seed plants. Division Coniferophyta. Coniferous. Conifer signs. Characteristic features of coniferous plants Characteristic features of coniferous plants
Which common features conifer class? Let's try to highlight the characteristic features coniferous plants
Characteristic features of conifers
Coniferous plants have a number of common features:
a) life forms - trees, shrubs, no grasses;
b) the leaves are modified in the form of needles (spruce, pine) or scaly (cypress, thuja)
c) well-developed wood. The stem of conifers has a thin bark and massive wood, which is 90% tracheids and, unlike angiosperms, includes very little parenchyma.
d) In most conifers, a strong tap root is developed, from which long lateral roots extend. In addition to long roots, there are short, shallow roots that are highly branched and perform a suction function and are often mycorrhizal.
e) reproduce by seeds, but the seeds are open, there is no ovary, therefore conifers are classified as gymnosperms;
g) conifers are of great economic importance. Wood is used in the woodworking, paper industry, in the manufacture of furniture, musical instruments. Conifers emit substances - phytoncides, which have useful properties, so many resorts are located in coniferous forests.
variety of conifers
Approximately 1/3 of all types of conifers are pines. Pines differ from each other in the number of needles and their length. For example, in Siberian pine, gives pine nuts, five needles. in Siberia and Far East where they grow, the population calls them cedars, which is wrong.
Spruce. It grows wild in the temperate zone of Eurasia and North America. This is the most important forest species. The trunk is straight, the crown is cone-shaped. The needles are tetrahedral, sharp. Cones hanging down, up to 15 cm long.
Fir. It grows wild in Siberia, the Urals, the Caucasus, and the Carpathians. It looks a bit like a spruce, but the needles are flat (they have a four-sided shape), and the cones stand like candles (they hang down from the spruce).
Larch. In the wild, it is found only in Siberia, where it forms larch forests. The needles are collected in bunches, soft, changing annually. Larch is often bred in cities.
Juniper ordinary. A protected, slow growing and in many areas endangered wood. Cones with very juicy scales, similar to berries. Fragrant wood.
Cypress. Needles in the form of scales. Grows in the Crimea and the Caucasus.
Thuya. It occurs wild in mid-latitudes, but cultivated and ornamental species are also common. It looks like a cypress, but the shoots seem to be flattened.
Interesting facts about coniferous plants
Among conifers there are real champions. So, evergreen sequoia (USA, areas near the Pacific Ocean) - the tallest tree in the world - reaches 120 m, trunk diameter 10-12 m), life expectancy - 3-4 thousand years.
Fir Nordmann (Caucasus) - the tallest tree in Russia, up to 60-70 m.
Spiny pine (USA. California) is a long-lived tree, life expectancy is almost 5000 years.
Coniferous trees and shrubs are gymnosperms. The leaves of most coniferous plants are needle-shaped, narrow, perennial or falling for the winter (in larch), called needles, or scaly (in cypress).
"stamens", more precisely microsporophylls, are collected in male cones (spikelets). The "stamens" have from 2 to 20 microsporangia, from which "pollen" is ejected when ripe, or rather microspores, which in most species are equipped with two air sacs. The female cones are composed of megastrobils bearing ovules, or megasporangia. The ovules are not covered by anything and are more often located in pairs at the base of the seed scales (in pine, spruce) or singly at the ends of the shoots (in yew). The ovules are pollinated by the wind. Fertilization of the egg occurs a long time after pollination - from several months (in larch, spruce, fir) to a year (in pine, cedar).
Ripe seeds sit openly at the base of the seed scale (pine family) or singly at the ends of the shoots and are surrounded by a fleshy seedling (yew family). Hence the name - gymnosperms.
Cones consist of an axis and seed and covering scales. The latter are usually invisible and only in fir and some species of larch protrude from under the edge of the seed scales in the form of tongues. Coniferous seeds are equipped with transparent wings (pine, spruce, fir, larch) or without them (cedar, yew). Most of our conifers are monoecious plants, less often - dioecious (yew).
