Scots pine flower or inflorescence. How conifers bloom

osnos (lat. Pinus) is an evergreen coniferous tree, shrub or elfin, belongs to the class conifers, pine order, pine family, pine genus. The life span of pine varies from 100 to 600 years. Today, there are single trees, the age of which is approaching 5 centuries.

Until now, it has not been precisely established which word formed the basis of the Latin name for the pine Pinus. According to some sources, this is a Celtic pin (rock or mountain), according to others - Latin picis (resin).

Pine - description and characteristics of the tree.

The pine tree grows very quickly, especially in the first 100 years. The height of the pine trunk varies from 35 meters to 75 meters, and the trunk diameter can reach 4 meters. On swampy soils and under unfavorable growing conditions, the height of age-old trees does not exceed 100 cm.

Pine is a light-loving plant. The flowering time begins in late spring, but the process takes place without the appearance of flowers. As a result, pine cones are formed, which differ in a variety of shapes, sizes and colors.

Male bumps most species of pines are elongated, cylindrical-ellipsoidal and up to 15 cm long. Female cones Pines are generally round, broadly ovate or slightly flattened, 4 to 8 cm long. The color of the cones, depending on the species, can be yellow, brown, brick red, purple and almost black.

Pine seeds are hard-shelled and can be winged or wingless. In some species of pines (cedar pines), the seeds are edible.

Pine is a tree whose crown has a conical shape, turning into a kind of a huge umbrella in old age. The structure of the cortex also depends on age. If at the beginning of the life cycle it is smooth and almost without cracks, then by one hundred years it acquires a fair thickness, cracks and acquires a dark gray color.

The appearance of the tree is formed by long, woody over time shoots, on which needles and needles grow. Pine needles are smooth, hard and sharp, collected in bunches and have a life span of up to 3 years. Pine needles are triangular or sectorial in shape. Their length ranges from 4 to 20 cm.Depending on the number of leaves (needles) in a bunch of pine, there are:

• two-conifers (for example, common pine, seaside pine),
• three-conifers (for example, Bunge pine),
• five-conifers (for example, Siberian pine, Weymouth pine, Japanese white pine).

Depending on the type, the pine trunk can be straight or curved. Shrub varieties of pine have a multi-peaked crown of a creeping type, formed by several trunks.

The shape of the pine crown depends on the species and can be

• rounded,
• conical,
• pin-shaped,
• creeping.

In most species, the crown is located quite high, but in some varieties, for example, the Macedonian pine (lat.Pinus peuce), the crown begins almost at the very ground.

The plant is unpretentious to the quality of the soil. Root system pine is plastic and depends on growing conditions. In sufficiently moist soils, the roots of the tree spread parallel to the surface for a distance of up to 10 meters and go down shallowly. In dry soils, the taproot of the tree goes 6-8 m deep. Pine reacts poorly to urban, polluted and gassed air. Moreover, almost all members of the genus tolerate low temperatures well.

Where does the pine grow?

Basically, pines grow in the temperate zone of the Northern Hemisphere, the boundaries of growth extend from the north of Africa to the regions beyond the Arctic Circle, including Russia, European countries, North America, Asia. Pine forms both pine forests and mixed forests along with spruce and other trees. Currently, thanks to artificial cultivation, such a type of pine as the radiant pine can be found in Australia, New Zealand, Madagascar and even in South Africa.

On the territory of Russia, 16 wild species of pines are widespread, among which the common pine occupies a leading place. Siberian cedar is widespread in Siberia. In the Amur region, Korean cedar is often found. Mountain pines grow in the mountainous regions from the Pyrenees to the Caucasus. Crimean pines are found in the mountains of the Crimea and the Caucasus.

Types of pines, photos and names.

