Tsuga is an evergreen coniferous plant from the Pine family. It is common in North America and the Far East. The genus Tsugi is not numerous. It contains both tall slender trees and undersized lush shrubs. Domestic gardeners rarely plant tsugu on their personal plots. And they do it absolutely in vain. Slowly growing tree forms dense green cascades, which often surpass the usual spruce and pine trees in charm. Caring for a Tsuga is quite simple, just follow a few simple rules.
Plant description
Tsuga in the natural environment grows as a large tree. Its height is 20-65 m. The crown of the plant has a conical or ovoid shape. Old trees gradually lose symmetry. Flexible thin shoots are covered with gray or brown scaly bark. With age, deep cracks and detachments appear on it. Skeletal horizontal branches are somewhat flattened, and thinner side branches are bent down. On them, shortened shoots develop, forming a dense green cover.
The needles on the branches are arranged in two rows or radially in all directions. They appear one at a time and persist for several years. The lanceolate leaf plate has a rounded edge and a slight narrowing at the base, which resembles a petiole. The length of the dark green needles does not exceed 1.5-2 cm.
On one tree, male and female cones develop. In length oblong gray-brown cones grow 2.5 cm. They form at the ends of branches. Inside are small ovoid seeds with miniature wings. The length of the seed does not exceed 2 mm.
Species and varieties
According to various classification systems, the genus includes 10-18 species. In Russia, the most widespread Tsuga Canadian. This slender frost-resistant tree grows 25 cm high. Its crown consists of branched shoots with small dark green needles. On flat lanceolate leaves, a narrow whitish strip is visible. Oblong cones up to 25 mm long consist of rounded brownish-brown lobes. Common varieties:
- Nana A sprawling bush with penetrating shoots is 50-80 cm high. The width of the vegetation does not exceed 160 cm.
- Pendula is a beautiful weeping plant form with several trunks. It grows 3.5 m in height. The width of the shoot reaches 9 m.
- Jeddeloh. A common variety up to 1.5 m high is covered with spiral branches and bright green flat leaves. The bark has a purple-gray hue.
- Minuta. A plant up to 0.5 m high has an asymmetric dense crown of bright green color. Long, flexible shoots are covered with short, pointed needles. The top of the needles has a plain green color, and the whitish longitudinal tubules are visible from below.
Tsuga Caroline - low heat-loving tree with a conical crown. Branches are extended to the sides horizontally. The bark on the young shoots is colored in red-brown, but gradually turns gray and crack. Wide dark green needles 10-12 mm long underneath are covered with whitish stripes. Sedentary cones are located at the ends of the shoots. Their length is 3.5 cm. Light brown lobes are covered with short scales.
Breeding methods
Tsugu can be propagated by seed and vegetative methods. Seeds suitable for sowing ripen only on trees over 20 years old. Seeds are sown in containers with loose fertile soil. For 3-4 months, the containers are stored in a cold place at a temperature of 3-5 ° C. Then the container is transferred to a bright place with an air temperature of + 15 ... + 18 ° C. And only when shoots appear, the temperature is increased to + 19 ... + 23 ° C. Seeds appear slowly and unfriendly, no more than 50% of plants germinate. Tsuga is grown in greenhouses until 2-3 years of age, and only after that it is transplanted into the open ground.
Tsugi can be propagated by cuttings during spring. It is necessary to cut off the young side shoots with the heel. A cut of the handle is treated with root and planted in loose soil at an angle of 60 °. During the rooting period, it is necessary to maintain room temperature and high humidity. Lighting should be diffuse. Rooted seedlings can be immediately moved to the open ground, they tolerate frosts well without additional shelter.
In order to preserve and propagate varietal Tsugi cuttings, they are inoculated. As a stock you can use the Canadian Tsugu.
Landing and care
Planting young Tsug in the open ground is best in April or late summer. The tree needs to allocate 1-1.5 m of free space. The place needs to be selected slightly shaded, since constant exposure to direct sunlight is detrimental to the plant.
The soil for Tsugi should be light and fertile. The soil should consist of turf, leafy soil, sand and peat. The presence of lime in the earth is undesirable; it leads to diseases and growth retardation. For planting, they dig a hole about 70 cm deep. A complex of mineral fertilizers is immediately introduced into it. In the future, Tsugu should be fertilized only until the age of three. Then she will miss the trace elements from her own fallen needles. In order not to damage the root system, landing is performed by transshipment.
Tsuga loves water, so you need to water it regularly. Under an adult tree, a bucket of water is poured every week. It is also recommended to spray the crown periodically to increase air humidity.
It is sometimes useful to weed the ground under a tree so that the air penetrates better to the roots. This should be done with caution, to a depth of not more than 10 cm. You can mulch the soil with peat so that a dense crust does not form on the surface.
Young trees do not need pruning, but older plants can be crown shaped. Do it in the spring. Tsuga normally tolerates the procedure.
Canadian Tsuga winters well without shelter, however, young trees cover the soil at the trunk with peat or lapnik. In winter, the needles may turn red from frost, but this does not indicate any problems.
Diseases and Pests
Tsugi are affected by parasites such as Tsugovy moth, scythe of pine needles, spider mites, ticks of Tsugovoy needles. Small rodents can also damage plants. Sometimes they gnaw at the base of the trunk.
With frequent flooding of the soil, root rot can develop. Infection causes a slowdown in the growth of the tree and gradually leads to its death.
Using Tsugi
Tsugi decorative varieties can be effectively used to decorate the garden. A large pyramidal tree is planted in the middle of the lawn, weeping thickets are good at the fences. Miniature plants can be planted in groups. Green cascades tilting to the ground have a special charm. Hanging cones on them serve as an additional decoration.
Use Tsugu in medicine. Its bark is rich in tannins. A decoction from the bark is used to lubricate wounds, treat inflammation on the skin, and also to stop bleeding. The needles contain a large amount of ascorbic acid and essential oils. Tea from it is used to strengthen immunity and fight against viral diseases. Official medicine has proven that Tsugi essential oil has antibacterial, antiseptic, diuretic and expectorant properties. It is inhaled with sore throat or sinus swelling. It also helps to cope with eczema.