Grape
In gardens and home gardens, you can choose a warmer place for planting grapes, for example, on the sunny side of the house, garden pavilion, veranda. It is recommended to plant grapes along the border of the site. The vines formed in one line will not take up much space and at the same time will be well lit from all sides. Near buildings, grapes should be placed so that water flowing from the roofs does not fall on it. On level ground, it is necessary to make ridges with good drainage due to drainage furrows. Some gardeners, following the experience of their colleagues in the western regions of the country, dig deep planting holes and fill them with organic fertilizers and fertilized soil. Pits dug in waterproof clay are a kind of closed vessel that fills with water during the monsoon rains. IN fertile land The root system of grapes develops well at first, but as soon as waterlogging begins, it suffocates. Deep pits can play a positive role in soils where good natural drainage is provided, the subsoil is permeable, or reclamation artificial drainage is possible. planting grapes
You can quickly restore an obsolete grape bush by layering (“katavlak”). To this end, healthy vines of a neighboring bush are placed in grooves dug to the place where the dead bush used to grow, and sprinkled with earth. The top is brought to the surface, from which a new bush then grows. Lignified vines are laid on layering in spring, and green ones in July. They are not separated from the mother bush for two to three years. A frozen or very old bush can be restored by short pruning to healthy above-ground parts or pruning to the “black head” of an underground stem. In the latter case, the underground trunk is freed from the ground and completely cut down. Not far from the surface, new shoots grow from dormant buds, due to which a new bush is formed. Grape bushes that have been neglected and severely damaged by frost are restored due to stronger fatty shoots formed in the lower part of the old wood and the removal of weakened sleeves. But before removing the sleeve, they form a replacement for it. Grape care
A gardener starting to grow grapes needs to study well the structure of the vine and the biology of this most interesting plant. Grapes belong to liana (climbing) plants, it needs support. But it can creep along the ground and take root, as is observed in Amur grapes in a wild state. The roots and the aerial part of the stem grow rapidly, branch strongly and reach large sizes. Under natural conditions, without human intervention, a branched grape bush grows with many vines of various orders, which comes into fruiting late and yields irregularly. In culture, the grapes are formed, give the bushes a form that is convenient for care, providing a high yield of high-quality clusters. Vine
Lemongrass
In the literature on climbing vines, the methods of preparing planting pits and the planting itself are unnecessarily complicated. It is proposed to dig trenches and pits up to 80 cm deep, lay drainage from broken bricks, shards, install a pipe to the drainage for food, cover it with special earth, etc. When planting several bushes in collective gardens, such preparation is still possible; but the recommended depth of the pit is not suitable for the Far East, where the thickness of the root-inhabited layer reaches 30 cm at best and it is underlain most often by impervious subsoil. Whatever drainage is laid, but a deep hole will inevitably turn out to be a closed vessel, where water will accumulate during the monsoon rains, and this will entail damping and rotting of the roots from lack of air. Yes, and the roots of actinidia and lemongrass vines, as already noted, are distributed in the taiga in the surface layer of the soil. Planting lemongrass
Chinese lemongrass, or schizandra, has several names - lemon tree, red grape, gomisha (Japanese), cochinta, kojianta (Nanai), kolchita (Ulchi), usimtya (Udege), uchampu (Oroch). In terms of structure, systemic relationship, center of origin and distribution, Schisandra chinensis has nothing to do with the real citrus plant lemon, but all its organs (roots, shoots, leaves, flowers, berries) exude the aroma of lemon, hence the name Schisandra. Lemongrass clinging or wrapping around a support, along with Amur grapes, three types of actinidia, is an original plant of the Far Eastern taiga. Its fruits, like a real lemon, are too acidic for fresh consumption, but they have medicinal properties, pleasant aroma, and this attracted a lot of attention to it. The taste of Schisandra chinensis berries improves somewhat after frost. Local hunters who consume such fruits claim that they relieve fatigue, invigorate the body and improve eyesight. In the consolidated Chinese pharmacopoeia, compiled back in 1596, it says: "Chinese lemongrass fruit has five tastes, classified in the first category of medicinal substances. The pulp of lemongrass is sour and sweet, the seeds are bitter-astringent, and in general the taste of the fruit is salty. Thus, It contains all five tastes. Grow lemongrass
On a nice summer day! Majestic coniferous trees with widely spread branches, creating a cozy shade, will not leave indifferent any lover of forest walks.
Coniferous plants are not only companions of a pleasant forest walk, but also full members of the plant community. Often, passing by, people do not even think about how many interesting things you can learn about this class of trees.
It's no secret that a person learns a significant part of the information about the world around him while sitting at a school desk. And how is the educational process being built now when children study the class of coniferous plants?
What are conifers? How are they classified modern science? How does the acquaintance of children mastering the basic general educational program of primary general education with the class of conifers occur? The answers to these questions, many other interesting facts, as well as beautiful photographs await the reader in the article.
What plants are called conifers?
Most people of all ages, religions, nationalities and political persuasions know that trees are divided into coniferous and deciduous. WITH deciduous trees all clear. They have leaves that form foliage. Branches with foliage, in turn, form the crown of trees. Particularly sophisticated people even know that the leaves of trees and plants are involved in the process of photosynthesis, providing the planet Earth with oxygen and processing carbon dioxide.
But what about coniferous plants? Why are they called that? Can they, like their leafy counterparts, participate in the production of oxygen? Let's figure it out.
The name of the class "coniferous" comes from the word called modified leaves plants that have an elongated narrow shape and a pointed end. With unsuccessful interaction with the needles of trees, you can even pierce your hand or seriously damage your eyes.
Conifers are vascular plants. This means that the transfer nutrients and moisture inside the tree occurs through a system of vessels.
The next sign is woody. It should be understood as the presence of wood on a tree trunk. All are perennial.
The hallmark of conifers is that they are evergreen. Yes, some of them shed their leaves (for example, larch) once a year. Some plants, at the same time, change their "wardrobe" once every fifty years.
Another unique sign of conifers is the presence of a cone in which seeds ripen. The cone is the one that plays a key role in the reproduction of these plants. Scientists have proven that some representatives of the Coniferous department can store seeds in their cones for decades.
