Serbian spruce: description, planting and care, size and growth rate, application in landscape design

Spectacular Serbian spruce is often used in landscape design. This coniferous culture has a unique structure. In addition, she is very unpretentious and undemanding to care. This plant is often used to create group compositions. Under natural conditions, such a spruce can be found extremely rarely - mainly in a limited area of the Balkan Peninsula. At the same time, it is often grown in summer cottages.

Description

Spruce Serbian Picea Omorika has a narrow pyramidal or columnar crown.The height of the plant can reach 50 meters. This spruce was first described by the botanist Josif Pancic. This happened in 1875. Since 1880, the plant has been actively used in landscape design. Gardeners appreciate Omorika spruce for decorative qualities and endurance. The tree tolerates frost easily and is resistant to air pollution.

This culture is characterized by the following distinctive features:

1. The average height of spruce is 30-40 meters. The trunk reaches 1 meter in diameter.
2. The bark is yellow-brown.
3. The shoots are short and differ in the ends curved upwards. At the same time, the branches are high enough from the surface of the earth.
4. Young shoots are thick and curve down.
5. The crown has a columnar or narrow pyramidal shape. She is characterized by a pointed crown.
6. The needles are dense, and the needles are 8-18 millimeters long. They are blue-white on the underside and dark green on top.
7. Cones are characterized by an elongated shape and reach a length of 6-8 centimeters. Young cones are green in color and finely appressed scales. As they mature, they turn brown.
8. Due to its rapid growth, spruce has powerful roots.
9. Culture lives long enough. Depending on the conditions, its life span is 200-800 years.

• The plant reproduces by self-seeding.

Distribution and growth conditions

Under natural conditions, the culture grows in the valley of the Drina River, which is located on the Balkan Peninsula. Much more often it can be found in summer cottages and city parks.

Serbian spruce has found wide application in landscape design. The plant is used as a hedge or planted as the main element that creates the effect of wildlife. Culture well perceives temperature fluctuations. It is resistant to toxic components in the air and smoke.

Hybrid varieties are used to decorate alpine slides and small forest glades. Serbian spruce is easy to grow and does not require complex care. It looks great with other conifers.

Varieties

The wild form of Serbian spruce has become the basis for breeding other varieties that differ in appearance. The most common varieties include the following:

1. Nana is a low-growing culture, the height of which does not exceed 3 meters. Spruce is characterized by short shoots that form a dense and lush crown.The plant has short green needles. Its length is 10-15 millimeters. Spruce is characterized by slow development. It increases in size by 10-12 centimeters per year. The plant normally withstands shading and temperatures down to -40 degrees.
2. Karel - is a low plant no larger than 90 centimeters in size. It is characterized by a dense spherical crown. The tree is slow growing. For 1 year, it increases by about 10 centimeters. The plant is resistant to temperature fluctuations. It normally tolerates temperatures as low as -30 degrees.
3. Pendula Bruns is a dwarf variety of the wild plant. Its height does not exceed 3-5 meters. Starting from the middle, the branches of the plant bend in the shape of an arc. Young shoots hang down. Spruce normally withstands severe frosts. It can withstand temperatures down to -35 degrees.
4. Wodan is a low growing garden variety.Mature trees usually do not exceed 1-2 meters in height. The plant is characterized by short and dense branches. The crown has an irregular shape. It is covered with green needles with blue stripes. Spruce of this variety does not tolerate shade, so it should be planted in open areas.
5. Pimoko - is one of the lowest grades. The height of an adult culture is no more than 70-90 centimeters. It is characterized by a bicolor crown, which has a greenish base and bluish tips. The crown has a hemispherical or conical shape. Pimoko normally withstands even strong shading. In addition, the plant is characterized by resistance to severe frosts.

Application

Serbian spruce is often planted in open ground. Dwarf varieties can be grown indoors. This plant is often used for urban plantings. Spectacular varieties of culture are found in squares and parks.They protect the residential area from polluted roads. This is due to the culture's resistance to harmful gases and toxic substances.

Planting and Care Requirements

Serbian spruce develops normally in any type of soil. However, it does not tolerate exposure to high humidity. Therefore, planting trees in marshy areas is not worth it. When planting a crop in dense clay soil, it is important to provide for drainage. It may consist of crushed stone, crushed brick, sand or expanded clay. The thickness of the drainage layer should be a maximum of 20 centimeters.

In order for the spruce to develop at maximum speed, it is important to carry out planting work correctly. Trees are recommended to be planted in spring or autumn. To land, do the following:

1. Make a square hole for planting. Its dimensions should be 60 centimeters. The interval between trees should be 2-2.5 meters.
2. Mix the soil with humus, peat and sand.
3. Introduce complex top dressing.
4. Water spruce immediately after planting. It is worth using 3-5 liters of water for 1 tree.

Young specimens need to be moistened all season. Otherwise, fragile roots will lose their strength or dry out quickly. For 1 tree it is worth using 1 bucket of water. After watering, the near-stem circle must be carefully loosened. In the heat, the top of the crown should be sprayed with a spray bottle.

Caring for Serbian spruce includes mandatory sanitary pruning. If necessary, the crown of the plant must be cleaned of dry, broken and frozen branches. Crown formation is required in winter, when the plant is at rest. For 1 time, you can shorten the plant only by 3-4 centimeters.

Serbian spruce is a fairly popular ornamental plant that looks great on the site. To grow a strong and he althy crop, you need to adhere to a number of rules and recommendations for care.

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