Evergreen coniferous trees. Coniferous and evergreen plants for the garden. Types of conifers

Majority coniferous plants tall trees, for example: spruce, pine, thuja or fir. Among the conifers and evergreens there are many plants growing in the form of shrubs: boxwood, many types of junipers, mahonia holly. However, that's not all existing species coniferous and evergreen plants. The variety of conifers is also represented by ground cover and creeping species. These are a variety of junipers (for example, lamellar).

Conifers and evergreens in the garden.

Spruces, thujas, firs, and in warmer areas cypresses, are used by gardeners as an ideal backdrop for garden and park plants. Chic hedge made of evergreens will not only outline the boundaries of your garden, protect you from prying eyes, but also hide the imperfections of the landscape. If you choose spruce as a plant for a hedge, then after 3-4 years of regular pruning, you can get a dense green barrier that neither humans nor animals can overcome. With the help of several thujas or fir trees, you can zone the garden space and change its perception by planting plants taking into account various shades pine needle colors.

Without use additional materials you can organize a quiet nest for reflection, a Japanese-style garden, or maybe a regular English park. And all this will not lose its decorative effect all year long! To make your garden look new every season, you only need to plant it with conifers and evergreen shrubs beautifully flowering perennials, annuals and bulbous flowers. The combination of coniferous plants and roses is considered the most spectacular and noble; by the way, roses are also evergreens and have soil and care requirements similar to conifers.

Hedges made from evergreen boxwood look extraordinary. The shiny bright green foliage of this shrub gives a formal look to compositions, and an undoubted advantage is the ability to trim evergreen boxwood bushes. Topiary art - giving plants different forms with a haircut. Another facet of using coniferous evergreen trees and shrubs in the art of creating an ideal garden.

The variety of forms is not the only advantage of coniferous plants. Coniferous plants do not require special care and are rarely damaged by pests and diseases. The needles release special phytoncides into the atmosphere, which are known for their properties: healing and purifying the air, and having a positive effect on the human respiratory system. Healing air charges us with energy. Coniferous plants are decorative in summer, but they are especially beautiful in winter time years when they create a pleasant contrast with the deciduous forms of plants. Therefore, coniferous plants for the garden are an irreplaceable choice.

Thanks to their impressive size and amazing color of the needles, compositions using coniferous plants will decorate any area. Experiment by planting conifers - dwarf, slow-growing forms of spruces, pines, thujas and junipers in rocky gardens and on alpine roller coaster. Covered with juniper paws, rock garden plants will be able to grow comfortably even in the hot sun.

How to care for coniferous trees and shrubs?

Watering. Mostly young trees need watering. They are watered abundantly at least once a week at the rate of 15-20 liters of water per plant. Coniferous trees need to be watered abundantly in the fall - evergreen crops often dry out in winter not from the cold, but from lack of moisture. Drought-resistant species (for example, pine trees) do not need additional watering, but trees such as thuja suffer from a lack of moisture.

Sprinkling. All coniferous plants need sprinkling, especially in the spring and summer. In dry weather, sprinkling is best done in the morning or evening. During the first year after planting coniferous plants, it is carried out every other day. Thanks to sprinkling, the needles are cleaned of dirt and dust.

Mulching prevents the soil from drying out, limits the growth of weeds and maintains the required soil temperature in the root zone. Coniferous bark, peat and fallen leaves are used as mulching material.

How to choose the right place in the garden for a coniferous plant.

Many conifers prefer areas protected from bright sun and cold winds, sufficiently moist soil and good drainage. Plant your coniferous plant in such a place and it will fully reveal its decorative qualities. Most conifers overwinter better if they are placed in groups.

Coniferous plants that can withstand wintering normally are better suited as tapeworms. outdoors. This could be pine, spruce, larch. Plant such conifers along with other ornamental evergreens and deciduous plants, and you will create a warmer and more protected microclimate.

