Home, garden, and even an office - the versatile and at the same time beautiful coniferous tree “Konika” will decorate any corner. A thick spruce does not need special care - if you follow basic rules, then such a beauty can be easily grown even at home. We will find out further what a Canadian tree is.

Description of the Konika spruce

Canadian spruce was discovered for horticulture for the first time more than 100 years ago in the Netherlands. The tree itself is small, cone-shaped, it is even called dwarf. In a year, a seedling can gain up to 10 cm in length and up to 5 cm in width. The maximum length can be 4 meters, but the tree reaches this figure only after 60 years of life. The needles are soft, can grow up to 10 mm, and are light green. New growth is always brighter and juicier. This tree is fluffy and not prickly at all. It grows well in a slightly shaded place protected from strong winds.

Perhaps this is one of the few spruces that do not need trimming,- the form always remains the same.

Important! Spring floods can destroy the plant. Therefore, seedlings need to be placed on a hill or protected from flooding.

Needles are most often supplied from Holland, Poland and Denmark. However, these spruce trees can be grown and propagated anywhere.

Kinds

There are several varieties of Canadian beauty- Konika Glauka and Alberta Globe. They have slight differences, but, in general, each of them will fit into any environment.

This is a naturally bred dwarf spruce, which differs from other species in its accelerated growth in the first year of life. It is also a frost-resistant variety, so there is no need to be afraid that the small tree will die. At first, you can notice how the needles grow in height, while not really maintaining their conical shape. There is no need to worry, as over time it will begin to grow in diameter.

This species is much smaller than others- up to 1 meter in length and the same in diameter. The most important difference is implied by the name - the shape of the bush is globe-shaped. The shoots are thin, short and grow slowly. Conifer needles are even thinner and sharper than others. There are also small cones that are light brown in color. It is more susceptible to cold than Konica Glauka.

Application

An evergreen shrub will always look good in landscape design. It can be any style - oriental, European. A huge advantage of this spruce is that compositions with it will always look advantageous due to its almost unchanged size. Therefore, the garden or path to the house will look perfect at any time of the year. The tree will fit into any flower or bush arrangement; moreover, it itself will do an excellent job of decorating the area. It can decorate grassy lawns especially well - emphasizing simplicity and sophistication.

Rock gardens with stone mounds, sculptures and small ponds will look more impressive if dwarf spruce trees are planted nearby. spherical or cone-shaped- depends on the taste of the gardener, but the nice thing is that you don’t have to choose, but combine these types.

The bushes are neat in appearance, therefore, they will look very harmonious on small terraces, patios, green roofs, and will perfectly decorate the entrance to a house or garden. Cone-shaped trees will also look good near the gazebos.

In addition, it is not necessary to contact designers to make a composition. It is enough to simply plant the seedlings evenly, and any other plants between them, make stone paths around them - and the garden will already look exclusive.

Care

Of course, a tree will look good only with proper care. The most important conditions are proper soil and watering.

Important! The tree should not be planted closely with other plants, otherwise the crown may begin to dry out. The minimum distance is 15 cm.

Preparing the seedling for planting:

1. We choose a place - sun exposure is acceptable if it occurs through diffuse shadow. It is better to place it on a small hill so that the roots do not flood in the spring.
2. We pay attention to the soil - it must be moist and fertile. Loam content is at least medium. You can create an artificial one by mixing turf and leaf soil, sand and peat in a ratio of 2:2:1:1.
3. Spring, summer and fall are great times for planting. However, in summer it is better to plant in open ground with a closed rhizome, that is, there should be soil from the pot on it so as not to dry out the root. Ideal weather is cloudy but no rain.

Soil care after planting:

1. We monitor the humidity - especially at first. But you can’t flood a coniferous tree.
2. We hide it from direct sunlight with burlap.
3. The soil should be loose, not dense.
4. During drought, you need to water the plant, spray the branches with water in the summer, and regularly fertilize the soil with special coniferous fertilizers (“Hol”). Don't forget about mulching.

