This lesson will cover the topic “Deciduous and Coniferous Trees”, which will help students learn about the two groups of trees - deciduous and coniferous. Let's consider their distinctive features.

Lesson: Deciduous and Coniferous Trees

As you know, each tree has its own distinctive features. Leaves are one of these signs. Sheet- This is one of the main organs of the plant that performs the function of respiration and nutrition. The leaves of trees are very diverse in shape and size.

The birch tree has small carved leaves.

Linden leaves are shaped like a heart.

Oak leaves will expand at the top of the leaf.

Maple has a wide sheet plate with pointed ends.

Rowan has a complex leaf, on the central petiole there are up to 15 small leaves.

Composite leaf and chestnut. Slightly pointed leaves are joined at the top of the main petiole.

Birch, mountain ash, oak, maple, linden are deciduous trees. They have their own distinctive features.

1) The presence of leaves.

2) In autumn, the color of the leaves changes.

3) All deciduous trees shed their foliage. This phenomenon is called leaf fall.

A large number of treesform a deciduous forest.

Let's take a look at some of the representatives of deciduous trees.

The most powerful tree in the forest is considered oak... Our ancestors considered the oak to be a sacred tree. The oak is about 50 meters high and has a lifespan of 500 years. But there are also centenarians for more than a thousand years. In autumn they ripen on oak trees acorns.

These are hearty and nutritious fruits. The squirrel loves to feast on acorns, and will hide it in a hollow in reserve. The forest bird, the jay, is also a lover of delicious fruits. Wild boars also rush after acorns, because they need to accumulate fat in order to survive the winter.

Our ancestors knew: a lot of acorns on an oak - by a harsh winter. Sow wheat when the oak leaves unfold. And the oak is also considered a symbol of power and strength. The bravest warriors were awarded with oak wreaths.

People say about cowardly people: "It trembles like an aspen leaf." In reality, the aspen leaf trembles from the slightest breath of wind. This is due to the structure of the petiole ... The stalk of the aspen is very thin and long, even in calm weather, the leaves of the aspen quietly rustle... In the spring, before the leaves appear, catkins appear on the aspen. People say: "The fluff flew from the aspen, go into the forest for the aspen boletus."

These are mushrooms that love to grow under the aspen. The caps of these mushrooms resemble the autumn coloration of aspen leaves.

What tree is this riddle about?

It takes from my flower

Bee is the most delicious honey.

And everyone offends me

The thin skin is removed.

it Linden. The fragrant, fragrant linden flowers attract bees. And it's not for nothing that bees produce linden honey, it has healing properties. Our ancestors went to the linden tree for bast. This is the inside of the bark. Thin strips were removed from the tree and bast shoes were woven. Linden wood is very soft and white. Furniture, dishes and musical instruments are made from it.

The second group of trees is conifers. Needles are modified leaves. Conifers include spruce, pine, cedar, fir, larch. A forest consisting of conifers is called coniferous... Unlike deciduous trees, conifers do not shed their needles in the fall, therefore their other name is evergreen.

Spruce is an evergreen coniferous tree. The crown of the tree goes down to the ground, so it is dark and damp in the spruce forests. Spruce forests are called spruce forests... Spruce roots are located close to the surface of the earth. Therefore, spruce trees fall from a strong wind, forming impassable thickets and windbreaks. It looks like a spruce branch with cones. Cones are oblong.

Spruce is a very interesting and useful tree. Its wood is used to make musical instruments and paper. Conifers emit special substances, they fill the air with a pleasant aroma and purify it. How much joy the green beauty brings to the house on New Year's Eve!

Pine is a coniferous tree. The crown of the tree is at the very top, so it is light in the pine forests. Such a forest is called pine forest... The pine has strong roots, so strong winds are not afraid of it. Pine can also grow on rocks and ravines. It looks like a pine branch with a cone.

The pine needles are longer than those of the spruce. The needles grow on a branch two at a time. Cones are short, rounded.

Among conifers there is a tree with unusual properties - this larch... Like spruce and pine, larch has needles; in autumn, larch turns yellow and sheds needles like leaves, which is why it is called larch. In the spring, young needles appear again from the buds.

If there are both coniferous and deciduous trees in the forest, such a forest is called mixed.

Trees are the lungs of our planet. By absorbing harmful substances, trees emit air and oxygen. Leaves trap fumes and soot. Trees must be protected.

