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Beautiful conifers can become the main garden, especially in cold climates, where the choice of decorative forms is not so great. Canadian Spruce Pendula, a variety made popular by its weeping crown, grows in hardiness zone 3-7, but can withstand temperatures as low as -40°C (zone 2).
A strangely shaped specimen was found in the Trianon Park garden of Versailles. It was propagated by grafting and was described by the botanist Elie-Abel Carrier in 1867. Unfortunately, most of the grafted weeping coniferous trees are imported to Our Country, so their cost is high, and their distribution is less than it could be.
Description of the Canadian spruce Pendula
Pendula is translated into as a pendulum. This word can often be found in the names of varieties of deciduous and coniferous crops, it means that the tree belongs to one of three weeping forms:
- pendulum – branches hang in an arc;
- reflex – shoots sharply bend and fall;
- reverse – the branches first grow perpendicular to the trunk, then fall down in a cascade.
The Canadian Pendula spruce forms a low tree, reaching a size of 30 m at 15 years old and giving an annual growth of 15-30 cm. By the age of 10, the variety grows to 1,5-3 m, this variation is explained by different climates and growing conditions. In Our Country, Canadian spruces are always lower than at home.
Spruce Canadian glauca Pendula has rather stiff dense branches, curving in a steep arc at the trunk and hanging down in a dense blanket. If you do not cut the lower shoots, they will fall to the ground. The crown of Pendula is compressed, narrowly conical, with drooping shoots pressed against the trunk. The needles are dense, bluish-green.
The top grows straight only if it is tied to a support. Otherwise, it leans to the side, and it seems that the tree is bent into an arc or falling. Young shoots, formed from a whorl located at the top, are first perpendicular to the main shoot, then hang. In an adult tree, the branches are arranged in peculiar tiers. This is clearly seen in the photo of the Pendula spruce.
Spruce Pendula in landscape design
Thanks to the crown of the original form, the Canadian Pendula spruce is often planted as a single focal plant (tapeworm). It looks good in the foreground of landscape groups, next to trees or shrubs with a columnar, round or pyramidal crown.
Pendula is suitable for romantic-style gardens, recreation areas or the coastal zone of artificial reservoirs. By the way, the variety will feel great near the water. The bluish-green needles and weeping crown of spruce will give expressiveness to the composition of trees and shrubs, which are highly decorative only part of the season.
Pendula looks great planted on a lawn or along walking paths. A few trees can be placed at the front entrance – they will decorate, but not block the view of the facade of the building.
It should be borne in mind that Canadian Pendula spruce retains average growth rates only at a young age, up to 10 years. Then it pulls out much faster. In not too large areas, it can take a dominant position among ornamental crops. Since even the smallest spruce with side branches is at least 4 years old, this will happen pretty quickly. Before planting a tree in a rockery or on a rocky hill, you need to think about what form the composition will take in a few years.
Usually weeping varieties are allowed to grow freely, but the Canadian Pendula spruce does not need this – although its branches hang down, they fit quite tightly to each other and do not interfere with other plants. But its form strongly depends on how high the inoculation is made, and how the main conductor was tied up.
From abroad, Canadian Pendula spruces with a standardly shaped crown are most often brought to Our Country. Domestic nurseries have just begun to plant weeping conifers. In Europe and America, they learned to make real miracles from them. In the photo, Canadian Pendula spruce on a low trunk with a freely growing crown (the main conductor is not tied to the support).
Planting and caring for Pendula gray spruce
Pendula spruce would be one of the most trouble free Canadian spruce varieties, but it is a grafted form. Her crown, although compressed, is not as dense as that of dwarf varieties. Therefore, cleaning the plant becomes not a vital procedure, but a cosmetic one. In the sun, Pendula burns less than most Canadian firs, and at least does not go bald on the south side. In addition, it is considered the most frost-resistant of modern varieties of this species.
Seedling and planting preparation
The site for planting Pendula spruce is chosen so that it is illuminated for at least a few hours a day. The tree tolerates penumbra well, in general, without the sun, the bluish-green needles become dull.
Groundwater should not come closer to the ground surface than 1,5 m at the spruce planting site. The soil should be acidic or slightly acidic, permeable to air and water, moderately fertile. It can be waterlogged for a short time, but the culture does not tolerate overdrying of the roots.
Spruce Pendula must be bought at garden centers, grown in a container. Most seedlings come to Our Country from abroad. If a tree has a burlap-lined root system, there is no guarantee that it has not been dried out on the roads. And coniferous plants die slowly, the crown remains green for more than a month, even for a felled tree.
When buying, you should carefully examine the place of vaccination. The top of the Pendula spruce should be tied to a support.
Rules of landing
The landing pit is prepared in advance. Its diameter should be several times the cross section of the pot and be no less than 60 cm. The depth of the pit is at least 70 cm, the drainage layer of broken red brick or expanded clay is 20 cm. The planting mixture is prepared from soddy soil, leaf humus, clay, sand , 100-150 g of nitroammophoska.
High-moor (red) peat is added to soils with a neutral or alkaline reaction – it not only acidifies the soil, but also improves its structure, makes it more permeable. The landing pit with drainage is 2/3 filled with the prepared mixture, filled with water and allowed to settle for at least two weeks.
You can start landing:
- So much soil is taken out of the pit so that the root collar of the Canadian Pendula spruce installed in the center is flush with the soil surface.
- Fill the hole with water and let it soak in.