• Scots pine(lat.Pinus sylvestris) grows in Europe and Asia. The tallest pines can be found on the southern coast of the Baltic Sea: some specimens are up to 40-50 m in height.Other pines grow up to 25-40 m and have a trunk diameter of 0.5 to 1.2 m. Scots pine has a straight trunk with a thick gray-brown bark, cut with deep cracks. The upper part of the trunk and branches are covered with a thin, flaky orange-red bark. Young pines are distinguished by a cone-shaped crown, with age, the branches take a horizontal position, and the crown becomes wide and rounded. Scots pine wood is a valuable building material due to its resinous content and high strength. Ethanol is obtained from pine sawdust, essential oils and rosin. Varieties pine: Alba Picta, Albyns, Aurea, Beuvronensis, Bonna, Candlelight, Chantry Blue, Compressa, Frensham, Glauca, Globosa Viridis, Hillside Creeper, Jeremy, Moseri, Norske, Repanda, Viridid ​​Typ Compacta, Fastigiata, Watereri and others.

• Siberian cedar pine, she Siberian cedar(lat.Pinus sibirica)- the closest relative of Scots pine, and not real cedars, as many mistakenly believe. A tree up to 40 m high (usually up to 20-25 m) is distinguished by thick branches and a dense crown with many tops. The straight, even trunk of the pine has a gray-brown color. The needles are soft, long (up to 14 cm), dark green, with a bluish bloom. Siberian cedar begins bearing fruit at about 60 years of age. It produces large egg-shaped cones that grow up to 13 cm in length and up to 5-8 cm in diameter. At the beginning of growth, they are purple in color, when mature they turn brown. The ripening period of the cones is 14-15 months, the shedding begins in September next year. One Siberian cedar pine gives up to 12 kg of nuts per season. Siberian cedar is a typical inhabitant of the dark coniferous taiga in Western and Eastern Siberia.

• Marsh pine (long-coniferous) (lat.Pinus palustris)- a massive tree that grows up to 47 m in height and has a trunk diameter of up to 1.2 m. Distinctive features the species is yellow-green needles, the length of which can reach 45 cm, and the exceptional fire resistance of wood. Long-coniferous pine grows in southeastern North America, from Virginia and North Carolina to Louisiana and Texas.

• Montezuma pine (white pine)(lat.Pinus montezumae) grows up to 30 m in height and has long (up to 30 cm) needles of a grayish-green color, collected in bunches of 5 pieces. The tree received this name in honor of the last leader of the Aztecs - Montezuma, who decorated his headdress with the needles of this pine. The white pine grows in western North America and Guatemala. In many countries with temperate climates it is grown as an ornamental plant, as well as for the collection of edible nuts.

• Dwarf pine, she dwarf cedar(lat.Pinus pumila)- a type of low bushy trees with widely spread branches, characterized by a variety of crown shapes, which can be tree-like, creeping or bowl-shaped. Treelike specimens grow up to 4-5 m, rarely up to 7 m in height. The branches of creeping pines are pressed to the ground, and their tips are raised by 30-50 cm. The needles of dwarf pine are gray-green in color, from 4 to 8 cm long. Pine cones are medium-sized, ovoid or elongated. Nuts are small, up to 9 mm long and 4-6 mm wide. In a productive year, up to 2 quintals of nuts can be harvested from 1 hectare. Dwarf cedar - unpretentious plant adapted to the harsh northern climate. Widely distributed from Primorye to Kamchatka, in the north of the range it goes beyond the Arctic Circle. Dwarf pine varieties: Blue Dwarf, Glauca, Globe, Chlorocarpa, Draijer’s Dwarf, Jeddeloh, Jermyns, Nana, Saentis.

• , she Pallas pine(lat.Pinus nigra subsp.Pallasiana, Pinus pallasiana)- a tall tree (up to 45 m), with a wide, pyramidal, in old age - an umbrella-shaped crown. The pine needles are dense, prickly, up to 12 cm long, the cones are shiny, brown, oblong, up to 10 cm long. The Crimean pine is listed in the Red Book, but is used as valuable construction material, in particular for shipbuilding, and also as decorative tree for park landscaping and the creation of a protective forest belt. Crimean pine grows in the Crimea (mainly on the southern slopes of Yalta) and in the Caucasus.

