The difference between cedar. How do spruce, pine and cedar trees differ from each other?

This tree is called Siberian cedar. Although botanists dispute the name - and rightly so: it does not belong to the Cedar genus, but is closely related to pine trees. This one is called biological species Siberian pine (in Latin Pinus sibirica). Sometimes “cedar” is added. Since we are not specialists - taxonomists, we do not go into such subtleties; we call the tree as is customary. It can be called differently - both cedar and cedar pine Siberian - it is important that we understand what we are talking about... And indeed, what should we do now if in Siberia forested areas from Siberian pine are called “cedar trees”? Don't rename...

First of all, Siberian cedar is a very beautiful tree! Slender, covered with thick, long and soft needles. Take a closer look - in the bun Siberian cedar five long needles, not two, like . The needles are triangular, dark green, covered with a waxy coating. The bark also differs in color - in Siberian cedar it is grayish-brown. The crown is dense, with thick branches. Escapes last year stand out for their color - they are rather silver-brown.

The tree grows very slowly. Apparently, this is the reason why cedar grows so slender. He can live for a long time - up to five hundred years, and maybe more. And only at 50-60 years old does the Siberian cedar begin to bear fruit. Then female cones appear on the tops of young shoots, in which seed scales with two ovules are located under the covering scales. And near the base of the shoot of the last year, male cones grow, and pollen ripens in them. It is carried by the wind (as, indeed, in all pine trees).

The seeds of Siberian cedar ripen in cones for more than a year. They are very different from the seeds of Scots pine! Large - about a centimeter in length, more than half a centimeter in thickness - they are called “pine nuts” (although, from the point of view of biologists, they are not nuts!). They do not have any wings and cannot be carried by the wind, like the seeds of Scots pine, if only because of their weight. But taiga animals - the squirrel, the chipmunk, the nutcracker bird - take an active part in the distribution of seeds. Some of their winter supplies may be forgotten and lost. And then in the spring the seeds from such a “storehouse” germinate.

The seeds ripen by the end of summer of the year following pollination, in August. The cones dry out, become less resinous and begin to fall from the trees. It is then that the collection of “pine nuts” (the so-called “pine cone fight”) begins in places where Siberian pine grows massively. Previously, this process was quite strictly regulated by peasant communities. Then the state took over this function. What is happening now, we, who live far from the cedar trees, can only guess...

Pine nuts are eaten both directly and as part of various dishes. They are very useful, as they contain almost all the amino acids, B vitamins, vitamins E and K that we need. Siberian pine seeds are rich in microelements - manganese, zinc, iron, copper, magnesium, phosphorus. And yet, pine nuts are mainly used to produce pine nut oil.

Pine nuts contain a lot of polyunsaturated fatty acids. If they are extracted from the seeds, you will get valuable cedar oil, which can be used both in cooking and in medicinal purposes. It is superior in quality to olive oil! But when buying it, you need to make sure that you are buying a truly valuable product. The fact is that to extract oil there is several ways. The first one is cold pressed. The seeds are placed under a press and the oil is squeezed out of them. It is cold-pressed oil that should be used for medical purposes, as well as in cosmetics. There are also several methods of hot pressing. Basically, they are all similar in that the chopped nuts are heated and then pressed. In this case, the oil yield is greater, but its value decreases, since many substances are destroyed when heated. This oil is used in cooking. Finally, there is extraction. What it is? To extract the oil, a solvent is added to the seeds (for example, it can be gasoline), and then the oil and this same solvent are separated. I think there is no need to talk about the “health benefits” of the latest product. So it makes sense to buy cedar oil only from well-known sellers, asking for documents about where and how it was produced. Naturally, cold-pressed oil will also be the most expensive. The cake remaining after pressing the oil is used in cooking and in the confectionery industry.

Siberian pine pine (Siberian cedar) grows naturally in Eastern and Western Siberia, Altai, the Urals and the northeast of the Russian Plain. One might think that this tree was once distributed much further to the west, since there is a European pine, close relative Siberian, inhabitant of the Carpathians. Perhaps during the last glaciation, which occurred 25 - 12 thousand years ago, the area was dissected by a glacier. Subsequently, developing in isolation, these plants gradually diverged in a number of characteristics, and two separate species arose.