In the next lesson, the topic "Autumn in plant life" will be discussed. In the course of this lesson, we will learn about the most important seasonal changes that occur with almost all plants. Let's see how autumn manifests itself, and then we will find out the role of autumn in plant life.

1. Samkova V.A., Romanova N.I. The world around us 1. - M .: Russian word.

2. Pleshakov A.A., Novitskaya M.Yu. The world around us 1. - M .: Enlightenment.

3. Gin A.A., Fire S.A., Andrzheevskaya I.Yu. The world around us 1. - M .: VITA-PRESS.

1. Describe deciduous trees.

2. Describe conifers.

3. Guess riddles.

1. I have a longer needle than the tree.

I grow very straight - in height.

If I'm not at the edge

Branches only at the top of the head. (Pine)

2. You will always find her in the forest -

You go for a walk and meet:

It is prickly like a hedgehog

In the winter in a summer dress. (Spruce)

3. Into this sleek carton

Bronze color

A small oak tree is hidden

Next summer. (Acorn)

4. Who knows what kind of tree it is?

A relative has a Christmas tree

Thornless needles.

But unlike the tree -

Those needles are falling. (Larch)

5.Takes from my flower

Bee is the most delicious honey.

And they still offend me,

Thin skin is ripped off. (Linden)

Conifers often become the basis of landscape compositions, as they retain their decorative effect throughout the year. The garden, where conifers grow, is distinguished by fresh, salubrious air. The variety of forms allows you to choose plants to your taste and fit them into the overall landscape. Separately planted large specimens and picturesque multicolored groups of conifers are also fascinating.

Coniferous trees

Conifers look spectacular both in spacious parks and in small areas. Almost all representatives of this species do not shed bright green needles even in the coldest period, but instead of flowers they are decorated with cones, which add decorativeness to conifers. The plant names most commonly used in landscaping are:

• Fir;
• Pine;
• Cypress.

Long-lived fir plant

Almost all firs resemble a spruce in shape of growth. The branches extending from the straight trunk form a regular cone. Oval buds form on the upper branches of mature trees. Some specimens of fir live up to 700 years, and begin to form cones from about 30 years old. Almost all types of this plant are large, they are well suited for decorating large spaces. For a medium-sized garden, dwarf slow-growing species are selected.

An example of such a compact plant is the balsam fir, variety Hudsonia. A tree with fragrant needles, no more than a meter tall. The direct opposite of the Hudsonia is the great fir, the height of which exceeds 30 m.

New Year's symbol - spruce

Slender spruce trees with a conical crown and hanging cones are perhaps the most common coniferous plant in our latitudes and, of course, the most beloved. Evergreen trees, undemanding to growing conditions, adorn parks and city streets, and on New Year's Eve they become guests in our homes. The range of decorative varieties is regularly updated. Suitable for garden decoration:

For the New Year, it is becoming more and more popular to decorate compact varieties of spruce in pots, rather than cut trees. After the holidays, such a Christmas tree can be planted in the garden or on the street.

Unpretentious pine

A distinctive feature of pine is fragrant long needles, arranged in bunches of up to 5 pieces each. The oils secreted by this tree are used to treat the respiratory system, therefore, the presence of various types of pine is characteristic for the design of sanatoriums. In small areas, undersized varieties are appropriate, and powerful specimens prevail in forest park zones. The pine tree prefers a sunny location and well-drained soil, but will grow in shady forests and rocky hillsides.

Refined beauty of thuja

The evergreen openwork beauty thuja is native to North America, where it is called the tree of life. This plant has many varieties, various sizes and shades. In addition, thuja is very plastic, which allows you to give it a wide variety of shapes. Of course, this plant is widely used in landscaping.

Thuja are unpretentious plants, grow well in the sun and in the shade, on almost any soil. However, the most comfortable place for them will be a place protected from the wind with sufficient moisture. The plant especially needs water when planting. Thuja are planted at any age from containers or from open ground, the survival rate is high.

The most common thuja western, which has about 30 varieties. It is distinguished by frost resistance, a variety of forms - pyramidal, spherical, weeping, and the color of the needles (green, yellow, with white tips). The range of heights is also large - from 0.6 to 20 meters.

The most popular varieties of western thuja:

Both pyramidal and globular thuja are well suited for creating hedges of varying heights. Since thuja lend themselves well to pruning, various topiary forms can be formed from them, up to such as a spiral or even a garden sculpture. The variety of colors and shapes of the crown allows you to make interesting compositions out of thuja alone.

