(Picea abies (L.) H. Karst.)
Habitus
- tree of the first size, growing to a height of 40 – 60 m
- crown regular, conical (frequent variability – various forms), branches of the first stage are in regular spikelets at an acute to obtuse angle
- the bark is reddish-brown, smooth, the bork is grayish-brown, scaly to penny-cracked
- the root system is shallow, superficial, not very stable
- Norway spruce is included in the Eupicea section
Buds
- conical, pointed, resin-free on the surface
Shoots
- reddish-yellow, after the needles fall off, convex pads remain on the branches - the twigs are rough
Leaves (assimilation organs)
- assimilation organs are needle-shaped, 15-30 x 1-1.5 mm in size, rhombic in cross-section, conical, narrowed at the base, slightly curved on the sides with indistinct bands of stomata
- they will persist on the branches under normal conditions for 6 – 9 years!
- on shaded branches they are flattened, arranged in two rows, protruding on the sunlit branches and the top of the crown (sickle-shaped)
- after the needles fall off, convex pads remain on the twigs, causing the twigs to become rough
Flowers
- monoecious woody, flowers of different sexes, flowers IV - V
- ♂ - cones are 2-2.5 cm in size, broadly ovate to round, petiolate, initially red, later yellow, growing in the axils of needles around the entire circumference of the crown
- ♀ - cones are 4 – 5.5 cm large, oblong-cylindrical, grow at the end of the branches in the upper third of the crown, at the beginning they are erect, purplish-red (form erythrocarpa), or green (form chlorocarpa)
- after pollination, they overhang
Fruits – seeds
- the fruit is a cone, 10-16 x 3-4 cm large, cylindrical, ripens in October, very variable in shape and size
- the shape of the fetal scales is also quite variable (round, triangular, bilobed, three-lobed, tongue-like,...)
- the cones open and the seed flies out in late winter to early spring of the second year
- the seed is 4-5 mm in size, dark brown, ovoid, matte, spoon-shaped placed at the end of a 12-16 x 6-7 mm large membranous wing, from which it is easily separated
- the pouring of pine cones is 3.2%
- germination is 70-80% and it retains it for 3-5 years, with appropriate storage (in the cold) even 20 years
- seed years come every 4-5 years
- the seedling has 6-10 thin, triangular cotyledons with a serrated upper edge, in the third year it forms side branches and in the fourth year regular spikelets
Extension
- Norway spruce has a large European range with two main ranges:
- Nordic region – Scandinavia, the Baltics up to Ural
- Central European Balkan Region – Mountain Systems of Central and Eastern Europe
- in Slovakia it occurs from hills (300 m above the sea level) to the upper border of the forest (1,550 – 1,600 m above the sea level), which is 3 – 7 l.altitude.
- optimum occurrence is 600 - 1,000 m above the sea level.
- in its original distribution, but also today, spruce is most often accompanied by beech (Fagus sylvatica) and white fir (Abies alba)
- from about 1,000 m above the sea level, spruce naturally forms more or less unmixed, homogeneous spruces
- at the upper border of the forest in the Tatras, it is approached by deciduous larch (Larix decidua), rowan (Sorbus aucuparia) and even higher pine (Pinus cembra)
Ecology
- Norway spruce is a semi-shaded woody plant, at higher altitudes the light requirements increase
- homogeneous spruce stands are characterized by a distinct microclimate:
- limited access of precipitation to the soil (dense cover)
- high air humidity
- small air movement
- impaired overheating of the soil and thus reduced evaporation, as a result of which there is a slow decomposition of acid (raw) precipitation, its accumulation and subsequent podzolization
- frost resistant
- it is demanding on soil and air moisture
- it also tolerates stagnant water of swamps and peat bogs well, later it dries out these wetter locations by increasing water pumping
- grows well on various geological substrates, but mainly on aerated, lush, evenly moist soils, practically grows well on all types of soil
Significance
- It is one of our most important economic tree species, both in terms of the production of quality wood, but also in terms of the representation of:
- Currently it is around 22% (only beech has more – 34%)
- about 20 years ago, it was 26%
- the original representation of spruce was up to 5%, so we are gradually approaching the original representation
- spruce wood has excellent mechanical properties and has the most versatile use of our main farm woods, it is suitable for mechanical processing in the wood industry (lumber production), but also for chemical processing – pulp production (lower quality wood)
- the wood is coreless with sapwood and mature wood, it is light in color with a yellowish tinge when fresh, pleasantly smelling of resin, it also contains resin, unlike white fir (Abies alba) and common yew (Taxus baccata)
- Ornamental orchards use its various shape and growth forms:
- Virgata – forms long unbranched serpentine branches that are often pendulous
