Conifers include evergreen trees and shrubs that have needles instead of leaves. This, in general, is the leaves, only modified: needle-shaped, scaly, linear. As you know, there are about 600 species in the world. A lot of them grow in our country.

Today we will talk about conifers in russia :: find out interesting facts about them. Let's start our story with the most famous and beloved tree in our country - ordinary spruce.

it evergreen tree, familiar to all of us from childhood, has adapted well to the harsh climatic conditions. Therefore, you will find spruce in the middle, northern regions of Russia. It grows in Siberia and the highlands. Very beautiful blue spruce decorating areas near city administrative buildings.

Interesting Facts : For many European peoples, spruce was considered sacred. The inhabitants of ancient Germany, for example, observed the following custom: Before a military campaign, certain spells were pronounced near a tree for victorious battles, and offerings and gifts were hung on thorny branches.

Nowadays, the tree is a classic symbol of the New Year and Christmas. Although more and more often it is being replaced by a young pine tree.

Scotch pine

No less loved and popular. This evergreen tree is one of the most valuable conifers in Russia. The pine tree is beautiful and majestic, reaching a height of 35-40 m. It is interesting that young tree the crown is conical. However, with age, the crown gradually rounds out, becomes wider. In an old tree, it generally becomes flat (umbrella-shaped). Pine needles differ from a green tree in a bluish-green shade and length.

Interesting Facts: Pine needles and resin has been used for centuries to treat ailments. For example, during the excavations of the ancient Sumerian state, cuneiform was found from more than a dozen recipes for infusions, poultices, compresses based on pine needles.

Siberian fir

Speaking about the conifers of Russia, one cannot ignore the fir. This tree looks like a spruce. It differs only in the location of the needles on the branches, where the needles are located approximately on the same plane. In general, there are many varieties of wood. Siberian fir is widespread in our country. Its needles, buds, young shoots, bark possess medicinal properties... Therefore, they are harvested, processed and used in the treatment various diseases.

Interesting Facts: An interesting feature this tree is the ability to multiply by layering. Its root branches are located very close to the soil surface. Touching the ground, roots grow from them, from which a young tree then grows.

Siberian cedar

This majestic, regal tree is also called the Siberian pine. The cedar has long needles, valuable wood. But the special value of cedar, of course, is made up of pine nuts, which have pronounced healing properties.

Interesting Facts: The inhabitants of Siberia prepare nutritious vegetable cream (pine nut milk) from the kernels of pine nuts. Their nutritional value is several times higher than that of dairy products. And this is understandable, because the kernel of a nut contains about 79% fat. Pine nuts, conifer broth are used to prevent tuberculosis, vitamin deficiency and scurvy.

Cypress

These cute, evergreen trees and shrubs grow in warm temperate regions. In the south of Russia, "Arizona", "Evergreen" and "Lusitanian" cypresses are grown. They have high decorative qualities, especially the "Evergreen" variety, which is famous for its even pyramidal shape. Therefore, it is often used in landscape gardening.

Interesting Facts: The tree trunk contains a large number of resin, because the wood is well preserved. The ancient Egyptians made sarcophagi from it, and essential cypress oil was used to embalm mummies. And the inhabitants of medieval Byzantium made iconostases from the wood of this plant, painted icons that have survived to our times.

Larch

This deciduous coniferous tree can be found in middle lane Russia. It is distinguished from other representatives of conifers by deciduousness, and also by the openwork of the crown. Therefore, this tree is often used by designers to decorate gardens and parks, where it is planted in groups, alleys. Larch is good for landscaping large areas... Exactly this unpretentious plant among coniferous northern latitudes.

Interesting Facts: Larch is a very interesting, amazing tree. Its wood is distinguished by its special strength. Therefore, for several hundred years, palaces, houses have been built from this tree, piles are made, which from time to time become like stone. This valuable tree was used to build ships.

There are many other amazing, valuable plants in our country. It is impossible to tell about all of them at once. But we will definitely return to this interesting topic in the very near future.

All conifers belong to the class of gymnosperms. It has over six hundred species. These include not only pine and spruce trees familiar to everyone from childhood, but also more exotic cypresses, sequoias, larch trees, yews, etc.

The peculiarity of conifers is that they stand in green needles all year round, changing it gradually. The only exceptions are common and gold larch.

The most a big tree- giant sequoia or giant sequoiadendron. On average, its height is 120 m, and its diameter is 23 m. These trees are one of the oldest on Earth. In prehistoric times, they were common throughout the northern hemisphere. Now the sequoia has survived only in California and in the western part of North America. The huge size caused the death of the sequoiander. Highways were laid through tree trunks, dance floors and restaurants were arranged on stumps. One entrepreneur sent pieces of redwood bark to England, and then built a tower out of it for concerts.

