Canadian pine treeis a picturesque coniferous tree that blends beautifully with other plants in a dark and humid corner of the garden. It is valued for its unusual, weeping shape of the crown, which gives it a fairy-tale charm. See whatcultivation of the Canadian Christmas tree looks likeand when tocut this treeso that it grows nicely. Meet interestingvarieties of Canadian Christmas treethat are worth planting in the garden and find outwhat diseases can attack this tree
Canadian pine tree - Tsuga canadensis
Fig. Botaurus Stellaris, Public Domain, Wikimedia Commons
What does a Canadian Christmas tree look like?
The Canadian pine tree(Tsuga canadensis), also known as the Canadian hemlock, is a dense evergreen conifer native to North America. It belongs to the pine family (Pinaceae). In its natural environment, this tree grows on moist forests, rocky slopes, forested ravines and stream valleys.The Canadian pine tree grows up to 20-30 m in height , but its growth is very slow. The trees have a thin trunk, very often split, with a few conductors. They form dense, compact crowns, conical in shape, with an often crooked tip and slightly dangling branches.
The Canadian pine tree produces the smallest needles among all pine plants. They are a maximum of 1.5-1.8 cm.Canadian Christmas tree needles are dark green,sharp and flat, with two clearly visible light stripes on the underside (similar to firs).The cones of the Canadian Christmas tree are small(1-1.5 cm), hanging at the ends of the side shoots.
The Canadian pine tree is a species little known in Polandand rarely cultivated. Most often it is planted in parks, but it is also suitable for large home gardens. You can plant it singly or in groups, also of mixed species, and cultivate it in the form of a hedge. In our countrythe best conditions for the cultivation of Canadian Christmas treesprevail in Western Pomerania.
Canadian pine tree - varieties
The varieties of the Canadian Christmas tree are usually dwarf shrubs , differing in needles color and habit. An overview of the most interesting varieties of the Canadian Christmas tree is presented in the table, which will help you choose the variety with the desired characteristics.
Download the list of varieties of the Canadian Christmas tree in a printable version:
- Canadian Christmas tree varieties (PDF)
Canadian pine tree - requirements, cultivation, cutting
The Canadian pine tree should be grown in shady or semi-shaded placesIt is one of the few conifer species that can perfectly tolerate shade. In full sun, the needles of the Canadian Christmas tree turn pale, especially in its dwarf varieties.The Canadian pine likes a cool, forest climate with a lot of rainfallIt is completely frost-resistant.
For proper development,Canadian pine requires places with high soil and air humidity.It feels best when planted on the banks of a pond, stream or larger pond. It prefers slightly acidic soil (pH 5.6 - 6.5), loamy, fertile and long-lasting moisture. Due to the shallow root system, it tolerates drought very badly. Therefore, a thick layer of mulch should be provided to protect the soil from excessive water evaporation.Canadian pine tree planted in bad conditions turns brown, sheds needles and dies
The Canadian Christmas tree responds well to pruning . This allows you to create a molded hedge from it. The best way to make Canadian Christmas trees is in March-April.
Most varieties of the Canadian Christmas treeare dwarf forms that do not require regular pruning. These shrubs only need annual corrective pruning (removal of individual twigs), which can be carried out in the summer.It is best to cut the Canadian Christmas tree after rain , when the air humidity is high. Thanks to this, the cut wood will not discolor to a pink color, which often happens when the plant is too dry.
Canadian Christmas tree 'Sargentii'
Fig. Henryhartley, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
Canadian Christmas tree - diseases
The Canadian pine tree in Poland is rarely attacked by diseases and pests. Most often it suffers from dryness, heat or too much sun. These factors causeyellowing, browning and falling of the needles of the Canadian Christmas treeProlonged drought is particularly dangerous for the Canadian Christmas tree, which leads to complete yellowing and then stripping the needles of the tree.
Older Canadian Christmas trees are susceptible to honey fungus(Armillaria mellea). This fungus causes a disease called armillary root rot. This disease causeswhite rot and slow death of the treeThe tree at the site of infection releases large amounts of resin. In the last stage of the disease, an infected tree produces large numbers of cones. Trees infected by the fungus should be removed from plantings.
The Canadian pine tree can be attacked by spider mites (Tetranyidae). The first symptom of their presence is a dusty substance on the needles. Canadian Christmas tree needles turn brown and fall off.The symptoms of spider mites feeding on the Canadian Christmas treeare first visible on the inner branches at the bottom of the crown. Symptoms gradually spread outwards and upwards in the crown. With a large number of pests,a delicate spider web is visible between the needles of the Canadian Christmas tree A dangerouspest of the Canadian Christmas tree is the spruce aphid (Elatobium abietinum).These insects are difficult to spot because they are green, very small, and feed on the undersides of the needles. If not controlled for a long time, the spruce aphid can lead to the loss of needles partially or even on the entire plant. The first symptom of feeding these pests is the yellowing of individual needles, which occurs at the beginning of spring. The spruce aphid most often feeds on older needles that fall off. Young growths, however, remain green.
Tocontrol aphids and spider mites on the Canadian pine tree , use specialized pest treatments, such as Emulpar 940 EC or Emulpar Conifers (dosage 90-120 ml of the preparation / 10 l of water).
MSc Eng. Agnieszka Lach