Most representatives of conifers have a straight trunk and branches extending from it in different directions. A characteristic feature of many plants of this class are whorls - peculiar rings formed by branches extending from the main tree trunk. Counting the number of whorls on a tree trunk is one way to determine the age of a tree. Each ring of whorls corresponds to one year that has passed in the life of the tree. The straight trunk in the vast majority of cases ends with a pronounced crown.
An interesting feature of gymnosperms of the Coniferous class is that many of them begin to dry out from the crown. This is explained by the peculiar supply of nutrients along the trunk of trees. Such problems with conifers can occur due to poor ecology. Another common cause is damage to the root system of the tree or its bark.
Coniferous roots
Also peculiar. Most often, most of them retain the main root throughout their lives. Smaller roots extend from it, running almost along the surface of the earth. Such a device of the root system is an advantage and a disadvantage of such trees. On the one hand, in this way the plant can collect more nutrients due to the larger area of soil covered by the root system. On the other hand, such a root arrangement makes Conifers extremely vulnerable to forest fires. It is not uncommon for entire hectares of forest to stand dead because the fire that destroyed the small undergrowth also destroyed the roots of the trees.
What is the needles like?
The length of the needles may vary depending on the species of a particular tree. Some specimens have giant needles, the length of which can reach up to thirty centimeters (for example, Engelman's pine). The smallest needles can reach a length of only three to six millimeters.
The needles of trees of the Coniferous class also differ in their hardness. Some species, such as larch, have soft and delicate needles, which are simply impossible to damage. Spruces, on the contrary, have hard needles that, under an unfortunate set of circumstances, can even pierce clothes and human skin.
The needles of individual tree species are abundantly covered with special wax. This was done by prudent nature in order to protect the plant from excessive ultraviolet rays, which are detrimental to it.
Young and mature needles also differ from each other. Young leaf-like organs of coniferous trees are softer than older ones. Old needles become rough to the touch. This is due to the fact that the special pores of the needles, which are responsible for the "breathing" of the plant, gradually become larger and begin to be felt to the touch.
Useful substances contained in the needles
The needles of most plants of the Coniferous class are sour in taste (especially spruce), tart. This is due to the presence of a significant amount of amino acids there. When chewing the needles, a slurry is formed that does not disintegrate in the mouth. Constant use of needles for food is not recommended, although it is not poisonous.
On the contrary, needles are often used for medicinal purposes. This is done because of the richest set of substances contained in it. There are many vitamins in the needles of trees (vitamin C, vitamin P, vitamin K, as well as iron, cobalt and manganese).
Pine needles are one of the most sought after sources of carotene (the substance that is found in large quantities in carrots). Its content reaches from one hundred and fifty to three hundred milligrams per kilogram of needles.
How long ago did conifers appear on Earth?
Coniferous plants are very ancient. Perhaps even the most ancient higher plants On the Earth.
Exhibits taken from the ground by archaeologists and paleobotanists are subjected to radiocarbon analysis to determine the most accurate age of the fossil. As a result of these procedures, it was found that individual representatives class Conifers existed on our planet already three hundred million years ago. Think about these figures - three hundred million years ago! In it ancient time in nature, there was not even a hint of a person yet, and the planet was inhabited by huge dinosaurs.
The discovery of scientists is of interest. According to research by the scientific community studying the history of this class of plants, a characteristic feature of the ancient conifers was that among them there were many shrubs and even herbaceous plants. Now, unfortunately, most of them have died out, giving way to modern representatives coniferous class.
To date, the vast majority of conifers are trees covered with strong bark and not having grassy fibers.
The place of conifers in the systematics of plants
Each class of plants is systematized by scientists into a single system. Plants that have needles instead of foliage were no exception.
Conifers is quite simple and straightforward. If we give a simple classification of conifers, then it will look like this: eukaryotes, plants, conifers.
Domain Eukaryotes combine organisms that have a cellular structure. In addition to plants, accounting also includes animals, fungi, protists and chromists.
The next level of classification is the kingdom. Conifers belong to the plant kingdom, as they meet all the inherent characteristics. This is the presence of a dense cellulose membrane of the cell, and growth throughout life, and the process of photosynthesis, and maintaining an attached lifestyle (they do not move independently).
The kingdoms are subdivided into departments. The department that interests us - Gymnosperms of the Coniferous class - is included here. He got his name because the plants included in this department do not have a seed coat.
Departments are divided into classes. The department of gymnosperms includes the classes Ginkgo (the only representative is Ginkgo biloba), Cycads, Gnetovye and finally Coniferous. There were two more classes of gymnosperms - Bennettite and seed ferns, but today they are recognized as extinct.
How are conifers classified?
The Coniferous class, in turn, is also subdivided into several smaller classification steps. Let's consider the main ones.
A class in botany is conventionally divided into subclasses. The plant class Conifers is divided into the subclass Cordaite (now extinct) and the subclass Coniferous. Yes, it's not a typo. The class and subclass names are the same.
The subclass of conifers includes 6 (according to other classifications 7) plant families. All of them form one order - Coniferous (Pine). These include Pine, Araucaria, Cypress, Taxodie, Podocarp and Yew plants.