Variety of cypress trees

Thuja and cypress belong to the same family - Cypress, and the conditions of their keeping are similar. In appearance, this exclusively ornamental plant also resembles thuja. Among cypress trees there are tall trees for a tall green screen, compact plants for a mixed border, and dwarfs for a rock garden.

The most common varieties:

The crown of a cypress tree can be easily shaped using formative pruning.

Coniferous shrubs in the landscape

Coniferous shrubs are also widely used in landscape design. The names of popular representatives of this species:

Due to the abundance of varieties and their inherent decorativeness, it can be difficult to decide which conifers or shrubs to decorate the space with.

All conifers are successfully used in mixed compositions together with ornamental and flowering shrubs. In this case, large conifers should be planted at an optimal distance from other plants in order to preserve the decorativeness of the plant ensemble. Blooming roses and bright tulips look great against the background of green needles.

Rockeries, regular flower beds and Japanese-style gardens are decorated with miniature specimens.

Dwarf forms are often used in container compositions, combining with flowering and decorative perennials and annuals.

In most cases, conifers can be easily identified by their leaves (needles).

Photo 1. Cedar pine or Siberian cedar. Needles.

Let's start with the simplest option, but at the same time, as practice shows, the least known for the average person living in the Urals.
Quite remarkable needles, aren't they? Guess what kind of tree? This is a cedar pine. The second name of this tree is "Siberian cedar", although the tree belongs to the pine genus. Cedar pine needles are noticeably longer than Scots pine needles, which makes the tree look very fluffy.
On average, the length of the needles is 7-8 cm, but can reach 12-13 centimeters, the color dark green... In Yekaterinburg, this plant can be seen in the Botanical Garden on 8 Marta Street, near the bridge over the Iset along Malysheva Street, etc. Natural habitat: Siberia, Ural, Altai; almost never occurs in the forests around Yekaterinburg.
(See also cedar pine in the catalog)

Photo 2. Scots pine. Needles.

Pine is the most common coniferous tree in the Urals; in most cases, no one has any problems with its definition. Pine needles steam room (2 needles each), 4-7 cm in length, dark green colors.

Photo 3. Spruce prickly blue. Needles.

One of the most popular conifers used for landscaping cities in Russia.

Of course, this is a blue spruce. The needles of this spruce are very hard and prickly, they stand out for their gray-blue in color, as a rule, unlike ordinary spruce, the trees are more fluffy - the needles are located almost perpendicular to the shoot and are 2-3 centimeters long. The needles are evenly distributed around the branch.

Photo 4. Norway spruce. Needles.

A keen eye will immediately notice the differences in the shade of the needles, and if you put two spruces (blue and ordinary) side by side, then the differences will become obvious to any person. Unlike the blue spruce, which was imported (introduced) from Canada, the common spruce is well known to us since childhood, many dress it up for the New Year, and the generation of boys of the seventies and eighties of the XX century remembers these trees as excellent sticks for playing hockey with a ball. when the tip of the tree was bent and the rope net was stretched to form a feather. The needles of the common spruce green or dark green, its stiffness and thorniness to the touch is somewhat less than that of blue spruce, largely due to the fact that the needles are less fluffy and adjoin closer to the branch. The length of the needles is relatively short, on average 1.5-2 cm. In adult trees, shoots with needles, branching from slightly curved central stem branches, are usually directed downward. The view of a mature tree resembles a candelabrum with a crystal pendant. On these grounds, it is not difficult to distinguish common spruce from other conifers. Spruce can often be found in forests, this is the second most common coniferous tree in the Urals (more often only pines can be found)

Photo 5. Larch. Needles.

What is the name of the coniferous tree that sheds its foliage for the winter? Of course it's larch. But it is not necessary to wait for winter to separate this coniferous tree from others. Larch needles are very delicate and soft.

The color is lighter ( light green) shade than other conifers.

Photo 6. Fir. Needles.

And finally, one of the most beautiful conifers is fir.

Fir needles are soft relative to spruces and pines, in section, as a rule, they have a narrow elliptical or flat shape, in contrast to spruces and pines in which the shape of the needles is diamond-shaped in cross-section. The tips of the needles, in most cases, are either blunt or bifurcated, and on the underside of the needles you can distinguish a couple of light stripes.