Siberian cedar has long been successfully grown by foresters in many places in Russia. Such groves of Siberian pine exist in Arkhangelsk (near Koryazhma) and Vologda regions(near Veliky Ustyug, not far from Ustyuzhna). There are cedar plantations in both the central and northwestern regions of Russia. There are cedar nurseries where this tree is grown. And in the park of Illarion Ivanovich Dudorov in the north of the Vologda region, cedar pines are also growing. I think it makes great sense to support and spread this tradition. We can get (more precisely, of course, not us, not even our children, but our great-grandchildren!) the most valuable forest species.

Cedar and pine are two trees that belong to the same Pine family. Despite their external similarity, both plants have a number of significant differences.

What are cedar and pine

Cedar is a genus of trees in the Pine family, which consists of only a few species.
Lebanese cedar
Pine is a genus of trees in the Pine family, numbering about 120 species.
Scots pine
Siberian cedar pine

Comparison of cedar and pine

What is the difference between cedar and pine?
Cedars are common within the subtropical climate zone - the Mediterranean, mountainous Crimea, and the Himalayas. Therefore, there are only a few types of these plants - Lebanese, Himalayan and Atlas cedar.
Pines are common in temperate and subtropical climates in Eurasia and North America. Today there are about 200 species of pine trees on Earth. Pines are evergreens. Depending on living conditions, they look like both large trees with crowns of different shapes and miniature shrubs.
Cedar is a monoecious plant reaching 50 meters in height. The tree is evergreen and has a characteristic, spreading crown. The needles are arranged spirally, collected in bunches of 30-40 pieces each. An individual needle resembles a needle. It can be triangular or tetrahedral, painted in a special emerald-steel color.
Pine is a monoecious plant with long or short needles. From two to five long needles are collected in a bunch, the number of which forms the basis of the taxonomy of pine trees. When damaged, rosettes form on the tree, from which short needles grow. The color of the green mass of pine depends on the climate and soil quality, and therefore varies from light silver to intense green.
Cedar cones are located singly, “stick out” like candles, and have a special barrel-shaped shape. Such a cone ripens in the second or third year of its formation. This seed incubation organ is characterized by the presence of numerous, spirally arranged scales, to which tiny ones are attached - only 15% of the total weight of the cone! - winged seeds. The embryo of the future cedar consists of 8-10 cotyledons. When a seed falls into the soil, a new cedar sprout is able to grow - “hatch” in just 3 weeks.
Pine cones have a characteristic oblong shape, do not “stick out”, but hang sadly from the branches. While the seed is ripening, the scales fit very tightly, but upon ripening they open, “releasing” the seeds. For each scale there are a pair of winged or wingless seeds. A very small pine embryo has from 4 to 15 cotyledons. Germination time depends on the type and geographical location of the plant.
Due to its greater distribution and number of species, pine is used more intensively by humans.

TheDifference.ru determined that the difference between cedar and pine is as follows:

The number of pine species is tens of times greater than the number of cedar species.
The distribution area of ​​pine is much wider than that of cedar.
The morphology and size of pine are much more diverse than cedar.
There are more needles in a cedar bundle than in a pine bundle.
Pine trees have more economic importance for humanity.

20.01.2019

Pine or cedar? What to choose? The healing properties of cedar can strengthen the immune system and improve the condition nervous system, destroy bacteria and viruses. Pine also has bactericidal properties, energizes and gives strength.

Larch has similar characteristics. Cedar materials are more expensive than pine, so many scammers, taking advantage of the lack of knowledge among clients, can offer pine logs under the guise of elite cedar logs. In order to avoid such troubles, you need to understand the differences between these breeds and how to determine what is in front of you.

Basic information about conifers

Coniferous trees, namely cedar and pine, are one of the best building materials for the construction of wooden houses. Pine trees belong to the class Pinopsida. Now it includes several commonly found species: pine, cedar, sequoia, spruce, cypress, fir, juniper and yew. The main difference between these trees is their reproductive system - they all produce cones.

All of the listed conifers are included in the same class, but pine, cedar and larch are more reliable for construction. The first two species are more practical, since larch has a lot of weight due to its dense structure, which complicates processing.

A finished log house made of cedar and pine is difficult to distinguish from each other. To understand how the first type of wood differs from the second, it is necessary to study their characteristics separately.

