Siberian fir, the description of which will allow you to choose the best variety for landscape composition, will delight the eye for decades with proper planting and care. Due to its biological characteristics and frost resistance, it withstands different climatic conditions, so the landing area is unlimited.

Botanical description of Siberian fir

Evergreen coniferous tree from the pine family (Pinaceae). On average, the height of an adult fir reaches 30–60 m, but there are individual specimens growing up to 100 m. The trunk diameter is 1.5–2 m. It is widespread in Eastern and Western Siberia. The crown is of a classical narrow-pyramidal shape, branches branch from the very base. On young branches brown hairs are observed.

Important! In the last winter days, adult trees must be protected from excessive solar activity by non-woven material, despite good winter resistance.

The smooth, thin crust of a dark gray color is covered with chaotic swellings filled with resin. The needles are 1.5–5 cm long, 1–1.7 mm wide, rounded or obtuse at the ends with a shallow notch. Above, the leaves-needles of dark green color have a groove in the center in the form of a groove, flat and shiny. The underside is dull, two longitudinal whitish stripes stand out. The life span of one needle is 6–7 years.

Cones of male and female type:

1. Male strobiles are located at the ends of branches. The oval-cylindrical spikelet is filled with pollen with a yellow tint 5–9 cm long and 2–4 cm wide.
2. Female cones oblong-oval, are located vertically on the upper side of the branches one at a time, usually on last year's shoots. Length - 10–18 cm, width - 6–8 cm.

Young cones of dark purple color, reaching adulthood, become light brown. Ripening ends at the end of summer, the seeds spill out in the winter or fall. Seed length - 7 mm with a volatile obovate or wedge-shaped. After that, the cone does not fall to the ground, like other pine varieties, but decays directly on the tree.

Did you know? Fir contains camphor, which can cause seizures. This ability was used several years ago to treat schizophrenia in psychiatric practice.

The pollen ripening period is May - June. The buds are located at the ends of the branches, protected by scales that are covered with a layer of resin and fit tightly to each other, pointed or blunt in shape with a reddish, green or brown color. The root system does not tolerate frosts very well, underdeveloped, formed by short and not thick roots.

In landscape design

Due to the variety of varieties, Siberian fir will decorate any landscape design on a suburban area or in a park zone of the city. A perennial evergreen has many decorative forms that will beautifully beat any composition of shrub-herbaceous crops. Very often used for hedges, single landings and group compositions. It is rarely used for urban plantations, since it does not tolerate gas contamination and dry air.

Decorative varieties

Decorative varieties of fir reach a height of 50 cm, so they are widely used in landscape design.

The most common varieties are described below:

1. Abies balsamea mill. (Balsamic). The birthplace of the plant is North America, a wild variety in Canada. The height of the tree reaches 15–20 m. This variety has many dwarf forms that are successfully used in landscape design and are slow-growing in growth rate. The dark green needles of the tree exude a strong aroma. Characteristic features of the variety: resinous buds; cylindrical cones up to 10 cm long, purple; frost resistance; the bark, as the plant grows, changes color from gray-ash to brown-red; arrangement of branches in tiered rings; fast growing variety; prefers loamy fertile soils; shade tolerance; does not tolerate drought, dry air, dry winds lead to the death of the plant. It can be ideal for decorating alpine slides.
2. Abies concolor (Plain). Decorative evergreen variety of needles, fast-growing. It can grow up to 30-60 m in height. Introduced to other countries from northern Mexico and the mountainous regions of the United States. Mature trees live up to 350 years. Dwarf varieties, such as Kompakta and Violacea, have the following biological characteristics: one-color needles 4–7 cm long, 2.5 mm wide, taper to the base, dull or bluntly pointed at the apex; the color of the needles is gray, dull, gray-green; cones are oval-cylindrical in light brown in color, reach 8–12 cm long and 3–5 cm wide; the resinousness of the cones is weak; relatively hardy; normally tolerate air pollution; propagated by seeds; undemanding to soil and climatic conditions; the asymmetric crown is dense, dull-gray; photophilous, drought tolerant. Perfectly fit into the composition of lawns and small gardens, well suited for rock gardens.
3. Abies koreana (Korean). There are several interesting decorative forms, for example: Compact up to 80 cm high with a symmetrical crown or Blue Emperor up to 1.5 m high with a short dense purple crown. Description of the variety: slow-growing; cone-shaped crown; frost-resistant, drought-resistant; resinous spherical kidneys; bark during the life of the plant changes color from ashen gray to red-brown, and the structure from smooth to the appearance of deep cracks; the needles are 1–1.5 cm long, 2–2.5 mm wide with a dense radial arrangement, dark green in color; cylindrical cones 5–7 cm long and 2–2.8 cm wide, blue or purple-violet. For landscape and gardening purposes, it harmoniously combines in compositions with deciduous shrubs and trees, and other coniferous species.
4. Abies Nordmanniana (Normanda, Caucasian). The birthplace of the tree is Asia Minor and the Caucasus. Wild plants reach 60–80 m tall. Dwarf varieties are slowly growing up to 1 m tall, they need to grow 10 years. The crown grows to 1 m. Description of the species: needles 4 cm long, rounded, soft and not spiky, dark green in color, has a silver tint from the bottom; not very winter hardy; does not tolerate polluted air; cones are light brown, purple; multi-level pyramidal crown; branches are located horizontally; the root system is superficial, poorly developed.

The most popular variety for growing in parks, large gardens, to create malls and live fences. It complements a wide variety of landscape compositions, single and group plantings. Very rarely, Sakhalin (Altai) fir is used in decorative compositions, which is very demanding on air humidity, and mature trees are often affected by stem rot. For decorative landscaping, decorative dwarf varieties of fir are used with more favorable botanical characteristics.