In Russia, dark coniferous forests occupy quite a significant areas, in the European part and in Eastern Siberia– approximately 15 million hectares, with a total timber reserve of 2.6 billion m3. Grow conifers trees, both in mountainous areas and on plains. In dark coniferous forests, mainly evergreen, shade-tolerant plants grow coniferous trees, How:

• Fir;
• Spruce (European or common);
• Cedar Pine Siberian.

These forests are always gloomy, shady, and humid. This is explained by the fact that they have low illumination and low heating of the underlying forest plants and soil is observed due to the densely packed crowns of these trees and the high density of the tree canopy.

The average temperature in dark coniferous forests in July, the warmest month, is slightly above 10 degrees. It is at this temperature that, firstly, in coniferous trees, the “ripening” of young shoots that appeared in the spring occurs; secondly, the formation of a tank-protective layer on the surface of the needles and branches, necessary for the wintering of these plants.

In dark coniferous forests there are both pure stands of trees and mixed species of coniferous trees with other deciduous species. For example, in the Carpathians and the Caucasus, Fir grows together with Beech; in Siberia - Fir and Siberian Cedar Pine; on Far East– Korean Cedar Pine, Fir, Ash; on o. Sakhalin and the Kuril Islands - Fir together with Ayanskaya Spruce. Mountain fir forests are of great water-protection, climate-regulating, soil-protecting and water-regulating importance.

Fir

Pine family, common in the mountains, less often on the plains, from the Carpathians to Kuril Islands. This is an evergreen ornamental, coniferous pine tree of the dark coniferous forest. It has a straight trunk, the height of which reaches 80 (sometimes - 100 m), diameter - 0.5-2 m, a dense cone-shaped crown with whorled branching and interwhorled shoots. At the ends of the shoots there are developing buds, blunt or slightly pointed, greenish, reddish or brownish in color, in some species of Fir they are resinous.

On the smooth bark of the plant, numerous swellings (nodules) containing fragrant, transparent resin are visible.

Fir leaves are perennial, flat, linear, fragrant, non-thorny, dark green, shiny needles. At the top the needles are slightly blunt, on its lower side there are two oblong, white stripes. Each strip has 3-4 rows of stomata. Observations have shown that each needle can survive on a tree for 7-10 years. Fir blooms in May.

In the lower part of the edge, on the upper side of two-year-old shoots, in the axils of the needles, there are male spikelets (microstrobiles), single, oblong, with yellow or red anthers. The transfer of spikelet pollen even over long distances occurs due to the presence of two flying, air sacs in pollen grains.

In the upper part of the crown, at the end of last year's shoot, there are female seed cones (megastrobiles), single, green or reddish-violet. Inside the cone there are scales arranged in a spiral manner, covered with a protective layer of resin, in the axils of which the bud seeds sit in pairs. Ripe cones are erect, purple or brownish in color, oval or cylindrical. The winged seeds, after ripening in the first year, scatter along with the scales in September-October.

Fir reproduces by seeds, rarely vegetatively (cuttings and layering). Fir is a shade-tolerant, moisture-loving tree of the pine family that is demanding on soils: they should be light, sandy loam, loamy, fairly moist, well fertilized. The plant does not tolerate air pollution from smoke and gas; very unstable to fire, so fir forests suffer greatly from fires.

Various species of this plant have great importance in various industries and medicine. Turpentine is obtained from fir resin, and essential oil is obtained from cone needles - the raw material for the production of medicinal camphor. IN folk medicine for treatment various diseases use infusion of pine needles and decoction of buds.

As the main forest-forming species, it is used in construction, in the pulp and paper industry, and in container production. How beautiful ornamental plant, they plant it in gardens and parks of populated areas.

European or common spruce

Evergreen coniferous tree, pine family. Distributed in the European part of Russia, the Baltic states, Belarus, the Carpathians, Asia and North America. These are graceful, slender, decorative trees pine forest, whose height reaches 20-50 m, have a straight, large trunk, gradually thinning, up to the very top. Covered with red scaly bark Brown. The crown is slender, dense, pyramidal, with horizontally spaced or slightly drooping branches, with rising branches at the ends.

