The ornamental Himalayan pine is also known as Wallichiana pinus or Griffith pine (pinus Griffithii McClell). It was named after the Danish surgeon and botanist Nathaniel Wallich. In 1823, the plant in a cultivated form was brought to England by the English breeder E. B. Lambert. Later, ephedra began to grow on the territory of Russia.
Himalayan Pine - growing a fluffy beauty
Brief information about the species
- Colour: needles are gray or bluish-green with a silvery sheen.
- Height: about 23-25 m.
- Crown width: 20 m.
- Landing features: sunny place with diffused daylight. Landing scheme: 4x4.5 m.
- Growing regions: in its natural environment, pine grows in the eastern part of Afghanistan, western China, northern Myanmar and Nepal. Distributed in the Himalayas. Not suitable for northern areas.
- Immunity: good winter hardiness, high resistance against fungal diseases.
- Life span: about 300 years old.
General characteristics
In its natural environment, the Himalayan pine grows in the eastern part of Afghanistan, western China, northern Myanmar and Nepal, and is also common in the Himalayas.
The plant is successfully cultivated in almost all CIS countries, with the exception of the northern zones. Grown in Ukraine, Belarus, Batumi and Sochi. Suitable for planting in the middle lane and in the south of Russia.
Description of external parameters:
- in the wild, the height reaches 50 m, the diameter is 20 m, in personal and industrial plots the dimensions are 23x20 m;
- the crown is loose, wide-pyramidal, consists of long flexible branches that begin to form at the very bottom of the trunk;
- needles are very long (up to 20 cm), gray or bluish-green with a silvery sheen, thin (1 mm), collected in several pieces in bunches, remain on the tree for 3-4 years;
- in young specimens, the bark is smooth, dark gray; in adults, it acquires an ashy tone, contains numerous detachments and cracks;
- young, bare growth, light green color with a sheen;
- cones are red or light brown, 32x7 cm in size, cylindrical in shape, in some conifers they are straight, in others they are curved;
- large seeds - about 5 mm in length;
- the root system is branched, close to the surface, the central core can reach 1.5 m depth.
This variety is long-lived - its lifespan is about 300 years.
Winter hardiness is good - adult specimens are able to withstand a drop in temperature to -25-30 ° C without insulation. But in the conditions of snowy winters, branches often break under the weight of the snow. A prolonged winter thaw is also dangerous for this tree - the plant wakes up ahead of time and freezes with recurrent frosts.
Growing features
The successful cultivation of a crop depends on several factors - the quality of the seedling, the planting site, the composition of the soil, as well as further care.
Sapling selection
Pine loves to grow in calm areas.
To get a plant with all the signs and characteristics of a real variety, you should contact a specialized nursery.
When choosing planting material, you need to adhere to some rules.
- Buy seedlings with a closed root system or in containers. Such conifers have a well-developed underground part and in the process of transplanting to the site, the risk of drying out and injury is excluded.
- You should take copies of 2-3 years old.
- When buying, it is necessary to carefully examine the aerial part - it should be lively, saturated green, without black or red spots on the surface of the shoots and needles - they indicate infection with diseases.
- The optimum height of the seedling is 60-70 cm.
Site and soil preparation
The choice of a site for planting should be based on the following requirements:
- it is worth planting in a place where there is no wind, preferably from the south or southeast side, along the fence or next to the farm building;
- a bed with diffused daylight is suitable, so the plant will be protected from the scorching spring sun and will not suffer during the February thaw;
- the soil needs light, loose, not alkaline without moisture stagnation.
The planting site is prepared in two weeks - it is freed from plant debris and weeds. To improve the structure of clay soil, it is necessary to add a couple of buckets of sand, if you plan to grow on sandy loam, you should add the same amount of clay.
The acidified area is sprinkled with calcite, dolomite flour or chalk at the rate of 300 g per 1 m².
Landing technique
For full growth and development, Himalayan pines require sufficient space: the optimal distance between seedlings is 3-4 m, the distance in a row is 4.5-5 m.
Pits are dug 2-3 times larger than the size of a tree's earthy clod. Drainage from pebbles, rubble or brick chips is poured into the bottom. Then up to half is filled with a nutrient composition of sand, peat and turf soil (2: 1: 1). The plant is lowered so that the root collar is 5-6 cm above the soil surface.
The voids are filled up with soil, tamped, watered abundantly through holes dug at a distance of 50 cm from the near-stem zone. After that, mulch with a thick layer of pine sawdust, wood chips or peat. Mulch will protect the roots from drying out and hypothermia.
Basic care
All caring for this culture comes down to several mandatory activities.
Watering
In the first years of life, young pines need regular and frequent watering, especially in dry summers - at least 5 times per season. For one seedling take 2 buckets of water.
