Himalayan pine planting and care. Himalayan pine

Himalayan pine- one of 120 varieties of pine trees. They are combined into one family. One hundred species grow in the middle climate zone. Other pines are found in the tropics. The homeland of the Himalayan tree is clear from its name. Pine is typical of the mountain belt of Asia, in particular China and Tibet.

Description and features of the Himalayan pine

The Himalayan pine differs from ordinary pine in its long needles. The needles in it reach 20 centimeters, collected in bunches of 5 pieces. The cones of the Himalayan pine are also impressive. Otherwise it is called Griffith tree. The length of the cones on it is 30 centimeters. The fruits grow upward, not downward, like a regular pine tree.

The upward growth of cones is similar to the Himalayan pine and fir. The latter has soft needles. This does not happen with pine trees. The needles of the Himalayan tree are hard and elastic.

Himalayan pine cones, like its needles, are large for a reason. reaches a height of 50 meters. This is comparable to a 25-story building. The lower branches are almost not far from the ground, wide. The upper shoots are shorter. Therefore, the crown of the Himalayan pine has a pyramidal shape.

In addition to size, it is also important what kind of cone does the Himalayan pine have?. In an ordinary tree it is round. The Himalayan cones are narrow and elongated, slightly curved. If they weren't scaly, they would look like bananas. When unripe, they, like real palm fruits, are green, but when ripe they are brown.

The young shoots also differ in appearance. They are smooth and yellow-green. Older pines have grey-green, lamellar bark. The mature bark is dry, while the young bark oozes resin. New needles, whose lifespan is approximately 5 years, are also saturated with resins and directed upward. The mature greenery of the Himalayan pine hangs down.

The seeds of the Himalayan pine are brown, have a 2-centimeter wing, and themselves are 7-9 millimeters long. The shape of the seeds is like an egg. Himalayan pine in the photo may be confused with Mexican. Her middle name is Weymouth. It also has long needles, cones, and a pyramidal crown. However, Weymouth pine plus has pubescent shoots and fruit scales that are bent back.

Types of Himalayan pine

The Himalayan pine has been in cultivation for almost 2 centuries. In “Russian Dendrology” the tree was first mentioned in 1970. However, in the Botanical Garden of the Emperor, and now the BIN at the Russian Academy of Sciences named after Vladimir Komarov, the Himalayan species has been grown since 1858.

Over the course of 2 centuries, dendrologists have developed the following varieties of Himalayan trees:

1. Zebrina. This pine has variegated needles. The bottom is decorated with a yellow transverse line. It extends approximately 2.5 centimeters from the base of the needle. Above, green blotches are formed into a circle. The variety was developed in France in 1874. Then the country was ruled by Louis Thiers. He was interested in history and botany.

2. Nana. This is a dwarf form of the Himalayan pine. The tree does not exceed 3 meters in height. Nana is distinguished by a rounded crown, silvery and shortened needles, and dense branches.

3. Vernisson. It is distinguished by the vertical orientation of the branches of young pines. Vernisson also has longer needles than other types of Himalayan trees.

4. Densa. The needles of this pine, on the contrary, are shortened. It is distinguished by densa and pin-shaped crown. It is dense, and not loose, like most Himalayan varieties.

5. Glauka. Distinguished by blue needles. Pines with these are found among seedlings.

As seen, description of Himalayan pine partly depends on its type. However, all Himalayan varieties are fast-growing and frost-resistant. You can grow mountain pines at -30 degrees.

Planting a tree and caring for it

New trees are grown from seedlings or seeds. The last method is the main one. The seeds must be fresh and ripe. Ripening ends by early November. High-quality seeds are extracted from the cones on the branches. The fallen ones are not suitable. Before extracting the seeds, the cones are dried on a cloth near the battery.

The seeds extracted from the cones are stored in glass jars. They must be tightly closed. Open 2 months before planting. The seeds are poured into a container with settled water at room temperature. Those remaining on the surface are thrown away. The seeds that have sunk to the bottom of the container are used. Their:

1. Leave for half an hour in a weak solution of potassium permanganate. Its color is yellow or slightly pinkish.
2. Rinse.
3. Soak for 24 hours. During this time, the seeds swell. For soaking, use settled water at room temperature.
4. Mix with wet sand, enclosing it in a nylon stocking.
5. Place the product in the refrigerator for at least a month.

Treated seeds are sown in mid-April. The soil is preferably light. Fertility is optional. You can plant seeds in river sand. It should be calcined at 200 degrees. Use an oven. The procedure lasts 20 minutes.