• Mountain pine, she European elfin pine or zep (lat.Pinus mugo)- a tree-like shrub with a pin-shaped or creeping multi-stemmed crown. The needles are twisted or curved, dark green in color, up to 4 cm long. Wood with a red-brown core is widely used in joinery and turning. Young shoots and cones of pine are used in the cosmetic industry and medicine. Sherp is a typical representative of the alpine and subalpine climatic zone of southern and central Europe. Mountain pine and its varieties are very often used in landscape design... The most famous varieties are Gnome, Pug, Chao-chao, Winter Gold, Mugus, Pumilio, Varella, Carstens and others.

• White pine, she white-stemmed pine(lat.Pinus albicaulis) it has a smooth light gray bark. A straight or winding pine trunk grows up to 21 m in height and looks almost white from a distance. In young trees, the crown has the shape of a cone, with age it becomes rounded. The needles are curved, short (up to 3-7 cm in length), intense yellow-green color. Male cones are elongated, bright red, female cones are distinguished by a spherical or flattened shape. Edible white pine seeds are an important food source for many animals: American walnut, red squirrel, grizzly and baribal bears. The golden woodpecker and blue sialia often nest in tree crowns. White-trunk pines grow in the mountainous regions of the subalpine belt of North America (Cascade Mountains, Rocky Mountains). Popular pine varieties: Duckpass, Falling Rock, Glenn Lake, Mini, Tioga Lake, Nr1 Dwarf.

• Himalayan pine, she Bhutan pine or Wallich pine(lat.Pinus wallichiana)- high, beautiful tree, widely cultivated all over the world as an ornamental. The average pine height is 30-50 m. The Himalayan pine grows in the mountains from Afghanistan to the Chinese province of Yunnan. Himalayan pine varieties: Densa Hill, Nana, Glauca, Vernisson, Zebrina.

• (Italian pine) (Latin Pinus pinea)- a very beautiful tree with a height of 20-30 meters with a dark green, compact crown, with age, takes the shape of an umbrella due to outstretched branches. Pine needles are long (up to 15 cm), graceful, dense, with a light bluish bloom. The pine has almost round large cones up to 15 cm long. The seeds of the pine are 4 times larger than cedar seeds, from 1 hectare they get up to 8 tons of nuts. The famous pesto sauce is made from crushed pine seeds, called pintoli in Italy. Due to the exceptionally beautiful shape of the crown, pine pine is valuable ornamental plant, actively used in the art of bonsai. In its natural environment, pine grows along the Mediterranean coast, from the Iberian Peninsula to Asia Minor. Cultivated in the Crimea and the Caucasus.

• Pine black, she black Austrian pine (lat.Pinus nigra) grows in the northern Mediterranean, less commonly found in parts of Morocco and Algeria. The tree, 20 to 55 meters high, prefers to grow in the mountains or on igneous rocks and often grows at an altitude of 1300-1500 meters above sea level. The crown of young trees is pyramidal, with age it acquires an umbrella-shaped shape. The needles are long, 9-14 cm, of a very dark shade of green, depending on the variety, they are both shiny and matte. The species is quite decorative and is often used by lovers of conifers for landscape plantings. Popular varieties of black pine are Pierik Bregon, Piramidalis, Austriaca, Bambino.

• , she Eastern white pine (lat.Pinus strobus)... Under natural conditions, the species grows in the northeast of North America and in the southeastern provinces of Canada. Less common in Mexico, Guatemala. A tree with a perfectly straight trunk, reaching 130-180 cm in girth, can grow up to 67 meters in height. The crown of young pines is conical, with age it becomes rounded, and more often of an irregular shape. The color of the bark is slightly purple, the needles are straight or slightly curved, 6.5-10 cm long. Weymouth pine is widely used in construction, as well as in forestry due to its numerous varieties. The most popular pine varieties are: Aurea, Blue Shag, Brevifolia, Сontorta, Densa.

• is an ecotype of Scotch pine (Latin Pinus sylvestris). The species is widespread in Siberia, in the area of ​​the Angara River basin, and occupies quite large areas in the forests of the Krasnoyarsk Territory, as well as the Irkutsk Region. Angarsk pine can grow up to 50 m in height, while the trunk girth often reaches 2 meters. The crown of pines is pyramidal, with a sharp crown, the bark has an amazing ash-silvery shade.

