The genus Tsuga trees (lat. Tsuga) belongs to the Pine family, includes about 10-11 species of evergreen conifers. In the natural environment, they are common in the regions of East Asia and North America, are found at an altitude of up to 3500 m above sea level. Some species have been cultivated and introduced to Europe.
Botanical Description
Tsugi are straight-shaped slender trees, the height of which varies from 7 to 75 m. Within one species, the difference in size reaches several tens of meters, depending on the growing conditions. The width of the trunks of adult specimens is 50-150 cm. Many representatives of the genus are characterized by the presence of a wide pyramidal crown located at a high height from the ground. The lower part of the trunks is bare. The bark at a young age is reddish-brown, thin, scaly, in adults it becomes ashen-gray, covered with deep longitudinal grooves. The ends of the branches of the Tsug are thin, hanging, giving the trees a weeping appearance. The needles are stiff, dark green, with a slight sheen, flat, with pointed tips and longitudinal veins. The length of the needles is 0.5–2.5 cm. Tsugi are monoecious plants. Cones about 2.5 cm, brown, rounded, have lignified scales.
Many species begin to bloom in late April. Pollination occurs within 1.5–2 months. Equipped with light wings, the seeds ripen in October. After opening the cones, they are scattered by the wind. The photo shows the branches of Tsugi.
These plants love moisture, fertile soil. They are quite shade-tolerant, exhibit moderate frost resistance. Grow slowly. They begin to form bumps by the age of 20-30. The life span of these pine trees can exceed 1000 years..
Popular views
There are several of the most studied types of Tsugi. On their basis, many decorative forms were developed that are used in landscape design.
Tsuga Canadian
Tsuga canadensis - An endemic plant in the northeastern territories of the United States and Canada. In these places, it forms a clean or mixed forest stands. In the wild, reaches a height of 20–25 m, has a wide, dense conical crown. Prefers a humid cool climate.. Withstands temperatures up to -20 ° C. Based on the Canadian Tsugi, compact forms have been created for landscaping gardens and parks:
- Albospicata. A dwarf plant up to 2–2.5 m high. The crown is sprawling, irregular or pyramidal in shape. With age, the needles change their yellowish tint to bright green.
- Jeddeloh. Low shrub with a semicircular crown and a spiral arrangement of branches. The needles are stiff, needle-shaped, light green, about 1.5 cm long.
- Minima. A spectacular small shrub, the crown is dense, spherical, width and height of about 1.5 m, the needles are dark green, about 0.5-1 cm in size.
- Nana Miniature Canadian pine with flexible shoots and needles, reaching 2 cm in length.
Tsuga Caroline
Tsuga caroliniana found in the southeastern states of the United States on the rocky banks of rivers at an altitude of 700 m above sea level. This evergreen tree reaches 15 m. The young bark is light brown, with age it becomes dark brown. The crown is pyramidal, wide. The needles are flattened, about 1.8 cm long, dark green above, covered with a bluish bloom below, matte. Cones are small, about 2 cm, elongated ovoid.
Tsuga varifolia
Homeland Tsuga diversifolia - Far East. Under natural conditions, grows up to 25 m, the trunks are thin or medium thickness, up to 80-100 cm in diameter. The bark is dark brown. Young shoots are slightly pubescent. The needles are flat, about 1.5 cm long, wider than other species, with a pronounced sheen. The needles are slightly wrinkled, densely located, have blunt tips. Cones are ovoid, small. This is a fairly winter-hardy and shade-tolerant species.
Tsuga Himalayan
Tsuga dumosa distributed in the Himalayas, grows on rocky and rocky soils. It occurs at an altitude of 2000–3500 m above sea level. The trunks reach 50 m. The bark is dark gray, young shoots are light brown, with a light fluff. The branches are located almost at right angles to the trunks. The needles are long, up to 3 cm, very dense. The needles are wide, flat at the bases, narrowed and slightly bent to the tips, “stitched” with longitudinal grooves. On the front side they are saturated green, with silver back.
