax - 100g. Put everything in a saucepan. If the resin is dry, grind it into powder. Boil over low heat for 10 minutes, stirring the mixture all the time, removing foam from the surface. Remove from heat. When the mixture becomes warm, transfer it to a glass jar. Store the ointment in the refrigerator.
Rinse the wound with lime water (1 tablespoon of quicklime per 1 liter of water; let it brew for 5-6 hours, drain the water). Thin layer smear a cloth with the prepared mixture, apply it to the sore spot and bandage it. Change the bandage after 1-2 days. Wounds heal quickly.
Make a mixture of spruce resin, wax, honey and sunflower oil (one part by weight of each component). Heat the mixture over heat and cool. Use externally for abrasions, abscesses, and ulcers.
Mix equal amounts of spruce resin, wax and butter. Good effect This ointment gives for boils.
In the forest, on a hike, one of the excellent remedies for wounds and cuts is fresh resin. Lubricate wounds, ulcers, cracks daily. Healing occurs quickly.
For skin diseases, gout, joint damage of rheumatic origin, take baths from spruce branches and buds.
To do this, prepare a decoction from the tops of young branches with buds (the ratio of plant materials and water is 1:5, boil for 30-40 minutes). The resulting decoction is added to the bath.
Fir cones are boiled with salt (100g of salt per 1 bucket of decoction). The resulting decoction is added to baths for joint pain of various origins and arthritis. Instead of cones, you can use freshly cut branches.
Tibetan medicine values pine needles as a means of treating burns and long-healing wounds, tree sap for diarrhea, and wood ash as an antidote.
For tuberculosis, it is good to use a vodka tincture of young shoots.
A combined preparation of spruce, fir and pine needles has a sedative effect and increases performance.
Pour winter trimmed pine needles (4 cups) with 3 cups of cooled boiled water, acidify with 2 teaspoons of diluted of hydrochloric acid. Leave for 3 days dark place, strain. Drink 1/2 cup of vitamin infusion 2 times a day, sweeten to taste.
They make jam from pine needles with sugar and drink tea with it for shortness of breath.
Spruce resin-resin - 20g, crushed onion - 1 piece, vegetable oil, preferably olive - 50 g, copper sulfate in powder - 15 g. Everything is thoroughly ground and heated over fire, without bringing to a boil.
The ointment has a burning effect and actively treats abscesses, bruises and bone fractures.
If pus is flowing from the ear, it is recommended to pour spruce or pine juice into it.
Five tablespoons of spruce, pine or fir needles, pour 0.5 liters of water, boil for 5 minutes. and leave overnight in a warm place. This infusion promotes the removal of radionuclides. Give patients something to drink throughout the day instead of water. A day off, then treatment again. You can alternate drinking ordinary water and pine decoction for a month (it is better to use melt water instead of ordinary water).
Fill a pan with young shoots of spruce, add cold water, put on fire, bring to a boil, cook for 10 minutes. Leave in a warm place overnight, strain in the morning. Store the drink in the refrigerator, but drink it warm, 0.5 cups several times a day.
Brew fir branches collected in September with boiling water: 1 tablespoon of chopped branches per 1 cup of boiling water. Drink a decoction instead of tea, 0.5 cups a day for uterine polyps.
According to Raphael, spruce is ruled by Saturn and is healing for those born under the signs of Capricorn and Aquarius.
Picea abies
Taxon: family Pine ( Pinaceae).
Other names: Norway spruce
English: Norway Spruce, Christmas Tree
Description
Spruce- graceful, slender evergreen tree up to 30-50 m high from the pine family. The crown of the tree has the shape of a regular narrow cone and descends almost to the ground. The top of the spruce is always sharp, it never becomes dull. A spruce grows tall and slender only when the topmost bud of the tree blooms normally every year and gives rise to a new shoot. If the apical bud of a young spruce tree is damaged or the shoot on which it is located is cut off, the appearance of the tree changes dramatically. The growth of the main trunk stops, the lateral branches closest to the top gradually rise upward. As a result, instead of a tall and slender tree, you get a short and ugly one. The spruce trunk is covered with flaky brownish-gray bark. The branches are arranged in whorls. The needles are needle-shaped, oblate-tetrahedral, dark green, shiny, 2-3 cm long, kept on the branches for 6-12 years. The needles of spruce are much shorter than those of pine. The lifespan of spruce needles is longer than that of pine needles. In spring, spruce, like pine, has male and female cones on its branches. This happens around the time when the bird cherry blossoms. Spruce- a monoecious plant, male spikelets are located in the lower part of the shoots in the axils of the needles. Female cones are elongated-cylindrical, young ones are bright red, late ones are green, in a mature state they are brown, up to 15 cm long. Pollen ripens in the male cone spikelets, resembling a fine yellow powder. Spruce dusts very abundantly. Pollen is carried far around by the wind and settles on various objects. It is noticeable even on the leaves of forest grasses. Spruce cones, which ripen in the first year, are formed by spirally arranged covering scales, in the axils of which there are two ovules, from which seeds develop after fertilization. The seeds are dark brown with wings, similar to pine seeds. Having fallen out of the cone, they spin in the same way in the air like a propeller. Their rotation is very fast, and their fall is slower. Seeds carried by the wind can fly quite far away from the mother tree. Seed dispersal occurs at the end of winter, on dry sunny days.
Unlike pine, spruce is shade-tolerant. Its lower branches do not die off and are preserved, so it is dark and damp in spruce forests. Spruce has a much smaller root system than pine and is located in the top layer of soil, so the tree is unstable and often strong winds knock it to the ground.
Spruce grows well under the canopy of pine, birch, and oak. She, like other shade-tolerant trees, has a thick, dense crown that allows little light to pass through.
One of the characteristics of spruce is its sensitivity to late spring frosts. The return of cold weather in the spring destroys its young, newly emerged, not yet strong shoots. Young fir trees damaged by frost can sometimes be seen at the beginning of summer somewhere in the open (in a clearing, in a large clearing in the forest, etc.). Some of their needles are green and old, but the young shoots are withered and brown, as if scorched by fire.