Planting and caring for a pine tree.

Pine tree is used for landscaping parks, sanatoriums and personal plots. For this, seedlings are used at the age of 3 to 7 years. The best soil for pine is sandy soil. For heavy soils, additional drainage is carried out. A distance of at least 1.5 m should be left between the seedlings.

Adult trees do not need additional watering, only young plantings need it. For better survival of seedlings, the first 2 years they are fed mineral fertilizers... To avoid freezing, young animals should be covered for the winter. Pruning adult plants is needed to form the crown and remove diseased branches.

Draijer's Dwarf dwarf pine

The healing properties of pine were discovered by our distant ancestors: clay tablets 5 thousand years old with recipes for extracts from pine needles were discovered during excavations of ancient settlements of the Sumerians. Pine needles are rich in phytoncidal volatile substances that disinfect the air, due to which they are trying to place medical institutions and children's camps in pine forests.

Pine buds and needles have a truly unique chemical composition containing a lot of substances useful for the human body:

• vitamins C, K, B, PP and E;
• carotene;
• essential oil;
• tannins;
• alkaloids;
• terpenes;
• benzoic acid;
• lignins.

In the folk and traditional medicine there are many recipes for using pine buds and needles to help fight many serious ailments. Here are some of them:

• hypoxia (oxygen deficiency in tissues and organs);
• cardiovascular diseases;
• osteochondrosis;
• neuralgia;
• rheumatism;
• BPH;
• bleeding gums.

The highest concentration of nutrients is found in needles 2-3 years old and in swollen, but not yet blossoming pine buds.

Pine essential oil is used to treat colds (bronchitis, pneumonia, tuberculosis, etc.). In psychotherapy, it is used to treat nervous disorders.

Resins and pine tar are used to prepare ointments for dermatological purposes.

Contraindications for taking pine-based drugs are chronic renal, liver failure and pregnancy.

Pine wood is a valuable material that has been used by humans for many centuries. You cannot do without it in the construction of private houses and backyard buildings, and wood is used both as the main one and as an external one. finishing material... Pine wood is used to produce durable, beautiful and inexpensive furniture, parquet and veneer. Pine wood is indispensable in the construction of some types of bridges and railway tracks, where it is used in the form of manufactured piles and sleepers. Wood wool is produced from pine wood, and pine firewood is considered one of the best in terms of heat output.

Pine for the New Year.

Traditionally, in Russian houses, it was accepted in New Year decorate the Christmas tree. But with the emergence of many nurseries where special ornamental pine varieties are grown, most Russians are eager to buy pine for the New Year.

Such trees look simply luxurious: they are distinguished by a beautiful compact shape with strong branches and long fluffy needles. In addition, pine, in comparison with a Christmas tree, does not crumble much longer and has a refreshing, pleasant, resinous aroma.

• For many nationalities, pine is a symbol of fertility and immortality, and according to one of the legends, pine is a beautiful nymph, bewitched by the jealous god of the winds.
• In the old days, it was believed that a talisman made from a piece of pine wood protects from damage and the evil eye, drives away evil spirits and relieves many diseases.
• Fossilized pine resin (sap) is a well-known amber. If an arthropod gets into a drop of hardening resin, then amber with an inclusion of more than 1 cm in length refers to precious stones.
• Due to the powerful antiseptic properties in the pine forest there are only 500 microbes per 1 cubic meter of air, and in the megalopolis - 36 thousand!

As such, the term "flowering" to conifers is not entirely customary to use, but in the scientific literature they talk about the flowering of spruce, pine, cedar. This is because in the spring, cones appear on such trees - a kind of reproductive organs. This is what is commonly called the flowering of conifers.

Northern conifers begin to bloom around April, even before the first leaves appear on deciduous trees, as abundant foliage can interfere with the spread of pollen. Usually, coniferous flowers do not smell. The pollen is carried by the wind over long distances, and it is quite surprising in the spring to meet unusual colored dust on puddles and on the roadside.