Is it possible to propagate the Konica spruce yourself?

Experienced gardeners save on buying plants - they reproduce them. And Konika is no exception.

Did you know? The largest coniferous tree reaches 120 m - this is the giant sequoia.

Cuttings and seeds are used to propagate “Konica”. The first method is suitable for the spring period - young and beautiful branches from the middle of the crown are carefully cut off along with the heel (a piece of the trunk). Any cutting up to 11 cm will do. Next, the prepared branches are kept in a stimulating liquid for about a day. While the branches are saturated with the solution, you need to prepare the ground. We loosen it, fertilize it and then plant our seedlings at an angle of 30 degrees.

In order for shoots to appear, it is better to keep the seedlings in a greenhouse; over the next 6 months, their root system is established. At this time, it is better not to touch the future bushes - just water and ventilate the room.

Seeds can be collected from cones in winter. After treating them with a stimulating solution, they need to be planted shallowly in the ground in a greenhouse and watered periodically.

What problems might there be?

• formation of resin streaks on wood;
• presence of drill flour;
• wilting of the bush.

Did you know? The oldest representative of coniferous trees grows in North America - this pine is more than 4 and a half thousand years old.

Also very common is the so-called Schutte's disease- it is provoked by fungi. The name itself translates as “to pour.” It is the parasite that causes the needles to shed. “Konika” succumbs to such a variety of this disease as snowy Schutte. This disease develops under snow at temperatures from 0 °C. Most often it affects those coniferous trees that are covered with snow more than half a meter.

They are very popular among gardeners: they are beautiful, neat and, of course, useful. Most representatives of evergreen flora are large in size, which does not allow growing all of their species, so landscape designers and gardeners are increasingly giving preference to dwarf coniferous specimens, which include Canada spruce.

Its characteristic features, which favorably distinguish the fluffy, slow-growing Christmas tree from other plants, are beautifully colored needles and a low-hanging compact crown with decorative outlines. It is these qualities that make Canadian spruce a desirable inhabitant of any site.

Canadian spruce. Description

Canadian spruce belongs to the category of low-growing trees: the average height of the plant is generally about one meter; under favorable conditions it can reach three meters. The crown of the plant is dense and cone-shaped, the needles are short, thin and soft, and have a bluish-green color. The root system is mostly located near the surface and has a weak tap root.

Canadian spruce belongs to the category of slow-growing plants. The average growth at a young age is 3-4 centimeters per year, after 15 years - 2-3 centimeters. At the age of 5 years, the height of the Christmas tree reaches approximately 20 centimeters; it is during this period that the decorative qualities of the plant are visible, distinguishing it favorably from a number of seedlings of the same age.

By the age of 10, Canadian spruce reaches a height of 80 cm, and by 20 years it can reach 1.5 meters, with a crown circumference of approximately 1 meter. Under favorable conditions, a plant can delight more than one generation with its appearance, because it can live for 300 or even 500 years. The most popular variety of Canadian spruce is called Konica.

Ease of care is the main quality of Canadian spruce

The advantage of this coniferous beauty is its minimal maintenance: for natural normal growth, natural precipitation and soil fertility are sufficient, which, of course, can be increased through various fertilizing. In summer, it is recommended to apply 5 kg of rotted organic fertilizer mixed with soil to the root zone of the tree. In October, it will be useful to mulch the soil with a layer of peat compost about 5 cm thick, which will make it easier for the plant to winter.

In early spring, mulch needs to be incorporated into the soil, and to protect it from burning in the sun (spring browning), the trees should be wrapped in burlap or other material that will protect from rays and maintain natural ventilation. Moreover, the possible browning of the needles is not considered a disease, it is only the plant’s reaction to the spring activity of the sun against the background of frozen soil. That is, the tree begins its growing season, and the unmelted soil is not yet able to provide the roots with the required nutrition, which causes external changes in the needles. With the start of the movement of juice and the required nutrition, the color of the plant is quickly restored.