In spruce, like in pine, the annual rings of wood are clearly visible on the cross section of the trunk. Some growth rings are wider, others are narrower. The width of the annual ring largely depends on the environmental conditions in which the tree grows (temperature, humidity, light, nutrient supply, etc.). How better conditions, the wider the ring. In years with particularly favorable weather conditions for the tree, the rings are especially wide. Since spruce creates very strong shading, only fairly shade-tolerant plants can exist under its canopy. There are usually few shrubs in the spruce forest; the soil is completely green carpet mosses, against which a few taiga grasses and dense thickets of blueberries grow (this type of forest is called a blueberry spruce forest). Where the soil is better supplied with nutrients and sufficiently drained, as a rule, a continuous cover of wood sorrel develops - a small herbaceous plant with trifoliate, clover-like leaves ( this type the forest was called spruce-sorrel forest). On soils, especially poor and very damp ones, a continuous rather thick carpet of cuckoo flax moss is spread under the spruce trees (the name of such a forest is a long-spruce forest).
In a spruce forest, due to strong shading, the shoots of almost all tree species quickly die. However, the regrowth of the spruce tree itself persists for a very long time under these conditions. However, he looks very depressed. The trees are smaller than a person, similar in shape to an umbrella, their crown seems to be flattened, very loose. Living branches are very thin, with sparse short needles, the stem is like a ski pole. If you cut off such a stem at the bottom with a sharp knife, then in the cross section you can see unusually narrow growth rings, almost indistinguishable to the naked eye. They can only be seen with a strong magnifying glass. The reason for this is the fact that in deep shade the tree produces almost no organic matter, and therefore cannot produce much wood.
Spruce sprouts are almost the same as those of pine. They are quite rare in the forest. This is explained by the fact that the thin, weak root of a germinating seed is often unable to “break through” a thick layer of dry fallen needles. But many seedlings occur where this obstacle does not exist - on rotten tree trunks lying on the ground, on rotten stumps, on recently exposed areas of soil, etc.
Spreading
The natural distribution area of Norway spruce in our country is almost the entire northern half of the European part. In the northernmost regions of this territory, as well as in the Urals and Siberia, a closely related species, Siberian spruce (Picca obovata), grows. Spruce occupies 10% of the forest area, forming spruce forests, is part of the mixed species, one of the most common tree species. In the European part of the country, spruce does not spread far to the south, as it is quite moisture-loving. To the east of the Urals it is replaced by a related species - Siberian spruce, in the Caucasus - by oriental spruce.
Growing
Spruce propagates by seeds. This tree cannot grow in climates that are too dry. Spruce also does not tolerate dry soil. In this respect, it is much more demanding than pine, which grows well on very dry sands. Spruce is more demanding than pine in terms of soil fertility. It does not grow in extremely nutrient-poor high-moor (sphagnum) bogs.
Collection and preparation
Needles, immature cones, and young tops of spruce branches are used as medicinal raw materials. The cones are collected in the summer before the seeds ripen and dried on racks under a canopy.
Chemical composition
Essential oils, resins, tannins, phytoncides, minerals. Spruce needles contain ascorbic acid (200-400 mg/%) and the same substances as cones.
Use of spruce in medicine
A decoction and infusion of cones is used for diseases of the upper respiratory tract and bronchial asthma, pine needles as an anti-scurvy agent, especially in winter time. The needles also have a diuretic and antimicrobial effect. It is recommended for diseases of the kidneys and bladder. In folk medicine, a decoction of buds and young cones is used in the treatment of pulmonary tuberculosis, scurvy, dropsy, and inflammatory diseases of the respiratory system.
Medications
Infusion of spruce needles: 20-25 g of crushed needles are brewed with boiling water (1:5), boiled for 10 minutes, then infused for 10 minutes, this dose is taken during the day. This infusion is drunk for scurvy and respiratory diseases.
A decoction of spruce cones. The cones are crushed, poured with water (1:5), boiled for half an hour, the resulting decoction is gargled and dripped into the nose. Bath infusion. The paws are boiled with salt, and the resulting decoction is added to baths for joint pain of various origins.
The spruce forest is clean, but it has a depressing effect on a person who has little contact with it, although the spruce is a donor tree, not a vampire, but when there are many donors nearby, they have a bad effect on each other.
Use on the farm
Spruce is widely used in the national economy. Large quantities of its wood are used, for example, to make paper. Spruce wood is used to produce cellulose, artificial silk and much more; it is widely used in construction. Spruce wood is an indispensable material for the manufacture of some musical instruments (for example, the tops of violins are made from it, etc.).
Spruce is also an important supplier of tannins, which are necessary for tanning leather. These substances in our country are obtained mainly from spruce bark. Our other plants as sources of tannins are of much less importance (the bark of oak, willow, larch, rhizome of the herbaceous plant bergenia, etc. is used).
A little history
Spruce is not only a New Year's tree. It is constantly used to accompany a person on his last journey. Spruce branches are placed under the coffin, and wreaths are made from spruce branches. This tree is both festive and mournful. Phytoncides from pine needles disinfect the room and drive out “evil spirits.” It is believed that when a body is removed from the house with the help of fir branches, all the bad things that sent a person on his last journey are removed, the spruce eases the suffering of his soul, which has not yet had time to finally part with the body - this will take 40 days. Fir branches lying on the grave help ease the soul of the deceased.
Sometimes healers and witches, reading conspiracies, as if to strengthen, enhance the effect, burn a small sprig of spruce in an iron bowl and see how the ashes are arranged, in what form - promising or not.
Photos and illustrations
Tall slender spruce trees with a pyramidal crown are common coniferous plants of forests, which can often be seen in park areas, in urban landscaping, and among homestead landscapes. Many different species and varieties, the presence of dwarf and slow-growing forms allows these plants to be successfully planted in a flower garden, rock garden and on, in mixed compositions with other woody plants.
Types of fir trees
The genus Spruce (Picea) includes up to 45 species, which naturally grow in cold and temperate climates, on sandy and rocky soils, and less often in wetlands. The center of origin is considered to be the harsh mountainous terrain of China. The plants are quite unpretentious, drought-resistant, most tolerate the harshest winters without loss, some species are quite tolerant of excessive soil moisture and air pollution.
As soon as you decide on the type and variety of spruce, we recommend reading our article “”, it will help you grow an excellent tree from a spruce seedling.
Norway spruce (Picea abies)
A large tree, growing up to 50 m in height, characterized by a pyramidal crown with a pointed apex. The branches are directed to the sides or obliquely downwards, raised at the ends. The needles are juicy green, glossy, tetrahedral in shape, up to 2.5 cm long. The cones are oblong, greenish or purple when immature. The hardy local species is widespread in the European part up to the Urals, and usually does not cause problems in acquisition and care.