Scots pine flowering

To see the common features in the flowering of gymnosperms, it is worth, for example, to compare several different types... Scots pine blooms in late May / early June. Pine flowers are monoecious and collected in cones. When flowering, young needles also bloom on. Male inflorescences are collected in a kind of spikelets, and female ones - in small oval cones. Female and male inflorescences are located on different branches and at their very ends, so that the needles do not interfere with pollination.

Siberian larch flowering

Flowering occurs at the end of May, although it has been noticed that in more southern regions flowering begins in April. Flowering duration is approximately five to ten days. The cones are evenly distributed along the crown. Male inflorescences are collected in oblong spikelets of yellow or yellow-green color. And women, in turn, have a more rounded shape, the color varies from pale green to red-violet.

Siberian cedar flowering

The cedar does not bloom across its entire width. The lower branches form the so-called growth layer. In Siberian cedar, as in other conifers, female genital organs form cones - macrostrobila. They are formed either in a specific layer of the crown, or in a mixed one. In the year of flowering, the female cedar strobilus undergoes six phases of ontogenesis: either a pressed bud, a bud, followed by an open, half-open and closed cone. Depending on temperature and weather conditions, the duration of each phase is three to six days. Male inflorescences are collected at the base of the branches and have an orange-crimson color.

For all conifers, the flowering process is approximately the same. The flowering time may vary depending on the climate, as well as the size and color of the male and female inflorescences, depending on the type of plant.

It is generally known that pine is a coniferous tree, and all conifers are gymnosperms that do not bloom in the usual sense of the word. But when answering the question "does the pine blossom", from a scientific point of view, one should say "yes". It's just that its flowers are not the same as those of apple or cherry.

General information about flowering conifers

The flowers of all conifers resemble cones or spikelets. Their appearance very monotonous (at least for those conifers that grow in Russia). Pine, fir, larch, etc. representatives of the plant kingdom are pollinated with the help of the wind. Therefore, their flowers do not exude any aroma and have an extremely inconspicuous appearance.

When do pine and other conifers bloom? The flowering period occurs in early spring, when leaves have not yet appeared on deciduous trees. At this time, there are no barriers to the spread of pollen.

Flowering pine

Consider when the Scots pine blooms in our country. It blooms in May - June. The tree releases flower arrows at the end of April, but flowers bloom only when the temperature is above 20 ° C.

In other words, the beginning of flowering depends on temperature indicators... If spring came late and cold weather reigns outside, then inflorescences on a pine tree can be seen for a whole month. Usually, it is June.

Types of pines

Today, approximately 124 species of these beautiful conifers are known to exist. But all pines bloom in the same way. Let's analyze the most popular varieties of this ephedra:

Scots pine

Inflorescences appear in May-June. At the same time, young needles are formed in the plant. The color of male flowers is bright yellow, female flowers are pinkish. The flowers are placed at the tips of the branches, so nothing prevents them from pollination.

Cedar pine

The beginning of flowering coincides with the beginning of flowering of the previous species. And in general, the flowering of these two types of conifers is similar. The difference is the color scale of the scales. It should also be remembered that cedar pine and cedar are two different cultures.

Weymouth Pine

This tree prefers mountainous terrain. It blooms from mid-spring to early May. Cones are cylindrical in shape, similar to spruce, but much larger. There are many varieties of Weymouth pine, differing in the structure of the needles, cones, flowers and distribution.

Features of flowering of other conifers

Cedar

It is a massive, tall tree with a pyramidal or umbrella-shaped crown. The lifetime is approximately 3,000 years. The flowering period is in autumn.

On one plant there are both male and female flowers. Male flowers look like single barrel-shaped cones surrounded by needles. The size of the female bumps is slightly larger. They can be up to 10 cm long and 6 cm wide. Most often they form a bundle.

Spruce

Spruce bloom is the brightest among conifers. But it begins to bloom only at the age of 25. As you can see in the photo, female flowers are represented by red-green cones with thin scales that resemble flower petals.

There is an ovule on each scale. Male flowers are collected in elongated earrings. Their color is red or green-yellow. Location - side branches. The tree blooms in late spring. The flowering period is approximately seven days.