Selecting a seat

The Christmas tree should be planted in partial shade, not on a hill and in a place protected from the winds. The tree does not need crown pruning, pleasing the eye with its natural forms. During dry periods, it is recommended to irrigate through the crown. Also, sometimes loosen the soil around the tree in order to saturate it with oxygen.

Canadian spruce, the care of which is quite simple and does not require the use of supernatural efforts, can be replanted throughout the growing season, preferably in cloudy weather. The plant tolerates replanting most easily at a young age. For two weeks after planting, the Christmas tree needs protection from direct sunlight, and the soil should also be maintained at an optimally comfortable level of humidity.

Canadian spruce as decoration

Canadian spruce is very popular in landscape design. It looks harmonious both alone and in a group of plants. When a certain height is reached, the plant looks impressive as an integral part of mixborders and various compositions. At home, Canadian spruce is often found in a container on the roof (as a “green roof”), near houses, on terraces and in gardens. The decorative shape of the tree fits optimally into large rock gardens, harmoniously combines with other low-growing conifers, and looks great in the background of various flower arrangements. A beautiful green tree stands out as a bright spot against the background of an evenly trimmed lawn.

Canadian spruce in a pot: care

You can consider the coniferous beauty as a houseplant, but only in winter and when kept on the “balcony”. A Canadian spruce tree in a pot looks very elegant; During the Christmas holidays, you can make her the queen of the celebration by decorating her with toys and putting gifts for her near and dear ones under her.

When keeping the plant in a heated room, the crown must be sprayed. You should also increase the humidity around the tree itself; to do this, you can place containers of water around the pot. In summer, it is recommended to place a pot or container with a plant outdoors, under trees and shrubs. Every year it is recommended to transplant the Christmas tree into a larger container.

Transfer

Potted Canadian spruce, which is not particularly difficult to care for, can be grown in several ways. The easiest one is to buy a ready-made tree in a store and transplant it to another soil. It's quite expensive, but fast and without hassle. It is a little more difficult, but more enjoyable (because you put in your own work) to grow a lush beauty yourself from seeds or from a seedling obtained by cuttings. Cuttings, which are also the ripened lower branches of the mother Christmas tree (necessarily with a “stump” in the lower part), should be treated with growth and root formation stimulants before planting. For this, drugs such as Epin and Kornevin are suitable.

Transplanting a young rooted tree into a container should be done very carefully, making sure that the root neck of the Christmas tree is located at ground level. The root system should not be allowed to dry out.

The most suitable soil composition for all types of Christmas trees, in parts:

• leaf soil - 2;
• turf land - 2;
• peat - 1;
• sand - 1.

First, you need to lay drainage (coarse sand, expanded clay, gravel) in a 10-centimeter layer on the bottom of the container.

Diseases and pests

Canadian spruce may be susceptible to certain diseases:

Canadian spruce is highly popular due to its decorative and neat appearance and small size, so this wonderful plant can be found in many parts of the world.

Moreover, breeders have developed a large number of varieties characterized by the color of the needles (from light green to bluish-blue) and the shape of the crown: conical, spherical, cushion-shaped.

Canadian spruce is an ornamental plant. Today it is actively used in landscape design. Spruce has become widespread among gardeners. This is used for decoration. This plant takes root well in mid-latitudes.

Let's take a closer look at what Canadian spruce is, care at home, and also talk about the characteristics of the plant.

Characteristics of culture

The varieties Konica, Laurin, Alberta and Echiniformis have become widespread. Let's take a closer look at the first grade.

Konica is frost-resistant and can grow in any conditions familiar to spruce trees. Since it is small in size, it can be planted even in small areas. The height of a spruce of this variety usually does not grow higher than 95 cm. However, under favorable conditions, the plant can stretch up to 2.5 m. Dwarf spruce has a dense crown in the shape of a cone. The needles of the plant have a bluish-green color. The root system is represented by a small, weakly expressed tap root. Most of the roots are located close to the soil surface. When caring for the plant, excavation work should be carried out with great care.