Acrocona
A bright, slow-growing variety that appeared in late XIX century in Finland. The crown forms a wide pyramid, is located low, reaches a height of 4 m, with a diameter of 2.5–3 m. The young plant is compact, round in shape. The difference between Akrokona is early, abundant and very colorful fruiting; immature lilac-crimson cones appear in abundance at the ends of skeletal branches and wonderfully decorate the plant.
The needles are dark green in tone, with delicate hanging young growths of a herbaceous hue, which makes a striking contrast. An excellent choice for landscaping small gardens and solitary plantings on the lawn.
Ohlendorffii
Dwarf spruce with a compact crown comes from Germany. By the age of ten it reaches 1–2 m, develops slowly, and grows 3–6 cm annually. The crown is wide, first round, then pyramidal in shape, multi-peaked. The branches are dense, spread to the sides and raised at the ends, densely covered with fine green needles, sometimes with a golden tint. The variety is shade-tolerant, unpretentious, suitable for creating mixborders or decorating rocky hills.
Frohburg
Swiss original weeping spruce with a straight, slender trunk. The plant is medium-sized; by the age of ten it can grow up to 2–4 m. The branches are sloping, fall to the ground, and spread with age, forming a kind of lush trail, which looks unusual and attractive.
The needles are light green in color, short and stiff. Immature cones are greenish-crimson, growths are emerald green, oblong-round in shape. A stunning variety for solitary plantings, it gives compositions an elegant vertical accent and is of interest to lovers of unusual ornamental plants.
Serbian spruce (Picea omorika)
A tall tree with a narrowed conical or columnar shape with a pointed top. The needles are flattened, glossy, dark green in color, marked on the reverse side with two silvery-white lines. The cones are small, bluish-black in color.
This beautiful, stable species is unpretentious to soils, tolerates air pollution well, and under natural conditions is distributed in the mountainous areas of the Balkan Peninsula.
Nana
The dwarf variety is characterized by a dense, rounded crown in young specimens, then the crown becomes broadly conical with a pronounced pointed tip. The height of an adult plant is no more than 3.5 m and a width of about 2 m; it develops at a pace that is moderate for low-growing varieties; by the age of ten it reaches one and a half meters.
The main branches are directed obliquely upward, covered with radially directed glossy needles of emerald color with a distinct bluish tint and light stripes on the underside. Planted in oriental gardens, thanks to its spectacular blue tint and compactness, it is successfully used to create contrasting woody compositions.
Peve Tijn
The undersized sport of the previous variety was selected by Dutch breeders. The cone-shaped wide crown is very dense, with a smooth, dense surface. It grows by 5–6 cm per year, reaching just over one and a half meters in height by the age of ten. The needles are golden-green with a blue or silver tint. Attractive color combination It is especially pronounced in annual growths and in plants planted in open sunny areas.
Canadian or gray spruce (Picea glauca)
A powerful tree reaches a height of 25–30 m, in cultivation it grows moderately - no higher than 10–15 m, in nature it is common in forests North America. The crown is dense, the main branches of young plants are raised, and those of adults are directed downwards. The needles are thick, bluish-green. The cones are small, light green, turning brown when ripe.
Alberta Globe
The miniature, round-shaped plant becomes dome-shaped in maturity. By the age of ten, the diameter of the dense crown is about 30 cm, with annual growth of 2–3 cm; over the years, the lush conifer grows in width up to 0.7 m and reaches 1 m in height.
The needles are light green, elegant, densely covering the dense side branches, forming a lumpy continuous surface. A wonderful variety for planting in rockeries or flower beds, it looks good in homogeneous groups.
Conica
A slow-growing variety of Canadian selection, it is distinguished by a dense conical crown of regular shape. In adulthood, it grows no higher than 2 m with a width at the base of about one and a half meters. The surface is smooth, dense, the branches are directed upward. Spiny elastic needles of juicy green color are located radially.
Konica does not require formative pruning and is wonderful for arranging mixborders, decorating rocky hills and growing in containers. The plant is resistant, prefers sparse partial shade, growths are susceptible to spring burns.
Sanders Blue
Canadian spruce variety Sanders Blue (Sander's Blue)
The famous blue variety is one of the best in its color group. It develops slowly, growing 4–5 cm per year. By the age of ten it reaches 0.7 m in height and 1.3–1.5 m in diameter. The crown is conical, regular, and becomes loose in the shade.
The needles are bright, fresh silver-blue in color, on young growths they are more saturated in color, on old branches they are bluish-green, which is why the surface appears unevenly colored, which is especially noticeable on specimens growing in the shade. Sometimes reversions may appear - completely green branches, which are carefully cut out from the trunk in early spring so as not to spoil the overall impression.
Engelmann spruce or weeping spruce (Picea engelmanii)
Slender conifers up to 50 m high naturally grow on the poor soils of the Rocky Mountains of North America. The crown is cone-shaped, wide, with sloping branches covered with sharp bluish-green needles on the growths, darkening at the base of the branches. The cones are small, oblong-conical, up to 7 cm long, burgundy in color when ripe.
Bush's Lace
Beautiful unusual variety with a straight trunk and a pyramidal loose crown. The young plant actively produces growth - 20–30 cm per year, growing up to 7 m in height and about 1.8 m in diameter. The skeletal branches are raised at the base, drooping at the ends, the lower branches lie on the ground, forming a lush trail.
The main color is bluish-green, the spectacular large growths are bright, contrasting, silver-blue. Looks best alone in open areas; in the shade it loses its color saturation and attractive shape, growing unevenly.
Snake
A tall tree with a sparse crown and bluish-green needles, silvery on growths. The skeletal branches are practically without lateral branching, characterized by growth from the apex, horizontally directed, prostrate, slightly raised at the ends. The variety is rare, mainly grown by exotic lovers, excellent as a tapeworm, adding sophistication to oriental and rocky gardens.
Prickly or blue spruce (Picea pungens)
A common cultivated species, beautiful and frost-resistant, tolerates air pollution well. Distributed in the mountainous areas of North America, grows up to 30–40 m in height, characterized by a dense, wide-pyramidal crown, evenly developed. The skeletal branches are directed horizontally, spread out and raised at the ends.
