El Engelman
El Engelman(Picea engelmannii )
Coniferous tree, type species of the genus Spruce (Picea) of the Pine family (Pinaceae).
An evergreen coniferous tree that grows up to 50 meters, the diameter of the trunk with such growth can reach 90 cm. Every year the tree increases its height by 20 cm.
This species is long-lived vivo lives up to five hundred years, however, the needles last no more than fifteen years.
The spruce has a dense crown in the shape of a cone, the branches are drooping, most often they grow symmetrically. On the trunk, scaly bark is red- Brown, with small cracks. On young branches, the bark is yellowish, with a margin.
El Engelman
The kidneys have the same elongated shape like the crown. Young needles have more of a blue tint in color, the old ones have more green, the needles are tetrahedral, sharp, but not hard. The length of the needles is up to 2 cm.
In August, cones ripen, large, egg-shaped, up to 7 cm long, brown (young - burgundy). Winged seeds of dark brown color are hidden under scales with sharp edges.
The species is not afraid of winds, it tolerates both high and low temperatures equally well. Also, drought is not terrible, only young seedlings require careful watering.
Since under natural conditions, the Engelman variety forms dense plantings, in a shaded place it will develop as well as in a lighted one.
It is picky in the choice of soil, in nature it grows well on limestones. It is desirable to provide a culture with a drained, moderately moist substrate with a neutral reaction, for example, loam.
The breed is not demanding on growing conditions, drought-resistant, photophilous.
Handles shearing and shaping well. In principle, formative pruning is not needed for a tree, but when planting a fence or an alley, it is necessary.
Soil: pH = 4.0-5.5.
El Engelman
Frost resistance: high. The species is characterized by increased frost resistance (up to -30 ° C), but is sensitive to spring frosts.
For the winter, young trees are covered with spruce branches. To protect seedlings from intense heat and bright sun, they are covered with light material.
Coniferous trees on the site are always beautiful and stylish, they emit a specific fresh aroma and allow you to feel unity with nature.
Most conifers and Engelman spruce in particular are unpretentious either in planting or in care, which is attractive even for inexperienced gardeners.
Landing.
Soil: a mixture of loose earth, peat, sand and sawdust (3-2-1-1).
Drainage should be light, it is better not to use brick, expanded clay, crushed stone and other solid materials for drainage; conifers - not deciduous, even not very serious damage to the root system can be fatal.
When transplanted a year later into individual pots, with heavy drainage, about a third of the volume of the root system of everything that was sown is lost (the roots are thin, the stones are heavy, at the slightest movement everything breaks off).
"Drainage lettuce" is placed on the bottom of the box, the advantage of this method is that the needles are light, a layer of 4-5 cm allows water to pass through no worse than expanded clay, if it does not rot in a year, it will crumble into pieces and does not interfere with removing the roots of the seedlings intact and safety.
Method 1. Seeds are dormant and germinate shortly after being placed in a suitable environment. Special training in the form of stratification is optional.
The best place for sowing is a relatively high film greenhouse. The substrate is desirable based on milled sphagnum peat low degree of decomposition. To prepare the substrate, 35 g of limestone flour and 20 g of Fertiki are added to wet peat per 10 liters, alternately with stirring.
Before sowing, which is desirable at the very beginning of May, whole seeds are separated from empty ones. To do this, the seeds are poured with water and wait a day. After this time, the full-grained seeds sink, while the empty ones remain floating.
Full-grained seeds are etched in a 0.2% solution of potassium permanganate for 30 minutes and dried on a newspaper. After that, the seeds are sown. It is better to do row sowing, as this facilitates care.
From above, the crops are mulched with 0.5-1.0 cm with a mixture of fresh sawdust of coniferous species and peat, taken in a ratio of 1:1.
In the process of growing annual seedlings, three foliar top dressings with a 0.1% solution of carbamide are carried out until August 1.
The first is carried out two weeks after germination. At the beginning of May of the second year, seedlings are planted in a ridge. Previously, the same peat mixture is added to this ridge that was used for sowing in the amount of 30-50 l / m2.
The distance between seedlings during planting is 15-20 cm. In the future, in the process of growing in a ridge, the plants are fed every year in early May with fertilizer for conifers. If necessary, carry out watering and weeding. The minimum period for growing plants in a ridge is three years.
Method 2. Spruce seed scarification. For better seed germination, scarification can be carried out - a violation of dense seed coats. To do this, the seeds are placed in a jar, previously lined with coarse sandpaper from the inside, and intense shaking is performed, as a result of which the hard covers are broken. It is necessary to sow the seeds treated in this way immediately after the treatment has been completed.
Method 3. When the length of the day in spring is 10 or more hours (for indoor cultivation) or the risk of night frost has passed (for outdoor cultivation), you can start sowing seeds.
For sowing, we need balcony boxes 40-80 cm long and 15-20 cm high. balcony boxes any container is suitable, even cut-off 5 liter water bottles).
It is not necessary to create greenhouse conditions for future Christmas trees. It is enough just to place them on the south window and ensure regular watering. As soon as the heat comes, the seedlings, together with the box, can be planted in the ground. Dig into the ground and grow until next year. Do not forget to periodically water with phytosporin, weed and process with Epin. Epin more than 1 time in 2 weeks should not be used. Fitosporin - the interval between treatments is fifteen days.
Among the countless varieties and hybrids of sweet peppers, there are such as, for example, Ramiro peppers, whose popularity is literally global. And if most of the vegetables on the shelves of supermarkets are nameless, and it is almost impossible to find out about their varietal affiliation, then the name of this Ramiro pepper will certainly be on the package. And, as my experience has shown, this pepper is worth knowing about it and other gardeners. That is why this article was written.
Autumn is the busiest time. It is no longer hot, in the morning there is heavy dew. Since the earth is still warm, and foliage has already attacked from above, creating a very special microclimate in the surface layer, the mushrooms are very comfortable. Mushroom pickers are also comfortable at this time, especially in the mornings when it is cooler. It's time for both to meet. And, if not introduced to each other - get to know each other. In this article I will introduce you to exotic, little-known and not always edible mushrooms that look like corals.
If you are a busy person, but at the same time not without romance, if you have your own plot and you are endowed with aesthetic taste, then explore the opportunity to purchase this wonderful ornamental shrub - Caryopteris, or Nutwing. He is also a "wing hazel", "blue fog" and "blue beard". In it, indeed, unpretentiousness and beauty are fully combined. Cariopteris reaches its decorative peak at the end of summer and autumn. It is at this time that it blooms.
Ajvar from pepper - vegetable caviar or thick vegetable sauce from bell pepper with eggplant. Peppers for this recipe are baked, and for quite a long time, then they are also stewed. Onions, tomatoes, eggplants are added to ajvar. For harvesting for the winter, caviar is sterilized. This Balkan recipe is not for those who like to make preparations quickly, undercooked and underbaked - not about ajvar. In general, we approach the matter in detail. For the sauce, we choose the most ripe and meaty vegetables on the market.