River sand is the basis of the “pie” for planting Himalayan pine seeds. The second layer is sawdust. Their thickness is 2 centimeters. The seeds are lightly pressed into the sawdust. Their sharp end should point down. A little fallen pine needles are poured on top of the seeds.

A centimeter thick is enough. It is sprayed with a spray bottle. All that remains is to cover the crops with film. This recreates the conditions of a greenhouse. It is periodically ventilated, the substrate is moistened, and the film is wiped dry.

With proper care, the seeds germinate by early May. This is the period of placing the seedlings in a bright place. It should be warm. When the seedlings have a second pair of needles, they are transplanted into pine soil. It is made up of peat, turf soil and broom - a mixture of fallen pine needles, bark particles, and small twigs.

Seedlings are planted in open ground in the 3rd year of life. The place is chosen to be sunny. The holes are deepened to at least 60 centimeters. The width of the hole should be 30 centimeters greater than the diameter of the pine earthen ball. It is impossible to expose its root system. If open for at least 10 minutes, it dies. You just need to trim the tip of the root. The cut is dipped in a mixture of humus and garden soil. Take 2 parts last. Humus needs 1 part.

The first landing in open ground is called school. In it, at a distance of 0.5 meters from each other, the seedlings spend 4 years. Every spring, the ground around them is fertilized with rotted manure. For 1 square meter you need half a kilo.

25 grams of superphosphate and 10 grams of potassium nitrate are added to the manure. The fertilizer is buried 10 centimeters. After 4 years, the seedlings are planted in a permanent place. At least 3 meters are left between the trees.

Propagation of Himalayan pine by cuttings also involves planting in open ground after 3 years. Seedlings are harvested on cloudy days. We need apical but woody shoots. They are taken from the middle part of the crown, choosing branches facing north. The cuttings are not cut, but plucked. First, they pull sharply down, and then to the side. A heel is required. This is a piece of bark from the mother branch.

The length of the cutting should be 10-12 centimeters. The heel is cleaned of burrs and needles and placed in a dark pink solution of potassium permanganate. The cuttings spend 6 hours there. Before planting, the heel and lower edge of the seedling are coated with Kornevin. Afterwards, the branches are stuck at an angle into a mixture of sand, leaf soil and humus. They are combined in equal shares.

The box with cuttings is covered with a greenhouse cap. It is removed daily to ventilate the plantings and clean them of condensation. With proper care, cuttings take root in 4-5 months. If they are winter, the plantings are kept in the basement. In the warm season, the box with cuttings is taken out into the open air.

Next spring, after planting the cuttings, their substrate is fertilized with Epin. After another year, the trees are ready for planting in open ground. Like other pine trees, Himalayan pine is resistant to drought. The exception in the family is the Rumelian species. Its representatives need watering 2-3 times a season. They spend about 20 liters at a time.

Actually, all pine care comes down to providing light and drainage, since stagnant water is detrimental to the tree. That is why it does not like heavy soils. It is possible to shape the crown of the Himalayan pine.

It is necessary to break off the light shoots by a third. This is a juvenile. The procedure will slow down the growth of the tree, making its crown as dense as possible. This is optional Himalayan pine care, but capable of enhancing her beauty.

Possible tree diseases and treatment methods

Himalayan Griffith pine may suffer from 18 diseases. Some of them are associated with pests that attack the tree trunk. We're talking about:

• pine subbark bug, destroyed by spraying with pyrethroids or biologically - by egg eaters or red ants
• pine longhorned pupae, which are destroyed by birds attracted to the site
• pine beetle, trees affected by it are cut down
• blue borer, the larvae of which are killed by spraying with insecticides
• spot tar, affected pines are cut down and burned

A number of other pests will attack pine needles. Aphids are destroyed with “Carbofox” and “Aktara”. Hermes is destroyed in 3 stages. First, a relative of the aphid is burned along with the galls. These are young cones inhabited by larvae. Then the branches of the tree are washed with a stream of water. Solid pressure is needed. Then, the pine tree is sprayed with insecticides.

Coniferous scale insects also feed on the greenery of the tree. These whitish larvae cover the needles like frost. Insects can be easily knocked off with a stream of water. Once on the ground, the scale insects die. Therefore, insect colonies “dissolve” in rainy weather. Bugs manage to damage pine trees during periods of drought.

The red pine sawfly also damages tree needles. This is an orange caterpillar. The insect is active in early May. By the end of summer, the sawfly lays larvae, placing them inside the needles. The embryos spend the winter there. Glue helps get rid of the sawfly. It is applied to the bottom of the trunk. You need a non-drying and moisture-resistant composition. Sawfly larvae pupate on the ground. Going down to it, the insects fall into a trap.