Young shoots are bright brown, bare. The needles are gray and become more and more green with age. The advantage of the species is its tolerance to excess moisture and the ability to develop well in low-lying areas.
Hermann Naue
A dwarf, spectacular, cushion-shaped variety, without a pronounced central stem, with numerous lateral branches directed in different directions. By the age of ten, the compact plant reaches half a meter in height and up to 0.7 m in diameter. The needles are bluish-gray, bright. Numerous oblong cones of light brown color appear in abundance at the ends of the shoots at an early age and serve as a wonderful decoration.
The Blues
A stunning blue sport of the Glauca Pendula variety. The plant is medium-sized - no higher than 2.5 m and up to 1 m in diameter, with a straight stem and drooping top. The branches are horizontally spread, the ends are directed downwards. The needles are long, silver-blue in color, as if covered with frost, the growths are bright blue. Successfully grafted onto a standard.
Hoopsii
The classic form of gray spruce was developed in the USA in 1958. Curvy beauty does not require a huge area, in maturity it grows up to 10–12 m and no more than 3–4 m in width. It develops quickly - 15–20 cm per year, the branches are strong and elastic, and do not break during snowfalls. The crown is harmonious, pyramidal, with outstretched, densely packed skeletal branches and multiple lateral branches, diversified.
The needles are large, up to 2.5 cm long, rich blue in color; the growths are light blue. Small purple bumps serve as an additional color accent. Looks great in single plantings and walkways, as well as colorful compositions conifers.
Black spruce (Picea mariana)
A large tree with a narrow pyramidal crown, in natural conditions it grows up to 20–30 m, in cultivation by the age of ten it is no higher than 3 m. The needles are short, bluish-green, and dense. The branches are brick-brown, covered with reddish pubescence. The winter-hardy, unpretentious species does not have a huge selection diversity, numbering only 6–7 varieties.
Nana
The dwarf plant is characterized by a dense, rounded-flattened crown with a smooth surface. The main branches are horizontally directed, completely covered with lateral branches directed in different directions. It develops slowly, growing 3–5 cm per year. In adulthood, it reaches no more than half a meter in height and about 1 m in diameter.
The needles are short, bluish-green, on the shoots of the current year they have a spectacular bright green color, contrasting. An unassuming compact variety will serve as a wonderful element of a flower garden and rock garden; it grows well in container culture.
Aurea
A slow-growing tree of a pyramidal shape by the age of ten grows no higher than 1.5–2 m, then growth accelerates, and an adult plant reaches 5–7 m. The branches are outstretched, drooping at the ends, densely covered with short bluish-green needles with cream tips. The growths are much lighter, golden yellow. The elegant conifer looks great both in colorful, diverse compositions and as a solitaire.
Siberian spruce (Picea obovata)
A slender spruce with a narrow cone-shaped crown growing low to the ground is considered one of the most resilient species. Growing shoots are light brown in color, with slight pubescence. The glossy needles are sharp, up to 3 cm long, dark green in color. The species is in many ways similar to Norway spruce, but develops more slowly, reaching a height of no more than 35 m. It is distributed in the forests and mountainous areas of Siberia, China, Mongolia and northern Europe.
Glauka (Var. glauca)
The medium-sized variation with a pyramidal crown 10–12 m high grows intensively – 20–25 cm per year. The skeletal branches are widely spread, directed obliquely upward, the central stem is smooth and clearly defined. The needles are elastic, linear-needle-shaped, tetrahedral, silver-blue, very impressive. Glauka is highly frost-resistant, unpretentious and quite shade-tolerant. Used as a tapeworm, for group plantings and alleys.
Eastern spruce (Picea orientalis)
A common species grows in the mountainous areas of the Caucasus and northern Turkey. The tree is large, up to 60 m in height. The dense pyramidal crown is symmetrically developed, with branches raised at the base and sloping at the ends. It grows up to 20 cm per year, young trees develop much more slowly.
The needles are short, hard, thick green in color. The cones are a striking reddish-purple hue, oblong, narrowed in shape, 6–8 cm in size. Spruce prefers light soils, does not develop well on heavy soils, and freezes slightly in harsh, dry winters.
Nutans
A beautiful tree in the shape of an uneven pyramid, formed by unevenly growing branches, horizontally spread and raised at the ends. The side branches hang down. At first it grows moderately, in adulthood it grows more intensively, growing 20–30 cm per year. Mature trees can reach 18–20 m in height, with a diameter of 7–9 m.
The needles are needle-like, very thick and short, about 1 cm long, dark green, glossy. Young shoots are bright green in color. Immature cones are showy, reddish-purple, mature ones are brown. A fairly large conifer requires sufficient space; it is usually grown in a single planting.
Aureospicata
The magnificent oriental spruce was obtained by German breeders at the end of the 19th century. A medium-sized tree in maturity reaches 10–15 m, characterized by a wide pyramidal crown, slightly loose. The drooping branches are located unevenly, raised at the ends, the side branches hang beautifully.
The needles are thin, very short, dark green. The greenish-yellow bright growths, as well as small crimson-colored cones, make the conifer especially attractive. The elegant tree is rightfully considered one of the best representatives of the species.
Spruce mariorika (Picea x mariorika)
Obtained by crossing black and Serbian spruce in Germany at the beginning of the 20th century; later, a few but very interesting varieties were bred. It is a large plant up to 30 m high, with a wide pyramidal crown. The branches are horizontally directed, covered with flat bluish-green needles, with distinctive silver stripes on the underside. The cones are small - up to 5 cm long, purple in color when immature.
Machala
Czech dwarf variety, up to half a meter high and about 1 m wide, cushion-shaped. The branches are diversified, horizontal, dense, raised from the base. The spiny needles are up to 1.5 cm long, silver-blue in color, lighter on the inside. The origin remains the subject of heated debate - various sources claim that the interesting variety was obtained not from Serbian spruce, but from Iez or, according to another version, Sitka.
Iezskaya or Ayanskaya spruce (Picea jezoensis)
A wonderful coniferous tree, in nature reaching 30–50 m in height, in cultivation by the age of thirty it grows no higher than 8–10 m. Under natural conditions, the species is common in the Far East and the Korean Peninsula, China and Japan, is considered extremely winter-hardy, grows near rivers , loves sprinkling of the crown, shade-tolerant.