Spruce grows quite slowly. On average, she gains only 30-40 mm in height every year. There are specimens that grow 100 mm in a year. As a rule, these are five-year-old seedlings. The plant retains good growth until the age of 11-13 years. Then the tree adds only 20-23 mm per year. At the age of 20, the Canadian Konika spruce reaches an average height of 1.5 meters. The crown diameter at the base can reach 1 meter.

Home care

How does Canadian spruce Konica grow at home? The plant requires minimal care. Crown pruning is not carried out for this variety. For a tree to grow normally, it needs only fertile soil and rainfall. However, in order to improve the decorative characteristics of the tree, you need to know something about caring for Canadian spruce.

1. In hot weather, the spruce crown must be irrigated with water. After this, two days later, it is recommended to slightly loosen the soil under the tree. It is also useful to feed the spruce with organic fertilizers.
2. Before winter, it is advisable to prepare a mixture of soil soil and peat compost and spread it in a layer of 40-45 mm on the surface. In spring, this mulch must be poured closer to the base of the tree.
3. To prevent Canadian spruce from burning in the bright sun, it can be wrapped in material that does not interfere with natural ventilation. Burlap is perfect for this purpose.

If in the spring the tree turns brown in parts, this is not yet a sign of plant disease. Have the needles started to lose color? This may be a reaction to the color of the sun. Before the earth warms up, spruce begins its seasonal growing season. Due to the cold soil, the plant cannot receive enough nutrients, and therefore acquires a brownish tint. When the soil warms and sap flow is restored, the plant will return to its normal color.

How to plant Canadian spruce correctly?

During the entire growth period, the plant in question can be replanted. In this case, it is necessary to comply with a number of important requirements, namely:

1. Trees are best replanted when they are young. In autumn and spring, the process is carried out with bare roots. In the warm season, it is recommended to replant the spruce along with the adjacent soil. This procedure is best carried out in rainy, cloudy weather.
2. During the first weeks after transplanting, the plant requires optimal watering. It is also better to protect the tree from the sun.
3. It is worth considering that ornamental coniferous trees do not tolerate waterlogging. This is also true for prolonged drought. If the soil is too wet, the plant's roots may begin to die. Any coniferous trees do well in soils with low groundwater levels.
4. Canadian spruce at home should be provided with a high-quality drainage system. The best conditions for growing Konica are high humidity and rare precipitation. It is advisable to plant the spruce nearby with garden plants. This will help improve the color of the needles and also reduce the likelihood of them fading in the sun.
5. The soil for growing conifers must be sufficiently loose and moisture-absorbing. In this case, excessive fertility will be more of a disadvantage than an advantage. Seedlings in such soil ripen worse and become more elongated.

Reproduction

Canadian spruce can reproduce in several ways. For this purpose, as a rule, cuttings, seedlings or seeds are used. It is clear that from seeds the tree will grow longer. The most difficult method is growing from cuttings. For this purpose, a mature branch 100-110 mm long is usually taken. The bottom of the cutting must be treated with growth stimulants. They are planted in the ground to a depth of 20-30 mm. Normal soil is suitable for growing seedlings. Immediately after planting, plants require watering.

Growing Christmas trees for sale

Today, Christmas trees are often grown for sale. This type of business can bring quite a lot of additional income for gardeners. However, Canadian spruce is not suitable for this purpose. Breeding this variety is considered unprofitable. It takes a long time to grow. It is also worth remembering that young plants need constant care: watering, fertilizing, loosening. The Christmas tree will be ready for sale only after 3-5 years.