Coniferous trees

Correct answers for the game Guess the words.

Level 6-35

1) Most popular house tree (3 letters):

2) The genus of woody and shrubby plants of the Sapind family (4 letters):

3) Confectionery (8 letters):

KRENDEL

4) Tool for drilling holes (5 letters):

5) Part of the week (4 letters):

6) Coniferous tree with large needles (4 letters):

7) Lateral tilt (4 letters):

8) Tool for marking holes (4 letters):

9) Topsoil (4 letters):

10) Engine of progress (4 letters):

11) French distance unit (3 letters):

12) A tasteless but essential ingredient in many cocktails (3 letters):

Passing the rest of the levels

Coniferous trees will perfectly decorate any garden. What do you need to know when growing them?

When choosing pine needles, you need to understand that you need to skillfully combine them with other trees in the garden. In addition, it is necessary to take into account the conditions in which certain species of conifers can grow.
Conifers can be great compositions with heather or other plants, for example.
In general, everyone can choose a composition to their liking or invite a landscape designer. You can plant several types of conifers in the garden - pine, thuja, spruce, juniper, but first study the information on growing conifers. You can choose suitable seedlings here, on the page "Fir-trees, pines, thuja and other conifers: www.sankt-peterburg.xn - 80ajgpcpbhkds4a4g.xn - p1ai / Cvety-i-dekorativnye-rasteniya / Eli-sosny-tui-i -dr.-hvoinye-rasteniya /

Before you start planting, you should carefully examine the site:

how it is lit, what is the composition of the soil on it, whether it is sufficiently moisture-permeable. If necessary, the soil can be acidified. But you won't be able to influence the lighting level. It is important to consider this in advance when choosing a site for a particular tree. When choosing, you must also take into account what size the crown of the tree will be, when it grows, what its shape will be.

How far can conifers be planted?

So that they do not interfere with each other, they can be planted in groups, and perennial plants can be planted next to them. This way you can achieve a good decorative effect. But at the same time, groups of plants must necessarily look externally as a single composition. They shouldn't be just scattered plants.

Name and description of conifers and shrubs

Conifers continue to grow throughout life. With age, their crown increases in size. This must be taken into account when choosing a place for nearby plants. The space between coniferous and herbaceous is filled with bark or wood chips. If you want to plant several different conifers next to each other, it is recommended first to carefully study how compatible they are with each other.

Conifers - their classes and types

Home> Taiga articles> Taiga forests. Taiga plants

Taiga forests, taiga plants

Boreal taiga forests represent the largest ecosystem in northern Eurasia, North America and Scandinavia.

Taiga plants are mainly represented by conifers, mosses, lichens and small shrubs, but the taiga is different. There are several types of boreal taiga forest, which are dominated by certain plants. Taiga forests are divided into light-coniferous taiga, which is dominated by pine and larch, and dark-coniferous taiga, which is dominated by spruce, Siberian cedar, and fir. The taiga soil is sod-podzolic, acidic.

Let's take a look at the main plants of the taiga, which in some way can be useful to the traveler, hermit or hunter-fisherman.

First, let's take a look at the habitat of these plants:

We see that coniferous forests are spread over almost the entire north of the land. On my own behalf, I want to add that the mountain ranges of the European Alps, the Carpathians, the Rocky Mountains of North America are also covered with taiga, which is not shown in the diagram.

Coniferous trees of taiga forests

Siberian spruce

The most important representative of the taiga. The basis of the dark coniferous taiga, which has become its symbol. Most often, spruce grows in mixed forests, but often it is the main forest-forming plant. Spruce wood is used in logging, it is suitable for construction, however, slightly worse than pine wood. The spruce cone appears at the age of 15 to 50 years, depending on the place of growth. The interval between the harvest is 3-5 years. Needles, cones are rich in vitamin C and other useful substances, they also contain a lot of essential oils.

What do the twigs and cones of conifers (spruce, pine, cedar, fir) look like?

The needles release phytoncides that play an antibacterial role.

Scots pine

Pine forest

Scotch pine, along with spruce, is widespread in Russia. The basis of the light coniferous taiga. Pine wood is widely used in construction; due to its high resin content, it is one of the best natural building materials in the taiga zone. The resin has a very pleasant smell, it is used for forcing tar, turpentine, rosin. Previously, resins were widely used in shipbuilding and other construction where the preservative properties of pine are required. The needles contain vitamin C and other beneficial substances.