Despite the simple names ("sticky" or "indoor maple") and the status of a modern substitute indoor hibiscus, abutilons - plants are far from the simplest. They grow well, bloom profusely and delight looking healthy green only in optimal conditions. On thin leaves, any deviations from comfortable lighting or temperatures and violations in care quickly appear. To reveal the beauty of abutilons in rooms, it is worth finding the perfect place for them.
Pancakes from zucchini with parmesan and mushrooms - a delicious recipe with a photo of the available products. Ordinary squash pancakes can easily be turned into a boring dish by adding a few savory ingredients. In the zucchini season, treat your family to vegetable pancakes with wild mushrooms, it is not only very tasty, but also satisfying. Zucchini is a versatile vegetable, it is suitable for stuffing, for preparations, for main courses, and even for sweets. delicious recipes- compotes and jams are made from zucchini.
The idea of growing vegetables on the grass, under the grass and in the grass at first scares, until you feel the naturalness of the process: in nature, everything happens that way. With the obligatory participation of all soil living creatures: from bacteria and fungi to moles and toads. Each of them contributes. Traditional tillage with digging, loosening, fertilizing, fighting all those we consider pests destroys the biocenoses that have been created for centuries. In addition, it requires a lot of labor and resources.
What to do instead of a lawn? So that all this beauty does not turn yellow, does not hurt and at the same time looks like a lawn ... I hope that the smart and quick-witted reader is already smiling. After all, the answer suggests itself - if nothing is done, nothing will happen. Of course, there are several solutions that can be used, and with their help, reduce the area of the lawn, and therefore reduce the laboriousness of caring for it. I propose to consider alternative options and discuss their pros and cons.
Tomato sauce with onion and sweet pepper - thick, fragrant, with pieces of vegetables. The sauce cooks quickly and turns out thick because this recipe is with pectin. Make such preparations at the end of summer or autumn, when the vegetables have ripened under the sun in the beds. From bright, red tomatoes you get the same bright homemade ketchup. This sauce is a ready-made spaghetti dressing, and you can also just spread it on bread - very tasty. For better preservation, you can add a little vinegar.
This year I often saw a picture: among the luxurious green crown of trees and shrubs, here and there, like candles, the tops of the shoots are “burning”. This is chlorosis. Most of us know about chlorosis from school biology lessons. I remember that this is a lack of iron ... But chlorosis is an ambiguous concept. And not always lightening the foliage means a lack of iron. What is chlorosis, what our plants lack in chlorosis and how to help them, we will tell in the article.
Korean-style vegetables for the winter - a delicious Korean salad with tomatoes and cucumbers. The salad is sweet and sour, spicy and slightly spicy, because it is prepared with seasoning for Korean carrots. Be sure to prepare several jars for the winter, in the cold winter this healthy and fragrant snack will come in handy. For the recipe, you can use overripe cucumbers, it is better to harvest vegetables in late summer or early autumn, when they are ripe in open field under the sun.
Autumn for me is dahlias. Mine begin to bloom already in June, and all summer the neighbors look over the fence to me, reminding me that I promised them a few tubers or seeds by autumn. In September, a tart note appears in the aroma of these flowers, hinting at the approaching cold. So, it's time to start preparing plants for a long cold winter. In this article I will share my secrets of autumn care for perennial dahlias and preparing them for winter storage.
To date, the efforts of breeders have bred, according to various sources, from seven to ten thousand (!) varieties of cultivated apple trees. But with their huge variety in private gardens, as a rule, only a couple of popular and beloved varieties grow. Apple trees are large trees with a spreading crown, and you cannot grow many of them in one area. But what if you try to grow columnar varieties of this crop? In this article I will talk about such varieties of apple trees.
Pinjur - Balkan eggplant caviar with sweet peppers, onions and tomatoes. A distinctive feature of the dish is that eggplants and peppers are first baked, then peeled and simmered for a long time in a roasting pan or in a saucepan with a thick bottom, adding the rest of the vegetables indicated in the recipe. The caviar is very thick, with a bright, rich taste. In my opinion, this cooking method is the best of all known. Although it is more troublesome, the result compensates for the labor costs.
Coniferous trees have long been the object of attention of landscape designers and this is not surprising. Evergreen slender spruces are beautiful at any time of the year, in addition, their needles are able to purify the atmosphere. In this article, let's talk about Engelman's spruce, the features of growing a tree on your site.
Botanical description
Engelman's spruce is an evergreen coniferous tree that grows up to 50 meters, the diameter of the trunk with such growth can reach 90 cm. Every year the tree increases its height by twenty centimeters. This species is a long-liver, in natural conditions it lives up to five hundred years, however, the needles last no more than fifteen years.
The spruce has a dense crown in the shape of a cone, the branches are drooping, most often they grow symmetrically. On the trunk is a scaly bark of red-brown color, with small cracks. On young branches, the bark is yellowish, with a margin.
The kidneys of a representative of the species have the same elongated shape as the crown. Young needles have more of a blue tint in color, the old ones have more green, the needles are tetrahedral, sharp, but not hard. The length of the needles is up to 2 cm. 
In August, cones ripen, large, egg-shaped, up to 7 cm long, brown (young - burgundy). Winged seeds of dark brown color are hidden under scales with sharp edges.
Distribution and ecology
The homeland of the Engelman spruce is the forested area of the Rocky Mountains of North America, also a province of Canada. British Columbia. Trees grow in groups along rivers, mountain slopes, preferring shady areas.
Growing, the groups "climb" to a height of up to 3,500 thousand meters above sea level. They perfectly coexist with related species: fir and pine; with some types of larches, forming dense mixed or pure coniferous forests.
Did you know? The Indians of North America, knowing about the healing properties of needles, built wigwams for patients with pulmonary diseases from branches of spruce, pine and fir. Patients were in such a hospital until complete recovery. The fact is that the needles contain phytoncides that can kill microbes and viruses.
Application in landscape design
Most often, spruces are used as living protection from wind, snow drifts and to suppress noise. Such landings can be found both outside the city and in urban conditions, in the form of alleys and mini-parks. The tree looks good in single and group plantings with coniferous and deciduous plants.
Low-growing varieties adorn rock gardens, enclose flower beds, and are used in bonsai compositions. beautiful shape crowns and pliability to the shaping haircut allows you to successfully use the Engelman spruce as Christmas tree, which is used by many owners of private houses.
Ornamental types of Engelman spruce include:
Landing and care at home
When planting, it should be noted that many varieties do not respond well to a polluted external environment. They are not recommended to be planted in areas with heavy industry, near roads with heavy traffic, near gas stations.
Location selection
The species is not afraid of winds, it tolerates both high and low temperatures equally well. Also, drought is not terrible, only young seedlings require careful watering. Since under natural conditions, the Engelman variety forms dense plantings, it will develop in a shaded place as well as in a lighted one.