Each family is divided into genera, in which specific species are already distinguished. For example, we classify a plant, starting with a class. For example, common pine. Class - Conifers. Subclass - Conifers. Order - Coniferous (Pine). Family - Pine. Genus - Pine. View - Scotch pine. Any coniferous plant lends itself to a similar classification.
Variety of species
In total, in the classification of plants, there are from six hundred to six hundred and fifty species of the coniferous class. Their characteristics are largely similar, but they also have differences. Let's get to know coniferous trees, often found in Russia, closer!
One of the most common plants in Russian latitudes is spruce. This genus of plants is characterized by a high trunk and a lush cone-shaped beautiful crown. special property of this tree is the ability to live almost forever - spruce is able to put out living roots from a dead tree. There are more than thirty species of this gorgeous plant on the globe.
Pine is also very common in our country. Researchers have recorded more than a hundred species of pines, the vast majority of which grow in the northern hemisphere of the Earth. Feature pines - high resin content. If you approach and hug a tree, then with a high degree of probability the clothes will have to be cleaned.
The next representative of conifers found on the territory of Russia is larch. This tree exceeds forty meters in height, and lives up to four hundred years. A feature of larch is the drop of needles on winter time. The needles of the tree are soft, very pleasant to the touch.
Types of conifers based on size and growth rate
In the scientific community, as one of the classification systems for conifers, classification is distinguished by the size of the annual growth of the tree. There are five types. The most "fast" plants add fifteen to twenty centimeters a year. The "slowest" - three to five centimeters.
World record holders
Interesting fact: coniferous trees are "world champions in all categories".
In the nomination "The oldest tree" on the first step of the podium is Old Tikko - a pine tree in the mountains of Sweden. According to the most conservative estimates of biologists, the age of the tree is more than nine and a half thousand years. The secret of Tikko's longevity is that he managed to put down living roots from a tree that burned down in a fire. These roots serve the owner until now. By the way, the second and third places are also occupied by representatives of the coniferous class. These trees are more than five thousand years old, and they grew when there were no presidents, no kings, no Roman and Greek emperors, and most of the Egyptian pharaohs.
The Hyperion sequoia is considered the tallest tree in the world. A powerful tree with a straight trunk rises one hundred and fifteen meters above the American forests. The height of the giant is comparable to a house of forty floors.
The most massive tree is also a conifer. "General Sherman" - a sequoiadendron from California National Park - weighs about two million kilograms in total. According to the calculations of practical Americans, up to forty houses with five rooms in each of them can be built from its wood. The second largest tree in the world is "General Grant". This sequoiadendron has been declared a US national shrine and a monument to fallen soldiers.
The place of conifers in the educational program of elementary school
With the entry into force of the federal state educational standard for primary general education, the school curriculum was also revised. The subject in which children get acquainted with wildlife is called " The world". To study it, the kids are allocated two hours a week.
As part of the study of the subject "The world around us", the guys get acquainted with coniferous trees. At the end of mastering the program of primary general education, teachers often resort to such a form of knowledge testing as the dictation "Coniferous Forest". In grade 4, children know the types of trees and are able to talk about them. Also an important evaluation criterion is the determination of the type of plant.
How is this topic studied at the beginning of training?
Coniferous trees in grade 1 begin to be studied by first graders from the simplest. The teacher usually asks the children about their personal experiences. Were there children in the forest? What did they see there?
At the same time, it is very important to motivate the child to study, to create an educational situation. In order to achieve the cherished goal, primary school teachers often resort to various tricks: either they put a letter on the table from the Old Man-Lesovichok with an invitation to visit the Magic Forest, or they will be transported along with the class to unknown paths in Baba Yaga's mortar. The main thing is that the child has interested eyes.
The study of conifers by second graders
On the subject "The world around us" Grade 2 studies coniferous plants in more detail. The children begin to get acquainted with the most common families, learn to distinguish their characteristic features from photographs. As part of the study of the coniferous forest in the 2nd grade, the teacher is also tasked with instilling in children a careful and caring attitude towards nature.
To create educational situations, the technique of guessing riddles is often used, which is very effective in elementary school. About coniferous plants in the 2nd grade, children can make many different interesting riddles. For example, "On New Year everyone is happy with her, even though her outfit is prickly "(answer - spruce). This method achieves two results at once: the child's attention is concentrated and an educational situation arises.
Especially popular in elementary school is the system, the author of which is Zankov. Coniferous and flowering plants Grade 2 studies using interactive techniques. The class teacher often asks children to prepare reports on given topics. After preparing the report, it is imperative to speak with it in front of the class in order to convey information to other children. Important point- to teach children to listen to others, to be able to formulate and ask a good and interesting question, to support a discussion. This approach instills in students the ability to speak to an audience, communication skills. Children learn to argue and defend their position, to profitably present the results of their work.
Coniferous and flowering plants for grade 2 are an excellent occasion to distribute reports on various types of such plants among children. By this principle, you can build the entire lesson, and it will be highly effective.
Zankov Leonid Vladimirovich is a Russian psychologist who proposed a unique training system in the mid-nineties. The hallmark of the system is its humanitarian nature and the personal development of children. Work on such a system requires high skill and professionalism from the teacher.
What new things do children learn about conifers in the third year of study?
