Korean cedar, sometimes called pine, is a coniferous tree that can grow up to 60 meters in height. The straight trunk has a diameter of 2 m. The trunk part contains a tree layer of about 16 cubic meters. m.
Description
Korean pine (Korean cedar) has a rather thin, flaky bark of a brown or gray hue. Over time, cracks appear on it and small plates form. The crown is dense, lowered quite low. In young individuals, the branches form the shape of a wide cone, adults have a crown in the form of an oblong cylinder.
When a tree ages, it may have multiple vertices. This is due to the fact that the shoots, which are fragile, are unable to withstand the heavy weight of the cones that make up the crop, so they break off.
Korean cedar is a rather powerful plant. Its description indicates that it captures a large space, directing its branches upwards. The shoots formed recently have a brown color, they are lowered down. The root rod is poorly developed, but there are a large number of lateral processes that go deep into the soil by about 1-1.5 meters.
Life spanand prevalence
In the wild, the tree bears fruit for 6 to 10 years. If the plant is cultivated, it bears fruit for a very long time - from 20 to 30 years. A large number of nuts appear on the Korean pine about once every 4 years. One cedar can bring up to 500 cones, each containing 150 nuts.
This amazing tree has become widespread in Far Eastern Russia, it grows in the lands of Primorye and Amur Region, in the Khabarovsk Territory. There are beautiful forests with coniferous and broad-leaved plants, where a variety of animals and birds live and feed, as well as a large number of plants used for medicinal purposes.
Growing conditions
Not far from the cedar, you can often see linden or ash, ribbed birch and spruce, oak and other trees that prefer a warm climate. A rather rare occurrence is plantations consisting purely of Korean pine. Its homeland is Japan and northeastern China.
Moist soil, characterized by freshness, lightness, and fertility, is excellent for tree development. Moisture should not be excessively stagnant. Shade is allowed, but at least during certain periods of the day, good access to light should be provided. Cedar is able to stoically survive frosts down to minus 50 degrees. It also grows well in urban environments.
One of the varieties of this plant is Sulange - a rather tall tree with a dense crown in the shape of a cone with fragile long gray needlesGreen colour. The cones are egg-shaped. The ends of the seed scales are bent. Each cone contains 130 nuts. Such a cedar begins to bear fruit only at the 15th year of life.
The crown of this tree is openwork, quite beautiful. It is thanks to this that many people use this plant for decorative purposes, decorating their gardens with it, planting it one by one or in small groups.
Growing
Any territory can organically decorate and complement Korean cedar. Its cultivation comes from nuts (seeds). The varietal units that have already been tested by gardening professionals are best suited.
Landing is carried out in the spring, preferably in April-May. Each seed is stratified before being sown. Within two hours, it should be in a solution of potassium manganese. Then heated water is added and left to soak for three days. The fluid should be changed every day.
Then they mix the nuts, from which they want to grow Korean cedar, with sand and peat. The resulting substance is placed in a wooden box, which has holes for air circulation. Every two weeks, the mixture should be stirred and moistened. The most suitable storage temperature is +5…+8 degrees.
Under such conditions, the plant germinates quickly, after which it is planted in the ground to a depth of 20-30 centimeters. Add a crumb of peat and sawdust on top. Thanks to this, the soil will not dry out excessively, compact and become covered with weeds.
Features of care
Korean cedar is best grown in conditions of moderate humidity. Soils should be sandy or loamy. To prevent harm caused by birds and rodents, shields are used, which are made from twigs or shingles. They are laid on top of the bars so that the distance from the soil is 6 cm.
The land in which the sowing is carried out must be weeded, loosened and watered. An effective remedy is top dressing from mullein and mineral fertilizers. This is how Korean cedar is grown. Its seedlings are dug up and planted in a permanent place - often in city parks or squares. Gardeners also like to buy them for their own land plots.
The disadvantage of the tree is the fact that its needles do not tolerate smoky and dusty city air, so Korean cedar should be planted away from highways.
Reviews
Many gardeners note that the needles of the Korean pine are soft, have three facets of green, gray and bluish colors. On the edges of the needles you can see small notches. Thanks to this, Korean cedar has a decorative look that gardeners really appreciate.
The needles of such a plant live from 2 to 4 years. Many people like rather large buds, like wide eggs 16 cm long. When flowering, they acquire a light brown hue, during maturation they become erect, turn green, the scales shrink and become covered with hairs that are hard to the touch.
There is no disclosure during this period. In the second year after pollination, you can see that by the end of October the cone ripens, nuts appear in it, which are also called seeds. They are dark brown in color, do not have wings, reach a length of 1.5 centimeters, and can weigh 500 milligrams. They are covered with a shell that has great strength.
Such a plant can be the true pride of every wildlife lover who wants to decorate their territory.