It is not recommended to plant the species in areas where moisture stagnates, with a location close to the surface. ground water. This can be detrimental to the root system. 
Substratum and soil
The plant is picky in the choice of soil, in nature it grows well on limestones. It is desirable to provide a culture with a drained, moderately moist substrate with a neutral reaction, for example, loam.
Diseases and their prevention
Consider the main diseases of the species, how they manifest themselves:
The fight against diseases consists in treating plants with fungicides, usually watering the tree under the root.
Preventive measures:
- It is advisable to plant in a sunny area, prolonged shading develops humidity, which bacteria love.
- Carefully choose seedlings.
- When planting, treat the root system with fungicides.
- Carry out timely sanitary pruning, treat cuts with garden pitch.
- In the spring, spray with preparations containing copper.
Pests and their prevention
The main pests of Engelman spruce are:
Spruce leafworm, according to its name, destroys the needles of the plant. The affected areas are treated with soapy water, with the help of a fan rake, the damaged needles are removed and burned. When the situation is neglected, systemic pesticides are used.
The spider mite settles and breeds voracious offspring, most often on young plants, because of its vital activity, the tree loses its needles. Pest control consists of spraying with colloidal sulfur, you can use folk methods: dandelion infusion, garlic. With a strong defeat by insects, acaricides are used.
Important! Avoid large settlements of ants (they breed aphids). In a severe drought, spray the branches so as not to create a favorable environment for spider mite habitat.
Aphids and their numerous offspring suck out all the juices from the green parts of plants, which leads to the death of the tree. Densely populated by aphids, it is better to cut the branches by processing the cut. The remaining areas must be treated with soapy water, after laying the near-stem circle of the plant, so as not to damage the soil microflora. 
Preventive actions:
- Conduct regular sanitation.
- Take special care of young seedlings.
- Avoid over-wetting.
- Carry out preventive spraying with insecticides.
Features of the care and landing process
As already mentioned, spruce prefers moist, drained soils, therefore, when planting, the most suitable mixture is prepared for it:
- sod land - two parts;
- leaf ground - two parts;
- peat - one part;
- sand is one part.
A hole for planting is dug with dimensions of 50x70, fragments of brick are placed on the bottom as drainage with a layer of up to 20 cm. In the case of group planting, the distance between the holes is at least three meters.
Tall, slender spruces with a pyramidal crown are common coniferous forest plants that can often be seen in the park area, in urban landscaping, and among backyard landscapes. A bunch of various kinds and varieties, the presence of dwarf and slow-growing forms allows you to successfully plant these plants in a flower garden, rockeries and on, in mixed compositions with other woody plants.
Types of firs
The genus Spruce (Picea) has up to 45 species, which in natural conditions grow in cold and temperate climates, on sandy and stony soils, less often in wetlands. The center of origin is considered the harsh mountainous terrain of China. Plants are quite unpretentious, drought-resistant, most of them endure the most severe winters without loss, some species are quite tolerant of excessive soil moisture and air pollution.
As soon as you decide on the type and variety of spruce, we advise you to read our article "", it will help you grow an excellent tree from a spruce seedling.
Norway spruce (Picea abies)
A large tree, growing up to 50 m in height, is characterized by a pyramidal crown with a pointed top. The branches are directed to the sides or obliquely down, raised at the ends. The needles are juicy green, glossy, tetrahedral, up to 2.5 cm long. The cones are oblong, greenish or purple in the immature state. A hardy local species distributed in the European part up to the Urals, usually does not cause problems in acquisition and care.
Acrocona (Acrocona)
Bright slow-growing variety that appeared in late XIX century in Finland. The crown forms a wide pyramid, is located low, reaches a height of 4 m, with a diameter of 2.5–3 m. young plant compact, round shape. The difference between Acrocona is early, abundant and very colorful fruiting, immature cones of lilac-raspberry color appear in abundance at the ends of skeletal branches and adorn the plant remarkably.
The needles are of a dark green tone, on tender hanging young growths of a grassy shade, which is a catchy contrast. An excellent choice for landscaping small gardens and solitary lawn plantings.
Ohlendorffii (Ohlendorffii)
Dwarf spruce with a compact crown comes from Germany. By the age of ten, it reaches 1–2 m, develops slowly, grows annually by 3–6 cm. The crown is wide, first rounded, then pyramidal, multi-topped. The branches are dense, spread out to the sides and raised at the ends, densely covered with fine green needles, sometimes with a golden hue. The variety is shade-tolerant, unpretentious, suitable for making mixborders or decorating rocky hills.
Frohburg
Swiss original weeping spruce with a straight, slender trunk. The plant is medium-sized, by the age of ten it can grow up to 2–4 m. The branches are slopingly lowered, falling to the very ground, spreading with age, forming a kind of lush plume, which looks unusual and attractive.
The needles of a light green tone, short, hard. Immature cones are greenish crimson, growths are emerald green, oblong-rounded. A stunning variety for solitary plantings, it gives a graceful vertical accent to compositions and is of interest to fans of unusual ornamental plants.
Serbian spruce (Picea omorika)
Tall tree of narrowed conical or columnar shape with a pointed top. The needles are flattened, glossy, dark green in color, marked on the wrong side with two silver-white dashes. The cones are small, bluish-black in color.
A beautiful stable species is unpretentious to soils, tolerates air pollution well, under natural conditions it is common in the mountainous terrain of the Balkan Peninsula.
Nana
The dwarf variety is characterized by a dense rounded crown in young specimens, then the crown becomes broadly conical with a pronounced pointed apex. The height of an adult plant is not more than 3.5 m and a width of about 2 m, it develops at a moderate pace for undersized varieties, by the age of ten it reaches one and a half meters.
The main branches are directed obliquely upwards, covered with radially directed glossy emerald-colored needles with a distinct bluish tint and light stripes on the wrong side. Planted in oriental gardens, thanks to its spectacular blue tint and compactness, it is successfully used to create contrasting woody compositions.
Peve Tijn
The undersized sport of the previous variety is selected by Dutch breeders. The cone-shaped wide crown is very dense, with a flat, dense surface. Gives growths of 5-6 cm per year, by the age of ten it reaches a little more than one and a half meters in height. The needles are golden green with a blue or silver tint. Attractive color combination it is especially pronounced on annual growths and in plants planted in open sunny areas.
Canadian spruce or gray spruce (Picea glauca)
A powerful tree reaches a height of 25–30 m, grows more moderately in culture - no higher than 10–15 m, in nature it is common in the forests of North America. The crown is dense, the main branches in young plants are raised, in adults they are directed downwards. The needles are dense, bluish-green. The buds are small, light green, turning brown when ripe.
Alberta Globe
A miniature round-shaped plant becomes domed in adulthood. By the age of ten, the diameter of the dense crown is about 30 cm, with annual growths of 2-3 cm, over the years, the lush conifer grows in breadth to 0.7 m and reaches 1 m in height.
