Silvercrest Pine: variety description, planting and care, growing rules

Silvercrest Pine is a beautiful plant that belongs to the Pine family. She is also often referred to as Pinia. This culture has a considerable height and a compact umbrella-shaped crown. Due to its high decorative properties, the conifer is often used in landscape design. In order for the plant to develop normally and retain its attractiveness, it needs to be properly looked after.

Description and appearance

According to the botanical description, the Italian tree Silvercrest is characterized by slow development. For 1 year, the culture increases by a maximum of 30 centimeters.By the age of 10, the pine grows up to 3 meters. However, some specimens reach a height of 15 meters. Pine grows slower in cooler climates.

The plant is characterized by an irregularly shaped crown. In the process of development, the culture becomes like a shrub and has a spherical crown. At 2-3 years old, the plant has a very unusual appearance. The tree has a short twisted trunk. At the same time, its branches are located at an angle of 60 degrees, but their ends are directed upwards. The tree is characterized by a large flat crown, which looks like an open umbrella.

The attractiveness of the tree is emphasized by its decorative bark. At first, the young tree has a smooth bark of a gray-green hue, but then it becomes yellow-brown. In old trees, the bark becomes cracked and changes color from red-gray to gray-brown.

Expert opinionZarechny Maxim ValerievichAgronomist with 12 years of experience. Our best gardening expert.Ask a QuestionAt the stage of active growth, buds appear on the tree, which resemble quail eggs in shape. Round formations have sharp ends and are covered with dark brown crusts with a silvery fringe-like border.

Silvercrest Pine has silver-green needles that fall off after 3 years. Cones on trees most often grow singly, but sometimes they are collected in 2-3 pieces. The fruits are characterized by an ovoid shape and a diameter of 11 centimeters.

3 years after the formation of the plant, modified shoots appear at the ends of the branches. At first they are distinguished by a green color, but then they change their color. At the same time, convex growths appear on the entire surface of the scales. By the end of the third season, the seeds fall off, but the cones remain on the tree for several more years.

Sufficiently large seeds are typical for a tree of this variety. They can be eaten. Nut sizes vary. At the same time, the largest specimens reach a length of 2 centimeters. From above, pine seeds are covered with a brown shell with white patches.

How to plant a tree

Silvercrest Pine prefers light and loose ground. Lime or sandy loamy soil is suitable for growing crops in the garden. This sun-loving plant does not tolerate shading well. In this case, it develops slowly and becomes paler.

It is recommended to plant a plant with an open root system in late April or early May. A culture with a lump of soil can be moved into the ground not only in spring, but also in autumn. In the second case, this must be done 1-1.5 months before the arrival of the first stable frosts.

Selection of seedlings

It is recommended to buy a tree for planting on the site in a specialized nursery.In this case, it is worth giving preference to specimens that grow in a container or have a clod of soil wrapped in burlap. Such plants withstand transplanting more easily and easily adapt to new conditions.

When buying a plant, it is important to focus on its appearance. The needles should have a uniform green color and a flexible structure. On the shoots there should be no cracks, mold and breaks. The optimal height of a seedling aged 2-3 years is 50-70 centimeters.

Where to plant

Italian Silvercrest Pine thrives in very wet areas. Therefore, it should be grown in flat areas and provide the culture with high-quality drainage. The depth of groundwater should not exceed 2 meters.

When planting pine in rocky soil, a drainage layer is not required. If you plan to grow a plant in loam, 2 buckets of sand or vermiculite should be used per 1 square meter of the near-stem circle.

Expert opinionZarechny Maxim ValerievichAgronomist with 12 years of experience. Our best gardening expert.Ask a QuestionIt is important to consider that the plant can hardly withstand the acidity of the soil. Therefore, loamy and sandy soil with a pH value of more than 6 should be deoxidized. For this, it is permissible to use dolomite flour, calcite or slaked lime. 350 grams of such substances are used per 1 square meter.

Planting instructions

Deepening for planting needs to be done in advance - about 2-3 weeks in advance. When growing several pines, it is important to observe the interval between them. It must be at least 2 meters. The depth of the pit should be 2-3 times larger than the soil coma. Usually they make a hole measuring 80x90 centimeters.

To plant a plant, it is recommended to do the following:

1. Pour half a bucket of drainage into the bottom. It can consist of stones, rubble, pebbles. This will help to avoid stagnant moisture and rotting of the root system.
2. Place a loose and nutritious substrate of peat, sand and turf on top in a ratio of 2:1:1. Then you need to pour water and leave it to soak.
3. Lower the seedling into the recess. At the same time, it is important to ensure that the root collar is 4-5 centimeters above the soil surface.
4. Sprinkle the seedling with garden soil and tamp it down.
5. Water the plant. 10 liters of water is required for 1 seedling.
6. Cover the trunk circle with a 7-8 cm mulch layer. It may consist of peat or softwood sawdust.

Features of cultivation

In order for silver pine to retain its decorative properties, it needs to be properly looked after.

watering

Italian pine needs frequent watering at first. However, it is important to consider that excess moisture can cause root rot.After adapting the seedling, the amount of watering needs to be significantly reduced. Once a month, about 50 liters of water need to be poured under each tree.

Mulching

After each watering, the soil needs to be loosened and mulched. Thanks to loosening, it is possible to maintain moisture and air permeability of the soil. This saturates the soil with enough water and oxygen. After loosening, the soil must be mulched. To do this, it is worth using peat, rotted chips or coniferous sawdust. Thanks to mulching, it is possible to prevent the rapid evaporation of moisture and the active growth of unwanted vegetation.

Adding fertilizer

Until the age of 10, coniferous plants need to be fed regularly. This will help stimulate their growth processes and maintain the desired decorative effect. For the first time, nutrients are applied the next year after planting. This should be done in early spring. At this stage, it is worth using a combined fertilizer for pines, which contains a lot of nitrogen.Kemira-universal and nitroammophoska are considered effective means.

For the second time, it is recommended to feed the pine with a mineral preparation based on potassium s alt and superphosphate. Crown irrigation is required every 15 days. For this, drugs such as Epin, Quadris, Heteroauxin are suitable.

Preparing for cold weather

Young trees are highly susceptible to temperature fluctuations. They can hardly withstand the cold. Therefore, a month before the stable cold weather, the plant needs to be prepared for winter. To do this, do the following:

1. Spud the trunk circle with sawdust or peat.
2. Bend the skeletal branches to the central conductor and secure with a rope.
3. Cover the tree with spruce branches or burlap.

Mature plants don't need such thorough preparation for frost. For mature plants, a thick layer of mulch is sufficient.

What can a tree get infected with

Italian pine Silvercrest has strong immunity. However, if the rules of agricultural technology are violated, the plant may suffer from such problems:

1. Mealybug - the appearance of a pest is associated with frequent sprinkling of the crown in the evenings. Planting an infected plant can also cause problems.
2. Spider mite - the risk of infection increases in conditions of extreme heat and drought.
3. Rot - develop on trees that grow in wetlands or suffer from constant waterlogging.
4. Resin cancer - accompanied by the appearance of red or orange spots on the trunk and adjacent branches.

To avoid infection with diseases, the plant needs to be treated with fungicides 2 times. For this, "Skor" , "Hom" are suitable. Insecticides such as Engio, Fitoverm will help get rid of parasites.

Silvercrest Pine is a popular ornamental plant often used for landscaping. In order for a tree to retain its attractiveness, it needs to be properly looked after.

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