Virin Diprion helps in the fight against sawfly. They can also get rid of pine silkworms. As an adult, it is a butterfly. Pine trees are damaged by silkworm caterpillars. It is related to the mulberry, from whose cocoons silk is obtained. True, fabric cannot be made from pine insect threads.

Another pest of Himalayan pine is the moth. The peak of its development is the butterfly. Pine trees are damaged by larvae. They can be destroyed with organophosphorus compounds. They spray trees.

Compared to most pine trees, the Himalayan pine tree is resistant to pests. So pine cutworms, moths, moths and mites do not attack the tree. Other pests, for the most part, only attack weakened pines. Their “immunity” can be reduced by a lack of mineral elements, drought or, on the contrary, excessive humidity, mechanical damage to the roots and trunk.

Himalayan pine price

On average, a Himalayan pine seedling costs 300-500 rubles. This is the price of 3-year-olds - the most popular product. If you purchase older trees, replanting can cost tens of thousands of rubles.

Pines are grown to impressive sizes in unique tubs. Their bottom is made to writhe naturally by the pine taproot. If you give it freedom, it will go many meters deep into the earth. It is impossible to dig up and replant such a tree.

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Himalayan pine is so named because it grows in the Himalayas, at altitudes of 1800-3750 m above sea level. Mature trees reach a height of 30-50 meters and a width of 8-20. The root system of Himalayan pines spreads widely and relatively superficially, the crown of these trees is very lacy, growth is about 40-50 cm per year, young shoots are light green, resinous, the branches grow large and spreading. Most popular varieties Griffta, Densa Hill, Frosty, Nana, Paquita, Zerbina and others. This is one of the most beautiful coniferous plants.

Himalayan pine Densa Hill

The homeland of this wonderful tree is Asia; the trees reach only 7 meters in height and 2.5 meters in width. The needles are dark green with a blue tint, grow in bunches, cylindrical cones of a beautiful regular shape, in the second year they hang down, the roots are rubbing.

Moderately light-loving, grows in any soil, but requires loosening and fertilizing from time to time. Purchased seedlings at an early age require protection from pests, since they do not grow weakened under natural conditions. Widely used in urban landscapes.

Himalayan pine. Planting and care

Winter hardiness. Himalayan pine is a low-frost resistant type of pine. Nevertheless, there are more frost-resistant varieties, but the general recommendation is to cover the plant for the winter in its young years to protect it from wind and snow.

Pine seedlings better to plant until new shoots form. You need to work carefully, without injuring the roots. Having filled the planting hole, the plant must be watered generously and covered around with straw, peat or mown grass so that moisture does not evaporate from the surface. The same should be done before each winter. This will slightly reduce root freezing and spring drying.

Himalayan pine is also known as Griffith pine (Pinus Griffithii McClell) and Wallichiana pine. It is sometimes mistakenly called Bhutanese (in fact, it is a separate subspecies) or Wallich pine. Also, Himalayan pine can be confused with Weymouth pine, which has the same color and arrangement of needles, but a different shape of branches and scales on the cones.

Description of Himalayan pine

In nature, this tree, as you can guess from the name, is found in the Himalayas, at an altitude of 1.5 - 4.5 km, forming dense mountain forests together with Himalayan spruce and cedar trees. It is found in the region from eastern Afghanistan to western China, including Nepal and northern Myanmar. Wild Himalayan pine lives up to 300 years or more, can reach a height of up to 50m and a crown width of up to 20m.

Himalayan pine was brought to Europe, namely to England, in 1823. The annual growth under favorable conditions can be up to 60 cm in height and up to 20 cm in width annually, and this is quite a lot for a pine tree.

In the CIS countries, it is able to live in almost all regions, with the exception of the northern ones. So, in Ukraine and Belarus it reaches 10–12 m in height by the age of 35, and in Sochi and Batumi by the same age it grows to 20–23 m. However, this is only possible with a good choice of location and the absence of extreme weather conditions, because the wood of this pine is very fragile and cannot withstand strong winds and snowfalls. Perhaps the extreme northern latitude where it is possible to grow Griffiti pine is the Moscow region, but this is already a very risky undertaking that rarely leads to success.