Fir

I call the fir the most affectionate tree of the dark coniferous taiga due to the fact that its needles are very soft and do not prick at all. Fir paws are good for bedding if you spend the night in the forest without a tent or foam mat. I also prefer to drink tea with infused needles. The tea turns out to be fragrant, albeit vitamin-free, since vitamins are destroyed when heated. Fir wood is little used, it is poorly suited for construction.

Fir is more a medicinal tree than a building material. Fir resin can cover wounds: it has an antiseptic effect and promotes their early healing. Fir oil is widely used in cosmetics.

Siberian cedar

I already have an article about Siberian cedar. I will only say that this is the most noble tree of the dark coniferous taiga. Pine nuts are highly valued due to their rich composition of nutrients. The presence of cedars in the taiga indicates the presence of furs in it, which is another important factor. Cedar wood is used in construction, carpentry. It has a reddish tint and a pleasant smell. The wood is less resinous than pine wood. The cedar lives up to 800 years. The growing season is 40-45 days a year. Cones ripen within 14-15 months. Each cone contains from 30 to 150 nuts. Cedar begins to bear fruit after an average of 60 years, sometimes even later.

Larch

Larch forest, Yakutia

Larch is the most hardy tree in the taiga zone. It grows in mixed forests, but most often, due to its resistance to frost, larch forms a mono-forest - larch forest. Larch can withstand temperatures as low as -70 ° C and even more. The needles are annual, not at all prickly, soft. Larch loves light areas of the terrain, so it is very difficult to find it in dark coniferous forests. As a rule, these will be lonely trees or monolarch forests. Larch wood is very dense due to its short growing season. It has many rings. A thin tree can be very old. Very well suited for construction, is a desirable material for making the first crowns of taiga winter huts. Wood is not afraid of moisture and rots very slowly. Contains a lot of resin.

Deciduous taiga trees and shrubs

Birch

The most popular deciduous species in the taiga forest. Distributed everywhere. It is present in almost all mixed forests of northern latitude. Almost all parts of this tree are widely used. The wood is used for construction, crafts, carpentry. Tar is extracted from the bark, various items are made, it burns well. In spring, birch sap, rich in vitamins and sugars, is extracted from live birch. The buds and leaves are used in medicine.

Aspen

Another representative of hardwoods in the taiga. Aspen is a relative of poplar, their bark can even be confused. Used for landscaping settlements as a fast-growing tree. The bark is used for tanning leather. It is used to produce yellow and green paint. In April, bees collect pollen from aspen flowers, and glue from blossoming buds, which is processed into propolis. Goes to the construction of houses, is used as a roofing material (in Russian wooden architecture, aspen boards were used to cover the domes of churches), in the production of plywood, cellulose, matches, containers and others. Young growth is a winter food for elk, deer, hares and other mammals. It is a medicinal plant. Aspen has antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, antitussive, choleretic and anthelmintic effect. The combination of antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory properties in aspen bark makes it promising in the complex treatment of tuberculosis, smallpox, malaria, syphilis, dysentery, pneumonia, coughs of various origins, rheumatism and inflammation of the bladder mucosa.

Aqueous extract of aspen bark is used to treat opisthorchiasis.

Alder green

From the Berezov family. In the north it is a small shrub, in the south - a tree about 6 m in height. It is widespread in the taiga zone; it is less common in birch and aspen. Grows in wet soils. The bark and leaves provide dye for animal skins. Practically not used in everyday life. It is a food for moose and serves as a refuge for game animals.

Linden

In the taiga forest - a rather rare guest, it grows mainly in the south, in the central part of Russia, here and there in Western Siberia and in the Amur taiga. Wood is widely used in carpentry and joinery, it lends itself well to processing due to its softness. Some parts of the linden tree are used to produce medicines, and it is also an excellent honey plant. Washcloths, bast shoes, mats are made from the bark of a tree (bast).

Rowan

Widely distributed throughout Europe, Asia and North America. It grows everywhere in the taiga. The use of mountain ash is low. Berries are eaten, mountain ash is a melliferous plant, joinery is made of wood. Berries are used in folk medicine as an antiscorbutic, hemostatic, diaphoretic, diuretic, choleretic, laxative and as a remedy for headaches. Fresh rowan fruits have a bitter taste, but the first frosts lead to the destruction of the bitter glycoside of sorbic acid - and the bitterness disappears. The fruits of the most famous variety of mountain ash (Nevezhinskaya), containing up to 9% sugar, have a sweet taste even before frost.