Thuja

This evergreen coniferous plant male and female flowers also vary in color, shape and location. Female thuja flowers resemble buds in their shape. Their color is yellowish-green, the location is the upper branches.

Male flowers are collected in rounded inflorescences, located in the lower part of the tree, the color is brown-yellow. The flowering time of the ephedra is April, the duration is only 2 - 3 days.

Flower buds are laid a year before the flowers bloom. For thuja to bloom, it needs good lighting. As a result, single plants bloom better than group plants.

Juniper

Juniper is quite common in Russia. It can be found both in the Caucasus and Siberia. It comes in both shrub and tree-like forms.

Male flowers are located singly, have a yellow color and an elongated shape. Womens flowers Green colour, form inflorescences.

This shrub is light-requiring and unpretentious to the ground. It blooms from May to June. The flowering period is 7-8 days.

Conifers and shrubs perfectly clean the air. Therefore, although they will not delight you with abundant flowers, they should be grown on the site.

Photo of a blooming pine tree

The Evergreen Pine is a symbol of immortality and vitality. Even in winter, when nature is asleep, this beautiful green tree reminds us that spring is coming soon.

In the old days Pine branch was considered magical. The Western Slavs kept the branch for a whole year and only on New Year's holidays was it replaced with a new one. She guarded the peace and well-being of the hut and was a kind of amulet against evil forces. And now in the villages you can find the "spruce branches" of the Pine, standing in a vase as a decoration.

Name of the Pine

Origin Pines names... One of the two versions produces the Latin name for the tree from the Celtic word pin, which means rock, mountain, that is, growing on rocks, the other from the Latin words pix, picis, which means resin, that is, a resinous tree.

In Russia, widespread " Scots pine". It is most often found in the northern part of the country and in Siberia. Pines form forests mixed with other species, as well as pure ones, popularly referred to as "pine forest". The soil suitable for the Pine is varied - from arid and rocky places to areas with swampiness.

Pine loves very much sunlight, therefore, in the forest among its fellows, the trunk stretches upward, from which it takes the form of a mast. No wonder they were previously used in shipbuilding.

On the Pine Plain looks very different. Spreading branches, it takes on a bizarre shape and curvature, dense crowns and zigzags. The trunk becomes stocky and powerful, like a hero.

Pine needles have a green color with a bluish tinge.

Pine bark- reddish brown and copper-colored.

Pine Wood- a yellowish tint due to its high resin content. It is not for nothing that during the construction of a log house, the lower crown always consisted of pine logs in order to avoid rapid decay. That is why some buildings from the times of ancient Novgorod have survived.

When the Pine Blossoms

Pine blossoms in May or June, depending on the weather. A tree is considered to be ripe at the age of 80-100 years.

In April in quiet sunny days standing next to this fabulous idol, you can hear a subtle snapping pine seeds... This dried up and the cones began to open, releasing the ripe winged seeds. These seeds will give life to new trees.

By the way, pine cones are excellent fuel for Russian samovars and a favorite delicacy. protein and birds.

The healing properties of Pine

Pine is used as an expectorant, diaphoretic and diuretic. Pine has analgesic properties and kills disease-causing microbes in the body.

Sap- a thick light yellow liquid flows out of the damaged branches and trunks of the Pine. Possessing antibacterial properties, it prevents harmful microorganisms from entering the trunk.

If in the forest with injuries and scratches there was no first-aid kit with you, instead of a plaster, you can apply clean Zhivitsa to the wound. It is also able to relieve toothache, which is why resin is used in some regions to make medicinal chewing gum.

Has an antibacterial effect burning tar smoke... Rooms, cellars and salting barrels are “fumigated” with smoke.

For pain in the joints and muscles, use a different component of the resin for rubbing - turpentine.

Pine- that rare tree that goes into business completely from the crown to the roots.

Pine bark well cut. It can be used to make floats and crafts.

V folk medicine Pine is used most often in the form of decoctions, tinctures and tea. Infusion and decoction of the kidneys of the plant are used for inflammation, cough, bronchitis, dropsy and liver diseases.

From pine needles prepare an infusion and a decoction, used as a prophylaxis of vitamin deficiency.

