Life expectancy of trees oak birch spruce. How long does a birch tree live depending on the variety? Lifespan of conifers

Trees are the plants with the longest lifespan. Domestic fruit trees can live more than 150 years. You can calculate the age of a tree by the number of rings on a cut of the tree. But this is not always an accurate fact. Several rings may appear in a year, or maybe not just one.

Coniferous trees live the longest. For example, the age of the Methuselah pine is 4772 years. The trunk circumference of this tree is 18 meters.

The oldest Tikko spruce. Its age is more than 9.5 thousand years.

Duration of fruit trees

Fruit trees can bear fruit for a long time, for example, apple and pear trees. The lifespan of these trees is approximately 100-150 years. Where climatic conditions softer, they can grow longer than this period. The life of a fruit seedling depends on how fruitful the tree is. There are fruit trees with a short lifespan, for example, peach. Such a tree grows from 5 to 20 years. It depends on growth and living conditions.

Duration of deciduous trees

Trees grown from seeds are very strong and live much longer. In grafted trees that grew from cuttings, life expectancy is shortened by 5-10 years. TO deciduous trees include birch and oak. Birch at normal conditions And favorable climate can live 300 years. As for oak, it is long-lived, life expectancy is 1000-1500 years.

Duration of conifers

Coniferous trees live the longest, unlike other trees, as these trees can live in harsh conditions weather conditions. Pine "Methuselah" is the oldest tree, it is listed in the Guinness Book of Records, its age is 4772 years.

The lifespan of all trees is affected by many different indicators:

• soil condition;
• weather;
• trees growing nearby;
• insect pests.

Consider the lifespan of some trees: 5000 years - sequoia; 1200 years old - cedar pine; 600 years old - juniper; 500 years - maple, chestnut; 400 - 500 years - eucalyptus; 400 years old - walnut, olive tree; 300 - 400 years-beech; 250 years - birch; 200 years - apple tree; 150-200 years - saxaul; 100 years - apricot; 80 years - rowan; 70 years - breadfruit; 50 years - quince; 25-30 years - sea buckthorn.

Proper care of people for trees can increase their lifespan, but this opinion is not always correct. People dream of harvesting faster and use artificial methods to achieve this. Trees from such influence lose their strength and become weak, stop bearing fruit and die altogether.

Enormous height, power, greatness. This is exactly how oak is described in ancient legends. Representatives of the genus grow in many parts of our Globe, but the most interesting and ancient specimens are located on the territory of the Russian Federation. In places with ideal conditions for their development.

Description

Oak - powerful deciduous or evergreen tree, belonging to the beech family (genus of shrubs). For natural growth the plant needs temperate climate, therefore most often it can be found in the Northern Hemisphere, sometimes in high mountain regions.

Regardless of the species, all trees have common features. The height ranges from 35 to 50 m. Some specimens reach 60 m. The trunk is very thick, and its bark is rough and covered with deep cracks.

The type of tree can be determined by the shape of the leaves (for example, serrated, lobed, pinnate) and different colors.

It’s remarkable what oak looks like in autumn. The usual green summer foliage changes to a “clothing” of red, purple, orange, brown, and yellow tones.

Wood reacts strongly to lighting. Its branches are sinuous because they stretch towards the light and change their direction depending on weather conditions.

As for the root system, it is as powerful and well developed as the above-ground part and goes deep into the soil. Giants prefer to grow in nutritious soils. In this case, the humidity should be moderate. But there are representatives who have chosen swampy or arid places.

Flowering occurs in late spring with the dissolution of small bisexual green flowers. Moreover, female flowers contain only a pistil, while male flowers (collected in inflorescences) contain only stamens. Pollination occurs with the participation of insects or wind.

After flowering, a fruit is formed - an acorn of different lengths with a cap, the so-called plus. According to the shape of the fruit and appearance the pluses determine the varietal identity of the oak.

Age and color

Oak trees live the longest. On average, the lifespan of an oak tree reaches 300-500 years. But there are some specimens that live up to 2000 years. During the first 150 years, the tree gains height, and then width. Therefore, based on the diameter of the trunk, they calculate how many years an oak tree lives. The oldest is the Stelmuz oak, which grows in Lithuania and is 1500 years old with a height of 23 m and a diameter of 4 m.

Main types

The number of oak species around the world is enormous. By different sources their numbers range from 450-600.

