Growing conifers in their own area is becoming increasingly popular. Usually summer residents and owners of small country cottages try to give preference to low-growing evergreens, such as junipers, dwarf spruce, fir, etc., but, if space allows, you can plant a real pine near the house. A great option for this is the Pinus nigra Pyramidalis variety (black pyramidal pine), which will be discussed below.
Botanical Description
The botanical description of this conifer is in the name of the variety. In shape of the crown, it really resembles a pyramid with a base diameter (crown width) of up to 3 m and a height of up to 8 m.
But such an effect can usually be achieved only by regular and correct pruning - otherwise, over the years, the crown “opens” like an umbrella, but in young seedlings the branches narrow to the top in the form of a wide cone.
The main external characteristics of the pyramid pines are shown in the table:
Bark color | Dark gray, almost black, in young shoots - green, then grayish brown |
Bark structure | Dissected by numerous deep furrows |
Branches | Dense, stiff, scaly; the lower ones are more spreading, the upper ones are directed almost vertically upwards; young shoots are naked and smooth, adults are covered with dense needles |
Needles | Dark green color; length from 8 to 14 cm, width about 1.5 mm; the structure is rigid, solid, straight or curved, sharp at the end, grows 2 pcs. from one base |
Bumps | Rounded or slightly elongated; 4.5–7.5 cm long, 2.5–3.5 cm wide; color light brown with a gray-brown sheen; horizontal location, single or 2-3 pcs. from one base; petioles are short; appear on a tree from the age of three |
Seeds | Gray or yellow-brown in a small black speck, elongated oval shape, length 0.4-0.6 cm |
Growth rate | Pretty fast in a young seedling (up to 20 cm per year) and slow in an adult tree |
Kidney | Large, clearly visible due to light resin covering their entire area |
Root | Powerful, rod type, goes deep into the soil |
Landscape design application
In the wild, black pines grow in North Africa (mainly in Algeria and Morocco), as well as in the southwest of the European continent. In addition, this tree feels very good on alpine mountain slopes, which is why the variety is often called Austrian. Under natural conditions, Pinus nigra can be considered a true long-liver - the age of many specimens reaches 6–8 centuries and even more.
Did you know? The oldest tree on earth is a pine called Methuselah. According to various sources, its age ranges from 4800 to 4900 years, and information about where exactly this long-livers grows is kept secret so that pilgrims and tourists do not harm him with excessive attention.
However, landscape designers appreciate the plant for its other qualities, namely for:
- unpretentiousness;
- compactness;
- high resistance to such adverse factors as urban gas pollution and smoke, drought, severe frosts and sudden gusts of wind;
- the ability to maintain their decorative qualities throughout the year (the latter, however, applies to all conifers).
The black pyramidal pine tree looks equally beautiful both in a group composition and in the form of a single-planted tree - a tapeworm. Thanks to almost vertically directed branches, it is well suited for small areas, since it does not require large space and does not obscure neighboring plants.
Black pine Pyramidilis looks very harmonious on the shore of artificial or natural reservoirs, in “alpine hills” decorated with decorative stones, and even on a flower bed among garden flowers. In addition to private plots, the tree is planted in parks, city gardens, as well as in sanatoriums, creating an atmosphere of peace and tranquility, as well as saturating the air with the deep aroma of fresh needles.
Another option for using wood is to create live fences with its participation. In this case, Pinus nigra Pyramidalis is planted in compact groups with other conifers, obtaining a type of hedge called “mixborder” by designers.
Important! Volatile substances secreted by conifers contain naturally occurring phytoncides, which have a detrimental effect on many pathogenic microorganisms. That is why the use of such crops in the landscape has not only a decorative, but also a health goal.
Landing rules
It is somewhat easier to grow a black pyramidal pine than an ordinary pine, but in order for the tree to develop well, it is still important to observe certain conditions. The tree planting site is best chosen outdoor and sunny.
Penumbra is permissible, but only on the side (for example, from a fence or a single building located nearby). Almost any soil is suitable for pine, it is only important to provide the tree with good drainage.
Recommended conditions:
- slightly acidic or acidic reaction (pH level in the range of 4.5–6.5);
- light soil composition (ideally sandstone or sandstone);
- lack of salinization (especially pine does not like excess calcium salts);
- high nutrient and humus content.