Abundant moisture is required in early spring before the buds awaken and in the fall a month before the onset of stable frosts. Consumption per plant - up to 40 liters.
Young conifers respond positively to the sprinkling procedure, which saturates the crown with moisture and prevents the appearance of parasites. Irrigation is carried out every week in the summer in the evening hours to avoid the risk of sunburn.
Loosening and mulch
Good care will keep the tree healthy
After each watering, surface loosening of the soil is carried out, it helps to maintain its moisture and breathability. This manipulation is combined with weeding the aisle and removing weed sprouts.
At the end, the near-trunk zone is mulched with peat or pine sawdust, which protects the roots and soil from drying out, and also prevents the growth of unnecessary vegetation.
Top dressing
Complex fertilizers, which are applied twice a season, will help to stimulate development, increase immunity against diseases.
In early spring, nitrogenous preparations are used (a solution of urea, nitrophoska or ammophoska at the rate of 30 g per 20 l of water). A bucket of nutrient fluid is poured under one tree. Such feeding contributes to the intensive growth of young branches.
In late July or early August, pines are fed with a mineral composition: superphosphate and potassium nitrate - 30 g per 10 liters of water. These components strengthen the root system, increase frost resistance and help preserve the decorative effect of the tree until spring. 5 liters of working solution are poured under one copy.
Pruning
This plant tolerates a shaping cut well. Light pruning of shoots is allowed - by a third of the length, if you prune more, the tree may not survive stress and die.
To form a dense and lush crown in September, 30% of the growth of the current year is cut.
Sanitary pruning will be mandatory to remove all branches damaged by winds, frosts and diseases. Cutting is carried out along the oblique with a sterile knife or pruner. To avoid infection, the wounds are irrigated with a solution of copper sulfate, then covered with garden varnish or powdered with charcoal.
Preparation for wintering
Young Griffith pines need good insulation, especially when grown in regions with changeable weather conditions - Moscow region, Leningrad region, middle latitudes.
The shoots of this variety are very fragile, so you should not use twine or rope to tie them to the central guide. The aerial part is carefully wrapped in burlap. Such a shelter will protect against freezing, excessive snow and sun rays in early spring.
Saplings wrapped in burlap will have good access to fresh air.
Some gardeners use another shelter - spruce branches, which are laid on a pre-equipped frame.
In addition to warming the crown, it is necessary to mulch the near-trunk zone with peat or sawdust.
All work on the preparation of conifers for wintering is carried out in late autumn, when the temperature drops to -5-10 ° C.
Breeding
The pine tree will decorate your garden
You can grow Himalayan pines from the seeds of an adult and healthy tree over 10 years old.
Collect planting material in the fall (late September or early October), when the cone is fully ripe and throws out the seeds. They are dried at 40 ° C, stratified for a month in a refrigerator in wet sand.
Sowing is carried out in seedling boxes or containers filled with drainage and a nutrient mixture of sand and peat (1: 1). The depth of planting seeds is 1-1.5 cm. The plantings are irrigated with warm water, covered with a transparent film and placed in a cool place with a temperature of 18-19 ° C and diffused daylight.
The germination process can take 2 to 3 months. To prevent seedlings from dying, they need to be regularly moistened and ventilated every day. After the emergence of seedlings, the shelter is removed, they continue to water, periodically loosen the soil and remove weeds.
Growing seedlings obtained at home is spent another year. Transplanted to the site in the fall - early or mid-September.
Pests and diseases
Pine has increased immunity against many diseases and parasites. Subject to good care and compliance with all the rules of agricultural technology, even rust does not damage it.
The main reason for the appearance of diseases and harmful insects is thickening, lack of sanitary cutting, the use of already infected seedlings for planting.
In case of rust damage, all damaged organs are removed, and the crown and soil around the near-stem zone are irrigated with Ridomil Gold or a solution of copper sulfate twice with an interval of 7 days.
With an invasion of a spider mite, scale insects, a sawfly or a moth, insecticides are used - Actellic, Aktaru or Angio.
Application in landscape
A tall, evergreen plant is often used to decorate park areas and alleys. They are planted singly in personal plots for decorating inconspicuous and problem areas.
Himalayan Griffith pine is an excellent option for the formation of forest and protective belts.
It goes well in group planting with chestnuts, evergreen cypresses and large-flowered magnolia. Some people use the tree to make bonsai.
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Reviews
Due to its good winter hardiness and excellent adaptive qualities in regions with moderate climatic conditions, this plant is loved by many gardeners:
- seedlings have a high survival rate; with regular watering and feeding, they develop a beautiful crown and delight with their decorativeness all year round;
- after a few years of cultivation, trees do not need to be covered for the winter, which facilitates care;
- tall conifers with a lush crown are great for shading different home areas in a hot summer, protect from the wind and decorate any place on the site.