- If for some reason the Pendula spruce is not tied to a support, it should be installed as close as possible to the main conductor before planting and secured. The existing one needs to be carefully examined. The garter may be too tight and sometimes cuts into the bark. It needs to be replaced with a freer one.
- The root of the Canadian spruce is covered with soil, constantly compacting to avoid the formation of voids.
- Check the position of the root neck and support (it should be directed vertically upwards).
- A rim is formed along the perimeter of the landing pit.
- Plentifully water the Canadian spruce with water.
- The trunk circle is mulched with sour peat or fungicide-treated bark of coniferous trees. The layer must be at least 5 cm.
Watering and top dressing
The first two weeks after planting, the soil under the Canadian Pendula spruce should not dry out. In the future, watering is needed regular, but moderate. Between moistening the soil, the topsoil should dry out a little. Spruce Pendula does not like overdrying of the soil or stagnant water in the root area. During hot summers, the tree may require weekly watering.
The variety is relatively resistant to anthropogenic factors, but needs regular foliar feeding and epin treatments. This helps the tree cope with air pollution.
Root top dressing is recommended to be done with specialized fertilizers for coniferous plants. Now it is not necessary to buy expensive imported brands – domestic manufacturers have launched cheap high-quality drugs on the market. So the gardener, who has allowed himself to buy a weeping form of Canadian spruce, will be able to purchase the necessary feeding for her. Fertilizers are sold separately for different seasons – spring contains more nitrogen, autumn is released with a predominance of phosphorus and potassium.
Top dressing is given to the Canadian Pendula spruce according to the instructions, on wet soil.
Mulching and loosening
The small roots of the Canadian Pendula spruce come close to the soil surface and do not respond well if disturbed. It is necessary to loosen the trunk circle only in the first two years after planting the tree, to a depth of about 5 cm. Later, the soil around the spruce is mulched with acidic peat or pine bark, which is sold already treated for diseases in garden centers.
Trimming
Canadian spruce Pendula has a beautiful weeping crown. You only need to prune branches that may appear below the grafting site. Naturally, sanitary measures include the removal of broken, dry and diseased shoots.
If the design of the site requires some special formation of Pendula spruce, the first time the operation should be entrusted to a specialist. In the future, skilled gardeners will be able to maintain the desired shape of the crown on their own, based on the recommendations received.
The lower branches of the Canadian Pendula spruce often descend to the ground and lie on the ground. So that the infection does not get from the soil to the tree, it should be covered with bark or ground cover plants. Otherwise, the lower shoots are cut or shortened – they should not lie on bare ground or peat.
Preparation for winter
Pendula is one of the most hardy varieties of Canadian spruce. It can even winter in zone 2. It is only necessary to cover the tree with spruce branches or white non-woven material for the first two years after planting. In the future, they are limited to mulching the near-trunk circle with peat, which is not removed in the spring, but embedded in the ground.
The problem is the grafting site of the Pendula Canadian spruce. In the North-West, the Urals and Siberia, it must always be wrapped with non-woven material and tied with twine.
Preparing for the winter of spruce consists in autumn moisture charging and fertilizing with fertilizers containing phosphorus and potassium.
Sun protection
Pendula prefers partial shade; needles can burn in the bright sun. It does not fall, as in dwarf Canadian spruces with a very dense crown, but turns brown. Needles will crumble only if no action is taken for a long time.
When planting Pendula in the sun, you should be ready to treat the crown with epin or zircon every 2 weeks. It is better if on the south side it will be slightly shaded by other plants. An adult tree (after 10 years) suffers less from the sun.
Reproduction
Canadian Spruce Pendula is propagated by grafting. The weeping form of its crown is not inherited when sowing seeds. Cuttings also do not bring a satisfactory result. The crown of a grown tree is likely to simply be prone to drooping. The plant will not look like the Pendula variety.
Of course, it will be much easier to form the crown of such a tree with stretch marks, pruning and garters in a weeping form than with other firs suitable for such an operation. But that’s a completely different story.
Domestic nurseries specializing in the cultivation of conifers have already begun to graft Canadian spruce. Some Pendula seedlings are already on the market, but not enough to satisfy the market. Most of the weeping firs come from abroad. It is extremely difficult to instill them on your own, but no one forbids trying.
Diseases and pests
The health of Canadian Pendula Spruce should be monitored with particular attention, as grafted trees are more susceptible to fungal infections. If the disease affects the grafting site, the tree is likely to die. You need to inspect the spruce every 2 weeks with a magnifying glass, gently pushing the branches apart.
Of course, you can rely on “maybe”, it is quite possible that everything will be fine. But then one should not be surprised if yesterday the Canadian spruce was healthy, and today a specialist invited for a lot of money reports that the tree will not survive until spring.
The Canadian Pendula Spruce is often affected by snow shute, as its branches lie on the ground. Other illnesses include:
- spruce spinner;
- rust;
- stem and root rot;
- fusariosis;
- dry necrosis;
- ulcerative cancer.
Common pests of the Canadian Pendula spruce:
- mite;
- aphid gall;
- caterpillars of the Nun butterfly;
- mealybug;
- spruce leaflet;
- hermes;
- spruce sawmill.
The crown of Pendula is not as dense as that of dwarf varieties of Canadian spruce, so it is much easier to handle. Preventive spraying should be carried out regularly. Diseases that have already appeared are fought with fungicides, pests are destroyed with insecticides.
Conclusion
Spruce Canadian Pendula is a very beautiful tree with a weeping crown. It will decorate any site, and requires much less care than dwarf varieties.