Choosing seedlings

The first thing you should pay attention to when choosing a Canadian spruce cutting is its shape. It must correspond to the variety. Also pay attention to the color of the needles. It should be uniform and quite rich. Often Canadian spruce is sold already in pots with soil. Usually such seedlings have many roots. They should not form a tight lump. In addition, the soil in the container should not be too dry. Typically, the roots of a crop such as Konica spruce are wrapped in mesh or moistened cloth. The transplant must be carried out very carefully. How the tree will develop in the future depends on this.

Pests and diseases

Coniferous species are susceptible to various diseases and pests. A very common disease for Canadian spruce is tracheomycosis. This fungus attacks the roots of the tree, as a result of which they may lose their ability to transport nutrients. The disease usually affects young plants. The first symptoms are redness and dropping of needles. Trees affected by this disease cannot be cured. To prevent the spread of infection, diseased trees must be dug up along with the ground and burned. Then the place where they grew is treated with a solution of copper sulfate. Coniferous plants often suffer from so-called rust. As a result of this disease, orange and yellow growths form on the tree. The needles may also fall off.

As for pests, the number one enemy for Canadian spruce is the bark beetle. These small insects can gnaw through a whole system of passages under the bark of a tree. They lay eggs in them. A tree affected by this pest cannot be saved.

Growing conditions

The Canadian Konica spruce is often found on private property. Caring for this plant at home cannot be called too difficult. One of the most important conditions for the proper development of a tree is the optimal choice of planting site. Christmas trees are best planted in partial shade, in a place protected from the wind. The tree does not need to trim the crown; it already has an optimal shape. During drought, it is necessary to irrigate the tree through the crown. What other procedures does Canadian spruce require? Home care requires regular loosening of the soil. This procedure ensures the saturation of the soil with oxygen. Caring for Canadian spruce is quite simple; it does not require any serious effort. It is enough just to protect it from the sun and maintain a comfortable level of humidity.

Appearance

Many gardeners today grow a plant such as Canadian spruce on their plots. Caring for this tree at home is quite simple. She looks beautiful and neat. Typically, representatives of green flora are quite large in size, which does not allow them to be grown on a private farm. It is for this reason that gardeners and landscape designers prefer dwarf varieties. These include Canadian spruce. Photos of this plant can often be found on the covers of popular home economics magazines. Distinctive features of this variety are its compact, low-growing crown and beautiful coloring of the needles. It is thanks to these characteristics that compact spruce is popular among owners of private houses and gardens.

Spruce Konika: benefits

The main advantage of Canadian spruce is its ease of care. For the coniferous beauty to grow well, natural soil fertility and natural precipitation are sufficient. You can additionally feed the plant. In summer, it is recommended to carry organic fertilizer mixed with soil into the root zone. To make the plant survive the winter easier, it will be useful to mulch using compost and peat. In spring, mulch is incorporated into the soil. The plant tolerates transplantation best when it is young. For the first time after treatment, the tree must be protected from sunny people.

Konica is widely used in landscape design today. It can be used either in a group with other plants or alone. You can often see Canadian spruce grown at home, on roofs, terraces and near houses. Thanks to its decorative shape, the tree fits perfectly into large plant compositions. It will look good combined with low-growing evergreens. Also, a beautiful coniferous tree will look great against the background of the lawn.

Conclusion

Canadian spruce Konika today is very popular among gardeners and landscape designers. This is due to its aesthetic appearance and compact size. Such a beautiful plant will decorate any area. Breeders have managed to develop a huge number of varieties characterized by the color of their needles: from bluish to light green. The advantage of Canadian spruce is that it can also be used as a houseplant. Such a plant will look elegant in a pot as a New Year's tree. In this case, it is necessary to periodically spray the spruce. In summer, a container or pot with spruce can be placed outside next to other bushes and trees. In order for the Christmas tree to grow better, it is recommended to replant it in a larger tub every year.

As it turns out, caring for Canadian spruce at home is not at all difficult. The most important thing is to provide the plant with proper care and then your yard will always look beautiful and original at any time of the year.

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