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Cedar elfin is one of the forms of woody plants with a diverse crown. Because of its structure, the dwarf is considered a shrub, “half-bush, half-tree.” The accumulation of plants forms creeping forests.
Description of the cedar tree
Cedar elfin is a compact plant. The cup-shaped crown is formed by branches widely spread to the sides. The trunk is covered with dark brown bark. It shows light spots, slight peeling. The branches have gray smooth bark. They are pressed to the earth’s surface, only the ends of the branches are directed upwards. The newly growing shoots of elfin cedar are first painted green and have dense pubescence. Over time, they turn brown.
Needles are long – up to 8 cm, have a trihedral structure, bluish-green color. The needles on the branches are placed in bunches of 5 needles.
After pollination, the cones ripen only in the 2nd year. They are small and oval in shape. The length of the cones reaches 7 cm, the width is 2 times less.
Pine elfin forms small brown oval nuts with a thin lignified skin. Walnut length – no more than 9 mm, width – up to 6 mm.
The seeding period occurs after 20 or 30 years.
The root system grows in a peculiar way. First, the dwarf pine forms the main root and the system of lateral roots. Gradually, the central root dies. The plant develops lateral roots located on the surface. Over time, they become overgrown with a moss layer, deepen. To replace them, cedar dwarf forms adventitious roots. Branches touching the earth’s surface can also form adventitious roots. The formation of a system of adventitious roots makes the tree tenacious and hardy.
The wood of the plant is dense, it is pricked with difficulty. It has a lot of resin passages, a pronounced coniferous aroma.
Distribution of Siberian dwarf pine
Pine elfin is a representative of woody flora, adapted to poor soils, low temperatures.
The root system is located close to the surface, so permafrost does not affect the distribution of Siberian dwarf pine. Since the form of the plant is creeping, Siberian dwarf pine survives low winter temperatures under snow.
The tree’s habitat is extensive. It lives on the territory of the Far East, is found in Eastern Siberia. In the north, its thickets go beyond the Arctic Circle. In the south, it forms continuous thickets in mountainous areas at an altitude of 800-900 m above sea level. In open areas it forms independent thickets, sometimes it serves as the lower tier for larch forests.
The use of cedar dwarf
Cedar elfin has decorative characteristics. Due to its decorative effect, it is used for landscaping areas, settlements.
It is also valued for the numerous products obtained on the basis of parts of the plant:
- Pine nuts are a source of high quality oil. Halva, stuffing for sweets, cookies are prepared from cake. Whole nuts are edible.
- Solid wood is used to make crafts.
- Trunks, branches, roots are used to obtain resin and turpentine.
Cedar elfin contains many biologically active substances. Therefore, products based on it are widely used for medical purposes. Turpentine is used to treat:
- catarrhal respiratory diseases;
- excretory organs;
- skin diseases.
Young shoots are used to heal wounds. Since ancient times, young branches have been used to treat scurvy.
A dye is obtained from the needles, often green.
In nature, cedar elfin is used to strengthen slopes and scree. Make plantings along the roads.
Designers began to use the plant for landscaping and decorating gardens. Cedar dwarf is suitable for decorating alpine slides, hedges. Among conifers, this plant produces the most phytoncides. These substances kill pathogens. Therefore, just being around and inhaling the aroma of ephedra is very useful. In the European part of Our Country, Siberian dwarf pine is still not widely distributed.
Growing pine elfin from seeds
Cedar elfin can be propagated by seeds. This requires seed material. It is purchased in specialized stores. If possible, you can collect the cones yourself, germinate, get sprouts, and subsequently seedlings.
To do this, first carry out stratification. That is, nuts are kept at a temperature of 6 to 2 degrees for 5 months. Then they are placed in moist soil at a distance of 2 cm. It is not necessary to fill it with soil. Moss is placed on top of the soil. It must be wet. In the future, the moss will retain soil moisture. Germination of seeds is low, so it is better to plant more of them.
Planting and caring for pine elfin in the open field
Unpretentious to low temperatures, it slowly multiplies and grows. Requires the creation of optimal conditions.
Seedling and planting preparation
To place the cedar elfin, choose the right place. In nature, the plant lives on any soil. Therefore, special preparation should not be carried out here. If the soil is purely sandy, clay is added. It should be more than sand.