From Pine pollen you can make a tea that helps with gout and rheumatism. The pollen mixed with honey is used after a serious operation or illness.

In the Caucasus, delicious jam is made from young pine cones and flowers.

Amber- lying in the ground for millions of years resin Pines... Thanks to the resin, scientists have the chance to study insects from prehistoric times frozen in Yantar.

By the shape of the crown and branches of the Pine, geologists can determine the composition of the soil.

During the war in the villages from the Pines they removed the thin bark and scraped off the "pulp" - a living layer of wood. It was dried and mixed with flour.

Slim and long pine roots were used to make dense “root” dishes, in which starch, sand or salt were stored.

Another use for roots is as fuel in lighting fixtures. In the old days, when fishing on a sharp night, only the roots of the Pine went into the lamp in order to avoid unnecessary crackling of firewood, which could scare off the fish.

In 1669, near Moscow, in the village of Kolomenskoye, the first wooden royal palace... The material was Pine logs, while the carpenters did not use a single nail. There was a whole in the palace thousand windows and 270 rooms... Unfortunately, the structure has survived to this day only in memories and drawings.

Photo credits: Diverso17, GraAl , ALICE :) , VasiLina (Yandex.Photos)

Protea nana

Protea nana

Protea is another unusual discovery, for which we should thank the courageous seekers of innovations and curiosities in the field of floristry. This exotic flower, native to South Africa, is not yet a frequent visitor to our country. However, florists have already noticed it and are using it more and more actively in their compositions. The Internet writes about him "in Yakutia, a pine blossoms once every 100 years."

Proteus (Protea) Is a genus of plants of the Protein family. The type species of the genus is Proteus artichoke ( Protea cynaroides)

Different types of one flower

Of all the species of this plant, the artichoke protea has become the most famous. She is the national symbol of the Republic of South Africa. In addition, its large flower with large inflorescences up to 30 cm in diameter and bright pink petals can also be seen at festivals in Europe and the USA.

However, there are about 400 other species of protea in the world. Some of them look like bright sea urchins, others look like outlandish fruits, and still others look like unusual stars. Whichever one you choose, rest assured that this flower will surely surprise and impress your loved ones.

By the way, even flowers of the same species differ in appearance, shape and size of the inflorescence. So we can say with confidence: as there are no two identical snowflakes, you will not find two absolutely similar proteas.

Until "anonymous" wrote that it was Protea, I myself thought that it was a pine tree in bloom, and even once every hundred years. How!

It is believed that the pine does not bloom and cannot bloom. She does not have such a reproductive organ as a flower. In May, formations called microstrobilae appear on the tops of elongated shoots of adult pines. They are composed of microsporophylls. It is in them that the male spores of the pine develop. In this so-called "flower", its pollen grains grow on the tops of pine branches. In May, not only pine, but also other conifers - spruce, larch, fir, Siberian cedar - are dusty, "blooming".

Grevillea from the same Protein family

This is larch. Larch was considered the tree of Peace. In nature, it "blooms" much more beautifully.

Larch (Larix) is a genus of coniferous summer-green trees of the Pine family (Pinaceae). The Latin name of this tree "Larix" was introduced into scientific literature at the beginning of the 16th century, but its origin has not been fully clarified until now. It is believed that it is translated from the Gaulish language as "resin", but, according to other experts, this word comes from the Latin "Laridum", which means "fat", which also emphasizes the presence of a large amount of resin in larch.

This is the only genus of conifers whose needles fall off for the winter. The ancestors of larch were evergreen trees, and the ability to shed foliage in autumn arose as a result of adaptation to a harsh climate (with frosts down to -60 ° C).

Like the ancestors - deciduous trees - in the fall, before shedding their leaves - needles, Larch dresses up in gold.

The tree belongs to monoecious plants - heterosexual flowers are located close to each other, on the same branch. Male "inflorescences" are located on short, leafless shoots, mainly on the lower side of the branches and abundantly secrete pollen carried by the wind.

Women's - oblong, red, pink, green.

After pollination, female spikelets are transformed into a bud, from which a cone subsequently develops.

