Like many coniferous trees, the name of these pines has changed several times. The first representatives of the genus became known to European botanists in the 18th century. These were the hemlocks of North America. Around the same time, they got the name "hemlock".
Description of Canadian pine
Canadian pine is an evergreen coniferous tree with flat needles. Widely distributed in eastern regions of North America. This is the Pine family, the genus Hemlock. As an ornamental plant, the tree is grown all over the world. The genus Tsuga has eighteen species, many of which are considered subspecies or varieties.
The Pine family is very diverse. It includes such plants as spruce, pine, cedar, larch, hemlock, fir. As a rule, these are trees, although shrub forms are also found. Canadian pine is always a tree, but its shape and height vary significantly not only in different species, but also within one.
This is an evergreen, tall and slender tree with a cone-shaped crown that becomes more uneven and wide over the years, with thinhanging shoots, with bark covered with deep furrows. In old trees, it is painted brown. In young - dark brown or reddish, scaly. The average height is 25 meters. Canadian hemlock, the description and care of which we are considering, is very similar to the Carolina variety, differs from it in narrower and smaller cones.
Needles
Canadian pine has small and flat needles, the length of which is up to 1.5 cm. It is slightly blunt, shiny, painted in dark green, tapering at the top. A longitudinal groove runs through the center. From below, it has a slightly protruding keel and narrow stripes. On the shoots is comb.
Cones
They are oval, small, no more than two centimeters in length, painted brownish-gray. As a rule, the cones on the tree are hanging, ripening in the first year. When fully ripe, they do not fall apart, only fall off the next year.
Seeds
They are smaller than other conifers. Resin glands are clearly visible on the surface. The plant propagates by seeds and cuttings.
Basic requirements
Like all coniferous trees, hemlock is demanding on soil fertility and moisture. It does not tolerate drought, dry air. Usually does not tolerate transplantation well. It grows quite slowly, so pruning is not necessary. In the summer, in a garden plot, a young Canadian pine needs regular and plentiful watering. It is advisable to plant these trees near water bodies, but not inswampy soil with stagnant moisture.
Soil preparation
Planting (transplanting) of a plant is carried out only with a well-protected and compact earthen clod. For active development and good growth, the seedling needs moist and slightly acidic soil, fertile. Stagnation of water is not allowed, which can lead to rotting of the roots and death of a young plant.
Canadian pine prefers a 2:1 mixture of leafy soil and sand. Development slows down on calcareous soils.
Landing
It is best to plant at the end of April or from the end of August to the first days of October. When planting, it is necessary to maintain a distance between seedlings from 80 to 150 cm. The planting pit should be about 75 cm deep. The root neck must not be deepened - it must be at ground level. Take care of good drainage to avoid stagnant moisture. To do this, you can use crushed stone, coarse sand, expanded clay. The drainage layer must be at least fifteen centimeters.
When planting, add Kemiru Universal to the soil substrate at the rate of two hundred grams per plant. Pre-fertilizer must be thoroughly mixed with the earth dug out of the pit. Young plants need phosphorus. During the first six months after planting, it is necessary to feed the young plant with phosphate fertilizers. In the future, Canadian pine can do without them. Fallen needles rotand enriches the soil with organic matter.
Irrigation
Canadian pine is moisture-loving, it needs regular watering: a bucket of water once a week for each plant older than ten years. Since the tree does not tolerate dry air, it should be moistened with a hose at least once a month, and in hot, dry summers, more frequent spraying is recommended - two to three times a week. Young plantings are mulched with a peat layer (about five centimeters).
Preparing for winter
These conifers older than two years are winter-hardy, but frost can damage the ends of annual shoots. The first two years, young seedlings should be covered for the winter. Usually this is done after November 10 with spruce branches and peat. In the spring, peat must be raked away from the trunks. Do not worry if the needles turn red from frost in winter - this will not harm the plant.
Does Canadian hemlock grow in the suburbs?
Yes, only this variety is grown in the Moscow region. It is cold hardy and shade tolerant. Most specimens are characterized by dwarf growth and branches strongly hanging to the ground. One of the first to appear on our market was the Jedelloh variety - Canadian dwarf hemlock. Description and care (rules) can be found in landscape design publications, although we have covered the basics. In twenty years, the plant reaches a height of no more than one meter. A hat with light green needles, which hangs picturesquely, and with a funnel located at the top looks very nice.
Now there are about a dozen more varieties suitable forcultivation in the Moscow region: Bennett, Cole's Prostrate, Pendula and others.
Canadian hemlock in landscape design
Due to the graceful crown, slender habit, falling branches, small bumps, color and shape of the crown, hemlock is a beautiful ornamental plant. It can be used in group and solitary plantings, for rocky areas (creeping and dwarf varieties are suitable), for decorating areas near water bodies. It is used for park, avenue plantings and hedges. Today in Russia, Canadian hemlock is rarely used in urban landscaping.
Reproduction
Like most conifers, hemlock is propagated by seeds and cuttings. Full-fledged seeds ripen only in trees older than twenty years. In addition, no more than half of all seeds germinate during planting.
Approximately the same result is given by propagation attempts by cuttings, but it can be slightly improved if a root growth stimulator is used.
Industrial applications
Canadian hemlock has long been valued for its bark, which is a source of tannins (tannin). It is used in the leather industry. In addition, the bark is used in the production of natural red-brown dyes for leather and wool, and in the manufacture of baskets.
Large-scale and uncontrolled collection of bark has led to a significant reduction in forest areas of hemlock. The decline in tannin production in the United States at the beginning of the last century due to a shortage of raw materials forcedgrowers seek alternative plant sources.
Veterinary
Essential oil obtained by steaming pine needles and hemlock branches is used to prepare ointments that are successfully used in veterinary medicine. They have wound healing properties.
In medicine
Essential oils have antiseptic, antibacterial, diaphoretic, astringent and diuretic properties. They have antitussive and expectorant effects, relieve fatigue. In addition, preparations containing essential oils of pine needles can be used in the treatment of asthma, various infections, muscle or headache, stress.
Perfume, cosmetics and food industries
Canadian hemlock essential oil is used (particularly in the United States) in the creation of perfume compositions used in home air fresheners, soaps, detergents, bath products, etc.
Hemlock oil is used to flavor soft drinks, ice cream, chewing gum. Plant buds (tips) are used in fine herbal teas and even original beers.