Since El is shade-tolerant plant, its lower branches are well preserved and can even take root. But, having a superficial root system, it is not very stable and therefore can be uprooted by a strong wind. On the folds of the bark, which look like oblong pads, needles are located singly and spirally, which remain on the tree for up to 7-8 years. The needles are tetrahedral, prickly, pointed at the apex; “blooms” in May. In a closed forest stand it begins to “bloom” at the age of 25-30 years, in a sparse stand - from 10-15 years.

In spring, Spruce produces male spikelets and female cones. Male spikelets (microstrobiles) are greenish-yellow in color, located at the ends of last year's shoots. They consist of numerous scales arranged spirally on a rod. Each scale has two anthers containing pollen grains. Each pollen grain has two air sacs, which increases its flight properties. This coniferous pine tree is pollinated by the wind.

Female cones (megastrobiles) are fusiform or ovoid, have a central axis on which scales are located along the edge - wavy, in the axils of which there are other scales containing two ovules. The cones before ripening are erect, purple in color, after ripening they are sagging, light brown in color, shiny, the length of which is 10-16 cm, diameter - 3-4 cm. The seeds are oblong, winged, ripen in the year of “Spruce flowering” in October- November, after which they completely fall asleep (the scales do not crumble). Seed germination is good and lasts for 8-10 years.

Common or European spruce reproduces in nature - by seeds and vegetatively (by layering). In culture, mainly - rarely - vegetatively (by cuttings and grafting of apical shoots).

The soil for growing these coniferous trees requires well-drained, fresh, loamy, clay or sandy loam. This frost-resistant plant tolerates frosts of 40-55 degrees Celsius, suffers from both spring and autumn frosts, dry air, and gas pollution.

European spruce, common spruce, is an important forest-forming species. On the territory of Russia the area spruce forests exceeds 80 million hectares, the timber reserve is about 12 billion m3. Its elastic, soft wood is used in construction, furniture production, for paper making, musical instruments(violas, violins, double basses).

Rosin, tar, and turpentine are extracted from Spruce, oil for making drying oil is obtained from cone seeds, and tannins are obtained from the bark. Cone seeds are a favorite treat for squirrels. A decoction of Spruce buds, syrup from fresh buds, and ointment from oleoresin are used in folk medicine. As a beautiful ornamental plant, it is planted in gardens and parks, as well as in forest protection plantings.

Cedar Pine Siberian

The pine family is widespread in the northeastern regions of Russia, Western and Eastern Siberia, and North America. This is an evergreen, coniferous tree, the height of which is 40 m and the diameter of the trunk is 1.5-2 m. Young pine trees have a sharp-pyramidal crown, in adults it is multi-vertexed, wide-spreading; has whorled branching. The upper branches are raised upward, candelabra-shaped.

On young branches and trunks, the bark is ash-silver in color, with transverse lentils of a brownish color. In adulthood it becomes fissured and gray-brown in color. The needles are long (5-12 cm), soft, in bunches of 5 needles, in cross section– triangular, dark green with a bluish tinge. It remains on the tree for 3-7 years.

In early spring, male spikelets and female cones appear on the branches of the Siberian Cedar pine. In the middle part of the crown there are male spikelets (anthers). At the ends of the upper shoots there are female cones, 2-3 at the apical bud. Only bears fruit top part crown, the length of which is 1-1.5 m (rarely 2 m).

The cones are ovoid, 6-13 cm long, 5-8 cm wide, light brown in color. The scales of the cones are tightly pressed with thickened scutes. The cones contain from 80 to 140 brown seeds, the length of which is 10-14 mm, width - 6-10 mm. The seeds are mostly wingless, however, they are rarely found with a falling wing.

Siberian Cedar Pine has a tap-type root system, with lateral, widely spread roots; “blooms” in June. In closed stands it begins to “bloom” at the age of 40-50 years, in sparse stands - at the age of 13-15 years. In the second year after flowering, the seeds ripen in August, and a massive fall of cones occurs in September.