The majestic and austere cypress has been considered a symbol of sadness since ancient times. Ancient Greeks and Romans laid branches of it on graves; in Asia Minor, cypress trees are planted in cemeteries. In Christianity, cypress symbolizes eternal life. It is believed that it was from its wood that Noah built the ark.

Dark fruits common juniper more like berries, although they are cones, therefore they are called cones. The fruits can be eaten, they are juicy and sweet, since ancient times people have known them healing properties... In cooking, cones are used as a spice.

Thuja is known to us as a shrub or a short tree, but in its homeland, in Japan and China, it can reach a height of 30 m. Its trunk is not visible due to lush branches.

One of the most beautiful conifers is the yew. It grows very slowly and can live for over a thousand years. Therefore, trees that have lived for seven centuries are considered young. The oldest may be 2000 years old. Now yew is very rare.

Among gymnosperms, pine is the most extensive family. Cedars, junipers, larches, pines and other representatives grow in the Northern Hemisphere. In the South you can find only the Merkuza pine.

In the Siberian and Far Eastern mountains, a stunted relative of the Siberian pine grows - the cedar elfin tree. It has small but tasty and healthy nuts. In winter, the plant seems to be pressed to the ground, trying to hide from the frost under the snow.

The Cossacks called the Siberian pine growing in the taiga cedar, and is famous for its tasty and healthy nuts. The real cedar looks a little different and is now very rare, such a variety as the Lebanese cedar has disappeared almost completely. It was from the wood of real cedar that ships, dwellings and temples were built in ancient times.

Growing in North America amazing plant- sugar pine. It has cones the size of a large melon and the sweet resin that the Indians used for food. They made flour from large nuts.

Report on conifers may be needed for students in grades 3, 5 to prepare for the lesson.

Conifers message

Each of us associates conifers with a Christmas tree and pine. For example, spruce has a very fragrant smell and is covered with sharp needles. It is these needles that are called needles, and trees that have needles instead of ordinary leaves on their branches are called conifers.

Conifers can be found in forests, and not only trees, but also shrubs can be covered with needles. In addition to spruce and pine, cedars, junipers, fir, and cypress are also coniferous.

Leaves of coniferous trees

Needles, which are the main symptom conifers are a variety of leaves. At the same time, the needles of some conifers do not even look like needles. For example, the twigs of some types of juniper are covered with green scales like those of a fish, and the needles of cypress are flat, as if they were accidentally crushed by someone.

It is widely believed that all conifers are evergreen because they do not shed their green cover with the onset of winter. This is not true. Larch needles, which is also a coniferous tree, fall off every winter and grow back on the tree in the spring.

The needles have a very characteristic, recognizable and beloved by many aroma. It is fresh, invigorating and warming at the same time. It is believed that the substances that give the needles such a peculiar smell can have a strong impact on human health. Special oils made from pine needles have soothing, healing and breathing properties.

Cones

Most conifers have cones. Cones are special capsules in which the seeds of a coniferous plant grow and develop. The scales of the cone protect the seeds from damage while they are not ready to fall into the ground, and when the seeds are fully ripe, the cone opens and the seeds fall to the ground, where they can grow a new tree or shrub.

Cones are also good in that forest animals, in search of food, sometimes transfer these small seed stores from place to place, thereby contributing to the spread of young trees over considerable distances.

Pine nuts are a type of conifer seed, so they are not real nuts, but are simply named because they have shells. Pine nuts are delicious, nutritious and healthy, which is why they are used in various dishes.

Resin of coniferous trees

Like other trees, sap flows inside spruces, pines and cedars, which carries along the trunk from the roots to the needles. nutrients and water. When the trunk is damaged, the juice begins to stand out from the surface as from a wound, but over time it thickens, becomes viscous, and then completely turns to stone. Such properties of the sap of coniferous trees make it possible to prevent infection from entering the tree, because the resin seals the damaged area.

The thickened resin can heal not only the tree itself. A resin called sap is used in folk medicine as it can disinfect and heal the skin.

The sap of coniferous trees has one more amazing property... After lying underground for thousands of years, having thickened and petrified, it can turn into amber - an amazingly beautiful yellow-orange pebble, from which jewelry, small figurines and even medicines are made.

The use of conifers in everyday life

Coniferous trees are used to produce furniture, dishes and decorative ornaments, and wood is used to make paper.

Coniferous wood is quite soft. It is hard to believe, but the surface of the pine board is so soft that you can even push it with your fingernail, so it is not suitable for those types of work where very hard wood is required. Pine furniture is cheaper, but dents appear over time.

All conifers belong to the class of gymnosperms. It has over six hundred species. These include not only pine and spruce trees familiar to everyone from childhood, but also more exotic cypresses, sequoias, larch trees, yews, etc.