The crown is pyramidal, the skeletal branches are directed obliquely upward. Flat needles up to 1.5–2 cm long, blunt or with a small point, dark green, with bluish-white stripes below, last up to 10 years. The needles fit tightly to the branches, with good lighting tend to puff up, which gives the plant a light silvery tone. The cones are oval-oblong, up to 8 cm long, in an immature state, purple-crimson or light green.
Nana Kalous
A dwarf, squat plant without a pronounced central conductor, round, about 1 m in diameter. The skeletal branches are evenly spaced, directed horizontally and obliquely upward, the lateral branches are short and grow in abundance. The tousled needles with a bluish underside are bright and attractive. Very nice shape, looks good on alpine slides, in the foreground of mixborders.
Groups of spruce varieties by growth vigor
In natural conditions, the overwhelming majority of spruce species are large trees up to 30–50 m high. Over hundreds of years of cultural cultivation, breeders have obtained luxurious tall varieties of ideal proportions, as well as many very decorative medium-sized and dwarf forms.
Low growing varieties
Blue Pearl
A dwarf conifer with a rounded crown, which over time becomes cushion-shaped or broadly conical. By ten years it reaches half a meter in height and 0.8 m in diameter, growing slowly - 2-3 cm per year.
The branches are dense, multi-directional, the side branches are located vertically, forming a convex textured surface. The needles are radially arranged, hard and prickly, bluish-blue in color, creating an attractive contrast with the red bark of the shoots.
Lucky Strike
A charming dwarf Christmas tree with a pyramidal crown reaches 1.2 m in height and 0.8 m in diameter by the age of 10, and does not exceed 2 m in adulthood. Dense branches are unevenly located, directed horizontally or obliquely upward. The glossy needles are dark green, the growths are bright, yellowish. Purple cones appear early and in abundance, they are large, directed vertically, and over time they turn brown and droop.
Goblin
The attractive dwarf form of Norway spruce resembles a bright green, lush tussock. The central conductor is not pronounced, the short skeletal branches are covered with many vertically directed lateral branches, completely covered with short protruding needles of a juicy green hue, especially bright on young growths.
It develops slowly, growing 2–2.5 cm per year, and reaches a height of 0.4 m by the age of ten. The variety was obtained from the famous cushion-shaped variety Nidiformis.
Medium-sized varieties
Cruenta
This stunning “red” variety of Norway spruce is winter-hardy and drought-tolerant. It develops at a moderate pace, reaching 2–4 m by the age of ten. The crown is dense, of a regular pyramidal shape, with skeletal branches raised obliquely upward and drooping side branches.
A notable feature is the purple-crimson large growths, which over time acquire a green color. Immature buds are bright, raspberry-purple. Spectacular combination crimson and green tones make this conifer exceptionally elegant, invariably attracting looks.
Pendula Bruns
An original plant of medium size, growing up to 4–5 m in height, less often up to 10 m, develops at a moderate pace - annually 7–10 cm in height and about 3 cm in width. The crown is narrowed, about 1.2–1.7 m in diameter, with a straight central conductor, curved upward to varying degrees. The branches are directed downward, pressed against the trunk and slightly raised at the ends, growing from the ground itself, forming a wide, dense trail.
The needle-like narrow needles are dark green in color, with two silver stripes on the reverse side. The cones are small, reddish-purple when immature. To maintain a spectacular even and narrow shape, the trunk is tied up until it reaches a height of 1.5–2 m. The variety does not develop well on dense soils that are too moist.
Christmas Blue
A slow-growing tree in maturity reaches a height of 3–4 m with a width across about 1.5–2 m. The main difference is the ideal proportions of the conical crown with a flat surface. The skeletal branches are directed horizontally, evenly covered with lateral branches growing in different directions.
The needles are elastic, radially arranged, silver-blue, exceptionally pure in tone. It grows best in open areas and is successfully grown in groups and to create dense blue hedges.
Tall varieties
Iseli Fastigiata
A beautiful prickly spruce grows up to 10–12 m, the growth rate is intense - about 20 cm per year, by the age of ten it reaches 3 m. The crown is neat, harmonious conical shape, does not tend to grow too much, the base width of an adult tree is about 3 m. The branches are directed obliquely upward, lateral branches and growths directed vertically.
The needles are bluish-green, with a pleasant, fresh tone; in sunny areas the blue tint is more pronounced. One of the best tall, narrow varieties, allowing you to successfully grow a luxurious blue spruce even in a limited space.
Columnaris
The tall natural form of Norway spruce is found in the wild in Scandinavian countries. The narrow columnar crown is formed by short skeletal branches and horizontally located lateral branches densely covered with dark green glossy needles.
The plant is large, reaches 12–17 m in maturity, develops quickly, and gives growth of up to 30 cm per year. Young trees tend to freeze and burn in the sun. Used to create alleys and solitaire planting.
Video about the variety of types and varieties of spruce trees
Various varieties of spruce trees are widely used in landscaping, for decorating front entrances, arranging dense emerald or blue hedges, single or group plantings, in mixborders and rockeries. The incredible variety of varieties will not only satisfy the most demanding demand, but can also seriously captivate the gardener, turning him into a passionate collector of wonderful evergreens.
Spruce belongs to the genus Picea (resinous plants) of the pine family. It is distributed in the Northern Hemisphere, from the Arctic Circle to the south. About 50 species of spruce are known; you can find their photos and descriptions on this page.
In the European part, up to 10 species of spruce grow, and there are a great variety of them. But mainly five types of decorative spruce trees are used in landscaping.
This crop is a monoecious evergreen tree with a cone-shaped crown, gray bark and dense needles. The root system is superficial. The virtues of all decorative forms spruce trees is that they form a crown naturally and do not need pruning.
Common spruce is a tree up to 40 m tall with a trunk up to 1-1.5 m in diameter. The crown is cone-shaped, with distant or drooping branches, rising at the end, and remains sharp until the end of life.
bark common spruce reddish brown 
The bark of the Norway spruce is gray
The bark of the common form of spruce is reddish-brown or gray, smooth or fissured, of varying degrees and nature of fissuring, and relatively thin.
spruce shoots 
spruce shoots
The shoots are light brown or rusty yellow, glabrous. Buds are 4-5 mm long, 3-4 mm wide, ovoid-cone-shaped, pointed at the apex, light brown; their scales are bluntly triangular, light or reddish brown.
Spruce needles 
Spruce needles
The needles are 8-20 mm long, 1-1.8 mm wide, tetrahedral in shape, have a sharp apex, with 2-4 stomatal lines on each side, dark green, shiny; the needles last 6-7 (up to 10-12) years.