Russian varieties

Let's look at the varieties of oak trees that most often grow in Russian regions.

English oak

In addition to the Russian Federation, the species can also be found in Western European countries. And it is he who is the long-liver. Among distinctive features highlight: resistance to winds, prolonged drought and large temperature changes.

Specimens that grow singly, as they say “in the field,” grow up to 50 m in height. But in the vicinity of other oaks their height is slightly lower. In addition, due to its light-loving nature, the crown, formed by foliage 15 cm in length, is located at the top of the trunk. As for soils, trees prefer fertile lands.

Chestnut oak

It is very difficult to find the species in Russia, only in artificially created parks and widely deciduous forests, because as a result of uncontrolled cutting down for construction, the plant is listed in the Red Book. Distinctive features is a long trunk, reaching 30 m in length, at the top of which there is a tent-shaped crown with triangular-shaped leaves and pointed edges.

The special value of wood lies in wood of increased hardness and frost resistance.

Big anther oak

The variety is found in the south of the Caucasus in mountainous regions. Most often in artificially created parks. The tree grows very slowly in height. The crown is formed by short leaves with blunt blades. The length of the foliage reaches 8 cm. The plant loves light and has high resistance to frost and dry weather.

Mongolian

The tree is very attractive in appearance. Oak has received recognition from designers for its decorative properties.

As a rule, it is planted in plots as a tapeworm or in alleys in the form of an array. The plant develops well in partial shade. A distinctive feature of the variety is its foliage. It has an elongated shape and grows up to 20 cm in length. The color of the crown is also interesting. In summer it is dark green. But with the arrival of leaf fall, its color changes to bright brown.

Gartvis Oak

It is also known as Armenian oak. His homeland is the Western part of the Caucasus. The plant likes to grow in moist, moderately shaded places with fertile soil and a fairly warm environment.

It is precisely because of the conditions and climate where oak grows that it is impossible for it to exist in cold areas. In addition, he does not tolerate winter very well.

The foliage is obovate in shape with semi-oval lobes. After flowering, acorns form on long stalks.

Mediterranean and Europe

No less interesting specimens grow in these regions.

Suberic

This variety is a valuable cork plant, reaches 20 m in height, grows slowly and is an evergreen. It mainly grows in parks and alleys. Despite the fact that the plant loves moisture, it is resistant to drought. The crown is formed from oval-shaped leaves up to 6 cm long. In addition, they have a downy base and a shiny surface. The fruit is represented by a small acorn, strongly seated in a plus.

Rocky

This is the main area of ​​parkland and forests. The plant is shade- and heat-loving and prefers to grow in places with moderate humidity. Distinctive features has foliage. It is located on petioles 2 cm long. Female flowers oak trees are on a short stalk. The same goes for acorns.

Fluffy oak

This specimen looks like a tall bush, reaching a height of 10 m. It prefers to grow on dry and limestone lands, and in natural environment. Therefore, it is almost impossible to grow it. If oak is used in landscape compositions, then as a background. The tree lends itself well to pruning; you can shape the crown at your own discretion.

The name of the oak came from its appearance: everything, from branches and foliage to acorns, is covered with felt fluff.

America

In the American regions, the species is represented by the following specimens.

Red oak

A very beautiful representative, notable not only for its size (it reaches a height of 30-50 m and a diameter of up to 1 m).

The oak has a very beautiful coloring crowns At the moment of dissolution, the foliage has a red base. In summer its color is bright green. But with the onset of autumn it changes to bright brown or crimson.

Precisely for its external bright look oak began to be often used in landscape design. All other characteristics are similar to ordinary Russian copies.

Northern

Otherwise known as boreal. Its homeland is the regions of North America. In appearance, the oak is similar to the “red” variety. The crown and leaves are ovoid in shape. The leaves grow up to 25 cm in length and turn a beautiful bright red color with the onset of autumn. The only difference is the trunk. It does not crack and harden as much, so it is somewhat smoother in appearance than other oaks. Due to its beauty, the plant is most often planted in park areas.

Holm oak

This variety has its own characteristics:

• it is an evergreen plant;
• has a large trunk in circumference, all riddled with cracks;
• the bark is colored gray;
• the crown is spreading, with sparse branches;
• the foliage is small, reaching 8 cm in length;
• a distinctive feature is a white or yellow backing, in some cases covered with lint;
• you can form a crown;
• has its own subspecies.