It is highly undesirable to place the tree near fruit shrubs such as gooseberries or currants. The fact is that these plants are potential carriers of bubble fungus, and Pinus nigra Pyramidalis, especially at a young age, has a weak immunity to this disease.
Important! Almost all conifers are acidophiles, that is, they relate to plants that prefer acidic alkaline soil. Pinus nigra Pyramidalis is a rare exception: this tree can quite successfully develop in calcareous soil, at a pH level of up to 8 units.
Pyramidal pine is best purchased in a pot with a closed root system. The ideal age of the seedling is at least 3 and not more than 5 years. In order not to make a mistake with the choice, it is worth contacting a professional nursery located, as far as possible, as close as possible to the final planting point, so that the climatic conditions in which the young tree was grown are not very different - so it will be much easier for the plant to take root.
Another advantage of buying a conifer in a pot is that in this case, planting can be carried out by transshipment at almost any time of the year (except winter), although April is still considered the best option for this.
The soil mixture, where the seedling is located, usually contains a properly balanced set of prolonged-action organic and mineral fertilizers, therefore a young tree will be provided with nutrients for the first 2–3 years.
To look at a small pine tree in the nearest forest plantation and try to transplant it to your site is not the best option: as practice shows, wild trees after this procedure either do not take root at all, or die after the first wintering, failing to be firmly rooted.
Before planting, you need to dig a hole in the selected area with a depth of about 30 cm and a diameter of 15–20 cm. If necessary (high groundwater, swampy soil, lowland, etc.), a drainage of sand, gravel or broken brick is laid at the bottom of the pit, and a nutritious soil mixture consisting of mixed in equal parts of turf land and river sand is poured on top.
For weighting, a little clay, not more than 15%, can be mixed into the substrate. If desired, you can also fertilize the soil with urea, ammonium nitrate or other nitrogen fertilizer (about 40 g) - this will accelerate the growth of the tree in the first months after planting.
A well prepared in this way should be watered abundantly, then a seedling extracted from the pot together with an earthen lump should be installed in it, then carefully pour the soil into the free space around the tree and carefully ram the trunk circle so that there are no voids inside.
When planting pine, it is also important to monitor the preservation of the strictly vertical position of the tree and to prevent the root neck from deepening - it must be above the surface of the earth, otherwise the seedling may begin to rot. Having completed the planting, the soil over the entire area of the near-stem circle should be abundantly watered and, after the water is absorbed, mulched.
If several pine trees are planted at once, the minimum distance between them should be 3-4 m so that adult trees do not interfere with each other. When forming a mixborder with dwarf or stunted conifers, this distance can be reduced to 1.2–1.5 m.
Theoretically, a pyramidal pine can be grown from seeds. The procedure is quite long and not always successful, but, if there is a desire and patience, it is quite doable. To improve seed germination, it is recommended that you first hold it in the refrigerator for several days (pine does not need full stratification), and then sprout in the container.
Did you know? The ancient Egyptians used pine resin as one of the ingredients in the preparation of the embalming composition. It is interesting that the bactericidal properties of tarred tissues laid in the tombs of the pharaohs have been preserved to this day, that is, after almost three thousand years.
The last precaution is necessary to prevent the destruction of young sprouts by rodents and in order to protect the plant from frost. In the process of germination it is very important to ensure a good outflow of excess water from the pot, otherwise the seeds will simply rot. It is advisable to sprinkle the surface of the soil with peat, which will prevent the development of fungal infections in the container that are dangerous for the shoots.
Spread the seeds at a distance of 0.5-0.7 cm from each other: a denser planting leads to a rise in the upper layer of the earth and the drying of the root system of seedlings. After the young plants sprout, they are looked after for a year, like indoor flowers, after which in the spring they are planted in open ground in a permanent place.
Video: Scots pine from seed to seedling
Care Features
Caring for a pyramidal pine does not require much effort. A certain attention needs to be paid to the seedling during the first 2-3 years after planting, in the future the tree grows and develops without any outside help.
Watering and feeding
Like most other pine varieties, black Pyramidilis is considered a drought-tolerant plant, so it does not need regular watering. The powerful and deep roots of the tree are quite capable of extracting moisture from the soil without outside help. But the plant reacts to sprinkling with gratitude, in addition, it is impossible to prevent the drying of the earth during the period when the seedling has not strengthened in a new place.
