Content
As part of the name of conifers and deciduous plants, Pendula is encountered quite often, which confuses novice gardeners. Meanwhile, the word only means that the crown of the tree is weeping, drooping. Fir-tree prickly Glauka Pendula is one of the most beautiful conifers, obtained as a result of somatic mutation, and propagated exclusively by grafts.
Description of the prickly spruce Glauka Pendula
The mutation that led to the creation of the prickly spruce variety Glauka Pendula was discovered in the gardens of Versailles by A. Quarrière. The plant was introduced into the culture by Ari Koster, the owner of the Boskop nursery (South Holland) in 1895.
Glauka Pendula is one of the most beautiful varieties of prickly spruce, considered to be of medium height. It is propagated only by grafting, so that most of the trees come to Russia from Poland, Holland, Germany and other foreign nurseries. Domestic producers have just begun to carry out the operation and cannot saturate the market. Because of this, planting material is expensive.
The presence of the word Pendula in the name of the spruce variety in itself means that its crown should be drooping, weeping. But it is not always the case. The fact is that the shape of the tree in this particular case depends on the owners, or rather, their desire or ability to give the plant the desired shape.
Glauka Pendula's spruce has no trunk as such. Its role is played by an arbitrarily chosen powerful branch tied to a support. The owner himself is able to regulate the height of Glauk Pendula. To do this, he stops tying a prickly spruce, and then the top hangs, or increases the support, and the tree continues to stretch upward.
As a result, you can get plants that are very different in height, shape and crown shape. Therefore, the photos and descriptions of Glauka Pendula ate are so different.
The growth of an adult tree depends on the height of the graft and the garter. Usually Glauka Pendula for small gardens is formed at 3-5 meters, in large areas they are allowed to stretch up to 8-10 m. But if this spruce is not tied up at all on a low graft, it will look like a ground cover plant. Only prickly.
Based on this, it is difficult to talk about the width of the Glauka Pendula spruce. If grown as a ground cover plant, it is able to develop a large area, especially since the shoots can take root, in contact with the ground for a long time. But if at Glauk Pendula you constantly raise the conductor, and do not touch the side branches at all, the width of the prickly spruce can reach 1.5 m. This is a very conditional value. Usually, the owners give the crown a bizarre shape with garters, scraps and in other ways.
Glauka Pendula grows quickly, under good conditions, adding 30 cm during the growing season. Her branches are tough, but quite strong, capable of withstanding large masses of snow. The needles are dense, prickly, blue, slightly curved with a sickle, 15-20 mm long, do not change color throughout the season.
Shoots of Glauk Pendula fall down in a dense dense cascade, completely covering the trunk. The lower branches hang at an angle; if the branches are not cut, they fall to the ground.The higher the shoots are located, the more freely they are located. Some grow almost parallel to the ground for a time. Because of this, the tree takes on its original shape, and we can safely say that two identical thorny spruce trees with a weeping crown do not exist.
Varieties
Spruce Pungens Glauka Pendula is obtained as a result of an unstable mutation; during its cultivation, deviations in the color of the needles and the nature of growth of dangling branches constantly occur. Many of them have been multiplied and isolated as separate varieties.
In Russia, all weeping forms of prickly spruce are usually called simply Pendula, in fact, they are registered under various names. By and large, these are variations of the same variety, it can be difficult for amateurs to understand them, but there are still differences.
Experts still argue which name of the original form is correct: Spruce spruce Glauca Pendula or Kosteri Pendula. As a result, we decided that it was easier to consider them synonymous.
Colorado spruce Pendula
The prickly spruce Pendula differs from the original variety only in the color of the needles. Her needles are not blue and white, like Glauka's, but green. The crown is drooping, the lower branches are lowered at an angle and lie on the ground, the upper ones first grow in a horizontal plane, then fall. The height depends on the grafting site and the harness of the guide to the support. The branches are hard, the needles are prickly. Only with constant attachment to the support, its width is slightly larger than that of Glauk Pendula - not 1.5, but 2 m.