The Nenets consider the Larch sacred tree- a symbol of Light and Good. On certain days, deer skins and antlers are worn on it as a sign of worship. Shamans drive away evil spirits with the help of the smoke of the burning Larch, and amulets are made of wood.

The Yakuts brought gifts to the forest spirits to the grove and hung them on the branches.

And the Slavs - pagans in Russia believed that if trouble happened, you need to "communicate" with the Larch - it will calm you ...

The Mansi people have a legend that God created the oceans, seas, plants, animals ... And the time has come for him to create a man, and for the material He chose a strong Larch. And now He carved figures of people out of wood and was supposed to revive them, but evil spirits stole wooden figures and put clay blanks in their place. God did not know this and brought the clay figures to life. Since clay is a fragile material, people turned out to be weak and weak ...

In the Yakut myths, there is a mention of the iron larch of the world of the dead, which grew with its roots upwards.

In Altai, there is a belief that those who travel over the mountain for the first time or have gone on a matchmaker's visit are supposed to tie white ribbons on a birch or young larch for a successful outcome of the trip.

A larch charm or just a twig of it will help protect you from witchcraft or protect you from the evil eye.

The smoke of burning larch is able to ward off evil spirits. The tree is used for protection. There is evidence that shamans used larch to enter a trance and call visions.

The Legend of the Wise Cedar and the Beautiful Larch

Once upon a time, Cedar and Larch lived nearby. Everyone admired and admired the Larch, both people and animals and birds. And she was proud: they say, I am the sweetest in the world! And boasted of her beauty, until hungry cubs came to her. They asked to feed them and save them from hunger. But Larch could not do this, and Cedar silently gave them his nuts, which saved the cubs from hunger. Larch realized that not only beauty is important in life. She felt ashamed and from shame her needles turned yellow and crumbled. Since then, she sheds her needles every year, losing for some time its former beauty ...

Use of larch in medicine and national economy

Larch is a protector. In medicine (and in magic) it is known as the soothing tree. If a person does not leave fears, doubts, causeless anxiety, contact with the Larch will bring him great relief. It heals severe nervous disorders, especially those accompanied by bouts of melancholy and depression. The energy of Larch helps to relieve self-doubt, underestimation of one's abilities, helps to open up to a person his untapped opportunities. Larch will exclude from the human repertoire the phrase: "I can never ...".

In addition, as medicinal product infusions of needles are used, which have a high content of ascorbic acid, which has a beneficial effect on the body, preventing the development of scurvy, strengthening the teeth and gums from abscesses.

Larch essential oil, obtained from wood, is called turpentine and is used as an external remedy for rheumatism, gout, neuralgia, lumbago.

Waste - trimmings, twigs, wood chips, greens - are currently used for production, including vitamin flour for farm animals and poultry. From the technical greenery of Larch, scientists have learned to obtain medicinal preparations useful for atherosclerosis, increased permeability and fragility of capillaries, and diseases of the central nervous system.

The resin scraped from trees with damaged bark is used in folk medicine for headaches: it is placed in pots and placed in a hot-heated oven overnight, after which it is cooled and used to rub the temples. The resin is also used for chewing to clean the teeth and strengthen the gums.

The use of larch wood sawdust as roughage in the diet of cattle not only does not have a damaging effect on the digestive tract of animals, but, on the contrary, reduces the incidence of parakeratosis and liver abscess in calves.

Scientists believe that the possibilities of the "taiga queen" are far from being exhausted. You just need to be careful and careful about this most valuable tree.

It is believed that larch owes its extreme resistance to frost and other adversity to special substances contained in wood - dihydroquercetin and arabino-galactan. The first in wood up to 1.5%, it is successfully used in the formulations of drugs, ointments and dietary supplements. Arabino-galactan is its starch-like substance in larch wood up to 35%. If the wood is cooked for a long time, for 4 hours, then thanks to this substance, a jelly-like nutritious mass is obtained. Inhabitants of Eastern Siberia, Evenks at critical moments thus received an additional food product.

On the scale of light-loving wood species, larch is considered the most light-loving species.