The frost resistance of this pine is determined by zones 6b - 7a, that is, it tolerates frosts down to -25 - -30 0 C without shelter. However, often this tree cannot withstand heavy snowfalls or blizzards, and the branches break. Winter thaw can also have a detrimental effect on the development of Griffiti pine - this species easily “makes mistakes” and begins to awaken from the first warmth, dying when frost returns. If the pine tree survived such a mistake, you can’t expect any growth from it this year; this season it will be sick and recovering strength. The last factor that harms Himalayan pine in winter is bright sun. “Frost and sun - a wonderful day” - not for this tree, because its needles can burn from the sun’s rays, enhanced by reflection from fresh snow.

The crown of the Wallich pine is loose, wide-pyramidal, composed of long flexible horizontal branches that usually start right from the ground.

Needles are the main decoration of this type of pine. It is long, up to 20 cm, and thin, less than 1 mm thick, sharp, collected in bunches of 5 pieces. The young needles stick out like those of an ordinary pine, and the adult ones bend and hang down like the branches of a willow. The color of the needles is gray, bluish-green, with a silvery tint. Each needle is stored on the shoot for no more than 3–4 years.

The bark of young trees is dark gray and smooth, but with age it becomes ashen in color and begins to crack and peel. Young shoots grow bare, without bark, shiny, yellow-green.

The cones of the Himalayan pine are cylindrical, long (up to 32 cm) and rather narrow (up to 7 cm), straight or slightly curved. They appear in April, and ripen only by October after 1.5 years, acquiring a light brown, almost yellow color and becoming covered with drops of resin. Seeds easily fly out of mature cones - about 5 mm long, with a long wing, up to 3 cm.

The root system of Griffith pine spreads mainly along the surface of the soil, and the central root can reach a depth of 1.5 m.

Features of growing Griffith pine

We have already mentioned in which regions Himalayan pine can be grown: this is the entire territory of Ukraine, Belarus (except for the north and swamps), as well as the middle zone and south of Russia. However, for successful cultivation you should know more about this pine, because it is quite capricious.

You should choose a place for the Himalayan pine according to the following criteria:

• Availability of protection from strong winds, especially northern ones - for example, a high, windproof fence.
• The lighting is bright, but diffused, otherwise the beautiful needles of the Griffiti pine may burn in the bright sun, especially in the summer heat or during the February thaw.
• The soil is light, non-alkaline, without stagnant moisture. Fresh, nutritious soil is ideal, but in general this pine grows in any area except wetlands. It is advisable to fill the planting hole for Himalayan pine with a mixture of sand, tofa and soil in a ratio of 2:1:1. On dense, heavy soils, a drainage layer of about 20 cm is required.

When planting seedlings, be sure to water them thoroughly before removing them from the container. Planting holes need to be prepared approximately 2 times larger than the container with the roots of the tree, up to 1 m deep, at a distance of at least 4 m from each other.

It is advisable to mulch the tree trunk circle with a 10-centimeter layer of conifer bark; this will ensure the looseness of the top layer of soil - it will not dry out as a crust after each watering - and will also protect the roots from overheating and hypothermia.

Himalayan pine can be cut and shaped. In this case, branches can be shortened by no more than a third of the total length. To form a denser crown, at the beginning of autumn, 30% of the current year's growth is removed, equally from all branches. However, only sanitary pruning is mandatory after each wintering, during which dry, frostbitten and broken branches are removed.

The first couple of years, regular watering, protection from direct sunlight and fertilizing are especially important so that the pine tree takes root well. Fertilizers can be used complex or superphosphate in the spring and potassium-phosphorus closer to autumn. Under no circumstances use nitrogen fertilizers later than July - they stimulate the growth of shoots, and the pine will not be able to prepare for winter, and the risk of its complete or partial freezing will significantly increase.

Young Himalayan pines need to be covered for the winter. Do not forget that the wood of this pine is very fragile, so it is better not to tie the branches with string or twine. The most convenient and effective material for covering Himalayan pine is rare burlap. It will protect the branches from the excessive weight of snow, and will not block the access to light (after all, needles continue photosynthesis even in winter) and air. Also, burlap will protect the needles from fading in the sun in February - May.

You can use other covering materials - thin non-woven or regular spruce branches, but you need to build a frame for them. Otherwise, the fragile branches of griffiti will be subject to stress not only from snow, which accumulates well on spruce branches and provides warmth, but also from the covering material itself.

The shelter is built in late autumn, when the temperature stabilizes at -5 - -10 0 C, and removed in early spring, when sub-zero temperatures during the day become rare. In southern regions with little snowy winters, shelter is not necessary.

