Pines, Firs and Spruces

The old saying, familiarity breeds contempt, is often most true in gardening circles. Pines frequently suffer from this problem. It’s hard to look beyond the seemingly endless acres of commercial pine forests and see the beauty of pines: their magnificent rough-textured bark, the wide variety of growth forms and needle types and perhaps their most characteristic signature piece: the cone.Other large timber conifers, especially the firs (Abies spp.) and spruces (Picea spp.), though less common in our forests, have suffered from their association with the pines, and that’s a real pity because they are trees of grandeur.So what’s to be done about these injustices? First, try to forget about Pinus radiata, it’s probably the species least suited to landscape use. Second, note the use of that word landscape: with just a few exceptions, such as the Swiss mountain pine (Pinus mugo), pines are large trees that are unsuitable for small gardens. To be seen at their best they demand an expansive landscape; one with the room to allow visitors to step back and take in the whole tree in all its majesty. For these are truly majestic trees that don’t rely on tricks, either natural or introduced through breeding, for their beauty. You won’t find many golden forms, variegated cultivars or ground covers among these plants.Granted, the firs and spruces include a large number of dwarf forms, but these tend to be very dwarf plants best suited to rockeries. A fir or spruce tends to be a large tree or a rockery dwarf; there’s not much middle ground.What you will find are trees with impressive bulk yet graceful habits, perfectly symmetrical trees that look so perfect it’s hard to believe they’re real and trees in shades of blue-green that cool even the hottest summer days.A visit to a well-planned garden or arboretum that features conifers should provide plenty of inspiration and is the quickest way to disabuse oneself of the idea that these are trees fit only for forestry. While I don’t think there’s any doubt that American and Canadian arboreta are the best places to see these trees used well, many of our towns and cities have large public gardens that feature mature conifers. Golf courses too, make very good use of conifers and often feature a variety of pines, firs and spruces.PinesThey all look the same, so dull, so boring, so green. How many times have I heard that line? Oh no they don’t, they’re a very diverse lot. Found over much of the northern hemisphere from the Arctic Circle to Central America and Southeast Asia, the genus Pinus includes around 110 species. Even the absolute neophyte pine spotter wouldn’t confuse a Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris) with a Mexican weeping pine (P. patula) and could probably tell that a Japanese black pine (P. thunbergii) was a different species again.Although pines are thought of as difficult plants to use in a garden, provided the garden is large enough, many problems and difficulties can be avoided by carefully preparation and planning. While a few species grow in less favourable conditions, pines generally do best in well-drained, fertile soil. Dig over and loosen the soil well in advance of planting, plant the tree at the proper depth and incorporate some slow-release fertiliser. Above all, make sure well in advance that the tree has plenty of room to develop and don’t prune your pines except to remove dead or broken branches. We have enough straight-trunked trees in the forests, so unless you really want a Christmas tree let the natural character develop.Provide ample water in the first summer after planting to minimise moisture stress on new roots and shoots. Mulching is beneficial for around new and old pines since it reduces water stress and weeds. Of course, pine bark or pine needles are good mulching materials.While this article is mainly about their ornamental value, we shouldn’t forget the great importance of pines as timber trees and as sources of resin, turpentine and other commercial products, such as bark chips for potting mix manufacture. And heaven forbid, but what would happen to the Christmas tree market without pines?Favourite pinesPinus canariensisCanary Islands pineThis slow- to moderate-growing tree has been used as a timber tree in Portugal and though adaptable and drought tolerant, it prefers an open sunny spot where the soil is rich and moist yet well drained. It becomes an attractive conical tree with a spreading base and is 25–60 m tall with fissured red-brown bark and densely packed, shiny, grassy green needles up to 30 cm long in groups of three. The cones are chestnut brown, oval and around 20 cm long.Pinus cembroidesMexican pinyon pine or Mexican nut pineEndemic to Mexico and the southwestern United States, this compact, shrubby tree grows 8–13 m tall and makes a neat screen. A drought-tolerant, slow-growing, short-needled pine, it has silver-grey bark, orange-brown branchlets and bears small, rounded cones that complement the shape of the pine’s rounded crown. Its seeds are edible.Pinus montezumaeMontezuma or rough-barked Mexican pineFound in Mexico and