Pine pine in natural conditions can be found on the coast of the Mediterranean Sea and its environs. Since ancient times, this Italian coniferous tree variety has been used by humans to decorate parks, residential areas, squares, and various artificial plantings. Due to its decorative properties, Pinus Pinea is in high demand among gardeners.

Botanical tree description

The Italian species of coniferous plants is a representative of the genus of pines, a family of pine. The largest natural plantings in the world are found in Italy (many of them in Rome). The whole Mediterranean region is decorated with these pines. They can be found in Europe, on the Iberian Peninsula, and Asia is considered the final point. On mountain slopes, pine can grow at an altitude of up to 1000 m. Rare specimens have been recorded in the Crimea, the Caucasus and Georgia. The approximate age of the tree is 500 years. The first mention in the history of these trees dates back to the beginning of the 19th century.In the works, an approximate height of 20 to 30 m is shown for an average tree. At a young age, pine begins to grow actively. The older she gets, the slower her height increases. The crown has a small volume, resembles a large open umbrella. The branches are slightly raised up at the ends, have a strictly horizontal look. Young trees often have a slight upwardly sloping arrangement of coniferous paws. In a developed tree, the trunk is painted in a characteristic red-gray shade. The bark peels and has deep furrows.

Did you know? The first harvest of healthy and edible pine nuts gives in the 12th year of growth.

In seedlings, it is exceptionally light gray and smooth. Small young trees have gray-green, light yellow or yellow-brown needles. Buds develop at the tips of branches. They have an acute ovoid shape. In length reach 6-12 mm. Do not emit tar. The seedling forms a core root. Dense needles reach 10-15 cm in length. Sticks out on a paw in different directions. Throughout the year, it has a characteristic dark green color. There are a maximum of two needles in a bunch.

The tree begins to bloom in June, less often - in early July. Strobiles are formed in large numbers. Cones are concentrated in two, maximum three. On the tree do not appear densely. The size ranges from 8 to 15 cm, and the diameter is 10 cm. Their base is depressed, and the tip is slightly pointed. The opening begins only next spring, and the ripeness of the seeds occurs only after 3 years. Large seed - 15–20 cm. It is eaten. Approximately 3–8 thousand seeds are obtained from 1 ha of pine. In 1 kg, there are approximately 1,500 pieces.

Origin of name

Pinia is a borrowed word from the Latin language. Here it is written as “pinus”. Translated means nothing more than "pine." Italian pine is named because of the immediate place of growth - the country of Italy. Here the tree will be called pineoli.

Video: Italian pine or pine

Landing

When purchasing a pine for growing on your own site, you should remember that the tree does not tolerate cold. For example, in Siberia it does not grow at all, and in the middle lane and southern parts of the country, planting in open ground is allowed. The maximum low temperature tolerated by the Italian pine is -20 ° C. Where this indicator falls below, it is allowed to grow it in tubs or large containers. In winter, the tree is transferred to a warm place.

The whole landing process can be divided into several main stages:

1. Choosing a place and soil. Pinia loves the sunshine. Planting should be carried out away from large and tall plants and dense plantations. The ideal soil is sandy loam. Nevertheless, pine also grows well in loose soils. Ground water in the ground should not come close to the surface.
2. The choice of seedling and planting time. At the place of purchase, make sure that the tree is healthy. Its height should not exceed half a meter. Planting is carried out in the first month of spring or autumn.
3. Preparing a pit for a seedling. The minimum diameter of the recess should be 60 cm. You will have to dig 50 cm deep. If the root part is too extensive, you will have to increase the hole.
4. Drainage. Crushed stone spills out to the bottom, the thickness of which is 15–20 cm. Since the tree does not tolerate excessive moisture, it will protect the roots from decay.
5. Fertilizer preparation, planting. As a top dressing, humus is used, which is mixed with turfy soil and sand in a ratio of 2: 2: 1. The finished mixture is sold in specialized stores. The capacity from the roots is removed very carefully. The nutrient mixture is sprinkled if the root neck is deepened in the pit. The seedling is aligned so that it is in the center of the hole. The edges are filled with a nutrient mixture. A small ring of free space will be needed for watering. The earth is being rammed.
6. Watering. Immediately after planting a tree in the ground, an irrigation procedure is carried out. It is allowed to add from 1 to 3 buckets of water. The larger the seedling, the greater the volume of fluid needed. After absorbing moisture, the surface is mulched. For this, chernozem or peat is suitable. Within a month, a young pine is watered once every 7 days.

Pinia is a universal tree in terms of reproduction. It can grow even from seeds.