Spruce cones 
Spruce cones
The cones are 10-16 cm long and 3-4 cm thick, oblong-ovate, initially light green or dark purple, brown when mature. The seed scales are obovate, slightly longitudinally folded, convex, notched along the upper edge, sometimes truncated.
Spruce seeds 
Spruce seeds
The seeds are 2-5 mm long, brown or dark brown, with a light brown wing that is about 3 times larger than the seed. The seeds open and disperse in the second half of winter.
Spruce 
Spruce
Lives in nature for 250-300 years. The annual growth is 50 cm in height and 15 cm in width. Up to 10-15 years it grows slowly, then quickly.
Grows wildly in Europe and Asia. Very demanding on soil moisture and composition. Does not tolerate sandy loam. It grows satisfactorily only in low areas. Very sensitive to air pollution.
All varieties of common spruce are not plants for the garden. It is attractive only at a young age, and over the years it loses its decorative effect, stretches out, and thins out. They represent value various shapes common spruce, which has bushy, spherical, weeping crowns.
It is better to use decorative forms of this spruce in the garden: below are the names and descriptions of the most popular of them.
Spruce "Echiniformis" in the photo
"Echiniformis" (spinate). Dwarf, slow-growing form, reaching 20 cm in height and 40 cm in width. This variety of common spruce has a cushion-shaped crown, unevenly developed in different directions. The shoots are light brown, glabrous, slightly shiny, hard, and relatively thick. Annual growth is 15-20 mm. The buds are light brown, large, cylindrical, rounded.
As you can see in the photo, this variety of common spruce has yellow-green to gray-green needles, the lower needles are flat with a short sharp tip, the upper ones are star-shaped, located under the terminal cone:
Varieties of common spruce 
Varieties of common spruce
Spruce "Compact" in the photo
"Compact". Dwarf form, usually about 1.5-2 m tall. Old plants sometimes reach 6 m in height with the same crown width. The shoots are numerous, short, raised and brown in the upper part of the crown. The needles are about 9 mm long, shorter towards the top of the shoot, shiny, green.
"Nidiformis" (nest-shaped). Dwarf form, slightly higher than 1 m, wide, dense. The crown is cushion-shaped, flattened, which is obtained in the form of a nest due to the shoots growing obliquely from the middle of the plant and the absence of main branches. The branches grow evenly, fan-shaped and trumpet-shaped. There are numerous shoots. Annual growth is 3-4 cm. The needles are light green, flat, with 1-2 stomatal lines, which are a distinctive feature, 7-10 mm long. Very effective for low borders, in small groups created on parterres and rock gardens. Currently one of the most common dwarf forms.
Here you can see photos of common spruce varieties, the names of which are given above:
Varieties of Norway spruce 
Varieties of Norway spruce
Canadian spruce in the photo
Canadian spruce– a tree 20-35 m tall, with a trunk 60-120 cm in diameter, with a dense regular cone-shaped dense crown. The branches of young plants are directed upward, while those of old ones are mostly downward and flat.
The bark is smooth or scaly, ash-brown. Young shoots are yellowish or whitish-light brown, glabrous. Buds up to 6 mm long, 4-5 mm wide, almost spherical, non-resinous; their scales are blunt-ovoid, light brown, shiny.
The needles are 8-18 mm long, about 1.5 mm wide, tetrahedral, bluish-green, densely spaced and rather hard, slightly curved, smell quite sharp when rubbed, the needles last up to 11 years.
Look at the photo - this type of decorative spruce has ovoid-cylindrical cones, up to 7 cm long and 1.5-2.5 cm thick, light green until ripe, mature - light brown:
Decorative spruce cones 
Decorative spruce cones
The seed scales are thin and elastic, solid along the upper edge.
The seeds are 2-3 mm long, light brown, with an orange-brown wing 3 times the length of the seed. The cones ripen in September.
Winter-hardy and quite drought-resistant. Lives up to 300-500 years.
All varieties of Canadian spruce are recommended for single and group plantings; dwarf forms are promising for rocky hills. It grows successfully in both maritime and continental climates. Quite drought resistant. Not picky about soils, tolerates poor and sandy soils. It resists winds well and is used as a windproof. Less sensitive to gases and smoke than European spruce.
Currently, about 20 decorative forms of this type of spruce have been described; you can find a description of the most popular of them below.
Spruce "Konika" in the photo
The most amazing variety - "Konica". If everyone knows the blue spruce, then the other Christmas tree, which dendrologists briefly call “konica”, i.e. conical, still rare.
"Konica" is a mutation of Canada spruce native to eastern North America. It differs from its ancestor not only in its miniature size, its height rarely exceeds 2 m, but also in its surprisingly dense crown cone and soft light green needles.
By the middle of the last century, the Canadian spruce variety “Konica” conquered the whole world, settling in the gardens of countries with a temperate climate and developed ornamental gardening.
Its real discovery in Russia occurred only relatively recently, along with the rapid development of ornamental gardening, when Konika seedlings began to come to us in large quantities from Holland, Poland, the Czech Republic and other countries of Western Europe, where its propagation has long been established. "Konika" propagates exclusively by cuttings, as it does not bear fruit.
In central Russia it is quite winter-hardy. But in urban conditions it is less stable than prickly spruce. With strong gas pollution, the decorativeness of the Christmas tree is reduced.
It grows slowly, which garden design is a virtue. At five years old, the Christmas tree reaches a height of 20 cm and already at this age its decorative properties are strikingly superior to even-aged seedlings of common spruce. By the age of ten, “Konika” reaches an average height of 80 cm and is completely decorative. And by the age of 20, its height is usually 150 cm, the diameter at the base is about a meter.
“Konica” should be planted in open places, protected from cold winds, with cultivated, light loamy soil. Caring for it may be limited to watering during dry periods.
The development of the Christmas tree, and therefore its decorativeness, is facilitated by periodic surface loosening and mulching of the tree trunk circle with rotted organic matter. Mulching is best done in early autumn, and in spring the mulch should be incorporated shallowly into the soil.
In favorable conditions, "Konika" retains its high decorative value until old age. It does not need pruning or shaping. Like the blue spruce, it is designed to play the role of tapeworm in decoration and is simply a godsend for a small garden.