Spruce Argentea Pendula
The word Argentea itself indicates that the needles of this prickly spruce are silvery, not green or blue. With the constant garter of the leader, she looks more like the Serbian Pendula from afar. Closer examination shows that it is still a thorny spruce with hard sharp needles.
If the conductor is directed only upward, the crown becomes narrow-conical, with drooping branches. The growth is 15-30 cm per season. The prickly variety Argentea Pendula has excellent frost resistance and can be grown without shelter in zone 2.
Spiny Spruce Glauca Pendula Slenderina
Spruce Pendula Selenderina Glauka differs from the original variety in its more compact size and somewhat slower growth. In spring, its needles are silvery-blue, in summer, the color of the needles returns to the usual white-blue color for the mother's form.
The central leader Glauka Pendula Slenderina grows straight, the lower branches form a kind of skirt around the trunk.
Colorado spruce Pendula Wojsławice
The main difference between this Polish variety of prickly spruce and the original Pendul Glauka is an irregular crown and silvery needles. Even with the constant garter of the leader, its shoots do not tend to fall in tiers, but to stick out in different directions, hanging with age. In addition, Wojsławice Pendula thorny spruce will hibernate without shelter only in zone 4.
Colorado spruce Ze Blues Pendula
A new highly decorative variety of weeping prickly spruce is not sufficiently multiplied yet and is rare. It forms a low tree, with a constant garter of the leader reaching 1 m by 10 years, at 25-30 years, presumably, it will stretch up to 3 m.
The needles of this prickly spruce are unusually bright in the sun, silvery-blue, fading in partial shade. The needles are noticeably larger than those of Glauk Pendula, but the same sharp and tough.
Spruce Pendula in landscape design
The spread of the Glauka Pendula variety of prickly spruce is restrained only by its high cost, caused by the difficulty of reproduction. This beautiful tree with a drooping crown, rigid branches that can withstand a large amount of snow, blue needles, does not change color throughout the season and inspires to create beautiful compositions.
Glauka Pendula looks great as a tapeworm (single focal plant). A weeping prickly spruce is planted in the foreground of woody landscape groups.Pendula can decorate the front entrance to a house or recreation area. It will serve as an exotic accent among other conifers, highlighting the charm of roses and other lush or modest flowers.
Thanks to the original crown, using a garter and pruning from Glauka Pendula spruce, you can create:
- an unusual tall tree with a sharp, upwardly directed crown, and branches pressed to the trunk, falling in narrow tiers;
- a wide ground cover plant occupying a large area with shoots lying on the ground, covered with tough, thorny needles of green, silver or blue;
- a weeping, low tree with a top tilted strongly in the direction the designers want, and a cascade of falling long branches.
Using a bit of imagination, you can form a weeping prickly spruce at will, creating new, unusual and unusual compositions. Pendula works well in landscape, romantic or mixed gardens. It is difficult to fit it into a regular style, but competent landscape designers can do it.
Planting and caring for Pendula spruce
Caring for Pendula's prickly spruce is not difficult, but must be thorough due to the vaccination. If a disease occurs at the junction of the tissues of two different trees, pests "work", frost breaks or any mechanical damage occurs, measures will need to be taken immediately. Otherwise, Pendula Glauka may die. The general condition of the tree depends on the correct regime of watering, fertilizing and other maintenance measures.
When planting, the Pendula thorny spruce has the same requirements as other conifers.
Seedling and planting plot preparation
All spiny Pendula spruces grow well in full sun. In partial shade, nothing threatens their health, but blue or silver needles will become faded. There you can plant a variety with green needles - the usual Pendula. For the Ze Blues form, the lack of light is unacceptable, since the main beauty of the tree is in the unusually bright needles.
Thorny spruces have a root system that extends deeper than other species. Because of this, they are less susceptible to wind blowing and can grow on sandy, dry soils. But this also makes it impossible to plant thorny spruce trees in hollows, on damp soils and where underground waters come close to the surface.