In grade 3, conifers also continue to be studied. Children get to know them in more detail, affect the representatives of conifers in their region, study the characteristics and characteristics of some species. The teacher begins to build with the students the simplest food chains in which conifers are involved.
As a current control of students' knowledge, teachers often conduct simple tests for grade 3 on coniferous trees. This method allows you to quickly assess the mastery of the material covered by the class, identify children who have poorly learned the information, and pay additional attention to working with them.
At the end of elementary school
In the 4th grade, which completes the mastering of the basic educational program of primary general education by children, more complex methods of working with children are used. One of these methods can be called project activity. The essence lies in the distribution (or choice at will) among students or groups of students of topics for developing a project. This approach allows not only to develop the individual qualities of children, but also to teach them to work in a team, which is very important. After the preparation of the project, as well as with the reports, they are defended.
Conclusion
Now the reader has discovered new facts about gymnosperms of the Coniferous class, which will help him take a fresh look at conifers when he meets them, classify them according to the generally accepted system. It is important to take care of these plants, because, being evergreen, they all year round produce oxygen and absorb carbon dioxide. Thanks to conifers, the air on our planet becomes cleaner.
Among the plants that adorn 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, conifers are especially popular in winter - on the eve of the New Year. They look spectacular in New Year's decoration in our apartments, under snow caps in large parks and squares, and in very small areas.
As regards the planted coniferous plants, then we can say that the sympathies of gardeners are almost evenly distributed among various kinds firs, pines, thujas, junipers and larches. All of them can be called centenarians, many of them live even more than one hundred years.
Almost all coniferous plants are evergreen. Only some of them, for example, larch, sheds needles for the winter. All the rest update their needles gradually. Once every few years, 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:
- They tolerate the lack of light and moisture well.
- Many varieties naturally have the correct shape, and therefore do not need a haircut.
- Due to the medicinal coniferous aroma, they are widely used in folk and official medicine.
- Due to the variety of types and forms, they are actively used in landscape compositions in areas 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 soil composition on the site
coniferous plants go well, in particular with cereals, with roses, etc. If the answers are ready, you can start selecting the variety, type and shape of the coniferous plant.
Types of coniferous plants
Spruce
Evergreen monoecious and wind-pollinated plant. Its Latin name (Lat. Picea) spruce is obliged great content resin in wood. Widespread use in industry is due to the softness of wood and the absence of a core.
Spruce- perhaps the most beloved and common coniferous tree in our country. These beautiful slender trees with a pyramidal crown occupy one of the first places in the coniferous kingdom and have 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 types of spruce are well known.
Spruce is considered a fairly shade-tolerant plant, however, it still prefers good lighting. Her root system is superficial, i.e. close to the ground. Therefore, the earth at the roots is not dug up. Spruce is demanding on soil fertility, loves light loamy and sandy loamy soils.
Types of fir trees successfully used in landscaping the site:
Sometimes reaches 40 meters. Fast growing tree. Due to the special color of the needles - the top is a brilliant dark green, and the bottom - with noticeable white stripes - it gives the impression that the tree is bluish-green. Brown-purple buds give the plant a special charm and elegance.
Serbian spruce looks great, both in a single and in a group planting. An excellent example is the magnificent alleys in the parks.
There are dwarf varieties with a height of no more than 2 meters.
(Picea obovata). On the territory of our country, it grows in Western and Eastern Siberia, the Far East and the Urals.
A coniferous tree up to 30 m high. The crown is dense, wide-conical, with a pointed top. The bark is fissured, gray. Cones ovoid-cylindrical, brown. It has several subtypes that differ in the color of the needles - from pure green to silver and even golden.
European spruce, or common (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 spruce- oblong-cylindrical shape. They ripen in autumn in October, and their seeds begin to fall from January to April. European spruce is considered the fastest growing. So, in a year it can grow by 50 cm.
Thanks to breeding work, several very decorative varieties of this species have been bred to date. Among them there are weeping, compact, 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 advent of winter. Any shade of needles effectively emphasizes the snow cover, and the garden looks elegant and noble.
In addition to the above types of spruce, prickly, oriental, black, Canadian, Ayan spruce are popular with gardeners.
The genus of pine consists of more than 100 names. These conifers are distributed throughout almost the entire Northern Hemisphere. Also, pine grows well in the composition of forests in Asia and North America. Artificially planted pine plantations feel good in the southern hemisphere of our planet. It is much more difficult for this coniferous tree to take root in the conditions of the city.
It tolerates frost and drought well. But the pine does not really like the lack of light. This coniferous plant gives a good annual growth. The dense crown of pine is very decorative, and therefore pine is successfully used in landscaping parks and gardens, both in single planting and in group planting. This conifer prefers sandy, calcareous and rocky soils. Although there are several types of pine that prefer fertile soils- this is Weymouth pine, Wallich, cedar and resinous.
Some properties of pine are simply amazing. For example, the peculiarity of its bark delights, when the bark below is much thicker than the one above. This makes us once again think about the wisdom of nature. After all, it is this property that protects the tree from summer overheating and a 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 the cold approaches, the pine needles are covered with a thin layer of wax, and the stomata close. Those. pine stops breathing!