In addition, the plant is completely undemanding to light and can grow on any soil.

Large-fruited oak

This specimen prefers damp places, so it can be found near bodies of water or in rainy regions. You can recognize it by its wedge-shaped, elongated leaves with 5 pairs of lobes. In spring, the blossoming foliage is colored silver. It looks like there is some kind of coating on it. Subsequently, the color changes to a rich green with shine. In this case, the underside turns slightly white. The oak tree got its name from its fruits. Its acorns are very large (about 5 cm in length) and are located on short stalks. The strip covers the fruit up to half.

Willow

Looking at a tree, you might think that it is a willow. The fact is that the plant has a leaf shape that is unusual for all oaks. It is oblong, narrow and reaches a length of 12 cm. autumn time the foliage takes on a dull yellow color. The plant has no requirements for habitat and soil. Often found in deciduous forests and planted in parks.

White oak

The homeland of the variety is the eastern regions. The plant, in principle, has no soil requirements, but develops best on nutritious, limestone and well-drained soil. Its dimensions reach 30 m in height. The crown is spreading, powerful, tent-shaped, formed by oblong-oval leaves. The latter have up to 9 “blunt” blades and grow up to 22 cm in length.

The color of the crown is extremely beautiful. Immediately after dissolution it is bright red. With the arrival of summer, it turns into bright green above and whitish-gray below. And in autumn the foliage turns violet-purple or dark red. The trunk is covered with light gray bark, which is not very susceptible to cracking. After flowering, acorns up to 2.5 cm in length are formed, ¼ hidden by the plus. The plant tolerates drought well and is somewhat sensitive to frost. It is developing well. Often planted in alleys. It can grow alone or in a group with other trees.

Swamp oak

The “giant” grows in the eastern zone of North America. Prefers “wet” soils with poor drainage, loams, clay soils (substrate and high concentration of lime are unacceptable). Therefore, it can often be found along river banks, streams, and wet meadows. Oak loves warmth, prefers to grow in sunny places, tolerates partial shade well, and tolerates frost and wind well. Looks good in alleys or next to other trees.

The plant grows very slowly, reaches 25 m in height and 10-15 in width. The crown is pyramidal in shape. The trunk is covered with light green bark, which remains smooth for a long time. The foliage grows up to 12 cm in length and has several well-defined lobes. The color of the leaves is bright green, with the underside being somewhat lighter. Hairiness is observed near the corners of the veins. IN autumn time the color changes to bright purple. The fruit is represented by a small acorn (up to 1.5 cm), one third hidden by the plus.

English oak on a summer cottage - video

To quickly answer the question, trees live from 15 years to 80,000 years. Can't be!? In this case, there will be something new to learn in the article. Read on!

First, let's list what affects the life expectancy of trees:

• Diseases and other disorders inherent in the tree
• Pests
• Climate temperature
• Sun
• Water availability
• Occurring fires in the growing area

Tree lifespan chart

The age of the longest-lived trees is already impressive. But there are also much longer-living trees. They are kind of record holders.

Trees living 1000, 2000 or more years

How old is the oldest tree?

However, nature did not stop there. There is such a thing - clonal trees. They are connected by roots and in fact are identical organisms to each other.

This means that trees living for a thousand or two thousand years are not fiction. Although it is difficult to accurately determine the age and the data given in some examples are approximate, the fact remains that such trees exist.

Clonal trees are huge organisms. Pando, for example, occupies 42 hectares and weighs 6,000 tons. Standing alone, these are trees that are quite familiar to us in appearance, their maximum age 4800 years. Which is also impressive.

White birch - Russian beauty

One of the most beautiful trees in Russian forests (and not only Russian, but also American, Canadian, Chinese, and many others) it is birch. A tall, slender tree with white bark intersected by black stripes, with branches that sometimes hang down like a woman’s braids to the very ground. Its bark gives a feeling of gentle light flowing from its depths.

And how joyful it is in such a forest, light trunks, small green leaves, rays of the sun easily breaking through to the very ground. And when the breeze blows, the leaves will flutter, rustle, branches and trunks will sway. In early spring The birch trees seem to boil when the leaves begin to bloom, and in three to five days the grove turns from gray to light green and turns greener every day. From the end of the snow melting until the buds begin to bloom, the white beauties generously drink their juice. And this juice is the very first source of vitamins after winter. The rest of the vitamins will come with the herbs. In the old days they said that birch was capricious and wayward. She doesn’t help every person, she doesn’t welcome everyone. And if he greets you, then how many years does the birch tree live in relation to this person? She might even outlive him. Only the Karelian dies before the person who planted it, after 35-40 years. The tree is usually planted near a gate or gate, and a bench is installed there so that you can sit and talk with it. In such cases, the owners are not asked how many years the birch tree has lived in their yard. After all, she grows and pleases everyone around her.