The needles are light green, elegant, densely covering the thick side branches, forming a bumpy continuous surface. A wonderful variety for planting in rockeries or flower beds looks good in homogeneous groups.
Conica (Conica)
The slow-growing variety of Canadian selection is distinguished by a dense conical crown of the correct shape. In adulthood, it grows no higher than 2 m with a width at the base of about one and a half meters. The surface is flat, dense, the branches are directed upwards. Needle elastic needles of juicy green color are located radially.
Konika does not need shaping pruning, it is wonderful for arranging mixborders, decorating rocky hills and growing in containers. The plant is stable, prefers sparse penumbra, growths are prone to spring burns.
Sanders Blue (Sander's Blue)
Spruce Canadian variety Sanders Blue (Sander's Blue)
The famous blue variety is one of the best in its color group. It develops slowly, growing by 4–5 cm per year. By the age of ten, it reaches 0.7 m in height and 1.3–1.5 m in diameter. The crown is conical, regular, becomes loose in shading.
The needles are bright, fresh silvery blue color, on young growths of a more saturated color, on old branches - bluish-green, because of which the surface seems to be unevenly colored, which is especially noticeable on specimens growing in the shade. Sometimes reversions may appear - completely green branches, which are carefully cut at the trunk in early spring so as not to spoil the overall impression.
Engelman spruce or weeping spruce (Picea engelmanii)
Slender conifers up to 50 m high in nature grow on poor soils of the Rocky Mountains of North America. The crown is cone-shaped, wide, with sloping branches, covered with sharp bluish-green needles on growths, darkening at the base of the branches. The cones are small, oblong-conical, up to 7 cm long, burgundy before maturation.
Bush Leys (Bush's Lace)
A beautiful unusual variety with a straight trunk and a pyramidal loose crown. The young plant actively produces growths - 20-30 cm per year, growing up to 7 m in height and about 1.8 m in diameter. The skeletal branches are raised at the base, drooping at the ends, the lower branches lie on the ground, forming a lush plume.
The main color is bluish-green, spectacular large increments are bright, contrasting, silver-blue. Looks best on its own open areas, in the shade loses color saturation and attractive shape, growing unevenly.
Snake
A tall tree with a sparse crown and bluish-green needles, silvery in growths. Skeletal branches practically without lateral branching, characterized by an increase from the top, horizontally directed, prostrate, slightly raised at the ends. A rare variety, mainly grown by lovers of the exotic, magnificent as a tapeworm, it adds sophistication to oriental and rocky gardens.
Prickly or blue spruce (Picea pungens)
A species common in culture, beautiful and frost-resistant, tolerates air pollution well. It is distributed in the mountainous areas of North America, grows up to 30–40 m in height, is characterized by a dense, broadly pyramidal crown, evenly developed. Skeletal branches are directed horizontally, spread out and raised at the ends.
Young shoots are bright brown, bare. The needles are gray, with age it becomes more and more green color. The advantage of the species is its tolerance to excess moisture and the ability to develop well in lowland areas.
Hermann Naue
A dwarf spectacular variety of a cushion shape, without a pronounced central stem, with numerous lateral branches directed in different directions. By the age of ten, a compact plant reaches half a meter in height and up to 0.7 m in diameter. The needles are bluish-gray, bright. Numerous oblong cones of light brown color, appear in many at the ends of the shoots at an early age and serve as a wonderful decoration.
The Blues (The Blues)
A stunning blue sport of Glauca Pendula. The plant is medium-sized - no higher than 2.5 m and up to 1 m in diameter, with a straight stem and a drooping top. The branches are horizontally spread, the ends are directed downwards. The needles are long, silver-blue, as if covered with hoarfrost, growths are bright blue. Successfully grafted onto the trunk.
Hoopsi (Hoopsii)
The classic form of gray spruce was bred in the USA in 1958. The lush beauty does not require a huge plot, in maturity it grows up to 10–12 m and no more than 3–4 m in width. It develops quickly - 15-20 cm per year, the branches are strong and resilient, do not break during snowfalls. The crown is harmonious, pyramidal, with open, densely packed skeletal branches and multiple lateral branches, diversified.
The needles are large, up to 2.5 cm long, saturated blue in color, light blue on growths. Small purple buds serve as an additional color accent. Looks great in a single planting and alleys, as well as in multi-colored compositions of conifers.
Black spruce (Picea mariana)
A large tree with a narrow pyramidal crown, under natural conditions it grows up to 20–30 m, in culture it does not exceed 3 m by the age of ten. The needles are short, bluish-green, dense. Twigs are brick-brown, covered with reddish pubescence. The winter-hardy, unpretentious species does not differ in huge selection diversity, numbering only 6-7 varieties.
Nana
The dwarf plant is characterized by a dense rounded flattened crown with flat surface. The main branches are horizontally directed, completely covered with lateral diversified branches. It develops slowly, growing at 3–5 cm per year. In adulthood, it reaches no more than half a meter in height and about 1 m in diameter.
The needles are short, bluish-green, on the shoots of the current year of a spectacular bright green color, contrasting. An unpretentious compact variety will serve as a wonderful element of a flower garden and rockery, grows well in a container culture.
Aurea (Aurea)
By the age of ten, a slow-growing pyramidal tree grows no higher than 1.5–2 m, then growth accelerates, and an adult plant reaches 5–7 m. The branches are open, drooping at the ends, densely covered with short needles of a bluish-green tone with cream tips. Growths are much lighter, golden yellow. The elegant ephedra looks great both in colorful heterogeneous compositions and as a tapeworm.
Siberian spruce (Picea obovata)
A slender spruce with a narrow cone-shaped crown growing low from the ground is considered one of the most resistant species. The growing shoots are light brown in color, with slight pubescence. Glossy needles are sharp, up to 3 cm long, dark green. The species is in many ways similar to European spruce, but develops more slowly, reaching a height of no more than 35 m. Distributed in forests and mountainous areas of Siberia, China, Mongolia and northern Europe.
Glauca (Var. glauca)
A medium-sized variation with a pyramidal crown 10–12 m high grows intensively - 20–25 cm per year. Skeletal branches are widely spread, directed obliquely upwards, the central stem is even, pronounced. The needles are elastic, linear-needle-shaped, tetrahedral, silver-blue, very effective. Glauka is highly frost-resistant, unpretentious and quite shade-tolerant. It is used as a tapeworm, for group plantings and laying alleys.
Eastern spruce (Picea orientalis)
A common species grows in the mountainous terrain of the Caucasus and northern Turkey. The tree is large, up to 60 m in height. The dense pyramidal crown is symmetrically developed, with branches raised at the base, sloping at the ends. It grows up to 20 cm per year, young trees develop much more slowly.
The needles are short, hard, dense green tone. Cones of a catchy reddish-purple hue, oblong narrowed shape, 6–8 cm in size. Spruce prefers light soils, develops poorly on heavy soils, freezes slightly in harsh dry winters.