Glauka Pendula soil loves sour, but will grow on slightly acidic. Soils with neutral and alkaline reactions need dramatic improvement. Does not like thorny spruce heavy and dense soil.
The pit for prickly spruce must be prepared no later than 2 weeks before planting. Its width is made 1.5-2 times larger than the estimated diameter of the earthen ball or container, and the depth is such that the drainage of 20-30 cm and the substrate layer fit.
The soil mixture is made from leaf humus, sour peat, sod land, 100-150 g of nitroammofoska and sand. Drainage is laid, the hole is filled 2/3 with a substrate, filled with water and allowed to settle.
When buying prickly Pendula spruce, attention is primarily paid to the site of vaccination. It should be well healed, with no visible damage or signs of illness. If possible, you need to buy seedlings from local nurseries. But you shouldn't really hope to find them - most of the grafted fir-trees come from abroad.
Imported seedlings must be in a container, the root system of local ones, together with an earthen clod, can be sheathed with burlap. You should not even consider the possibility of buying a prickly spruce of Glauka Pendula with a bare root.
The potted medium or burlap should be damp. Signs of drying out needles, even the tips of the needles that have changed color are a bad sign. You cannot buy such a spruce.
Landing rules
Planting of spruce prickly Glauka Pendula, grown in a container, is carried out all season, except for the hot summer months. Burlap-lined trees are placed on the site in spring or autumn.In the southern regions, it is better to do this at the end of the season so that the heat does not interfere with the rooting of the spruce, in the north - in the spring. Then the tree, before the onset of frost, will settle down and take root on the site.
There is nothing complicated in the planting of the prickly spruce varieties Pendula Glauka. It is carried out in the following sequence:
- Part of the substrate from the planting pit is taken out and laid aside.
- Spruce Glauka Pendula is installed in the center of the recess. The place of transition from the root to the trunk (root collar) should be flush or slightly above the edge of the pit.
- The prepared substrate is gradually covered with an earthen ball of spruce, ramming, in order to avoid the formation of voids.
- A side about 10 cm high is formed from the remaining soil around the planting pit.
- Water the seedling abundantly with water so that it reaches the edge of the fence.
- When the liquid is completely absorbed, if necessary, add soil, pine bark or sour peat mulch the trunk circle.
Watering and feeding
After planting a prickly spruce, it needs to be watered often, not allowing the soil to dry out completely, even for a short time. But it is also impossible to overmoisten the soil, so as not to cause rotting of the root.
When Glauka Pendula takes root, watering is reduced - among other spruce, prickly spruce is resistant to short-term drought. Of course, the plant should not be left without water - it will weaken, lose turgor and become easy prey for insect pests. In the hot summer, Glauka Pendula is watered every week, spending at least 10 liters for a small thorny spruce, for an adult tree you need a bucket of water for every meter of growth.
Sprinkling will benefit the plant. It does not have such a huge significance as for dwarf Canadian firs, but it should be carried out in the summer at least once a week.
Varietal plants should be fed with special fertilizers for conifers. There, all the necessary substances are balanced by the manufacturer in doses required for prickly spruce:
- nitrogen predominates in those intended for spring;
- autumn ones contain large doses of potassium and phosphorus.
Foliar dressing enables the plant to receive the necessary microelements. It is useful to add additionally epin or zircon alternately to the balloon - these drugs cost a penny, and their benefits can hardly be overestimated.
The balanced complete foliar dressing contains all the trace elements necessary for the plant. It is often advised to add an additional dose of magnesium to the ephedra container. For spruces with blue or silver needles, this should be discarded. Magnesium enhances the green color of vegetative organs, which is clearly unnecessary for Glauk Pendula.
Mulching and loosening
It is necessary to loosen the soil under the newly planted fir trees. After they take root, the thin sucking roots come close to the surface. Do not damage them by regular loosening.