Scotch pine. It is rightfully considered a symbol of the Russian forest. In height, the tree reaches 35-40 meters, and therefore it is deservedly called a tree of the first magnitude. The circumference of the trunk sometimes reaches 1 meter. Pine needles are dense, bluish-green. The shape is different - sticking out, curved, and even collected in bunches of 2 needles.
The life expectancy 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 legs. Ripe cones are brown or brown in color and reach a length of 6 cm.
Under adverse conditions, Scotch pine may stop growing and remain a "dwarf". Surprisingly, different instances can have a different root system. For example, in arid soils, a pine tree may develop a taproot that extracts water deep underground. And in conditions of high occurrence ground water lateral roots develop.
The life expectancy of Scots pine can reach 200 years. There are cases in history when a pine lived for 400 years.
Scotch pine is considered fast growing. For a year, its growth can be 50-70 cm. This coniferous tree begins to bear fruit from the age of 15. In the conditions of the forest and dense planting - only after 40 years.
The Latin name is 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. Cones ripen in the 3rd year.
To date, more than 100 varieties of mountain pine have been registered. And this number is increasing every year. In landscape gardening, dwarf varieties are especially used, which form beautiful compositions along the banks of reservoirs and in rocky gardens.
Magnificent view with a narrow pyramidal crown. Homeland - North America. In our country grows well in southern and middle lane. Grows up to 10 meters. It does not tolerate urban conditions very well. Especially in young age freezes often. Prefers places protected from the winds. Therefore, yellow pine is best planted in groups.
The needles are dark and long. The bark is thick, reddish-brown, cracking into large plates. Cones ovoid, almost sessile. In total, there are about 10 varieties of yellow pine.
A very showy variety of pine. Homeland - North America. The needles have a blue-green tint. The cones are large and somewhat curved. An adult 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 home from North America in the 18th century.
It does not tolerate salty soils and. It is relatively resistant to frost, but does not like winds. Weymouth pine is characterized by reddish pubescence on young shoots.
A relatively low coniferous plant - up to 20 m high. This is a slow-growing tree. The bark is light gray, lamellar. The needles are bright green, hard, curved. Cones are yellowish, shiny, long. The diameter of the crown can reach 5-6 meters.
Some experts consider it Geldreich's pine. Indeed, the resemblance is 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. Approximately the same number of Geldreich's pines. Often varieties can be mixed.
This type of pine in the conditions of our country takes root best in the southern regions, as it does not tolerate frost well. Whitebark pine is photophilous, it is undemanding to the nutritional composition of the soil, but it grows better on moderately moist, drained and moderately alkaline soils.
Looks good in a Japanese, rocky and heather garden. Great for both solitary planting and mixed group.
Fir
Tall (up to 60 m) coniferous tree with a conical crown. A bit like a spruce. It can be up to 2 meters in diameter. This is a real long-lived plant. Some specimens live 400-700 years. The trunk of a fir is straight, columnar. The crown is dense. At a young age, the fir crown has a cone-shaped or pyramidal shape. As they grow older, the shape of the crown becomes cylindrical.
Needles, depending on the variety, have different length and live 8-10 years. Fir begins to bear fruit from the age of about 30 years. Cones are erect and long (up to 25 cm).
This coniferous plant does not tolerate frost, drought and great heat. The pluses include the fact that this is the most shade-tolerant tree. Sometimes shoots can appear under the mother tree in full shading. With good lighting, firs naturally grow better.
This coniferous plant is a real find in landscape gardening. Fir is used both in a single planting and for decorating alleys. Dwarf forms look great in a rocky garden and on an alpine hill.
Botanical name Abies balsamea "Nana". This coniferous plant is a dwarf cushion tree. Naturally grows in North America.
In care unpretentious. He likes good lighting, but he also tolerates shade well. For balsam fir, not so much frost is terrible as strong gusty winds that can simply damage a small tree. The soil prefers light, moist, fertile, slightly acidic. It reaches a height of 1 m, which makes it a favorite decorative object in landscape gardening. It is equally good for decorating a garden, landscaping terraces, slopes and roofs.
Propagated by seeds and annual cuttings with an apical bud.
The needles are dark green with a special reflection. Exudes a characteristic resinous aroma. Cones are red-brown, elongated, reach a length of 5-10 cm.
It is a very slow growing coniferous plant. For 10 years, it grows no more than 30 cm. It lives up to 300 years.
Fir Nordmann (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 shape of the crown is a neat cone-shaped. It is for this neat appearance and gardeners love Nordmann fir.
It is she who is dressed up instead of a Christmas tree for the New Year holidays in many European countries. This is largely due to the structure of the branches - the branches are often located and raised up. This distinguishing feature fir Nordmann.
The needles are dark green with some sheen. Young shoots are light green, even yellowish. Needles - from 15 to 40 mm, look very fluffy. If the needles are lightly rubbed between the fingers, you can feel a specific citrus aroma.
The trunk of an adult plant can reach a diameter of two meters. At a young age, the bark of the Caucasian fir is grayish-brown, smooth. As it matures, it cracks into segments and becomes matte.