Since the roots of the dwarf pine are not deep, and the branches spread, there should be a lot of space for planting.
When choosing a seedling, pay special attention to the roots. They should be whole, moist and with a clod of earth. The branches should be flexible, without signs of damage. The height of the seedling is at least 15 cm.
Rules of landing
It is recommended to plant cedar elfin from April to the second half of May. In dry autumn – from late August to early September. Placing a seedling on the site involves the implementation of a number of rules:
- Landing hole preparation. Its depth should be significantly greater than the height of the seedling itself – 80 cm. The width of the prepared place should be 2-3 times the size of the earthen coma. Drainage is laid in the lower part of the pit: large or small gravel, gravel, other material. Sand is poured onto the drainage layer – 20 cm is enough. Then the pit is filled to the edge with a soil mixture: soddy soil, sand, special soil.
- Before planting, it is recommended to place the root part in a 3% solution of potassium permanganate for 2 hours. This procedure will prevent possible diseases.
- When filling the pit with soil mixture, pour a bucket of water. After the dwarf is planted, pour 2 more buckets. Roots must not be allowed to dry out.
- A cedar dwarf sapling is placed in a prepared place with a clod of earth. It is advisable to perform all work carefully, not to damage the roots. With a properly planted seedling, the root neck should be level with the ground.
- When planting several plants, leave a distance of 3-4 m between them.
- The surface of the landing pit is mulched with sawdust, pine bark, and special material. A layer of mulch is made 8 cm.
Watering and top dressing
Cedar elfin is rarely watered. During the warm season, one bucket per month is sufficient. If the weather is hot and dry, increase watering by 1,5 times. It is recommended to spray needles with cold water.
Mineral top dressing is carried out with a special composition “NPK 15-15-15”. This is a balanced fertilizer of the MINERAL line. The first feeding is carried out in April. Then every month they fertilize with a liquid humic composition of the same line. In the absence of these compositions, nitroammofoska is used at the rate of 40 g per 1 m2. Fertilizer “Kemira Universal” add 20 g per bucket of water.
Trimming
Cedar elfin needs sanitary pruning. To do this, remove diseased and damaged branches in a timely manner. For the purposes of landscape design, extra branches are cut in the first decade of April. Cut points are treated with garden pitch.
Preparation for winter
The elfin is not afraid of harsh winters, but a little preparation for the cold season is needed. The roots are covered by 8 cm with straw or peat. In areas with heavy rainfall, the crown can suffer from a large amount of snow. To protect it, a frame in the form of a pyramid is made from the bars, covered with any material.
Reproduction
The cedar dwarf breeds slowly. For this use:
- ready-made seedlings purchased in specialized stores;
- seeds;
- drains.
If possible, layering can be used for propagation. This method requires a mature tree. Where the branches touch the ground, roots form. It is enough to separate part of the branch, move it to another place.
Diseases and pests
Cedar elfin is a tree with good immunity. But some diseases and pests can still hit him:
- Hermes Siberian – This is a pest that feeds on tree sap, slows down its growth, and reduces decorative characteristics. Determined by white bloom on the needles. For treatment, cedar elfin is treated with insecticides. Use the method of microinjection into the trunk. Repeated processing is carried out.
- needle rust – a disease in which yellow formations in the form of bubbles appear on the needles. The needles of the affected tree fall off. As a treatment, the timely removal of diseased branches is carried out. Dwarf is sprayed with immunostimulants, watering is combined with the application of micronutrient fertilizers.
- Sew the mushroom – affects plants that do not tolerate shade. In spring, the needles become orange-brown with small black outgrowths. Sick branches are removed. For prevention in spring and autumn, a solution of Bordeaux mixture is used. With a strong lesion, they are treated with the drug “Hom”.
- aphid – a pest that affects young plants. As a preventive measure, it is recommended to destroy ants, as they contribute to the appearance of aphids. Help insecticides “Aktara”, “Decis” and others.
- Shield – in case of damage by a pest, brown rounded formations are noticeable on the needles and branches. Young shoots are bent and die. If the number of pests is small, they are collected by hand. In case of severe damage, they are treated with solutions of the same insecticides.
Conclusion
Cedar elfin is an evergreen coniferous tree with decorative properties. The plant does not require much care. Having once planted this tree, you can decorate the site in an original and long-term way, as well as enjoy the beneficial properties of the plant.