Instead, the trunk circle is mulched with pine bark or high peat - this acidifies the soil, protects the root from overheating, conserves moisture and prevents it from breaking through. weeds.
Pruning
The beautiful crown of weeping thorny spruces does not need pruning. It is only necessary to remove broken or dried branches during sanitary measures. But the culture tolerates a haircut well, so if the design of the site requires a change in the shape of Glauk Pendula, you can cut it as you like.
It is only necessary to carry out a haircut in early spring before the buds open, or, depending on the region, in late summer or early autumn. Before the onset of cold weather, the wound surface should be tightened. From late May to early June, pinching of spruce is carried out, removing soft young shoots in whole or in part.
How to display the explorer
Pendula spruce in the photo always has a beautiful drooping crown shape. In practice, gardeners often complain that their tree is not growing the way they would like it to. The fact is that Pendula Glauka cannot always form an attractive crown without assistance.
The trees of this variety do not have a trunk, its functions are taken over by a strong branch tied to a support. She is called a leader or guide. The height of Glauk Pendula is regulated by tying the guide higher and higher. When the tree reaches the desired size, stop building up the support. The leader's tip continues to grow, hanging lower and lower. Such an operation is called "leading out". Or a conductor, who likes what name more.
In this case, the top can be directed in the desired direction, as well as the side branches. In order for them to bend in the right direction, young shoots are simply tied at first to pegs driven into the ground. During the season they become lignified, and they themselves will grow "where necessary."
Using a garter, horizontal and vertical supports of different sizes from Glauka Pendula spruce, it is generally possible to form a plant of a fantastic shape. It will look odd for a while, surrounded by pieces of wood and ropes, but the result is worth a little patience.
If you do not tie a weeping spruce grafted onto a low stem at all, it will scatter branches over the ground and will look like a ground cover plant or a low bush of a bizarre shape.
Preparing for winter
Thorny spruces are highly frost-resistant. Pendula forms can winter without shelter in 2-3 zones, only the Polish variety Wojsławice is more thermophilic and is intended for zone 4.
Thorny spruce should be protected from low temperatures only in the year of planting. In the North and in other regions with a cold climate, it is better to play it safe, and wrap the tree with non-woven material for the second winter.
The place of vaccination is another matter. If it is done with high quality and healed well, then there should be no problems. But nevertheless, it is better to wrap the graft, not covered with thick branches, with a strip of non-woven fabric in 1-2 layers, when the temperature drops below -20 ° C. But here it is important not to overdo it with insulation, because damping is much more dangerous than low temperatures.
To protect the roots of spruce from frost in the snowless winter, in the fall, the trunk circle is mulched with sour peat. It is not removed in the spring, but embedded shallowly into the ground.
To increase resistance to frost, in the fall, they carry out moisture charging and fertilizing the tree with phosphorus-potassium fertilizers.
Reproduction
Weeping forms of firs reproduce exclusively by grafting. From seeds or rooted cuttings, trees will grow with a normal crown shape.
Only experienced specialists can vaccinate conifers. Amateurs can try to carry out the operation, but they can get something good only by accident.
Diseases and pests
Glauka Pendula is susceptible to attack by the same pests as other thorny spruces:
- aphids;
- spider mites;
- false shields;
- spruce sawers;
- bark beetles-topographers;
- mealybugs;
- Hermes.
To destroy pests, insecticides are used.
Glauka Pendula can be affected by diseases:
- ulcerative cancer;
- shute;
- rot of roots and trunk;
- necrosis.
In spring and autumn, preventive treatments with fungicides are carried out. They are also used at the first signs of illness.
Reviews about spruce Glauka Pendula
Conclusion
Fir-tree prickly Glauka Pendula is one of the most beautiful conifers. With its help, on any site, you can create a romantic atmosphere. And by skillfully adjusting the height and direction of growth, even an inexperienced gardener is able to form a tree with a crown of a unique shape.