Guatemala, this tree grows quickly to 35 m. It has a columnar crown when young, but eventually becomes a round-headed tree. Its bark is deep red-brown to nearly black and is deeply fissured. Its long drooping needles are the main feature; they are 15–30 cm long, slightly blue-green are borne in groups of five. The cones are buff-coloured and up to 25 cm long.Pinus monticolaWestern white pineUsed principally in the manufacture of matches and found from British Columbia to northern California, this large tree reaches 60 m tall and enjoys considerable longevity, the oldest recorded specimen being 500 years old. Its upward-growing branches are clad with dense clumps of bluish green needles, held in bundles of five, and carry 25 cm long, tapering, purplish cones at their tips.Pinus mugoSwiss or dwarf mountain pineFound from the mountains of Spain to the Balkans, this small tree grows very slowly to 8 m tall. It is very frost hardy but not tolerant of extreme heat or drought. Densely foliaged and compact, which reflects its alpine habitat, it is an interesting plant for bonsai work. Its pairs of 5 cm long, bright green needles develop from extremely resinous buds. The oval, dark brown cones are 2.5–5 cm long. Garden forms are usually dwarf and very effective in rock gardens or tubs.Pinus muricataBishop pineThis 20–40 m tree from California and northern Mexico is dense and compact when young, open and irregularly shaped when mature. It has deeply fissured dark red-brown bark that splits deeply and pairs of 10–15 cm long, bright green needles. The cones are 5–10 cm long and slightly glossy. It is usually at its best in coastal conditions.Pinus nigraAustrian pineOriginating from central and southern Europe, P. nigra has a dense crown of dark green foliage and can reach 40 m tall, though cultivated specimens rarely exceed 16 m. It has an open, conical habit with a whitish brown trunk, pairs of stiff, dark green needles up to 17 cm long, and 7 cm cones. It grows in most soils and tolerates coastal conditions. Corsican pine (P. nigra var. maritima) has a denser crown, is slower growing and has twisted grey-green needles. It has a very straight trunk suitable for timber. Harvested at around 180 years old in its native Corsica, in plantations it often matures in 50 years.Pinus patulaMexican weeping pineProbably the most elegant of the pines, this 15 m tree is always graceful. It has long, drooping needles in threes, flaking reddish-brown bark, a spreading canopy and branches low to the ground. The cones are clustered, around 10 cm long and oval in shape. This tree is becoming very important as a source of wood pulp for paper, and is being extensively planted in many parts of the world.Pinus pinasterMaritime pineGrown as a timber tree in Portugal and found from the Atlantic coast of France to North Africa, this is an important resin-producing conifer. It grows to 30 m tall, looks best when planted in clusters, is intolerant of drought and severe frost, but enjoys coastal locations. The bark is a beautiful bright reddish-brown and deeply furrowed in a jigsaw puzzle-like pattern. The pairs of green needles are 15 cm long, stiff and shiny. Its cones are rich brown, oval, 18 cm long and persist on the branches for many years without opening.Pinus pineaStone pineFrom southern Europe and Turkey, this is the species from which pine nuts are most commonly harvested. It has an interesting flattened crown atop a straight, though seldom perpendicular trunk. When established it copes with most conditions including extremes of drought and heat and can reach a height of 25 m, though in the wild is often stunted by harsh conditions. The trunk has furrowed reddish grey bark while the rigid paired needles are 10–20 cm long and bright green. The globe-shaped cones are a shiny nut brown.Pinus ponderosaPonderosa pineThe ponderosa pine originates in western North America where it is one of the most abundant trees. It has distinctive bark that is deeply fissured with a mosaic of broad, smooth, yellowish brown, reddish brown and pinkish grey plates. Considered the United States’ third most important timber tree, it is used in construction and furniture as well as more mundane items like mousetraps. It grows to around 30 m tall and has dark brown cones. Its needles are deep green, up to 27 cm long and held in bundles of three.Pinus sylvestrisScots pineWith an outline somewhat reminiscent of a sequoia (Sequoiadendron giganteum), this 30–40m tree occurs naturally from Britain to Siberia and East Asia and is the only pine indigenous to the United Kingdom. It has thick, deeply fissured red-brown bark and short, dark green to blue-green needles in pairs. Being fast-growing and an excellent timber tree, it is often used in forestry. It grows to over 40 m tall and has twisted 8 cm needles in pairs. The bark is a rich orange-red. Scots pine is not drought tolerant.Pinus thunbergiiJapanese black pineNative to Japan and South Korea, this is the pine of the Japanese prints: that graceful tree with rather horizontal to slightly pendulous branches and a snaking dark-barked trunk. While other trees may