Young pine is recommended to be watered abundantly during a severe drought, and also before the plants leave for wintering - in late autumn, shortly before the first frosts. This procedure will prevent freezing of the fragile root system in dry soil.
If the summer turned out to be especially hot, a young pine tree can suffer not only from a lack of moisture, but also from a sunburn. To avoid this, the tree is recommended to be covered with spruce or pine branches, which can later be left in the area of the trunk circle as mulch.
As for feeding, an adult pine tree does not need constant fertilizer application: A distinctive feature of this unpretentious tree is the ability to feed itself independently.
But since the growth rate of Pinus nigra Pyramidalis still leaves much to be desired, in order to accelerate this process during the first years of life, it is recommended to feed the seedlings 1-2 times per season with complex mineral as well as organic fertilizers. The optimal form of their application is in liquid form.
In addition to root dressing, all conifers are very fond of spraying with "Helatin". This liquid fertilizer, diluted in water according to the instructions, provides the tree with iron and other substances necessary for its development, specially selected in proportions ideal for evergreens.
Mulching and cultivation
It is best to mulch the trunk circle at the foot of the pine with coniferous litter brought from the forest. Over time, such a cover will be replaced by their own needles, discarded by a tree in the process of development. Pine bark is also suitable for mulching, however, it is much more difficult to get such material, therefore it is better to use it for more fastidious garden plants, for example, for roses.
The “native” mulch has advantages over any other type of shelter (straw, peat, fall leaves, mowed grass, decorative stones, etc.), because it contains mycelium of mushrooms familiar to the conifers.
Important! As decaying, coniferous needles turn into a natural organic fertilizer, enriching the soil with humus necessary for the development of any plant.
The special symbiosis created by such mushrooms with the root system of the plant (in biology this phenomenon is called mycorrhiza) is extremely useful for the tree, since it protects it from natural enemies better than any pesticides.
In addition, coniferous needles correct the acid-base balance of the soil, which also positively affects pine growth.
Another goal of mulching is to retain moisture in the soil, preventing it from evaporating from an open surface. If the land around the trunk is carefully covered, loosening the soil after irrigation or rain is not necessary, otherwise this procedure should be carried out regularly. Finally, through a dense layer of needles it is difficult to break through the weeds, therefore, the gardener solves the problem of constant weeding.
Pruning and wintering
In general, Pinus nigra Pyramidalis does not belong to those trees that need to be pruned regularly. But when using the plant for decorative purposes, it is still possible to form its crown at its discretion.
Depending on what kind of creative result it is planned to get, the gardener has the opportunity to limit the vertical growth of the tree and, accordingly, achieve a wider diameter of the "pyramid" or, conversely, extend it in height.
Did you know? Esotericists believe that a very strong talisman can be obtained from an ordinary pendant if you hang it on a pine branch and leave it hanging at least na few hours. The powerful positive energy of the tree is transferred to the subject and will serve as a reliable protection to anyone who puts it on the neck.
Formative pruning is carried out in early spring or autumn and involves shortening by about 1/3 of the branches located in the zone whose growth it is planned to stop (for example, the central conductor or annual growth).
It is very important to remember that, unlike juniper and some other conifers, pine does not respond very well to excessive pruning, and if the procedure is performed incorrectly, it can remain ugly and “bald” for a very long time.
In any case, pruning slows the growth of Pinus nigra Pyramidalis, which must also be taken into account.
The frost resistance of the black pyramidal pine is high enough so that the tree does not need careful preparation for winter.
This rule is true when growing Pinus nigra Pyramidalis in the middle zone of the European part of Russia, throughout Ukraine and in other regions with similar climatic conditions.
Some precautions can be taken by residents of colder areas, but even in this case only young and immature seedlings require care. In late autumn, they should be abundantly watered and covered with burlap, agrotechnical fiber or spanbond, and the trunk circle should be additionally densely covered with lapnik.
In early spring, the shelter must be removed so that the needles do not start to sing under the warming rays of the sun.
Pinus nigra Pyramidalis is a slender evergreen tree with a beautiful crown, long magnificent needles and bright light brown cones. Such a plant can become a real decoration of any site.
At the same time, it has a number of undeniable advantages over many other conifers, in particular, tolerates shade well, can grow on any soil, practically does not require serious care, lives long, and also easily withstands any climatic cataclysms - from severe frosts to prolonged droughts.