Nordmann fir is growing quite fast. Under favorable conditions, this coniferous tree can live up to 600-700 years. Moreover, the increase in height and width continues until the very last day of 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, arranged vertically on a short stem.
It has a unique property - the needles on the branches remain even after they have dried, up to mechanical damage.
A coniferous evergreen plant belonging to the Cypress family. It can be both a tree and 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 - East African. In the Mediterranean and Central Asia, this plant forms juniper forests. Quite common are undersized species that creep along the ground and rocky slopes.
To date, more than fifty species of juniper are known.
As a rule, it is a photophilous and drought-resistant culture. Absolutely 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 conifers, it belongs to centenarians. Its average life expectancy is about 500 years.
The needles of the juniper are bluish-green in color, triangular, pointed at the ends. Cones are spherical, gray or of blue color. Rod root.
This coniferous plant was attributed and magical properties. For example, it was believed that a juniper wreath scares away evil spirits and brings good luck. Perhaps that is why in Europe there was a fashion to hang 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 with 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 a haircut.
Scaly juniper (Juniperus squamata)- creeping shrub. Thick branches with the same dense needles look very decorative.
Evergreen coniferous plant. Has the appearance of 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, who live up to 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, eastern, giant, Korean, Japanese, etc.
Thuja needles are soft needle-shaped. At young plant the needles have a light green color. With age, the needles become more dark shade. The fruits are oval or oblong cones. Seeds ripen in the first year.
Thuja is famous for its unpretentiousness. She tolerates frost well, and is not capricious in care. Unlike other conifers, it tolerates gas content well in major cities. Therefore, it is indispensable in urban gardening.
Larches
Coniferous plants with needles falling down for the winter. This partly explains its name. These are large, light-loving and winter-hardy plants that grow quickly, are undemanding to soils and tolerate air pollution well.
Larch trees are especially beautiful in early spring and late autumn. In spring, larch needles acquire a soft green hue, and in autumn - bright yellow. Since the needles grow every year, its needles are very soft.
Larch fructifies from 15 years. Cones have an ovoid-conical shape, somewhat reminiscent of a rose flower. They reach a length of 6 cm. Young cones are purple in color. As they mature, they turn brown.
Larch- 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 species and conditions.
In addition, larch is very useful tree. It has a very hard and durable wood. In the industry, its red core is in the greatest demand. Also, larch is valued in traditional medicine. Folk healers harvest its young shoots, buds and larch resin, 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 remedy.
Photo of coniferous plants
Enjoy the beauty of nature with us
Conifers are the most important representatives of the gymnosperms subdivision. They are characterized by monopodial branching and an open arrangement of ovules on macrosporophylls, or seed scales; sometimes the ovules sit at the ends of the shoots. The class of conifers includes 7 families. The most important families for our country are: Pine (Pinaceae), Yew (Tahaceae) and Cypress (Cupressaceae). The pine family includes four genera of tree species growing wild in the USSR: pine (Pinus), larch (Larix), spruce (Picea) and fir (Abies), and among the introduced ones - the genus Pseudotzuga.
In most species of conifers, the leaves (needles) are needle-shaped, linear or scaly; they remain on plants for several years. In the genus larch, the needles fall off annually and develop again in the spring.
"Flowers" in conifers in the form of spikelets and cones. Male (anther) spikelets and female cones are formed at the ends of the shoots or in the axils of the leaves (needles). Stamens with two, rarely with big amount anthers. Pollen with two air sacs, ensuring its distribution in the air over considerable distances. Sometimes there are no air sacs (in larch), and pollen is only a small distance away from the crown. Female cones - with numerous megasporophylls (seed scales), incorrectly called carpels, sometimes several, less often without them. The link is missing. Therefore, there is no real fruit. In species that do not form cones (yews), the ovule sits at the end of the shoot, and the seeds are surrounded by a fleshy perisperm.
Most coniferous seeds have wings, which contributes to the dispersal of seeds over considerable distances. However, species with wingless seeds (cedar pines) are known, which are distributed by birds and some animals. Coniferous seeds ripen in autumn in the year of flowering or in the second, less often, third year after flowering. In some species, the seeds from the cones spill out shortly after they ripen, but in the majority they remain in the cones until the next spring, and then gradually spill out of the cones.
Seed germination in many species is usually high and proper storage kept for several years. The embryo usually has 2 to 15 cotyledons.
Coniferous wood, excluding primary wood, is without vessels and consists of tracheids. Annual layers (rings) are clearly visible.