This Christmas tree fits well into large rock gardens, it is desirable in the background of flower arrangements, and harmoniously combines with other low conifers. Looks especially elegant on the lawn. At the same time, it is advisable to plant it in an even row of three or more plants or in a group of several Christmas trees.
Among other decorative forms, “Aurea” is known, characterized by strong growth. The needles on the upper side are golden in color.
Spruce "Aureaspicata" 
Spruce "Aureaspicata"
"Aureaspicata". The form is distinguished by the yellow color of the needles and young shoots, which persists only in summer, but later they turn green.
"Elegance Compacta". The crown is conical, but the growth is stronger than that of "Konika", young shoots and buds are yellow-brown, the needles are fresh green, 8-10 mm long, annual growth is 5-4 cm.
"Nana" (low). Dwarf form up to 1-2 m high. The crown is wide, rounded. The branches are dense, numerous, unevenly spaced, gray, very flexible. Annual growth is 2.5-4.5 cm.
Pay attention to the photo - this variety of Canadian spruce has radial needles, 5-7 mm long, thin, hard, gray-blue:
Canadian spruce needles 
Canadian spruce needles
The culture is winter-hardy. Propagated by cuttings.
"Pendula"- weeping form, has strongly drooping branches, branches abundantly, needles are densely located on the branches, bluish-green.
Among the forms with blue needles worthy of attention:
Spruce "Alberta Blue" 
Spruce "Arenson Blue"
"Alberta Blue", "Arenson Blue",
Spruce "Cerulea" 
Spruce "Sunder Blue"
"Cerulea", "Sunder Blue".
All of them have dwarf growth and retain the color of their needles well in open sunny places: alpine hills, heather gardens. They are suitable for growing in containers.
Speaking about what rare types of spruce there are, it is worth mentioning the Engelmann and Schrenk forms.
Engelman spruce in the photo
Engelman spruce- native to North America. In terms of the slenderness of the crown, this is the most decorative spruce. The tree amazes with its grace and healthy appearance. Even the very lower branches are never bare. It is very resistant to unfavorable urban conditions and soil and climatic influences. When describing Engelmann spruce, it is definitely worth mentioning its qualities such as winter hardiness, shade tolerance and drought resistance.
It has many decorative forms that are widely used in landscaping.
Spruce "Glauka" in the photo
Most Popular "Glauka" (gray). Tree 20-40 m tall, with a dense cone-shaped crown, without a clear horizontal layering of branches. The needles are less prickly, more flexible and less spaced than those of prickly spruce, bluish-blue; the color is especially clear in early spring.
As you can see in the photo, the Engelmann spruce needles in winter are not so attractive, but still decorative:
Engelman spruce 
Engelman spruce
Grows quickly. Winter-hardy. Propagated by seeds, cuttings, grafting. Recommended for single, group and alley plantings in large gardens.
Schrenk's spruce, or Tien Shan, - powerful tree with a narrow cone-shaped crown, a sharp top and branches hanging to the ground. The needles are light green or bluish. Light-loving, not demanding on soils, but moisture-loving and low frost-resistant.
Look at the photo - this type of spruce has high decorative qualities, which makes it desirable in garden compositions, and slow growth in the first years of life allows you to form dense hedges from it:
Spruce in the form of a hedge 
Spruce in the form of a hedge
It has a spherical shape - a tree up to 1.8 m tall with a rounded crown.
Prickly spruce in the photo
Prickly spruce. Among the numerous representatives of the genus, it stands out for its slenderness and beauty, undemandingness to growing conditions, frost resistance and resistance to air pollution, surpassing many of its brethren in this indicator.
Decorative at any time of the year. The most valuable evergreen tree up to 25 m, lives up to 100 years.
The crown is pyramidal. The branches form regular dense tiers, horizontal or hanging under different angles. Particularly beautiful are specimens in which the branches are evenly spaced in regular tiers around the trunk from the very ground to the top.
The needles are prickly, their color varies from green to light blue, silver, up to 2.5 cm long. good conditions growing needles live 5-7 years, more often 3-4 years.
The breed is considered resistant to dust and smoke, but in urban conditions it must be washed with water at least 5 times a month. Photophilous. It is demanding on soil fertility and moisture, but does not tolerate overly fertile soil or waterlogging.
Tolerates pruning well. Propagated by seeds and grafting.
It is recommended to plant some distance from roads and industrial enterprises, against the backdrop of a lawn, preferably in illuminated areas. Usually single specimens or small groups are planted in the front places of the garden. It is especially good in combination with Serbian spruce, pseudo-hemlock, plain fir, etc.
Popular forms of prickly spruce are described below:
Spruce "Argentea" 
Spruce "Argentea"
"Argentea" (silver). A straight-trunked tree 30-40 m tall with a cone-shaped crown and clearly spaced horizontal branches. The needles are silvery-white, a light waxy coating remains on old plants, young needles have a soft green color with a whitish tint. Widely used in landscaping, in single and group plantings;
Spruce "Glauka" 
Spruce "Glauka"
"Glauka" (gray). It differs from the main species in its bluish-green needles, which retain their color throughout the year. The lifespan of needles of this variety of prickly spruce is 3-10 years, depending on conditions. Plant height is 20 m. Annual growth is more than 30 cm. The crown is symmetrical, cone-shaped. The shoots reach the ground and are arranged in tiers almost horizontally. Branches do not break under the weight of wet snow. Suitable for creating large arrays, small clumps, for single plantings;
Spruce "Glauka Globoza" in the photo
"Glauca Globosa" (blue spherical). Dwarf form up to 1 m tall and up to 1.5 m in diameter. Young shoots are yellowish-brownish and thin. The crown is rounded, dense only in old age.
Pay attention to the photo - this variety of prickly spruce has thick, slightly crescent-shaped, blue-white needles, about 1 cm long and 1 mm thick:
Prickly needles 
Prickly needles
"Hoopsie." The height of the tree is 12-15 m, the diameter of the crown is 3-4.5 m. The crown is evenly branched, very dense. The annual growth is 12-20 cm, the branches are horizontally spaced from the trunk. The shoots are light red-brown, the apical buds are ovoid, 1 cm long. Scales are short, bent. The needles are needle-shaped, hard, sharp, bluish-white, 2-3 cm long, directed forward, thick, last 4-6 years.