Tsuga Western
Tsuga heterophylla - one of the highest species, reaches 60–75 m. Trunks up to 1.5–1.8 m thick. The bark is thick, furrowed, in adult trees it can peel off with small plates. Shoots at a young age are yellowish, darken over the years, turn brown. The lower branches are spaced almost horizontally. Crohn narrow-necked, with hanging ends of shoots. The needles are flat, dark green, slightly serrated, with rounded tips. Compact cultivated varieties:
- Conica. This is a dwarf variety up to 2.5–3 m in height.
- Argenteovariegata. A small tree with whitish shoots.
Using
The wood mass is slightly tarred. The sapwood has a light brown tint, a little lighter than the core, but there is no clear delineation in color. The structure is uneven. The main quality of lumber is high durability. The density of the dried mass is about 450 kg / m3. The wood is quite soft, with a low resistance to shock loads. It is well processed and bent, holds nails and screws, impregnated with varnish compositions.
The main industry for the use of wood is the paper industry. Cellulose, cardboard, paper are made from Tsugi. Also, lumber is used for the construction of formwork, temporary flooring: floors, walls and rafters.
Canadian Tsuga bark is a raw material for the production of tanning and coloring solutions, and leather processing. Decoctions of it were widely used in folk medicine in the treatment of dermatological and inflammatory diseases.
In pharmaceuticals, Tsugi essential oil is an antiseptic and a bactericidal drug. It is added to detergents and cleaners, lotions, creams. Used as a flavoring for chewing gums, drinks, confectionery.
Landing
Tsugs love loose, fertile soils, neutral or slightly acidified. Planted singly or in groups. Dwarf species look beautiful as hedges. Tall species are not recommended for planting in temperate or continental climates: they can die in severe frosts. Small shrubs under deep snow cover tolerate the cold.
For placement choose even areas without risk of swamping.. A dense shadow to these trees is not a hindrance. It is good if there is a pond or a river nearby. Conifers are much more sensitive to transplants: once planted, it is better not to touch them anymore. The time of planting seedlings is the beginning of autumn or the end of April.
Pits are prepared 60–70 cm deep and wide; about 15 cm of coarse sand is poured into the bottom. Seedlings are placed so that the neck is at the level of the soil surface. It is necessary to immediately introduce complex fertilizer into the soil. If a group of trees is planted, the distance between them should be about 0.8–1.5 m. It is recommended to mulch root circles for the winter with a thick layer of sawdust. First year in the cold completely covered with spruce branches.
Care
The soil must be regularly moistened. Young plants are watered twice a week, spending 10-15 liters of water per tree. After a harsh winter, a large amount of moisture helps the tsugam to wake up and begin development. Watering is also necessary for adult trees, especially in dry weather, but its frequency can be reduced: just 1 moisture in 7-10 days is enough. In summer, it is useful to regularly spray the shoots.
The issue of top dressing is decided individually. The needles of Tsug, gradually falling, enrich the soil itself. If the land is poor, nitrogen-containing fertilizers can be applied 1-2 times per season. The soil must be loosened regularly, as this process provides air exchange and normal moisture passage.
Cropping of the crown is not needed, because Tsugi grow by only a few centimeters per year. Only the shoots that have dried up or frostbite during the winter will have to be cut.
These plants can be propagated by seeds, but the seedlings will have to wait a very long time. Seeds are stratified for 3 months at a temperature of 5-6 ° C in bags with wet sawdust. Then the seeds are planted in boxes with soil from a mixture of turf, leaf soil and peat. Shoots appear in 1-2 months. Seedlings are kept in lighted rooms at 20 ° C, moderate humidity. In spring, the grown seedlings are tempered, taking to the air. Upon reaching a height of 20 cm they are planted in open ground.
Cuttings are a faster method of tree propagation. The material is cut in early summer, young shoots with nodes are chosen. Cuttings are placed in a nutrient mixture of perlite, peat, chopped pine bark. Prior to rooting, it is necessary to maintain a temperature regime of 20–22 ° C, stable lighting, moderate soil moisture. After a few months, the processes can be planted.