This pine is practically not susceptible to pests and diseases; it is even resistant to rust fungus, which often affects conifers. It also tolerates urban environments with polluted air well. Occasionally may be attacked by pine aphids.

Varieties

1. Species Griffiti pine (Walliha, Himalayan) is the most common on sale; we described it at the beginning of the article.
2. Nana is a dwarf version of the Himalayan pine, forms a ball up to 2m in diameter. With age, the lower branches drop and the overall shape becomes a hemisphere. Its needles are shorter than those of Griffiti pine, up to 12 cm, but just as thin, drooping with age, highly decorative.
3. Schwerinii Wiethorst - a variety of German origin, is a hybrid of the Himalayan pine with Weymouth. From the second he received winter hardiness (up to -40 0 C), but also susceptibility to rust. It is also a dwarf variety and forms a very dense and fluffy ball about 2.5 m in diameter.
4. Densa Hill is a slow growing variety, with a maximum annual growth of 15cm and a maximum height of 6 – 7m. The needles are about 10cm long, with longitudinal white stripes.
5. Zebrina is a rather rare, but very impressive variety with transverse white stripes on the needles.

There are other varieties - Frosty, Pakita, Winter Light - but they are practically never found in our nurseries.

The species is named after the English and Danish surgeon and botanist Nathaniel Wallich. Introduced to Europe in 1823 by the English botanist E. B. Lambert. In nature, it grows in the Himalayas, on the Karakoram and Hindu Kush mountain systems, from the eastern part of Afghanistan to the Yunnan province in China, at an altitude of 1800-4300 m above sea level. In nature, it forms vast forests with Himalayan spruce and Himalayan cedar. Lives up to 300 years.

Medium-tall (30-50 m) fast-growing tree 8-20 m wide. Annual growth is 35-60 cm in height and 15-20 cm in width. The root system is powerful, flat-spread. The crown is openwork, loose, wide-pyramidal in shape, the branches are horizontal, spreading, in nature they grow to the ground. The bark at a young age is smooth, dark gray in color, later it becomes dark ash-gray, fissured, with peeling plates. Young branches are shiny, bare, yellowish-green.

Needles collected in bunches of 5 pieces, thin, long (12-18 cm), width 0.75 cm, standing upright on young shoots, hanging down on older shoots, sharp, bluish-green (gray), with white stomatal lines with on the inside, the edges are soft-sawed. Keeps on the tree for 3-4 years.

Blooms in the end of April. The cones are 16-32 cm long and 5-7 cm wide, vertical when young, hanging in maturity, cylindrical, straight or slightly curved, light brown with resin drops, hanging on a 2-5 cm stalk. The cones ripen for the second year in October. The seeds are ovoid, 5-6 mm in length, brown, the seed wing is 20-30 mm in length.

Frost resistance zone 6b.

Varieties: Griffith, Densa Hill, Frosty, Nana, Paktia, Winter light, Zebrina.

Location: when young it needs shelter for the winter. Conditionally tolerates urban environments. Needs a place protected from the wind. Does not tolerate heavy snow well. Grows on all cultivated soils, even sandy ones. Prefers moderately moist, fertile, well-drained substrates, from acidic to neutral. Photophilous, but does not tolerate direct rays. Does not like drought and heat. When kept indoors, it requires a cool winter.

Landing: depth of the planting hole - 0.8-1 m. The distance between plants is at least 4 m. On heavy soils with excess moisture, it is recommended to make drainage 20 cm thick. Soil mixture: sand, peat and topsoil in a ratio of 2: 1: 1 - for planting in soil with a neutral reaction. For acidic soils, add 200-300 g of lime to the pit. Superphosphate 150g/hole is added to the planting mixture, and phosphorus-potassium fertilizers are added in the fall.

Care: In the second year after planting, it is necessary to apply complex fertilizer, and in the 2nd half of summer - phosphorus-potassium fertilizers 40-50 g per 10 liters of water.

Trimming: sanitary pruning. When formative pruning, it is recommended to remove no more than 1/3 of the green mass. To increase the density of the crown, a third of the current year's growth is removed, while maintaining the shape of the crown. You cannot leave bare branches without needles. Formative pruning should not be carried out earlier than a year after planting. It is recommended to prune from early spring to late autumn.

Reproduction: reproduces by seeds.

Diseases and pests: resistant to rust fungus.

Usage: looks impressive in group plantings in parks and alleys, and is also beautiful in single plantings in open areas. It stands out in contrast against the background of other trees with dark foliage or needles: common spruce, evergreen cypress, large-flowered magnolia, horse chestnut. Can be used to create bonsai.