In a good year, one such large tree of the pine family can produce up to 10-15 thousand cones. It propagates in nature - by seeds, in culture - by seeds, seedlings, saplings, graftings. Cedar Pine Siberian, being a plant of a sharply continental climate, is frost-hardy. Light-loving in maturity, can grow on different soils, but loves well-drained, light, loamy, deep loamy, podzolic soils. Cannot tolerate air pollution from smoke and replanting in adulthood.

Siberian Cedar Pine is the most important forest-forming and nut-bearing species. The total area of ​​forests that grows in Russia is 40 million hectares, the timber reserve is 8 billion m3. Industrial collection of pine nuts mainly occurs in the Urals, Western and Eastern Siberia.

Pine nuts - valuable food product– source of cedar oil. Resin is obtained from growing trees when they are cut. From pine needles - vitamin concentrates, pine pastes, pine flour. The soft, light, pinkish-yellow wood is used to make pencils, furniture, and musical instruments.

Cedar Siberian Pine is a very ornamental plant, thanks to its thick, golden, bluish, dark green needles. Therefore, it is planted in group or single plantings in gardens and parks in many countries around the world.

Conifers are mostly evergreen plants, woody or shrubby, with needle-like leaves. The needles are needle-shaped, scaly or linear leaves. Conifers belong to the class of gymnosperms. In total, coniferous plants number about 600 species. It is difficult to list the names of all coniferous trees, but you can imagine a list of coniferous trees that are the most famous and widespread in our region.

Pine is an evergreen coniferous tree that grows everywhere throughout Russia, characterized by long needles and unpretentiousness to natural conditions. Sunny pine groves are a real natural sanatorium.

- coniferous decorative tree From the cypress family, many varieties of thuja are widely cultivated for landscaping parks and private farms.

- V wildlife grows in the tropical zone, is also successfully grown as an ornamental tree or shrub, the foliage differs from all previous coniferous species, the leaves on upward-directed shoots are arranged spirally, on horizontal shoots they are linear. Yew is very poisonous; only its seedless berries are edible.

– a coniferous shrub of the cypress family, used for ornamental gardening.

- a mighty tree of the North Ocean coast of America of the cypress family. Long-lived trees of this genus live for several thousand years.

is a beautiful coniferous tree that grows wild in the mountains of China.

The above list of conifers describes plants, each of which has many species - these are just the most common conifers.

In addition to those listed, coniferous species include: cypress, hemlock, ginkgo, araucaria, Libocedrus, pseudo-hemlock, cunningamia, cryptomeria, sciadopitis, sequoiadendron and many others.

Coniferous trees include almost all of their species, the seeds of which ripen in cones. Contrary to popular belief, evergreens grow not only in our latitudes, but also in tropical countries.

In terms of their distribution area, they can easily compete even with forests South America. There are about 800 species in total, many of which date back to dinosaurs. Most modern conifers are trees, but many shrubby forms are found.

In taiga biotopes, it is coniferous species (as the most hardy) that make up the majority of the local flora.

As we have already said, almost all evergreen conifers form cones, although junipers reproduce with the help of berries. They got their name due to the fact that they do not have a seasonal change of foliage cover: the needles are gradually renewed all year round throughout the entire life cycle of the tree.

It is this circumstance, as well as the fact of the presence of shrub forms, that made them extremely popular among landscape designers.

It was from coniferous trees that many palaces and castles were created, distinguished by their stunning appearance. In addition, all their types emit many phytoncides that effectively purify the air. Unfortunately, evergreen coniferous trees cannot be used for landscaping cities, because they do not tolerate smog.

Along with ferns, these plants are among the most ancient. Thus, coal seams largely consist of petrified wood of coniferous trees.

Now let's look at some of their particularly outstanding varieties.

The evergreen sequoia can reach a height of 115.2 meters (as much as a 45-story house) and grow for more than one millennium. But all evergreen conifers look like just "weeds" in front of some of the currently growing specimens of this tree. It is assumed that some of the currently growing specimens of this tree are over 3000 years old! But even this is not a record.