How and where does birch grow?

White birch is very unpretentious in terms of growth conditions.

It grows almost everywhere, as long as there is a little soil, even dust, and occasional rain. So it can grow on the walls of old buildings, domes of abandoned churches, roofs, and even in hollows huge trees. And how many years does a birch tree live in such conditions? In the Kaliningrad region, after the war, on the ruins of German houses, Russian birch trees lived until the early 1970s. And then intensive housing construction began, and they were all uprooted. Otherwise they would grow for 130-150 years. IN botanical garden in Moscow, an old birch tree has grown together with an oak tree, and in Kyiv, in Pushcha-Voditsa, its relative has intertwined its trunk and branches with a pine tree. It is the very first type of tree to grow after cutting down a forest or a strong fire.

Scientists have learned that a grove of these trees “sows” 30-150 kg of seeds on each hectare, and up to 5000 seeds in each gram. And only a small part of them sprouts, but from such a quantity this is enough. Sprouted “winter” begins to turn green immediately after snow. You look at these 2 - 3 leaves and you can’t believe that a gorgeous tree grows from them, up to 30, or even 40 m high, with a trunk of 2 or 3 girths (diameter 110-150 cm). When you see it, you think: “How many years does a birch tree live, how could it reach such a size?” The answer is as simple as a log - up to 150 years. And some species are even up to 300 years old. Birch was a source of light in ancient times and during the war, when there was no kerosene, a torch was split from a log. And she was not only a physical light, but also a torch of knowledge. In Veliky Novgorod, archaeologists found several thousand documents written on its bark. And the texts show that in those days writing was ubiquitous, and not only the elite owned it. In 1942-43, partisans printed leaflets against the German occupiers and even a newspaper on birch bark. Several samples are in the Russian State Library in Moscow. The wood is widely used in high-quality plywood. It is used to make tool handles, gun stocks, bent products: skis, rocking chairs, cut small crafts and toys. The growths on the trunks are very beautiful drawing, therefore they are highly valued for boxes, cigarette cases, and furniture decor parts. They are also used for sculptural carvings and mosaics. The surface is well processed, polished, and glued. Wood is used in furniture production and carpentry. Some types of wood are used to make machine parts and even gears. In total, there are up to 120 species of birch on Earth, growing mainly in the northern hemisphere from the polar tundra to the Mediterranean subtropics. Of these, there are almost 70 in the Russian Federation. One of the species is warty birch, or silver birch. Grows from the Baltic Sea to the river. Ob. Young shoots are covered with wart-like growths. Trees are widely used in urban plantings. They look beautiful on grassy lawns next to fir trees, willow, oak, etc. They grow for 100-120 years. Under natural conditions, under the canopy of a birch forest, spruce trees emerge and, having risen to the level of birch trees, begin to “choke” them with their shadow. And it all ends with a dark one growing in place of the light birch forest. spruce forest, which is then cut down for various needs, and everything repeats itself.

The beauty of maples has long conquered the hearts of people; they are especially fantastically beautiful in the fall. How many poems have poets of different times dedicated to this tree, how many times has it been depicted on the canvases of artists... In Japan, there are even catalogs and guidebooks from which you can find out the most Beautiful places where the maple grows. But this tree is famous not only for its beauty. Carpenters, for example, love it very much for the quality of its wood, and traditional healers love it for healing properties. This tree can be found in the forests of many countries. Botanists count about one hundred and fifty species of maple. More than ten varieties of this wonderful tree grow in Russia. This article will describe some types of this plant. You will also learn about the life expectancy of a maple tree.

Description of the tree. Types of maples

Maple is a very common type of tree. It can often be found in parks and squares, as well as in deciduous forests. But, despite this, this tree is not dominant; most often maple grows in nature as an “admixture” to various dominant tree species. Translated from Latin, “maple” means “sharp.” The tree received this name for its pointed maple, numbering more than a hundred species, can be found in Europe, Asia, South and North America, North Africa.