Nutans (Nutans)
A beautiful tree in the form of an uneven pyramid, formed by unevenly growing branches, horizontally spread and raised at the ends. Lateral branches droop. At first it grows moderately, in adulthood it grows more intensively, growing at 20–30 cm per year. Mature trees can reach 18–20 m in height, with a diameter of 7–9 m.
The needles are needle-like, very dense and short, about 1 cm long, dark green, glossy. Young shoots are bright green. Immature buds are showy, reddish-purple, mature buds are brown. A fairly large conifer requires sufficient space, usually grown in a single planting.
Aureospicata (Aureospicata)
The magnificent Oriental spruce was obtained by German breeders at the end of the 19th century. A medium-sized tree in adulthood reaches 10–15 m, characterized by a wide pyramidal crown, slightly loose. The lowered branches are unevenly arranged, raised at the ends, the side branches hang down beautifully.
The needles are thin, very short, dark green. Greenish-yellow bright growths, as well as small raspberry-colored cones, give the ephedra a special attraction. An elegant tree is rightfully considered one of the best representatives of the species.
Spruce mariorika (Picea x mariorika)
Obtained by crossing black and Serbian spruce in Germany at the beginning of the 20th century, a few, but very interesting varieties were later bred. It is a large plant up to 30 m high, with a wide pyramidal crown. The branches are horizontally directed, covered with flat bluish-green needles, with distinctive silvery stripes on the wrong side. Cones are small - up to 5 cm long, in an immature form of purple color.
Machala
Czech dwarf variety, up to half a meter high and about 1 m wide, cushion-shaped. The branches are diversified, horizontal, dense, raised from the base. Prickly needles up to 1.5 cm long, silver-blue in color, lighter from the inside. The origin remains the subject of heated debate - in different sources it is claimed that interesting variety obtained not from Serbian spruce, but from Jezek or, according to another version, Sitka.
Jezo or Ayan spruce (Picea jezoensis)
A wonderful coniferous tree, reaching 30–50 m in height in nature, grows no higher than 8–10 m in culture by the age of thirty. , likes sprinkling of the crown, shade-tolerant.
The crown is pyramidal, the skeletal branches are directed obliquely upwards. Flat needles up to 1.5–2 cm long, blunt or with a small point, dark green, with bluish-white stripes below, last up to 10 years. The needles are tightly attached to the twigs, with good lighting tend to puff up, which gives the plant a light silvery tone. Cones are oval-oblong, up to 8 cm long, purple-crimson or light green when unripe.
Nana Kalous
Dwarf squat plant without a pronounced central conductor, rounded, about 1 m in diameter. Skeletal branches are evenly spaced, directed horizontally and obliquely upwards, lateral branches are short, growing in abundance. Tousled needles with a bluish underside are bright, attractive. Very nice shape, looks good on alpine slides, in the foreground of mixborders.
Groups of spruce varieties by growth strength
Under natural conditions, the vast majority of spruce species are large trees up to 30–50 m high. Over hundreds of years of cultural cultivation, breeders have obtained luxurious tall varieties of ideal proportions, as well as many very decorative medium-sized and dwarf forms.
Undersized varieties
Blue Pearl (Blue Pearl)
Dwarf conifer with a rounded crown, which eventually becomes cushion-shaped or wide-conical. By the age of ten, it reaches half a meter in height and 0.8 m in diameter, grows slowly - 2–3 cm per year.
The branches are dense, multidirectional, the lateral branches are located vertically, forming a convex textured surface. The needles are radially arranged, stiff and prickly, bluish-blue in tone, creating an attractive contrast with the red bark of the shoots.
Lucky Strike
A charming dwarf Christmas tree with a pyramidal crown reaches 1.2 m in height and 0.8 m in diameter by the age of 10, and in adulthood does not exceed 2 m. Dense branches are unevenly arranged, directed horizontally or obliquely upwards. The glossy needles are dark green, the growths are bright, yellowish. Purple cones appear early and in abundance, they are large, directed vertically, turning brown and drooping over time.
Goblin
The attractive dwarf form of the common spruce resembles a bright green lush tussock. The central conductor is not pronounced, short skeletal branches are covered with many vertically directed side branches, completely covered with short sticking needles of a juicy green hue, especially bright on young growths.
It develops slowly, growing at 2–2.5 cm per year, and reaches a height of 0.4 m by the age of ten. The variety was obtained from the well-known cushion variety Nidiformis (Nidiformis).
Medium-sized varieties
Kruenta
The stunning "red" variety of Norway spruce is winter hardy and drought tolerant. It develops at a moderate pace, by the age of ten it reaches 2–4 m. The crown is dense, regular pyramidal in shape, with skeletal branches obliquely raised upwards and drooping side branches.
A notable feature is large purple-crimson growths, which eventually acquire a green color. Immature buds are bright, raspberry-lilac. A spectacular combination of crimson and green tones makes this conifer exceptionally elegant, invariably attracting the eye.
Pendula Bruns (Pendula Bruns)
The original medium-sized plant, growing up to 4-5 m tall, less often up to 10 m, develops at a moderate pace - annually 7-10 cm in height and about 3 cm in width. The crown is narrowed, about 1.2–1.7 m in diameter, with a straight central conductor, curved upward to varying degrees. The branches are directed downwards, pressed against the trunk and slightly raised at the ends, growing from the ground itself, forming a wide dense plume.
Spiny narrow needles of dark green color, on the wrong side with two silvery stripes. Cones are small, reddish-purple when unripe. To maintain a spectacular even and narrow shape, the trunk is tied up until it reaches a height of 1.5–2 m. The variety does not develop well on too moist, dense soils.
Christmas Blue
A slow-growing tree in adulthood reaches a height of 3–4 m with a width of about 1.5–2 m in diameter. The main difference is the ideal proportions of a conical crown with a flat surface. Skeletal branches are directed horizontally, evenly covered with lateral branches growing in different directions.
The needles are elastic, radially arranged, silver-blue, exceptionally pure tone. Grows best in open areas, successfully grown in groups and to create dense blue hedges.
Tall varieties
Iseli Fastigiata (Iseli Fastigiata)
A beautiful prickly spruce grows up to 10–12 m, the growth rate is intensive - about 20 cm per year, reaches 3 m by the age of ten. The crown is neat, harmonious conical in shape, does not tend to grow too much, the base width of an adult tree is about 3 m. up, lateral branches and increments are directed vertically.
The needles are bluish-green, of a pleasant fresh tone, in sunny areas the blue tint appears more strongly. One of the best tall, narrow varieties that allows you to successfully grow a luxurious blue spruce even in a limited space.
Columnaris (Columnaris)
The high natural form of Norway spruce is found in the wild in the Scandinavian countries. The narrow columnar crown is formed by short skeletal branches and horizontally arranged lateral branches densely covered with dark green glossy needles.