The value of conifers growing in our forests is exceptionally great. Coniferous forests occupy about 77% of the entire forested area of the Soviet Union. They provide the most valuable timber for many branches of the national economy and many other forest products.
| No. p / p | Type of woody | Place of growth (place of collection) | Morphological, vegetative and generative characters. Physical and mechanical properties. |
| Scotch pine Pinus selvestris | It grows almost everywhere: from north to south from the zone of forest growth, to the Chernozem region. From west to east to Amur. | Trees 25-40m tall. The trunk diameter is 0.5-1.2m. Needles 2 in a bunch (double pines), crescent-shaped. The bark below is corky, gray-brown lamellar, above - cork, smooth, yellowish-brown. Cones ovoid, gray-brown, with apophysis. Slightly pink heartwood, becoming brown-red over time, sapwood is wide from yellow to pink, annual rings are characteristically visible, many resin passages. Medium density wood 505kg/m 3 . Well handled. Easily soaked. Pine wood is not homogeneous. It occupies 1/6 of the area of all forests in Russia. | |
| Weymouth pine P. strobus | North America | Tree 30-67m tall, 1-1.8m diameter. The trunk is straight. Needles 5 in a bunch (five-coniferous pines), triangular, long, soft. The bark from the bottom is gray-brown, scaly. Cones are long, scales without apophyses. | |
| Siberian pine (cedar) P. sibirica | Western and Eastern Siberia | Up to 35m height, 1.8m diameter. The needles are 5 in a bunch (five-coniferous pines), triangular in shape, below with stomatal bluish stripes, curved, long. Shoots are thick, with brown pubescence. The bark is dark gray, scaly below. Cones ovoid, scales slightly curved. When ripe, the cones crumble. | |
| European spruce. Siberian spruce Picea alba, P. sibirical | It occupies 1/8 of the forested area. North and Center of the European part of Russia. | 30-40m height. The needles are single, quadrangular. Smooth bark, scaly crust at the bottom of the trunk, gray color. Coreless, ripe wood species, white wood with a yellow tinge. Annual layers and resin passages are clearly visible. Cones with soft seed scales, serrated along the edge in European spruce, and with a smooth oval edge in Siberian spruce. Density 445kg/m 3 . High knot density. It warps a little. | |
| Siberian cedar | Northeast Russia to Transbaikalia | 5-44m in height and 1.8m in diameter. The bark is dark gray, scaly below. Needles 5 in a bunch, below with stomatal bluish stripes. Cones broadly ovoid, large, light brown with tightly pressed scales. Annual layers are visible. The transition from early to late wood is weakly expressed. There are few resin passages, but larger. Wood is well processed in all directions. Density 435kg/m 3 . Resistant to decay and worming. It has a beautiful texture and pleasant smell. Used in the manufacture of pencils. | |
| Siberian fir Abies sibirical | Western Siberia | Up to 30m. The needles are single two-row, flat, blunt, with a notch at the top. Nuclear-free, ripe wood species. Reminds me of spruce wood. Soft. Density 400kg/m 3 . | |
| European larch. Siberian larch. Larix dicidual, L. sibirical | North of the European part and Eastern Siberia | 30-50m in height and 0.8-1m in diameter. Needles in bunches up to several tens, short, flat, soft. The bark below is fissured, scaly, gray-brown. The heartwood is reddish, the sapwood is narrow yellowish-white. Well visible annual layers. Few and small resin passages. The cones are very small - L. Siberian. In L. European - small, adherent to the shoots. High-strength, dense (665kg/m 3). Decay resistant, beautiful texture, difficult to machine. Prone to internal cracks when drying. | |
| Pseudotsuga menziezii | North America | The needles are single, regular, flat, soft with a pointed top. The bark is smooth, gray, with resin nodules. Cones are elongated-ovoid, with protruding scales in the form of a trident. | |
| Yew berry Taxus beccata | Caucasus | 25m high. The needles are flat, dark green, pointed above, arranged in two rows. Rigid. The bark is red-brown, finely fissured, narrow-lamellar. Red-brown heartwood and narrow yellowish-white sapwood. The annual layers are tortuous. The core rays are not visible. Has a beautiful texture, appreciated as finishing material. Density 815kg/m 3 . Well dyed. | |
| Cypress Cupressus sempervirens | Caucasus | 25m height. The leaves are small, scaly. The bark is thick, brown, finely fissured, with longitudinal plates. Cones are spherical, woody, with a spike on the scales. | |
| Common juniper Juniperus communis | forest zone | Up to 10m height. The leaves are needle-shaped, 3 in a whorl. The bark is red-brown, peeling. Green cones-berries. |
Juniper Cossack (J. sabina L.) Cone berries with a diameter of 5-7 mm, mature brown-black, with a bluish bloom, ripen in autumn in the second year after flowering. It is undemanding to the soil. It grows on sands and rocky slopes of mountains. Frost-resistant. Very photophilous and drought-resistant. It has great soil protection and agroforestry importance. It has long been used to fix loose sands in Central Asia. Wood can be used for fuel. Propagated by seeds, layering and cuttings. Since the needles, branches and cones contain essential poisonous oil, the cultivation of Cossack juniper in public parks and gardens is not recommended.
Genus Thuja (Thuja Tourn.)
A genus of trees and shrubs of the thuya subfamily with scaly, cross-opposite needles and flat, flattened shoots. Male spikelets are apical, small, rounded, sitting in the axils of the needles. Female spikelets are terminal, each scale, except for the upper pair, with 1-2 ovules. The cones are small, up to 10 mm long, elongated oval, with 3-6 pairs of scales arranged crosswise, ripen in the fall in the year of flowering and fall off after the seeds open and fly out. Seeds are small, oval, dipterous. Seedlings with two cotyledons. Primary needles are needle-shaped. Propagated by seeds, in horticultural crops and cuttings. Handles haircut well.