"Bonfire". Tree 10-15 m tall, with drooping weeping branches. The crown diameter is 4-5 m. The needles are slightly crescent-shaped, bluish-green with a light waxy coating, thin, crescent-shaped, short, 20-25 mm long. The silver-blue color of the needles remains in winter. Young shoots are orange-brown. The trunks are twisted. One of the most famous blue forms of prickly spruce. The crown is evenly developed, conical. Recommended for solitary and group plantings near houses, for decorating ceremonial places.
"Moerhaimi." Strongly and unevenly growing, narrow-conical shape. The needles are 20-30 mm long, adjacent. In the second year it becomes an intense silvery blue.
As you can see in the photo, the color of the needles of this variety of prickly spruce does not change in winter:
Spruce in winter 
Spruce in winter
The branches are short and horizontal. The apical bud is 10-15 mm long, blunt, yellow-brown. The lateral buds are very different and are located spirally below the apical bud. The scales at the apex are strongly deflected.
"Moll". Dwarf form, grows slowly. At 20 years of age, the height is about 1 m. The annual growth is 3-5 cm, the crown is broadly conical and very densely branched. The shoots are yellow-brown. The needles are beautiful, bluish-white, 10-15 mm long and 1 mm thick.
"Montgomery." Dwarf form, slow-growing, very squat, at 35 years of age the height and diameter of the crown is 1.8 m, annual growth is about 6 cm, shoots are yellow-brown, buds are ovoid, yellow-brown, scales are bent. The needles are 18-20 mm long, gray-blue, sharp.
"Oldenburg". Tree 10-15 (20) m high, with a crown diameter of 5-7 m. The crown is conical. The bark is brownish-gray, flaky, the shoots are orange-brown.
The photo shows that this variety of prickly spruce has needle-shaped, dense, hard, prickly, steel-blue needles:
Prickly spruce 
Prickly spruce
It stays very firmly on the branches. Grows quickly. Annual growth is 30-35 cm in height, 15 cm in width. Photophilous. It is undemanding to soils, but grows better on chernozems and loams and tolerates temporary excess moisture. Frost-resistant, tolerates frost well. Application: single plantings, groups.
In this section of the article you can see photos and descriptions of the blue spruce species from the Pine family.
Blue spruce in the photo
The blue spruce tree is an evergreen coniferous tree, 25-30 m high, rarely up to 46 meters. The trunk diameter is up to 1.5 meters. The bark is thin and scaly. The crown is narrow-conical in young trees, and becomes cylindrical in old ones. The needles are 15-30 mm long, rhombic in cross-section. The needles of blue spruce deserve a special description - the color of the needles of this plant species ranges from grayish-green to bright blue.
The crown is conical, compact, the needles are tetrahedral, dense, very prickly. The bark of the trunks and branches is grayish-brown, initially smooth, later fissured.
On the picture
Decorative blue spruce cones are slightly cylindrical, 6-11 cm long and 2 cm wide when closed, up to 4 cm when open. The color of the cones is from reddish to purple, the mature cone is light brown. The seeds are black, 3-4 mm long with a light brown wing 10-13 mm long.
Look at the photo - blue spruce has cylindrical cones, up to 9 cm long, light brown, ripen in the first year:
Decorative blue spruce cones 
Decorative blue spruce cones
Blue spruce is one of the hardiest spruce trees in all respects. It is inferior to common spruce only in shade tolerance. But it is extremely resistant to atmospheric pollution, frost-resistant, drought-resistant, and very unpretentious to soil conditions.
However, the blue spruce species achieves its best development and greater decorative effect on fertile structural loams, in full light.
This tree has a pronounced root core, which makes it drought-resistant. And yet, in the first 6-8 years, seedlings should be watered 2-3 times during the summer, and in case of drought, be sure to water them at least once a week. This will allow the trees to grow stronger. The greatest increases in height in blue spruce plants are observed after 8-10 years. And by 20-25 years the trees are already fully formed. The first cones can sometimes be seen on 15-year-old trees.
Until the age of 8-10 years, it is better to keep the tree trunk under black fallow, mulching with humus. In the future, the land should not be cultivated, and care consists only of periodic mulching and watering during prolonged drought.
Blue spruce 
Blue spruce
As can be seen from the photo and description of the blue spruce, this beauty will decorate your garden for many years. She is an excellent tapeworm who does not need anyone's company. Looks good alone or in a group on a flat lawn. When creating groups, spruce trees should not be planted closer than 3 m from each other, so that there is no shading and the trees have low, dense crowns.
These photos show blue spruce varieties that are most popular among gardeners:
Blue spruce 
Blue spruce
Healing properties of spruce
Spruce is not only an ornamental, but also a useful plant in the garden and on personal plots.
The healing properties of spruce are well known. Moreover, the common spruce is recognized as the leader in this regard among all species. The needles, young shoots and young cones are medicinal. They are rich in essential and tannin substances, resins, vitamins, microelements, phytoncides and fatty oils.
Various inflammatory diseases of the respiratory and urinary tract, as well as sinusitis and other diseases in the nasopharynx area are treated with spruce preparations and decoctions. Baths made from spruce branches and buds are used for skin diseases, gout, arthritis and arthrosis.
Brewing from fresh spruce buds can be consumed as a vitamin tea, which is contraindicated for stomach ulcers. The simplest infusion is prepared by roughly grinding 40 g of pine needles, pouring a glass of boiling water over it, boiling for 20 minutes, then infusing it. The resulting infusion is drunk during the day if there is a lack of vitamin C.
Spruce needles contain significant quantities of phosphorus, potassium, iron, and vitamins. It is especially rich in ascorbic acid and carotene, which makes pine needles an excellent raw material for the production of special preventive pastes for scurvy and periodontal disease, pine extracts for baths and medicinal chlorophyll-carotene preparations.
Camphor is obtained from the essential oil of spruce, which is indispensable for heart ailments. Inhalations of essential oil of pine needles cure catarrhal conditions of the throat and bronchi.
The ecological significance of spruce is also important. Air pollution, especially urban air pollution, currently exceeds all existing standards. The needles take on a filtering role in gas exchange atmospheric air. Dust particles along with harmful microorganisms settle and become fixed in the waxy coating of needles.
Air saturated with coniferous secretions has a beneficial effect on the body, improving breathing and blood circulation, and even heals the sick human psyche.
Phytoncides released by pine needles help clean the air even in polluted places. At the same time, the spruce itself feels good. It has straight trunks, dense foliage, and low-hanging crowns.