Propagation Features

A typical seed propagation method is common to all species of fir. Decorative varieties are propagated by layering, grafting and cuttings. This is much more appropriate, since the seed germination of many varieties of the tree is low, approximately 50%. After a year they germinate no more than 30%, and after two years they do not germinate at all, therefore it is better to sow freshly harvested seed material immediately after harvesting in the fall during the spring sowing season.

To choose how to cultivate Siberian fir for your garden, some features of seed and vegetative methods of reproduction will help:

1. Seeds. The best period is the first spring after the autumn seed harvest. During planting, the ground should be warm enough so that spring frosts do not interfere with germination. At the sowing site, you need to create a slight shadow to prevent sunburn, which can destroy them. It is necessary to mulch the soil to protect the weak root system from overheating and weed grass. After 3 years in the fall, seedlings are transplanted for further growth, creating a feeding area around one shoot of 15 × 20 cm. The procedure is carried out strictly until winter so that they are well rooted. Repeated transplantation to a permanent place of landing is carried out after 3-4 years in early spring or autumn. On the roots of seedlings should be a lump of land.
2. Vegetative way (layering, cuttings). The technology is time consuming, but allows you to fully preserve the individual characteristics of the variety. Cuttings considered to be the best for propagation are 7–10 cm long of annual side shoots of branches of the second or third order with apical buds. Harvest them during the spring sap flow. Planted to a depth of 1.5 cm in the sand, perform systematic spraying. Cover with polyethylene and leave in the shade for 2-3 weeks. The room is regularly ventilated, but drafts are not allowed. After 2-3 months, the roots germinate.

In nature, Siberian fir can reproduce both by seeds and by layering (vegetatively). Characterized by rapid germination of seeds, even with self-sowing. When the lower branches come into contact with the ground, they root and form numerous layering.

Landing rules

Only 4-year-old seedlings and older are allowed to plant in the open soil. It can be planted in April, but the most favorable time is the end of August - the beginning of September. The weather should be cloudy, and the landing site should be in the shade or partial shade. The soil is chosen fertile, moist, well-drained. The presence of a reservoir near the landing site will not hurt.

Did you know? Fir wood exhibits resonant properties, which is why good musical instruments are made from it.

Between seedlings of group compositions, the distance must be observed:

• 3–3.5 m - loose plantings;
• 2.5 m - dense groups.

When laying a fir alley, the distance between seedlings should be at least 4–5 m.

Step-by-step instruction

To plant seedlings correctly, you need to perform several simple operations:

1. 1.5 months before landing, a pit for landing is prepared. Standard dimensions are 60 × 60 × 60 cm, then its dimensions are regulated by the root system of the seedling.
2. 20-30 liters of water are poured into the dug hole.
3. After completely absorbing water, the bottom of the pit is dug up to ½ bayonet of a shovel.
4. Next, a layer of broken brick or gravel is laid on the bottom (5-6 cm).
5. Pour the second tier of the soil mixture into ½ holes, which includes humus, clay, sand and peat in a ratio of 3: 2: 1: 1. Nitrofoska (200-300 g) and sawdust (10 kg) are additionally poured into it.
6. Give two weeks for shrinkage of the soil in the pit, then land.
7. The roots of the tree are placed so that the root neck is flush with the ground. The best option is to place the roots on an earthen hill, then straighten the root system and fill the pit with the prepared earth mixture, well tamp.
8. A planted tree must be watered.

Care

Despite the unpretentiousness of coniferous trees, suitable seedlings are sold in containers with an earthen lump on the roots. Coniferous fir is hardy and resistant to drought, but you need to know how to plant and care for it correctly.

Watering and fertilizer

Watering is needed exclusively moisture-loving varieties of Siberian fir. Each species has its own irrigation system. In drought, it is necessary to irrigate all varieties of needles. 1.5–2 buckets of water are poured under each tree. On average, one plant is watered 2-3 times a season, 20 liters of water.

Non-loving plant species react very negatively to excess moisture, and natural precipitation is sufficient for them. The first top dressing is performed no earlier than 2-3 years after planting in the spring. For example, 100–125 g of “Kemira Universal” is introduced into the soil of the near-trunk circle. It is recommended to feed with mineral fertilizers every 2-3 years.

Video: how and when to fertilize conifers

Loosening and mulching

After each watering, it is necessary to carry out loosening, plunging into the soil optimally by 10-12 cm, but not deeper than 30 cm, weed is eliminated in parallel. In the diameter of half a meter with a mixture of chips or peat with sawdust, you need to mulch the near-trunk circle of young trees. The mulching layer should be 5–8 cm. In this case, mulch should not be allowed to fall on the root neck of the tree.

Pruning

The crown of firs does not need to be cut. However, it is imperative to monitor that the seedlings do not have two peaks. With this phenomenon, the weaker of them is cut off. In the spring, you can slightly form a crown, cutting off the damaged shoots by 1/3, before the sap flow begins. Moreover, garden shears should be sharp.

Important! All varieties of Siberian fir need to create good soil drainage.

Winter preparations

Most varieties are winter-hardy, but young shrubs of the first year of planting should be covered with dry branches or spruce branches. The trunk circle is mulched, the layer of a mixture of dry leaves and peat should be 10–12 cm. The biological characteristics of Siberian fir allow it to be grown under various climatic conditions.The variety is characterized by high resistance to diseases and pests. In addition, the plant has the ability to disinfect the air from bacteria. A variety of varieties creates incredibly beautiful landscape designs of urban park areas and personal plots.