Even these achievements pale when you look at the Long-lived Pines (Pinus longaeva), whose age is approaching five THOUSAND years! It is assumed that these are the oldest living organisms on our entire planet.

The thickest coniferous tree is Taxodium Mexicana, whose diameter is 11.42 meters.

I wonder if there are dwarfs among them? Yes, and what others! Thus, the southern conifer Dacridium looseleaf grows in New Zealand. His entire height does not exceed five centimeters.

Conifers are the most common trees in the world. Despite the low species diversity, they play extremely important role in the ecology of the planet. In addition, they are used to harvest most of the industrial wood, which is actively used in almost all areas human life. Even their resin, being petrified, turns into a jewel: it is enough to remember just one

Almost any coniferous evergreen tree The pine family can be fully used by humans: it will be used not only for wood production, but also for the production of medicines.

Among the plants that decorate our gardens, conifers occupy a special place. They give the garden a noble look and decorate it all year round. They are loved because they are very decorative and set the tone in many compositions. But, coniferous plants are especially popular in winter - on the eve of the New Year. They look spectacular in New Year's decorations in our apartments, under caps of snow in large parks and squares, and in very small areas.

As for the landed coniferous plants, then we can say that the sympathies of gardeners are almost evenly distributed among various types firs, pines, thujas, junipers and larches. All of them can be called long-livers; many of them live for hundreds of years.

Almost all conifers are evergreen. Only some of them, for example, larch, shed their needles for the winter. Still, the rest renew their needles gradually. Every few years the old needles fall off and new young green needles appear in their place.

The variety of coniferous plants allows gardeners to choose the most suitable tree or shrub for their garden.

The following advantages of conifers make them very popular in landscape gardening:

• Tolerates lack of light and moisture well
• Many varieties naturally have the correct shape and therefore do not require pruning
• Thanks to its medicinal pine aroma, it is widely used in folk and official medicine.
• Due to the variety of types and shapes, they are actively used in landscape compositions on plots of any size

If you decide to plant a coniferous plant on your site, you need to approach the choice very carefully.

Key questions to ask yourself:

• What do you want to plant - a tree or a shrub?
• Is the composition ready for the conifer?
• Have you taken into account your climatic conditions and the composition of the soil on the site?

Coniferous plants go well, in particular with cereals, roses, etc. If the answers are ready, you can start selecting the variety, type and shape of the coniferous plant.

Types of conifers

Spruce

Evergreen monoecious and wind-pollinated plant. Its Latin name (lat. Picea) spruce is obliged great content resins in wood. Widespread use in industry is due to the softness of the wood and the absence of a core.

Spruce- perhaps the most beloved and widespread coniferous tree in our country. These beautiful slender trees with a pyramidal crown occupy one of the first places in the coniferous kingdom and number almost 50 plant species in their genus.

The largest number of spruce species grows in Western and Central China and in the northern hemisphere. In Russia, 8 species of spruce are well known.

Spruce is considered a fairly shade-tolerant plant, however, it still prefers good lighting. Its root system is superficial, i.e. close to the ground. Therefore, they do not dig up the soil at the roots. Spruce is demanding on soil fertility and loves light loamy and sandy loam soils.

Types of fir trees successfully used in landscaping:

Sometimes it reaches 40 meters. fast growing tree. Thanks to the special color of the needles - the top is shiny dark green, and the bottom has noticeable white stripes - it gives the impression that the tree is bluish-green. Brown-purple cones give the plant a special charm and elegance.

Serbian spruce looks great both in single and group plantings. An excellent example is the magnificent alleys in parks.

There are dwarf varieties no more than 2 meters high.

(Picea obovata). On the territory of our country it grows in Western and Eastern Siberia, the Far East and the Urals.

Coniferous tree up to 30 m high. The crown is dense, wide-conical, with a pointed apex. The bark is fissured, gray. The cones are ovoid-cylindrical, brown. It has several subtypes, differing in the color of the needles - from pure green to silver and even golden.