Important! Propagating seeds must be stored in the freezer. In this case, they will retain their suitability for a long time.

Consider the process of growing from seeds:

1. Only fresh items are selected. Those that have lain for a long time are not suitable for reproduction. For a day they are placed in slightly warm water. Then move to moss, where they germinate for 60 days.
2. So that the sprout overcomes the walnut shell, it is slightly filed with a file. As soon as the first greenish bunch of seed appears, it is placed in peat mixed with sand and vermiculite in equal proportions. Planted no more than 2 cm deep.
3. Immediately watered the plant and cover with glass, which can replace any available transparent film. As soon as a sprout appears on the surface, the covering surface is removed.
4. In a flowerpot, pine grows for about a year. Only then can it be planted in open ground. Watering should be moderate, as the tree does not tolerate excessive moisture.

The best method of reproduction is selected depending on the individual preferences of the gardener.

Video: Italian pine growing experience

Pine care

The whole range of activities that is necessary for the full care of the pine, includes:

• watering and top dressing;
• loosening and mulching;
• pruning
• preventing the development of diseases and pests.

In order for a tree to please its beauty for a long time, care must be constant and timely.

Watering and feeding

Water the pine tree as needed. The humidification procedure begins in early spring, as soon as the sun begins to warm on the street. Watering will help the tree safely move away from the winter cold, activating natural growth. In the summer, gardeners recommend that you add water only if the weather is too hot.

At the same time, an irrigation system is installed, which will supply moisture to the crown. In this case, the needles will have a beautiful saturated color. The irrigation procedure is carried out exclusively in the morning, before sunrise, or in the evening, at sunset. Feeding a pine is necessary only once a year. For this, a special composition is acquired that is suitable only for conifers.You can buy it at any gardening store. The most commonly used granular fertilizer or liquid. The latter type is sold in cans. When applying fertilizer, it is recommended to comply with the standards established by the manufacturer. They are indicated on the packaging. The ideal time for the feeding procedure is considered spring, since it is at this time of the year that the growth processes are activated.

Important! After the tree reaches the age of more than 15 years, the fertilizer application process is terminated. The pine tree receives useful elements due to the formed branched crown.

Loosening and mulching

The whole process of mulching and loosening the soil is carried out at least once every 3 months - in the spring, summer and autumn. Only the trunk circle is processed. After the winter, when the soil has already managed to warm up, the soil is slightly loosened to a depth of not more than 10 cm. Gardeners use both a shovel and a rake for this. The purpose of this process is to remove weeds and improve air passage through the soil layer.

During the warm summer, the cultivation process is carried out as necessary, but at least 1 time per month. Due to this, weeds are removed and the remaining moisture from the soil evaporates. The last loosening of the soil is carried out in the fall. After it, the mulching procedure is carried out. A certain amount of peat is applied to the surface of the soil. It will help protect the delicate roots of pine trees during the colder months.

Possible diseases and pests

The most common disease of any conifer is considered a fungus. To prevent its appearance or cure pine, any commercially available fungicides are used. If there is no fungus on the pine tree, then preventive spraying with chemicals is carried out.

The only common pest of conifers is considered to be a mealybug. It can be seen visually. If it is found, then any drug for pest control that can be found on the shelves of gardening shops is selected. There are a large number of them. Each of them is very effective.

The use of wood in landscape design

Decorative Italian pine pinia looks spectacular on any personal plot, which is why landscape designers very much appreciate it in their work. It is combined with almost any plant. The best way to use it is to create a flower bed of rubble, small stones and pine. It is very important to limit access to tall and dense plantations, since the pine tree does not tolerate tight spaces. In such places, moss is often planted, which absorbs residual moisture.An adult tree goes well with other hardwoods. They will make a wonderful composition. Some designers claim that 2-3 pine trees planted nearby look even more spectacular than one. In this case, a distance of 3-4 m should be observed. The bright color of the needles is in perfect harmony with any plantings. A suitable option would be to plant a pine with short grass and / or shrubs.

Did you know? Pine seed — the largest of the edible conifers.

Such a landscape looks especially impressive in the fall. Green needles stand out brightly among the faded grass. It is allowed to decoratively tie the crown of the pine so that it is not so wide. This option is suitable for small areas. As in any business, the main thing in landscape design is to find your own style. There are really many options for using Italian conifer.Be sure that even in the suburbs, the Italian beauty will look great with the right choice of design. Pine, whose frost resistance is minimal, needs special care. The recommendations described above will help to grow a beautiful tree in any area. It is only necessary to strictly follow the instructions, and the pine will delight the eyes of others for more than one year, and even a generation.