The plant is large, reaches 12–17 m in adulthood, develops rapidly, gives growths of up to 30 cm per year. Young trees tend to freeze and burn in the sun. Used to create alleys and solitary planting.
Video about the variety of species and varieties of spruces
Various varieties of fir trees are widely used in landscaping areas, for decorating front porches, arranging dense emerald or blue hedges, single or group plantings, in mixborders and rockeries. Incredible varietal diversity will not only satisfy the most fastidious demand, but can also captivate the gardener in earnest, turning him into a passionate collector of wonderful evergreens.
Spruce belongs to the genus Picea (resinous plants) of the pine family. It is distributed in the Northern Hemisphere, from the Arctic Circle to the south. About 50 species of spruce are known, you can find their photos and descriptions on this page.
In the European part of them grows up to 10 species of spruces, they have a great variety of varieties. But in landscaping, five types of decorative fir trees are mainly used.
This culture is monoecious evergreen tree with a cone-shaped crown, gray bark and dense needles. The root system is superficial. The advantages of all decorative forms of spruces is that they form a crown naturally and do not need pruning.
Norway spruce - a tree up to 40 m tall with a trunk up to 1-1.5 m in diameter. The crown is cone-shaped, with spaced or drooping, rising branches at the end, remains sharp until the end of life.
The bark of the common spruce is reddish-brown. 
The bark of the common spruce is gray
bark ordinary form spruce reddish-brown or gray, smooth or fissured, of varying degree and nature of fissuring, relatively thin.
spruce shoots 
spruce shoots
Shoots are light brown or rusty yellow, glabrous. Kidneys 4-5 mm long, 3-4 mm wide, ovate-conical, pointed at the apex, light brown; their scales are obtusely triangular, light or reddish brown.
spruce needles 
spruce needles
Needles 8-20 mm long, 1-1.8 mm wide, tetrahedral in shape, have a sharp top, with 2-4 stomatal lines on each side, dark green, shiny; needles last 6-7 (up to 10-12) years.
spruce cones 
spruce cones
Cones 10-16 cm long and 3-4 cm thick, oblong-ovate, initially light green or dark purple, brown when mature. Seed scales are obovate, slightly longitudinally folded, convex, notched along the upper edge, sometimes truncated.
spruce seeds 
spruce seeds
Seeds are 2-5 mm long, brown or dark brown, with a light brown wing, which is about 3 times larger than the seed. The seeds open and scatter in the second half of winter.
Spruce 
Spruce
Lives in nature for 250-300 years. Annual growth in height - 50 cm, in width - 15 cm. Up to 10-15 years it grows slowly, then quickly.
Grows wildly in Europe and Asia. Very demanding on moisture and soil composition. Does not tolerate mud. Grows satisfactorily only in low areas. Very sensitive to air pollution.
All varieties of Norway spruce are not plants for the garden. It is attractive only at a young age, and over the years it loses its decorative effect, stretches, thins out. The value is represented by various forms of common spruce, having bushy, spherical, weeping crowns.
In the garden, it is better to use the decorative forms of this spruce: below are the names and descriptions of the most popular of them.
Spruce "Echiniformis" in the photo
"Echiniformis" (prickly). Dwarf, slow-growing form, reaching 20 cm in height and 40 cm in width. This variety of common spruce has a cushion-shaped crown, unevenly developed in different directions. Shoots are light brown, glabrous, slightly shiny, hard, relatively thick. Annual growth is 15-20 mm. The kidneys are light brown, large, cylindrical, rounded.
As you can see in the photo, this variety of common spruce has yellow-green to gray-green needles, the lower needles are flat with a short sharp tip, the upper needles are star-shaped, located under the final cone:
Spruce varieties 
Spruce varieties
Spruce "Compact" on the photo
"Compact". Dwarf form, usually about 1.5-2 m tall. Old plants sometimes reach 6 m in height with the same crown width. Shoots are numerous, short, raised in the upper part of the crown, brown. The needles are about 9 mm long, shorter towards the top of the shoot, shiny, green.
"Nidiformis" (nest-shaped). Dwarf form, slightly above 1 m, wide, dense. The crown is pillow-shaped, flattened, which is obtained in the form of a nest due to the sideways growing shoots from the middle of the plant and the absence of the main branches. The branches grow evenly, fan-shaped and bell-shaped. Escapes are numerous. Annual growth - 3-4 cm. The needles are light green, flat, with 1-2 stomatal lines, which are a hallmark, 7-10 mm long. Very effective for low borders, in small groups created on parterres and rock gardens. Currently one of the most common dwarf forms.
Here you can see photos of the varieties of the common spruce species, the names of which are given above:
Common spruce varieties 
Common spruce varieties
Canadian spruce in the photo
Canadian spruce- a tree 20-35 m tall, with a trunk 60-120 cm in diameter, with a dense regular cone-shaped dense crown. The branches of young plants are directed upwards, in old ones they are mostly lowered down and flat.
The bark is smooth or scaly, ash brown. Young shoots are yellowish or whitish-light brown, glabrous. Kidneys up to 6 mm long, 4-5 mm wide, almost spherical, non-resinous; their scales are obtusely ovoid, light brown, and shiny.
The needles are 8-18 mm long, about 1.5 mm wide, tetrahedral, bluish-green, densely spaced and rather stiff, slightly curved, they smell rather sharp when rubbed, the needles last up to 11 years.
Look at the photo - this type of decorative spruce has ovate-cylindrical cones, up to 7 cm long and 1.5-2.5 cm thick, light green before ripening, light brown when mature:
Decorative spruce cones 
Decorative spruce cones
Seed scales are thin and elastic, entire along the upper edge.
Seeds 2-3 mm long, light brown, with an orange-brown wing, 3 times the length of the seed. The cones ripen in September.
Winter-hardy and quite drought-resistant. Lives up to 300-500 years.
All varieties canadian spruce recommended for single and group plantings, dwarf forms are promising for rocky hills. It grows successfully in both maritime and continental climates. Fairly drought tolerant. Not demanding on soils, tolerates poor and sandy soils. Good resistance to winds, bred as windproof. It is less sensitive to gases and smoke than European spruce.
Currently, about 20 decorative forms of this type of spruce have been described, with a description of the most popular of them you can find below.
Spruce "Konika" in the photo
The most amazing variety "Konika". If everyone knows the blue spruce, then another Christmas tree, which dendrologists briefly call "conic", i.e. conical, yet a rarity.
'Konika' is a mutation of the Canadian spruce native to eastern North America. It differs from its progenitor not only in miniature, its height rarely exceeds 2 m, but also in a surprisingly dense crown cone and soft light green needles.
By the middle of the last century, the variety of Canadian spruce "Konika" conquered the whole world, settling in the gardens of countries with a temperate climate and developed ornamental gardening.