Juniper

A small shrub that grows everywhere in the taiga. It also grows in the mountains of Nepal, Bhutan, Pakistan. Fruits - cones, contain sugars, organic acids and trace elements. Juniper is widely used in folk medicine due to its high content of phytoncides.

It is used in the treatment of various diseases such as tuberculosis, kidney disease, bronchitis, etc.

Dwarf cedar

Grows in relatively mountainous areas, on the border of taiga and tundra. Grows on stones, very slowly, lives up to 250 years. The oleoresin of the dwarf pine is rich in various substances. Turpentine is obtained from the resin, which is an antiseptic, diuretic, causing skin flushing, and an anthelmintic. Used to treat kidney and bladder. Nuts are rich in nutrients and are in no way inferior to their older brother - Siberian cedar. Previously, pine needles were used as an anti-scurvy agent; they also contain carotene, more than carrots.

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The most interesting

Conifers are mostly evergreens, woody or shrubby, with leaves in the form of needles. The needles are needle-shaped, scaly or linear leaves. Conifers belong to the class of gymnosperms. In total, there are about 600 species of coniferous plants. It is difficult to list the names of all conifers, but you can imagine a list of the most famous and common conifers in our strip.

Pine is an evergreen coniferous tree that grows throughout the entire territory of Russia, it is distinguished by its long needles and unpretentiousness to natural conditions. Sunny pine groves are a real natural sanatorium.

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

- in the wild, it grows in the tropical zone, it is also successfully bred as an ornamental tree or shrub, foliage differs from all previous conifers, leaves on upward-directed shoots are arranged spirally, on horizontal shoots - linear. Yew is very poisonous, only seedless berries are edible in it.

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

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

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

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

In addition to those listed, conifers include: cypress, hemlock, ginkgo, araucaria, oritedrus, pseudo-suga, cunningamia, cryptomeria, sciadopitis, sequoiadendron and many others.

Ephedra are the love of many people, not only landscape designers. What aroma they give, especially in warm regions - cypresses, thuja, various types of pines. Think of their greenery in winter. Soft, fluffy, prickly, tall, giant, small and dwarf, forest, mountain - what a magical variety nature gives us! And of course, they are used almost every time for landscaping.

Trees not only save us from heat, rain or wind, but also serve as an irreplaceable source of oxygen. Some plants are capable of pleasing the eye with their greenery all year round. This is what the kingdom of conifers belongs to. Their characteristics are very easy to distinguish from other species. In addition to non-falling needles, which are used as protection, they have cones in which seeds are stored for further reproduction. The first representatives of this kingdom appeared in the Carboniferous period, and in our time they are evergreen woody plants. They are the most numerous among the plants on land. And only they have a special resin of conifers, which initially serves as protection against insects. The odors emitted by the needles contain phytoncides, the properties of which are used for the prevention and treatment of bacterial diseases.

In any weather it is pleasant to walk through the cool coniferous forest, which is not uncommon for Russia. But not every country can boast of such wealth, because for the cultivation of such trees, such as pine, spruce, for example, a special climate is needed. Evergreens are well-known centenarians; the average age of one plant reaches 500–800 years. It is also not uncommon for deciduous species for conifers, which are called "larch". Some species are already extinct, many live under protection in the Botanical Gardens, and the most popular species are used by gardeners as ornamental plants. They make wonderful garden compositions.

In total, there are 600 species of plants on the planet that belong to conifers. For a more convenient classification, they are divided into childbirth. Which trees are the most common among them, you will learn from this list:

• European spruce,
• silver prickly tree,
• Serbian spruce,
• Canadian tree,
• Scots pine,
• black pine,
• Weymouth pine,
• cedar pine,
• arbor vitae,
• thuja giant
• thuja western,

• balsam fir,
• Korean fir,
• Siberian fir,
• noble fir,
• Vich fir,
• Caucasian fir,
• white,
• European larch,
• Japanese larch,
• dahurian larch,
• Siberian larch,

• European cedar,
• Siberian cedar,
• Canadian yew,
• European yew,
• juniper,
• tuyevik.

Of course, this impressive list does not enumerate all the representatives of conifers, but it clearly makes it clear how huge the diversity of these plants is. Other decorative species are also suitable for cultivation, but in the wild they are much less common. The softwood of these plants is used in industry, and the resistance to moisture allows ships to be built from reliable planks.

