One name "Korean fir" means that it is a tree from Korea. On Jeju Island, almost all forests are composed of these trees. This evergreen plant has a dense, conical crown and can grow up to 15 meters in height. Developing in favorable conditions, it can live 150 years or more. Such favorable conditions are:
- Open areas. It can grow and develop in the shade, but prefers open areas where there is a lot of light.
- Suitable soil. Feels good on loams, on slightly acidic, slightly alkaline and light soils.
- Sufficient moisture. A moisture-loving tree that does not tolerate moisture deficiencies during dry periods.
Korean fir grows rather slowly - its annual growth is 3-5 cm. In the wild, it grows mainly in the mountains, preferring heights from 1000 to 2000 meters. Mature trees are covered with red-brown bark and have saber-curved dark green needles 10-15 cm long. Ripe cones are purple-purple and look like a cylinder 5-7 cm long and 2-3 cm wide.
This tree is equipped with a strong root system that goes deep into the ground. Otherwise it is impossible - mountain, rocky slopes, constant "raids" of monsoons. Growing in such difficult conditions without a proper root system simply cannot survive. It can be found in mixed forests. The Korean fir was first classified in 1907.
Korean fir and landscape design
Despite the fact that her homeland is Korea, she does well in the middle lane. This evergreen tree looks great in any season, and therefore it is successfully used in the organization of landscape design. Due to its slow growth, a thirty-year-old fir grows to a height of no more than 3 meters, and therefore for a long time retains the shape, formed by natural or artificial means, the crown. Along with the usual fir, there are its decorative forms, of small stature, which are successfully used by amateur gardeners for landscaping their summer cottages.
It looks good against the background of coniferous and deciduous plantings. Good neighbors of Korean fir can be - birch, barberry, maple, thuja, Pine, spruce, cypress, juniper. Low-growing and dwarf varieties can be planted in tubs or used for landscaping rocky areas. This tree does not tolerate urban conditions, as it is sensitive to polluted air, but it develops without problems outside the city. It is recommended to use ordinary fir varieties in single plantings, and use undersized and dwarf varieties in groups. Living barriers can be formed using this tree.
Planting and leaving
When planting fir, it must be borne in mind that seedlings from 5 to 10 years of age take root best of all. For planting, a landing pit is formed 50x50 cm wide and 60-80 cm deep. If the soil is heavy, then drainage must be provided. To do this, a layer of crushed stone or broken brick about 20 cm thick is poured onto the bottom of the pit. To fill the pit, a substrate is prepared from a mixture of clay, earth, humus, peat and sand (2: 3: 1: 1). Be sure to add mineral fertilizer (nitroammofoska), somewhere between 200-300 grams and about ten kg of sawdust.When planting, you need to control that the root collar remains at ground level.
After planting, the seedlings need moisture, especially during dry periods. It is watered at the rate of 15-20 liters of water per plant 2-3 times and, if necessary (especially in heat), the crown is sprayed (sprinkled). In the 3rd year after planting, "Kemiro wagon" is introduced at the rate of 150 grams per square meter in the spring. Fir is a moisture-loving tree, but does not tolerate excess moisture. During growth, you should constantly loosen the soil to a depth of 25-30 cm and mulch it. Sawdust, wood chips or peat are suitable for mulch, which is covered with a layer of 5 cm to 8 cm in the trunk circles. The plant, although frost-resistant, but in the first year of planting, it must be protected from severe frosts by covering it with spruce branches or other auxiliary material. In the future, when the tree gets stronger, such protection is not required.
Fir crown formation is not artificially required, but it may be necessary, especially after branches are damaged as a result of late spring frosts. In this case, the damaged branches are removed and it may be necessary to correct the growth of the crown.
Reproduction of Korean fir
It propagates by seeds and cuttings. Seeds are harvested at the beginning of their ripening. You can sow in autumn or spring, but before that they must be stratified. For this, the seeds are kept for 30-40 days at a certain temperature, which contributes to faster germination of seeds. When planting in the spring, you can resort to snowing. For this purpose, snow is compacted at a certain place and seeds are placed on the compacted snow.
Then the seeds are covered with straw and a plastic wrap is placed on top. Then all this is again covered with snow. For propagation by cuttings, annual shoots with a bud at the top of the shoot are selected. When propagated by cuttings, the crown of the future tree is formed independently. The first 10 years, the cuttings grow very slowly, then a little faster, and so it continues to grow further.
Fir species
Fir belongs to the pine family, and this genus has more than 50 species that are common in the temperate zone of the mountainous regions of the Northern Hemisphere. Here are its main types:
- Asian fir. It is considered a type of subalpine fir. Grows in mixed forests of western North America at altitudes of 1200-2600 meters above sea level.
- Balsam fir. It grows in the forests of North America and Canada, reaching the border of the tundra, and is considered the most common species in these places.
- White or European fir. Its homeland is the mountains of Central and Southern Europe.
- White fir. This is the most common species of the Russian Far East, but can be found in China and Korea.
- Vinca fir. The most decorative type of fir and grows in Central Japan on mountain ranges at the level of 1300-2300 meters.
- The fir is high. One of the fastest growing fir trees. This tree can grow up to 100 meters in height.
- Fir Greek or Kefallin. Habitat - the south of Albania, Greece (Peloponnese peninsula, Kefallinia island) and belongs to the Subalpine plants.
Many experts believe that of the pine family, the fir is one of the most beautiful trees.
