El Engelman

Engelman's Spruce (Picea engelmannii) — evergreen plant of the pine family, grows in mixed forests of the Western United States and Canada. Named after the German naturalist Theodor Engelmann. In Europe and Russia, spruce has been bred since the middle of the 19th century as an ornamental plant.

Dignity of the variety: smoky color of needles, high decorative effect, frost resistance.

Appearance

Treein its natural environment reaches 50-60 meters in height, more compact cultivated subspecies are used in landscape design. The crown is cone-shaped, dense, but not sprawling – up to 1 meter in diameter. Trunk – reddish brown, covered with thin scaly bark, branches – yellowish brown. The kidneys are cone-shaped.

Spruce needles are sharp, 1.5-2 cm long, bluish-green. Cones – ovoid, 4-7 cm long, with brown seeds. As the cone matures, it changes color from burgundy to light brown.

The lifespan of a tree is 300-500 years.

Purpose. Due to the unusual bluish tint of needles, Engelm spruce is widely used in landscape design, both as an independent decoration of gardens and parks, and as part of compositions with other conifers: pine, cedar, arborvitae, larch . Often a Christmas tree can be found on city alleys, squares, parks and squares.

Dwarf subspecies of Engelman's spruce are used for decorating small household plots, decorating alpine slides and recreation areas.

An alley of tall fir trees will not only decorate the territory, but will become a natural barrier from wind, dust, prying eyes.

Immunity. El Engelman has an average immunity. It can be affected by root rot, fusarium, ulcerative cancer, schütte, cone rust, spinner. From insect pests, the tree is attacked by spider mites, aphids, leafworms.

Regular inspections of plants are recommended, if foci of diseases and pests are detected – immediate treatment with special preparations.

The best prevention of diseases will be compliance with the conditions for planting and caring for Christmas trees.

Growing conditions. View withresistant to severe frosts up to – 42.5°C. Therefore, it is suitable for cultivation in Siberia and other cold regions. The plant feels most comfortable in the Central strip of Russia, the Volga region, the Black Earth region.

The tree is suitable for planting in large cities with adverse environmental factors, as it calmly tolerates increased gas pollution and dust.

Beware of fakes and infected planting material, purchase Engelmann spruce seedlings in specialized nurseries.