suffer from the ravages of wind, drought and a harsh climate, the Japanese black pine simply gains character. Easily grown in any well-drained soil, it is also very tolerant of coastal conditions.Pinus wallichianaHimalayan or Bhutan pineThis elegant tree, indigenous to northern India, produces eye-catching 30 cm long cones on gracefully arching branches. If grown in moist, deep soil it can attain a height of 45 m. It is a handsome conical tree with a broad base and 15–20 cm long, drooping, grey-green needles. It is quite cold and disease resistant but suffers in hot, dry conditions.FirsAbies is a genus of some 50 species of trees found over much of the northern temperate region and in Central America. They are mainly trees of the mountains, and even those from warm temperate regions do best in cool, moist conditions. Most are very erect and tend to be quite narrow, even spindly when young, though they soon develop into densely foliaged trees. As with the spruces, they tend to have slightly blue-green foliage, an effect enhanced by the silvery undersides of the short, flattened needles.A cool, moist root zone is important. Though once established most species will tolerate short periods of drought and may survive prolonged dry condition, if too dry the foliage will drop and an open growth habit and sparse foliage will forever mar the tree.Favourite firsAbies amabilisPacific silver firFound from southern Alaska to western Oregon, this slow-growing 35 m tall tree prefers a cool, moist climate. Its deep green leaves have white undersides and the foliage has a citrus scent when crushed. Its bark is smooth and silver-grey, especially when young. The cones, which are over 15 cm long are a deep shade of purple-grey.Abies balsameaBalsam firThe source of Canada balsam, once one of the most popular adhesives, though now largely replaced by synthetics, this tree occurs naturally over much of the cooler areas of North America. Its growth is compact and the tree, seldom over 25 m tall, is densely foliaged. The leaves are glossy dark green and the very resinous cones are purple maturing to grey-brown. Dwarf forms such as ‘Hudsonia’ (syn. forma hudsonia) are popular rockery plants.Abies chensiensisShensi firThis species grows to around 55 m tall and is an important timber tree in its native China. It cones are bright green, as are the leaves, which contrasts well with the dark grey to brown bark. Abies chensiensis ssp. salouenensis has longer leaves and is a better choice than the species as an ornamental.Abies concolorWhite or Colorado firNative to western North America and over 30 m tall in the wild, this is the fir most tolerant of heat, drought and city conditions. It grows very slowly and is well suited to container growing as a Christmas tree. Its branches are horizontal and clothed with aromatic blue-green needle-like leaves. The cones are green maturing to purple.Abies delavayiDelavay’s firUnlike most firs, this 25 m tall native of China, northern India and northern Burma has upward arching candelabra-like branches when mature. Its leaves are small, bright green above and silver-grey below. The cones are a most unusual colour: dark purple-blue maturing to near black.Abies nordmannianaCaucasian firNative to the hills of the Caucasus and northeastern Turkey, this 25 m tall tree forms a broad-based pyramid. It has glossy dark-green needle-like leaves with whitish-silver undersides. The cones are over 15 cm long and develop red tints as they mature. It is not drought tolerant and prefers a cool climate, yet does very well as a container plant and makes an excellent Christmas tree.Abies pindrowWest Himalayan firA narrow, conical tree that matures to 40 m tall, this Asian species has grey-brown bark and slightly drooping branches clothed with stiff dark green leaves that have white bands on their undersides. The cones are 15 cm long and purple-blue.Abies pinsapoSpanish firProbably the most widely planted fir and a native of southern Spain, this tough, adaptable 35 m tall tree has a conical shape and smooth rust brown bark. Its stiff dark green leaves have white bands on their undersides and the cones are grey, developing pink or violet tints as they mature. The Moroccan fir (Abies pinsapo var. marocana [syn. A. marocana]) has very fine needles.Abies religiosaSacred firThis 60 m tree is native to Mexico and Guatemala. It is not as hardy as most firs but is a beautifully shaped conical tree with a dense covering of bright green leaves with silvery undersides. It has smooth grey-brown bark and 15 cm long purplish cones. It think this is the best of the firs for growing as an ornamental.Abies vejariThis species from Mexico grows to 40 m tall and is distinguished by its 15 cm long cylindrical cones which are blue-grey with orange down at the base of each scale. Its leaves are grey-green to blue-green and the bark is smooth and grey.SprucesSimilar to Abies but differing in small details and with one very noticeable difference, pendulous cones rather than erect, the genus Picea includes around 35 species. Apart from a few species they are cool climate trees that rarely do