Its real discovery in Russia took place only relatively recently, along with the rapid development of ornamental horticulture, when Koniki seedlings began to come to us in large quantities from Holland, Poland, the Czech Republic and other countries. Western Europe where its reproduction has been established for a long time. "Konika" propagates exclusively by cuttings, as it does not produce fruits.
AT middle lane In Russia, it is quite winter-hardy. But in urban conditions it is less stable than prickly spruce. With a strong gas contamination, the decorative effect of the Christmas tree decreases.
It grows slowly in garden design is a merit. At the age of five, the fir-tree reaches a height of 20 cm and already at this age it is strikingly superior in decorativeness to even-aged seedlings of common spruce. By the age of ten, "Konika" reaches an average of 80 cm and is completely decorative. And by the age of 20, its height is usually 150 cm, the diameter at the base is about a meter.
"Konika" should be planted in open places protected from cold winds with cultivated, light loamy soil. Care for it may be limited to watering during dry periods.
The development of the Christmas tree, and, consequently, its decorative effect, is facilitated by periodic surface loosening and mulching of the near-stem circle with rotted organic matter. Mulching is best done in early autumn, and in spring the mulch is shallowly embedded in the soil.
In favorable conditions, "Konika" retains a high decorative effect until old age. It does not need pruning and shaping. Like blue spruce, it is designed to play the role of a tapeworm in decorative design and is a godsend for a small garden.
This herringbone fits well into large rock gardens, it is desirable in the background of flower arrangements, harmoniously combined with other low conifers. It looks especially elegant on the lawn. At the same time, it is desirable to plant it in an even line of three or more plants or in a group of several Christmas trees.
Of the other decorative forms, "Aurea" is known, characterized by strong growth. The needles on the upper side have a golden color.
Spruce "Aureaspicata" 
Spruce "Aureaspicata"
"Aureaspicata". The form is distinguished by the yellow color of the needles and young shoots, which persists only in summer, but later they turn green.
"Elegance Compacta". The crown is conical, but growth is stronger than that of "Konika", young shoots and buds are yellow-brown, needles are fresh green, 8-10 mm long, annual growth is 5-4 cm.
"Nana" (low). Dwarf form up to 1-2 m high. The crown is wide, rounded. The branches are dense, numerous, unevenly spaced, gray, very flexible. Annual growth 2.5-4.5 cm.
Pay attention to the photo - this variety of Canadian spruce has radial needles, 5-7 mm long, thin, hard, gray-blue:
Canadian spruce needles 
Canadian spruce needles
The culture is winter-hardy. Propagated by cuttings.
"Pendula"- weeping form, has strongly drooping branches, branches abundantly, the needles are densely located on the branches, bluish-green.
Among the forms with blue needles deserve attention:
Spruce "Alberta Blue" 
Spruce "Arenson Blue"
"Alberta Blue", "Arenson Blue",
Spruce "Cerulea" 
Spruce "Sunder Blue"
Cerulea, Sunder Blue.
All of them have dwarf growth and retain the color of the needles well in open sunny places: alpine hills, heather gardens. They are suitable for growing in containers.
Talking about what are rare species oil, it is worth mentioning the forms of Engelmann and Schrenk.
El Engelman in the photo
El Engelman- Native to North America. According to the harmony of the crown, this is the most decorative spruce. The tree strikes with grace and a healthy look. Even the very lower branches are never bare. It is very resistant to the adverse conditions of the city and to soil and climatic influences. When describing the Engelman spruce, it is worth mentioning such qualities as winter hardiness, shade tolerance and drought resistance.
It has many decorative forms that are widely used in landscaping.
Spruce "Glauka" in the photo
Most Popular "Glauka" (gray). Tree 20-40 m tall, with a dense cone-shaped crown, without a clear horizontal layering of branches. The needles are less prickly, more flexible and less spaced than those of prickly spruce, gray-blue, especially clear color appears in early spring.
As you can see in the photo, Engelman's spruce needles in winter are not so attractive, but still decorative:
El Engelman 
El Engelman
Grows fast. Winter-hardy. Propagated by seeds, cuttings, grafting. Recommended for single, group and alley plantings in large gardens.
Schrenk spruce, or Tien Shan, - a powerful tree with a narrow-conical crown, a sharp top and branches hanging down to the ground. The needles are light green or bluish. Light-requiring, not demanding on soils, but moisture-loving and low frost-resistant.
Look at the photo - this type of spruce has high decorative qualities, which makes it desirable in garden compositions, a slow growth in the first years of life, it allows you to form thick hedges from it:
Spruce in the form of a fence 
Spruce in the form of a fence
It has a spherical shape - a tree up to 1.8 m tall with a rounded crown.
Prickly spruce in the photo
Spruce is prickly. Among the numerous representatives of the genus, it stands out for its harmony and beauty, undemanding to growing conditions, frost resistance and resistance to air pollution, surpassing many brethren in this indicator.
Decorative at any time of the year. The most valuable evergreen tree up to 25 m, lives up to 100 years.
The crown is pyramidal. The branches form regular dense tiers, horizontal or hanging at different angles. Particularly beautiful specimens in which the branches are evenly spaced in regular tiers around the trunk from the ground to the top.
The needles are prickly, its color varies from green to light blue, silvery, up to 2.5 cm long. Under good growing conditions, the needles live 5-7 years, more often 3-4 years.
It is considered resistant to dust and smoke, but in urban conditions it must be washed with water at least 5 times a month. Photophilous. Demanding on soil fertility and moisture, but does not tolerate too fertile soil and waterlogging.
Handles pruning well. Propagated by seeds, grafting.
It is recommended to plant at some distance from the roads and industrial enterprises, against the background of the lawn, preferably in lighted places. Usually single specimens or small groups are planted in the front garden areas. It is especially good in combination with Serbian spruce, pseudo-hemlock, single-color fir, etc.
Popular forms of prickly spruce are described below:
Spruce "Argentea" 
Spruce "Argentea"
"Argentea" (silver). A straight-stemmed tree 30-40 m tall with a cone-shaped crown and clearly spaced horizontal branches. The needles are silvery-white, a light wax coating is preserved on old plants, young needles have a pale green color with a whitish tinge. Widely used in landscaping, in single and group plantings;
Spruce "Glauka" 
Spruce "Glauka"
"Glauka" (gray). It differs from the main species in bluish-green needles that retain color throughout the year. The life expectancy of the needles of this variety of prickly spruce, depending on the conditions, is 3-10 years. Plant height is 20 m. Annual growth is more than 30 cm. The crown is symmetrical, cone-shaped. Shoots reach the ground, arranged in tiers almost horizontally. Branches do not break under the weight of wet snow. Suitable for creating large arrays, small curtains, for single landings;
Spruce "Glauka Globoza" in the photo
"Glauka Globoza" (gray spherical). Dwarf form up to 1 m in height and up to 1.5 m in diameter. Young shoots are yellowish-brownish, thin. The crown is rounded, dense only in old age.