Maple is a dioecious plant with small light green flowers. The fruits of the maple tree are two “winged” seeds fused together, which disintegrate after ripening. It should be noted that they can germinate at zero temperatures, even if there is snow around. This is not observed in any other tree. Despite the wide variety of these trees, they are all united by a wide, angular-rounded shape with pointed protrusions. This form is called finger-lobed. In autumn, the color of the leaves changes from green to bright orange, red, brown, and yellow. Because of such a riot of colors, maple is often classified as decorative types plants.

The root system of maples is superficial. It reproduces by shoots and seeds. The tree is very light-loving; the special shape of the crown and beautifully folded leaves help to collect maximum amount Sveta. The tree is also heat-loving and drought-resistant; in the northern regions it may suffer from severe frosts And harsh winters. Maple also has amazing ability"cry". Even with a slight increase in air humidity, drops (“tears”) begin to fall from the petioles of the tree’s leaves. Next, some types of maples will be described in more detail.

Maple lifespan

It is believed that the maple tree lives from two hundred to three hundred years. Many scientists claim that some species can be up to five centuries old! In our latitudes, the maple tree is about a hundred years old. But if the tree grows in favorable conditions, then this figure may increase.

Norway maple

Its second name is common maple. This species is most often found in our country. This deciduous tree with a thick, pronounced spherical shape crowns It reaches a height of twenty to thirty meters. The bark of young trees is very different from old ones. In the former it is smooth, reddish-gray in color, while in the latter it is rough, gray in color, cut into small cracks. usually five-lobed, quite wide (up to eighteen centimeters in diameter). The surface of the leaves is glossy. Norway maple blooms with delicate yellow-green flowers collected in small inflorescences. This species is very useful from an environmental point of view, as it traps benzene vapors and harmful suspensions of heavy metals, thereby purifying the air and improving the ecological situation of the surrounding area.

Maple white

The second name is sycamore. This type of maple grows in the Caucasus and the Carpathians. Also found in eastern countries and Western Europe. The tree is very slender and tall, has a dense spherical-pyramidal crown. The bark of the sycamore is grayish-brown, gradually cracks with age, and a young, lighter one is visible underneath it. The leaves are large, reaching twenty centimeters in length. The leaf shape is heart-shaped, five-lobed. The maple blooms in mid-to-late May with small yellowish flowers.

Silver maple

This tree reaches a height of forty meters - a real giant among the maples. The annual growth is quite large - forty centimeters in width and fifty in height. Therefore, it is easy to calculate how many years a maple grows to achieve such gigantic size. Crown this representative fauna is powerful, openwork. The branches are slightly drooping. A young maple has a light gray bark, and young shoots are bright red. The leaves are large, five-lobed, strongly dissected, whitish or bluish below. In autumn they turn light yellow. This type of maple is moisture-loving, frost-resistant, prefers open, illuminated areas. Found in North America.

Manchurian maple

This species grows in China and Far East. The tree reaches a height of twenty meters. The crown is openwork, round in shape. The bark is light gray with small cracks. The leaves are trifoliate, thin and graceful. The leaves change color three times a year: red-orange in spring, dark green in summer, and purple-red in fall. The maple blooms in large numbers. The plant tolerates replanting well, since root system shallow.

Maple Chrismon King

This type of maple is interesting because of the colors of its leaves. In spring they are blood red in color, and in summer they become almost black. This tree is very popular among landscape designers.

Tatarian maple

Another name is black maple. The distribution area is quite wide - Western and Central Europe, Asia, Eastern Siberia, Central part of Russia. This species is a small tree or shrub, the height of which varies from two to ten meters. This tree looks very delicate - thin angular branches covered with fluff, the bark is pale gray. The leaves are small - five to ten centimeters in diameter, with pubescent veins. Tatarian maple is an excellent honey plant. The tree tolerates frost well, is shade-tolerant and unpretentious to the soil. It is often planted in parks and squares.

Conclusion

Maple inspires artists to paint, photographers make “pilgrimages” to autumn forest, in order to stop a wonderful moment. So be sure to go to the autumn park to enjoy the unique colors. And if you have personal plot, then plant a maple tree in your garden. The lifespan of the tree is very long, and therefore not only your children, but even your grandchildren will be able to enjoy the coolness in its shady foliage in the summer, and admire the appearance of this bright tree in the fall.