Norway spruce or common spruce (Picea abies). The maximum height of a coniferous tree is 50 m. It can live up to 300 years. This is a slender tree with a dense pyramidal crown. Norway spruce is considered the most common tree in Europe. The width of the trunk of an old tree can reach 1 m. Mature cones of the common spruce are oblong-cylindrical in shape. They ripen in the fall in October, and their seeds begin to fall from January to April. European spruce considered the fastest growing. So, in a year she can grow 50 cm.

Thanks to breeding work, several very decorative varieties of this type. Among them there are weeping, compact, and pin-shaped spruces. All of them are very popular in landscape gardening and are widely used in park compositions and as hedges.

Spruce, like any other coniferous plant, becomes especially beautiful with the arrival of winter. Any shade of pine effectively emphasizes the snow cover, and the garden looks elegant and noble.

In addition to the types of spruce described above, prickly spruce, oriental spruce, black spruce, Canadian spruce, and ayan spruce are also popular among gardeners.

The pine genus consists of more than 100 names. These conifers are distributed throughout almost the entire Northern Hemisphere. Also, pine grows well in forests in Asia and North America. Artificially planted pine plantations do well in the Southern Hemisphere of our planet. It is much more difficult for this coniferous tree to take root in urban conditions.

Tolerates frost and drought well. But pine doesn’t really like the lack of light. This coniferous plant gives good annual growth. Dense crown Pine trees are very decorative, and therefore pine is successfully used in landscaping parks and gardens, both in single and group plantings. This conifer prefers sandy, calcareous and rocky soils. Although there are several types of pine that prefer fertile soils- This is Weymouth, Wallich, cedar and resinous pine.

Some properties of pine are simply amazing. For example, the peculiarity of its bark is fascinating: the bark below is much thicker than the one above. This makes us think once again about the wisdom of nature. After all, it is this property that protects the tree from summer overheating and possible ground fire.

Another feature is how the tree is prepared in advance for winter period. After all, the evaporation of moisture in frost can destroy the plant. Therefore, as soon as cold weather approaches, pine needles become covered thin layer wax, and the stomata close. Those. the pine tree stops breathing!

Scots pine. It is rightfully considered a symbol of the Russian forest. The tree reaches a height of 35-40 meters, and therefore is deservedly called a tree of the first magnitude. The trunk circumference sometimes reaches 1 meter. Pine needles are dense, bluish-green. They come in different shapes - protruding, curved, and even collected in bunches of 2 needles.

The lifespan of needles is 3 years. With the onset of autumn, the needles turn yellow and fall off.

Pine cones, as a rule, are located 1-3 pieces on the legs. Ripe cones are brown or brown in color and reach a length of 6 cm.

Under unfavorable conditions, Scots pine may stop growing and remain a “dwarf”. Surprisingly, different copies may have different root system. For example, in dry soils, a pine tree can develop a tap root that draws water deep underground. And in conditions of high groundwater levels, lateral roots develop.

The lifespan of Scots pine can reach 200 years. History knows of cases when pine lived for 400 years.

Scots pine is considered a fast-growing tree. Over the course of a year, its growth can be 50-70 cm. This coniferous tree begins to bear fruit at the age of 15. In forest and dense planting conditions - only after 40 years.

Latin name Pinus mugo. This is a multi-stemmed coniferous tree reaching a height of 10-20 meters. Dwarf varieties - 40-50 cm. Trunks - semi-lodging and ascending. In adulthood it can reach a diameter of 3 m. A very decorative coniferous plant.

The needles are dark, long, often curved. The bark is brownish-gray, scaly. The cones ripen in the 3rd year.

To date, more than 100 varieties of mountain pine have been registered. And every year this number increases. In landscape gardening, dwarf varieties are especially used, which form beautiful compositions along the banks of reservoirs and in rocky gardens.

Magnificent species with a narrow pyramidal crown. Homeland - North America. In our country it grows well in the southern and middle lane. Grows up to 10 meters. It does not tolerate urban conditions very well. Especially at a young age, it often freezes. Prefers places protected from winds. Therefore, it is better to plant yellow pine in groups.