Pay attention to the photo - this variety of prickly spruce has dense, slightly sickle-shaped, white-blue needles, about 1 cm long and 1 mm thick:
prickly needles 
prickly needles
"Hoopsy". Tree height 12-15 m, crown diameter 3-4.5 m. The crown is evenly branched, very dense. The annual growth is 12-20 cm, the branches are horizontally spaced from the trunk. Shoots light red-brown, apical buds ovate, 1 cm long. Scales short, curved. The needles are needle-shaped, hard, sharp, bluish-white, 2-3 cm long, directed forward, thick, lasts 4-6 years.
"Bonfire". Tree 10-15 m tall, with weeping branches hanging down. Crown diameter 4-5 m. The needles are slightly sickle-shaped, bluish-green with a light wax coating, thin, sickle-shaped, short, 20-25 mm long. The silver-blue color of the needles persists in winter. Young shoots are orange-brown. Trunks are twisted. One of the most famous blue forms of prickly spruce. The crown is evenly developed, conical. Recommended for solitary and group plantings near houses, for decorating ceremonial places.
"Mourheimy". Strong and uneven growing, narrow conical shape. Needles 20-30 mm long, adjoining. In the second year, it becomes an intense silver-blue.
As you can see in the photo, this variety of prickly spruce species does not change the color of the needles in winter:
Spruce in winter 
Spruce in winter
The branches are short, horizontal. Apical bud 10-15 mm long, obtuse, yellow-brown. The lateral buds are very distinct and spirally arranged below the apical bud. The scales at the apex are strongly deviated.
"Moll". Dwarf form, grows slowly. At the age of 20, the height is about 1 m. The annual growth is 3-5 cm, the crown is broadly conical and very densely branched. Shoots are yellow-brown. The needles are beautiful, bluish-white, 10-15 mm long and 1 mm thick.
"Montgomery". Dwarf form, slow-growing, very squat, at 35 years old, crown height and diameter 1.8 m, annual growth about 6 cm, yellow-brown shoots, ovoid, yellow-brown buds, recurved scales. Needles 18-20 mm long, gray-blue, sharp.
"Oldenburg". A tree 10-15 (20) m high, with a crown diameter of 5-7 m. The crown is conical. The bark is brownish-gray, scaly, the shoots are orange-brown.
The photo shows that this variety of prickly spruce has needle-like needles, dense, hard, prickly, blue-steel color:
prickly spruce 
prickly spruce
Very strong on branches. Grows fast. Annual growth in height 30-35 cm, width 15 cm. Photophilous. It is undemanding to soils, but grows better on chernozems and loams, tolerates temporary excess moisture. It is frost-resistant, well transfers frosts. Application: single landings, groups.
In this section of the article, you can familiarize yourself with the photo and description of the blue spruce species from the Pine family.
Blue spruce on the picture
The blue spruce tree is an evergreen coniferous tree, 25-30 m high, rarely up to 46 m. The trunk diameter is up to 1.5 meters. The bark is thin, scaly. The crown is narrowly conical in young trees, in old trees it becomes cylindrical. Needles 15-30 mm long, rhombic in cross section. The blue spruce needles deserve a special description - the color of the needles of this plant species is from grayish-green to bright blue.
The crown is conical, compact, the needles are tetrahedral, dense, very prickly. The bark of trunks and branches is grayish-brown, initially smooth, later fissured.
On the picture
Cones of decorative blue spruce are slightly cylindrical, 6-11 cm long and 2 cm wide when closed, up to 4 cm when open. The color of the cones is from reddish to purple, the mature cone is light brown. Seeds are black, 3-4 mm long with a light brown wing 10-13 mm long.
Look at the photo - blue spruce cones are cylindrical, up to 9 cm long, light brown, ripen in the first year:
Decorative blue spruce cones 
Decorative blue spruce cones
Blue spruce is one of the most hardy firs in all respects. It is inferior to Norway spruce only in shade tolerance. But it is extremely resistant to atmospheric pollution, frost-resistant, drought-resistant, very unpretentious to soil conditions.
However, blue spruce reaches its best development and greater decorative effect on fertile structural loams, in full light.
This tree has a pronounced root stem, which makes it drought-resistant. And yet, in the first 6-8 years, seedlings should be watered 2-3 times during the summer, and in case of drought, be sure to at least once a week. This will allow the trees to grow stronger. The greatest height gains in blue spruce plants are observed after 8-10 years. And by the age of 20-25, the trees are already fully formed. The first cones can sometimes be seen on 15 year old trees.
Until the age of 8-10 years, it is better to keep the trunk circle under black fallow, mulching with humus. In the future, the land should not be cultivated, and care consists only in periodic mulching and watering during prolonged drought.
Blue spruce 
Blue spruce
As can be seen from the photo and description of the blue spruce, this beauty will be the decoration of your garden for many years. She is an excellent tapeworm who does not need anyone's community. Looks good singly or in a group on a flat lawn. When creating groups, spruces should not be planted closer than 3 m from each other, so that there is no shading, and the trees have low, dense crowns.
These photos show varieties of the blue spruce species, the most popular among gardeners:
Blue spruce 
Blue spruce
Healing properties of spruce
Spruce is not only decorative, but also useful plant in gardens and home gardens.
The healing properties of spruce are well known. Moreover, the common spruce is recognized as the leader in this respect among all species. Medicinal needles, young shoots and young cones. They are rich in essential and tannins, resins, vitamins, trace elements, phytoncides and fatty oils.
Various inflammatory diseases of the respiratory and urinary tract, as well as sinusitis and other diseases in the nasopharynx are treated with spruce preparations and decoctions. Baths from spruce branches and buds are used for skin diseases, gout, arthritis and arthrosis.
Tea leaves from fresh spruce buds can be used as vitamin tea, which is contraindicated in stomach ulcers. The simplest infusion is prepared by coarsely grinding 40 g of pine needles, pour it with a glass of boiling water, boil for 20 minutes, then insist. The resulting infusion is drunk during the day with a lack of vitamin C.
Spruce needles contain significant amounts of phosphorus, potassium, iron, and vitamins. Especially a lot of ascorbic acid and carotene in it, making the needles an excellent raw material for the manufacture of special preventive pastes for scurvy and periodontal disease, coniferous extracts for baths and therapeutic chlorophyllocarotene preparations.
From essential oil spruces get camphor, which is indispensable for heart ailments. Inhalations from the essential oil of pine needles cure catarrhal conditions of the throat and bronchi.
The ecological importance of spruce is also important. Air pollution, especially urban air pollution, currently exceeds all existing norms. Needles take on a filtering role in gas exchange atmospheric air. dust particles along with harmful microorganisms settle and are fixed in the wax coating of needles.
The air, saturated with secretions of coniferous species, has a beneficial effect on the body, improving breathing and blood circulation, and even heals a sick human psyche.
Phytoncides secreted by needles help to purify the air even in polluted places. At the same time, the spruce itself feels good. She has straight trunks, dense foliation, low crowns.