well in warm, humid areas. They are among the most important timber trees in North America, and while not extensively planted here, some good stands can be seen in the forests between Nelson and Murchison.Spruces usually have a very formal, symmetrical character that makes them ideal as specimen trees in lawns or as features in a large rockeries. They include some of the most beautiful — no don’t hesitate, say it — not some of the most beautiful, but absolutely the most beautiful blue-foliaged conifers. Could anything surpass the magnificence of a well-grown P. pungens ‘Koster’? Well, only P. pungens ‘Thomsen’ and that’s all but impossible to obtain.Growing conditions are much the same as for firs. If anything, spruces prefer cooler, moister conditions, though good drainage is still very important. Nothing causes a spruce to drop foliage faster than waterlogging. The objective should be to maintain a constant slow rate of growth because any checks or spurts of growth increase the risk of destroying the tree’s symmetry or decreasing its foliage density.Favourite sprucesPicea abiesNorway spruceAs the Latin name suggests, this northern European native resembles a fir. It has a columnar habit and grows 30–50 m tall. The leaves are dark green and the cones purplish. It prefers cool, moist areas and does poorly in hot, dry sites. It is an attractive tree that retains its lower branches well as it ages. Dwarf forms, such as ‘Pumila’ and ‘Pumila Nigra’, are popular rockery plants.Picea brachytylaSargent spruceOne of the more tender spruces and a native of southwest China and Assam, this 40 m tall species ahs fine, bright green, needle-like leaves with striking white undersides. When young, the branches are upward arching, but a mature tree has a dome-shaped crown. The cones are purple ripening to dark brown.Picea glaucaWhite spruceNative to Canada and the northern United States, this 25 m tall tree has a pyramidal form with matt blue-green leaves and small green to light brown cones. It tolerates extreme cold and heat and is probably the most adaptable of the spruces. Many dwarf and brightly coloured foliage forms are cultivated.Picea jezoensisYezo spruceThis extremely hardy species is native to northern Asia including Siberia and is an important timber and fuel tree in its homelands. Growing to 35 m tall it has glossy dark green leaves with blue-white undersides. It suffers in warm, humid areas.Picea likiangensisLijiang spruceThis is a species from southwestern China is a broad-crowned tree that grows to 50 m tall. It has relatively smooth grey bark and dark green to blue-green leaves with white bands on the undersides. The cones purple maturing to red-brown and up to 13 cm long. The blue-green forms are the best to grow as ornamentals.Picea omorikaSerbian spruceThis very tough species from the Balkans grows to around 35m tall with a slightly weeping effect. It is a narrow spire-like tree that retains its lower branches well. The leaves are dark green with white bands on the undersides and the cones are purplish maturing to red-brown. Several cultivars of varying shape and size are grown.Picea pungensBlue or Colorado spruceNative to the Rocky Mountains and probably the most widely grown ornamental spruce, this fast-growing 30 m tree tends to lose its lower branches with age but is very symmetrical when young. The cones are brown with a purplish bloom and the foliage is deep green. Blue-green- and silver-grey-foliaged forms are common and widely grown. ‘Glauca’ has blue-green foliage; ‘Koster’ is a glowing deep blue-green; ‘Pendens’, is a weeping form of ‘Koster’; and ‘Thomsen’ has foliage in a most striking shade of metallic silver-blue.Picea sitchensisSitka spruceFound from Alaska to California, this fast growing tree grows 30–50 m tall and is widely grown as a timber tree in the Pacific Northwest. It is also a very ornamental tree with slightly pendulous branches, deep green leaves with silvery undersides and pale green cones. It prefers cool, moist areas, with a humid climate.Picea smithianaMorinda or Himalayan spruceThis 55 m tall western Himalayan species has delightfully soft, light to mid green foliage that contrasts well with its dark purple-grey bark. The bark, grooved when new, splits into scales as it ages. The cones are small, very resinous, pale green when young maturing to brown. This species is particularly attractive in spring rain, which highlights both the bright green new growth and the dark bark.********Given room to reach their full potential and used with care these large conifers are without doubt magnificent trees. It’s a pity we have to rely on municipal authorities, golf clubs and a few insightful private gardeners to present them properly. Farmers and lifestyle block owners have difficulty it seems, in breaking away from the macrocarpa hedge and radiata woodlot mentality. When other large conifers are planted, they’re usually golden Chamaecyparis or Cupressus and the occasional sequoia. Why not give a few of the forest trees their due and let them grow the way they’re meant to?

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