The needles are dark and long. The bark is thick, reddish-brown, cracking into large plates. The cones are ovoid, almost sessile. There are about 10 varieties of yellow pine.

A very impressive variety of pine. Homeland - North America. The needles have a blue-green tint. The cones are large and somewhat curved. A mature tree can reach a height of more than 30 meters. It is considered a long-liver, as it can live up to 400 years. As it grows, it changes its crown from narrow-pyramidal to wide-pyramidal. It acquired its name thanks to the English Lord Weymouth, who brought it to his homeland from North America in the 18th century.

Does not tolerate salty soils well. It is relatively resistant to frost, but does not like winds. Weymouth pine is characterized by red pubescence on young shoots.

A relatively low coniferous plant - up to 20 m high. It is a slow-growing tree. The bark is light gray, lamellar. The needles are bright green, hard, curved. The cones are yellowish, shiny, long. The crown diameter can reach 5-6 meters.

Some experts consider it Geldreich's pine. Indeed, the similarities are great. However, since there are varieties under both names, we will still focus on whitebark pine. To date, about 10 varieties of this species are known. Geldreich's pine has about the same amount. Often varieties can be mixed.

In the conditions of our country, this type of pine takes root best in southern regions, as it does not tolerate frost well. Whitebark pine is light-loving and undemanding to the nutritional composition of the soil, but grows better on moderately moist, drained and moderately alkaline soils.

Looks good in Japanese, rocky and heather gardens. Excellent for both solitary planting and mixed groups.

Fir

Tall (up to 60 m) coniferous tree with a conical crown. A bit like spruce. The diameter can reach 2 meters. This is a real long-lived plant. Some specimens live 400-700 years. The fir trunk is straight and columnar. The crown is dense. At a young age, the fir crown has a cone-shaped or pyramidal shape. As it matures, the shape of the crown becomes cylindrical.

The needles, depending on the variety, have different lengths and live 8-10 years. Fir begins to bear fruit at the age of approximately 30 years. The cones are erect and long (up to 25 cm).

This coniferous plant does not tolerate frost, drought and extreme heat. The advantage is that this is the most shade-tolerant tree. Sometimes seedlings may appear under the mother tree in complete shade. With good lighting, firs naturally grow better.

This coniferous plant is a real find in landscape gardening. Fir is used both in single plantings and for decorating alleys. Dwarf forms look great in rocky garden and on the alpine hill.

The botanical name is Abies balsamea "Nana". This coniferous plant is a dwarf cushion-shaped tree. It grows naturally in North America.

It is unpretentious in care. Loves good lighting, but also tolerates shadow well. For balsam fir, it is not so much frost that is dangerous as strong gusty winds, which can simply damage a small tree. Prefers light, moist, fertile, slightly acidic soil. It reaches a height of 1 m, which makes it a favorite decorative object in landscape gardening. It is equally good for decorating the garden, landscaping terraces, slopes and roofs.

Propagated by seeds and annual cuttings with an apical bud.

The needles are dark green with a special sheen. Exudes a characteristic resinous aroma. The cones are red-brown, elongated, reaching a length of 5-10 cm.

This is a very slow growing coniferous plant. In 10 years it grows no more than 30 cm. It lives up to 300 years.

Nordmann fir (or Caucasian). An evergreen coniferous tree that came to us from the mountains of the Caucasus and Asia Minor. Sometimes it grows up to 60-80 meters in height. The crown shape is neat cone-shaped. It is for this neat appearance and gardeners love Nordmann fir.

It is she who is decorated instead of a Christmas tree on new year holidays in many European countries. This is largely due to the structure of the branches - the branches are often located and raised upward. This is a distinctive feature of the Nordmann fir.

The needles are dark green with some shine. Young shoots have a light green, even yellowish tint. The needles are from 15 to 40 mm and look very fluffy. If you lightly rub the needles between your fingers, you can feel a specific citrus aroma.