Each species has its own growth area, breeding characteristics, cones and the shape of needles. For most of them, acidic soil without specific fertilizers and a harsh climate with high humidity, winds and low temperatures, which are found in the northern part of Russia, Canada and Europe, are suitable. Spruce, spruce, pine, thuja, larch and other names of conifers are among the most frost-resistant species, the protection of which from low temperatures allows them to grow even in winter. Planting in such a territory will bring guaranteed fruits without much effort, and the resulting compositions will delight gardeners. Planting conifers is a simple process.

What plants are most suitable for decorative purposes, we will consider in the form of a table of differences for clarity of characteristics.

The table below shows the comparative characteristics and characteristics of conifers:

Name	Lighting	Plant shape and height	Durability
European tree	moderate	Cone-shaped, 50 m	250-300 years
Pine	Photophilous	Cone-shaped, gets wider over the years, 40 m	200-250 years
Thuja western	Shade tolerant	Pyramidal, dense needles, 3 m high.	150 years
White fir	Shade tolerant	Pyramid, nest-like in old age, 60 m. In height	300-400 years
	Photophilous	Irregular or cone-shaped, 50 m high	50-100 years
Canadian yew	Shade tolerant	Shrub, 2.5 m.	Before 1500 years

Name	Planting and watering	Leaf and cone shape	Special growing conditions
European tree	Layers or seeds, do not overfill	Flattened needles 1-3 cm, oblong cylindrical cones	Loamy soil without stagnant water, spruce tolerates frost, haircuts, requires clean air
Scots pine	Grafting or seeds	The needles are dense, curved 4-7 cm, cones 2-3 pieces	Sandy soil, fast growth, poor moisture tolerance
Thuja western	Seeds or cuttings, abundant watering	Flat, deep green, small buds	Slow growth, but thuja tolerates a lack of light. Moisture-loving
White fir	Seeds or vegetatively, Moderate watering	Blunt needles up to 3 cm.Oval green cones	Poorly withstands frost
European larch	Seeds or vegetatively, Weak watering	The needles are long, dull. Ovoid bumps	Requires dry soil, larch is wind-resistant
Canadian yew	Vegetative planting, moderate watering	Short, sharp needles 2 cm long Ball-shaped fruits, small invisible cones	Slow growing, frost resistant Poisonous leaves, bark, berries

How to make a mixborder?

So, having dealt with the main differences between decorative trees, let's move on directly to their use and possible compositions. To decorate the territory, a coniferous evergreen tree will be an excellent option. First of all, you need to decide what exactly fits into your landscape design: it should be a shrub or a coniferous tree with large needles like pine or larch.

You can get any species that interests you in Russia from gardeners, the main thing is desire, hard work and beautiful compositions. And in order to play up the advantages of pine needles even more original, you can make a mixborder from decorative species. The mixborder will shade favorably the adjacent lawns and decorate the landscape in style. Of course, with the help of such plants it will be difficult to achieve even contours of the composition, but constant care and haircut will help bring the picture closer to the ideal one.

The simplest scheme for a mixborder is the principle: taller plants are planted in the background, and small ones in the foreground. If your landscape designs are in the middle of your lawn, plant large plants in the center and low ones around the periphery.

The initial schemes for the composition can be modeled on a computer or you can draw a mixborder by hand. The resulting mixborder pictures must first be born in the head. Spruce, thuja, certain varieties of pine with a bluish-green shade of needles will give nobility, and creeping junipers, Bergman pine are useful as evergreen shrubs.

An unusual highlight of any scheme can be a hemlock with original hanging branches. It will not be superfluous to show your imagination and fill the mixborder with bright colors in the form of flowers. Even if the climate of Russia is not so harsh for the breed of decorative evergreens, you can choose a southern coniferous tree that perfectly tolerates high temperatures in summer.

An important point: take into account the characteristics of the soil and access to them. Indeed, most often dense planting of trees will complicate further passage and access to the rest of the plants in the composition. The selected trees should not be aggressive, grow too quickly and displace flowers, then the mixborder will look organic.

