Many gardeners are not averse to getting a decorative Christmas tree on their site. Most often, plants such as spruce and fir are used to decorate the landscape. But in practice, it turns out that few people know what the difference between these cultures is. Read about the differences between the external characteristics of trees and how to grow them.

Biological Description of Childbirth

Genus Fir is a tall, evergreen tree. The plant belongs to the family of Pine plants and in the wild is forest-forming. The tree is tall, reaching a maximum height of 80 m, its crown width is up to 3.5 m.

The genus Spruce is a representative of coniferous evergreen crops, which, like fir, belong to the Pine family. The tree is tall, capable of reaching up to 90 m in height.

The main differences

Do not assume that if the trees belong to the same family, then they must be identical. Even with similar external data, such as a cone-shaped or pyramidal apex, spreading branches, fir and spruce there are differences that can be easily noticed, so if in doubt, you should pay attention to such parts of the tree:

Appearance

You can distinguish fir from spruce by growing up cones, decaying on branches and leaving behind only bare rods. Their needles are flat, not prickly, have a bifurcation at the end. It exudes a strong aroma, its color is dark green with lighter stripes in the middle. The bark has a smooth, shiny structure. There are no resin channels on the trunk. The resin accumulates in small bubble pockets on the surface of the shoots.

Important! Due to the fact that resin accumulates on fir on the surface of branches, its aroma is more persistent than on spruce.

In spruce cones, on the contrary, hang down, and the seeds crumble. Needles - prickly, has four faces, with a sharp point at the end. Their shade is green. The spruce trunk will differ from fir by the presence of exfoliating thin plates of a gray hue.

Video: How to distinguish spruce from fir

Cultivation and care

Fir will grow and develop well on drained, loamy soils. It can be grown in semi-shaded areas. As the decorative culture grows, it requires abundant moisture 2 times a month. Each plant requires 20 liters of water.

Important! Fir, like spruce, requires annual sanitary pruning, which is carried out in early spring before the start of sap flow.

Spruce will grow perfectly on any type of soil. It is best planted in well-lit areas. The seedlings of this plant have high frost resistance, so they do not need shelter for the winter period.

Application

There are no particular differences in the economic and decorative use of the described trees. Both species are grown as decor for suburban areas and parks. Depending on the cultivated variety, the plants look great on flower beds or in the form of hedges.

Did you know? The fir-tree root system is rod-shaped, its main root dies in the 15th year of growth, therefore these trees are weakly resistant to strong winds.

These plants differ in that their wood is used in completely different directions. The material obtained during the processing of the spruce trunk is excellent for construction and is used for the manufacture of furniture frames and upholstery.

Spruce wood is used only for internal construction work, as it comes into contact with the soil and begins to rot and decay. High-quality wood material of this tree is used for the manufacture of stringed instruments.

The specific heat of combustion of spruce wood is 4.5 kW × h / kg, so this material is excellent for heating residential premises. Also, residues from the processing of spruce wood are used for thermal and power plants that operate on biofuels.

The trunk of the fir lends itself perfectly to processing, the wood is resilient and light. It is more used for sheathing purposes, and it is also perfect for making food containers. From the needles of this plant, oil and camphor can be made. From the swelling of the bark of this plant, you can extract fir balm, it is used to prepare turpentine, varnish and rosin.

Which is better - fir or spruce

Fir and spruce are conifers that are forest-forming. If you compare these types, you can not say with accuracy which one is better. Just every plant is good in its application. For example, spruce wood is better for construction and furniture, and fir is more suitable for making barrels and containers for fruits and vegetables.

Did you know? The Christmas tree cone contains about 100 seeds.

In landscape design, the use of these trees is a matter of personal taste, because both species perfectly ennoble the territory. The only difference will be the fact that fir exudes a stronger coniferous aroma.

Comparing fir and spruce, it was possible to find out that the trees belong to the same Pine family and are found in the wild in coniferous and leafy forests. Despite these facts, the plants are completely different in appearance and in scope.