The trunk of an adult plant can reach two meters in diameter. When young, the bark of Caucasian fir is grayish-brown and smooth. As it matures, it cracks into segments and becomes dull.

Nordmann fir grows quite quickly. Under favorable conditions, this coniferous tree can live up to 600-700 years. Moreover, the increase in height and width continues until last day life!

Depending on the type of soil, the root system can be either superficial or deep with a central core. The cones of this fir are large, up to 20 cm, located vertically on a short stem.

Possesses unique property– needles remain on the branches even after they dry out, even to the point of mechanical damage.

Coniferous evergreen, belonging to the Cypress family. It could be either a tree or a shrub. Common juniper (Juniperus communis) grows mainly in the Northern Hemisphere of our planet. However, in Africa you can also find your own juniper - the East African one. In the Mediterranean and Central Asia, this plant forms juniper forests. Quite common low-growing species, which creep along the ground and rocky slopes.

Today, more than fifty species of juniper are known.

As a rule, this is a light-loving and drought-resistant crop. Completely undemanding to soils and temperatures. However, like any plant, it has its own preferences - for example, it develops better in light and nutritious soil.

Like all coniferous plants, it is long-lived. Its average lifespan is about 500 years.

The needles of juniper are bluish-green, triangular, pointed at the ends. Cones have spherical shape, gray or of blue color. Tap root.

This coniferous plant was also attributed magical properties. For example, a juniper wreath was believed to ward off evil spirits and bring good luck. Perhaps this is why in Europe there is a fashion for hanging wreaths on the eve of the New Year.

IN landscape design Both juniper trees and shrubs are widely used. Group plantings are good for creating hedges. Single plants also do an excellent job of playing the main role in the composition. Low-growing creeping varieties are often used as ground cover plants. They strengthen slopes well and prevent soil erosion. In addition, juniper lends itself well to pruning.

Scaly juniper (Juniperus squamata)- creeping shrub. Dense branches with equally dense needles look very decorative.

Evergreen coniferous plant. Looks like trees or shrubs. Depending on the genus and species, it differs in color, quality of needles, crown shape, height and life expectancy. Representatives of some species live up to 150 years. At the same time, there are specimens - true centenarians that reach almost 1000 years!

In landscape gardening, thuja is considered one of the basic plants, and like any conifer, it is good both in group planting and as a solo plant. It is used to decorate alleys, hedges and borders.

The most common types of thuja are western, oriental, giant, Korean, Japanese, etc.

Thuja needles are soft, needle-like. U young plant the needles are light green. With age, the needles acquire a darker shade. The fruits are oval or oblong cones. The seeds ripen in the first year.

Thuja is famous for its unpretentiousness. It tolerates frost well and is easy to care for. Unlike other coniferous plants, it tolerates gas pollution well major cities. Therefore, it is indispensable in urban landscaping.

larches

Coniferous plants with needles that fall off in the winter. This partly explains its name. These are large, light-loving and winter-hardy plants that grow quickly, are undemanding to soil and tolerate air pollution well.

Larches are especially beautiful in early spring and late autumn. In the spring, larch needles acquire a soft green hue, and in the fall - bright yellow. Since the needles grow every year, their needles are very soft.

Larch bears fruit from the age of 15. The cones have an ovoid-conical shape, somewhat reminiscent of a rose flower. They reach a length of 6 cm. Young cones have purple color. As they ripen, they acquire a brown tint.

Larch- a long-lived tree. Some of them live up to 800 years. The plant develops most intensively in the first 100 years. These are tall and slender trees, reaching 25-80 meters in height, depending on the type and conditions.

In addition, larch is a very useful tree. It has very hard and durable wood. In industry, its red kernel is in greatest demand. Also, larch is valued in folk medicine. Traditional healers Its young shoots, buds and larch resin are harvested, from which “Venetian” turpentine (turpentine) is obtained, which is used for many diseases. The bark is harvested throughout the summer and used as a vitamin supplement.

Photos of coniferous plants

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