It is necessary to take into account the clarity of all plants and select in a mixborder in accordance with the soil. Larch prefers dry weather, while others are wet. The selection of the neighborhood of the composition is the key to a beautiful landscape. It is also necessary to plant plants to some extent "chaotically", not observing clear placements and intervals - so the mixborder will look more natural. For the first winter, you can cover your mixborder with spruce branches to allow the trees to adapt to the weather conditions in Russia. It is the mixborder that will create a unique and unusual composition on your site, which caring and creative owners can be proud of.

How to prune conifers?

The disorganized shape of conifers looks out of place in any landscape. In principle, conifers are not particularly difficult plants and do not require daily supervision and maintenance. But you still have to take note of a few basic rules. In order to control the growth and size of the plant, they need to trim some of the roots. This procedure is carried out once a year, as well as in preparation for plant transplantation. Some breeds have shallow roots, so pruning must be done with extreme care with pruning shears or garden shears, and the rest of the root system is also properly protected. With regards to the crown, it is cut off only in those breeds that change their shape with age.

In the wild, in the forest, in botanical parks and gardens, this is prohibited, so as not to disturb the composition and natural growth. A more natural shape can be maintained by thinning the branches occasionally. In some trees, the leading branches are pruned, in this way a greater density of the crown is achieved and its width is reduced. Also, pruning will not be superfluous to maintain the balance of the plant and give it decorative forms and complement the composition. The grafted tree will have several tops and in this case, the side branches must be eliminated.

Some trees - spruce, fir, thuja, cypress, when pruned, even change the color of the needles, it becomes bluish-silver. The pruning itself, if necessary, is carried out every two years without harm to the plant. For species such as juniper or yew, early pruning can be done to keep the tree in shape in the future. The breeds tolerate the pruning of young branches less painfully; when the old ones are removed, the tree can be sore for a long time, and soon it will degenerate altogether.

Scheduled pruning is done in early spring, before buds burst but no buds appear. Thus, the trunk of the tree can be restored before the fall. Another important consideration in pruning is to protect buds and buds, which, if damaged, will cause the tree to lose its growth. Hedges in the composition require frequent pruning and are less painful to respond to. Thuja and yew are great for such purposes as pruning.

Planting and feeding for conifers

Planting, as well as pruning, on the territory of Russia requires compliance with the rules and regulations, because some breeds take root for a long time in a new area. First of all, you need to find out whether they grow well in neighboring areas and in the forest of your city. Immediately before buying, check the root system of the tree, evaluate its appearance. When planting, choose the right place, taking into account the amount of sunlight.

The best time for planting is spring or early fall. The main thing is to ensure sufficient soil moisture. The area should be cleared of weeds and a hole should be dug 30 cm deeper than the root system of the tree. You can put gravel at the bottom of the dug hole. The root collar should not be buried and it must be remembered that the earth will sag over time. Around the planted tree, it will not be superfluous to sprinkle it with pine sawdust or mulch, which will help retain moisture in the first year. Protection from cold and snow in the first year is possible with the help of special sheds; it is not required from insects and pests. Note that they thrive best when they are small.

There are many factors to consider when you decide to change your tree transplant composition. A coniferous plant such as a spruce must be carefully prepared. Most often, this is root pruning without damage and with protection of the root collar. After this procedure, the trees can be transplanted after a year. Remember that when replanting in the first two years, the growth of the tree will be significantly lost.

With regards to feeding and fertilizing for conifers, you can do without them. Almost all breeds do not bear fruit, do not shed their leaves for the winter. But if you want to achieve great results in the form of growth, you can provide the tree with additional fertilizing.

It is important to understand that these plants are quite whimsical with regard to all kinds of chemical additives and other fertilizers, so it is very easy to "overdo it" and ruin a tree. It is better to refrain from feeding than to do it illiterately.

Fertilizers with a high percentage of nitrogen are completely unsuitable for evergreens. They give intensive growth of young branches, which ends with yellowing and subsequent degeneration of the specimen. Manure as a fertilizer, accordingly, is also not suitable for such purposes. As you can see, conifers are not very fond of feeding.

Most often, such breeds are fertilized twice a season: in early spring and no later than July. The most effective are special fertilizers in the form of granules or a liquid solution. They need to be diluted in exact concentration according to the instructions. You can pour the mixture into specially dug holes near the roots of the tree. Granular additives are also allowed, it is better to mix them together with the soil during loosening. In a similar way, fertilize with humus or compost. It is best to reduce the acidity of the soil with dolomite flour, which contains calcium and magnesium, which are absorbed by the roots.