What is unique about Pitsunda pine. Where is it growing, how amazing, how to grow and whether it is possible

All kinds of coniferous are not uncommon in the territory of Russia. In the end, forests of spruce, pine, fir and other representatives are occupied by whole hectares of Russian territory. Coniferous trees are rather undemanding to the conditions of growth. They survive on sandstones, in low-setting areas, in places where the soil layer is very scarce, where constant winds blow, destroying almost any plants. However, among them, the Pitsunda pine stands out, the area of its growth is very small, the conditions in which it feels comfortable are not very wide - and the tree has a history of many thousands of years.

An unusual plant

Pitsunda pine, the photo of which is presented on this page, can be called almost a unique tree. Firstly, this species of conifers survived the glacial period - albeit due to the fact that the ridges of the Caucasus prevented the ice masses from crawling to its habitats. But do not forget that the climate has changed many times since then, and Pitsunda pine continues to thrive, albeit in a very limited area.

Secondly, this kind of pines has a habit of growing in all directions. And the growth is not affected either by the degree of illumination (remember the pine trees that grew along the fence), nor the gravity distorting the "figure" of trees that settled on the slopes of the mountains, nor other factors that strongly influence the development of plants. Thanks to this feature, the Pitsunda pine forms a very lush crown, which grows evenly in all directions and resembles the "head" of a deciduous tree. Often resistance to external factors leads to the fact that the Pitsunda pine is curling both the crown and the trunk in very whimsical spirals.

In order not to be mistaken: different names of the same plant

This species of pine has other names. It is also called Sudak pine, since its numerous plantations are found in the vicinity of the Crimean Sudak, and pine Stankevich - by the name of the person who described it.

An interesting fact is that Pitsunda pine has not been isolated as a separate species for some time, it is considered a special case of a pine, known as the Turkish, or Calabrian. Although not all botanists agree with this.

The appearance of the tree

Most often Pitsunda pine is represented by trees about 15 meters high, although there are specimens up to 30 m. Old trees have a gray-brown bark, and young shoots are light gray. Needles - thin and long, growing to 16 centimeters. The cones are rather long and cramped, the legs have short (or even none at all), and are directed obliquely upward. It is interesting that even matured cones do not open for a long time. And if the bloom of the tree goes in the spring (under normal conditions in March or April), then the cones ripen only by the end of August, and even by September of next year.

Habitat

On the territory of Russia there are not so many places that Pitsunda Pine has chosen. Where this tree grows, first of all, it is clear from its name: the extreme boundary of the range is Pitsunda. On the other hand, the territory is limited to Anapa. The coastal side of the Caucasus also has small islets of this endemic. It also occurs in the Crimea, and is scattered (quite chaotically) along its southern coast, although it is especially characteristic of the Sudak neighborhoods (which we mentioned). Although typical Pitsunda pine Balaklava (up to Cape Aya) and the New World. Quite often found in the area of Dagomys and Tuapse, in Gelendzhik - almost the main natural decoration (attention should be paid to the area of Dzhanhota). Although even the Gelendzhik embankment boasts excellent specimens of this tree.

Pitsunda pine on its site - is it possible?

The fluffiness of this conifer attracts many people. It would be tempting to observe how the Pitsunda pine grows on your plot. How to grow, by the way, the issue is separate: caring for it is little different from the care that any other pine need. However, in the northern latitudes, starting with the mark, where even in summer the temperature does not rise above twenty, it is not necessary to expect a long and happy life from it. Yet this plant is southern. Low temperatures are harmful even for adult plants, let alone the seedlings. In other respects the tree is absolutely unpretentious. The soils will fit the most scarce, there is no need for individual irrigation - enough that nature provides. Fertilizers can be used only at the stage of the seedling's survival, in the future he will manage himself. It is only necessary to make sure that the bare roots are not in the open air for long, they die from this, and the root neck is not buried, as it begins to rot. Pitsunda pine is planted either in the interval between the middle of April and the end of May, or in August-September, when it has the best survival rate.