Features of pine

Pine is a tree that occupies about 1/6 of the entire territory of the Russian forest. There are 100 species of pine trees known in the world, and we have 10 species. The most popular of them is Scots pine with the following differences:

Plano-convex needles, if viewed in cross section;

Short shoots with paired needles;

Dense cones with thickened scales that ripen within 1.5 years.

Siberian pine, often called Siberian cedar, as well as Korean (Korean cedar) and dwarf cedar are in no way related to the genus cedar. The main types of cedar: Himalayan, Lebanese, Atlas.

The pine pine, which everyone knows thanks to its pine nuts, lives on average up to 500 years. Its height reaches up to 40 m. After 40-50 years, the increase in height begins to decrease slightly. Its value depends on temperature indicators and amount of precipitation. It rapidly decreases as the temperature drops. In summer, when the ground dries out, the diameter of the tree depends on precipitation. During severe droughts, growth may slow down, then recover with the arrival of rains.

In the area of ​​the thickest part of the trunk (butt) the bark is up to 5-6 times more massive than at half the height, and in the area of ​​the stump it can reach 10 cm, which makes the tree fire-resistant.

Main characteristics of cedar

The tree that everyone is accustomed to calling cedar is a type of pine. True cedar grows only in Lebanon; in other regions it is planted as an ornamental plant. Korean and Siberian varieties of cedar pine and cedar (also called dwarf cedar) grow in the forests of Russia. Siberian species has the following features:

The part between the core and the sapwood is threaded, the first element gradually becomes lighter and merges into the second;

Under natural conditions it grows only in the Siberian, Altai, and Ural regions;

Can live up to 5 centuries, the first cones appear 20-60 years after planting, forming every 5-6 years;

Unlike ordinary pine, most of the seeds are spread not by the wind, but by the nutcracker bird;

The wood is distinguished by the presence of wide white sapwood with a yellowish tint, and the heartwood has a pinkish-ocher color;

It is obtained from pine needles essential oils, as well as vitamin C;

A clear, but not sharp pattern of annual layers.

Cedar (as we will henceforth call Russian cedar pine) has long been considered a powerful and sacred tree. Compared to ordinary pine, it has fewer resin paths, but they are thicker. If you sand the end of this wood, a liquid resembling white paint will appear on its surface. It is by the resin passages that we can understand that this is cedar.

As for the design features, they are similar, because Siberian cedar is a genus of pine trees. This tree is also called cedar pine. It is considered the most elite, durable and reliable wood. The material is especially relevant for interior decoration. It has high aesthetic characteristics and has a beneficial effect on health.

Comparative characteristics of Siberian cedar and other coniferous trees

Having studied the characteristics of the conifer family, we can come to the conclusion that they are very similar. When choosing lumber for building a wooden house from a log, you need to clearly understand what the differences are between ordinary pine and cedar. They manifest themselves in both operational and healing properties. Visually identifying the differences is not easy, but there are a number of signs that will help you accurately make the right choice.

The main ones include:

1. Height. Cedar is approximately 5 m taller than pine.

2.Age and flowering. Cedar lives longer and begins to bloom later.

3.Bark. Pine bark has many deep grooves, which appear much faster than cedar bark.

4. Needles and cones. Pine needles are arranged in pairs, cedar needles are arranged in bunches of 5 pieces. The cones that grow on cedar can be eaten (pine nuts), but on pine they are not edible.

When trees are already presented in the form of a log, it is almost impossible to distinguish them from each other unless you have additional knowledge.

The simplest recognition methods include:

1. Color. Cedar has a pleasant pinkish tint that does not lose its richness over time. Pine logs have a grayish color that gradually becomes dull. If you compare logs, these differences can be seen at the ends. If there was a knot on the cedar, a reddish area will remain in this place; on pine there is none.

2.Smell. Cedar wood differs from pine in smell. This is due to different chemical composition. The aroma of cedar lasts much longer, even if the material is not processed. It resembles the characteristic balsamic smell of pine nuts. Pine has a less intense odor, dominated by the unobtrusive aroma of pine needles.

3. Weight. Cedar is lighter than pine, and the structure of its wood is more even and uniform.

4. Change of shade. A cedar log house becomes dark faster, while pine is more resistant to this process. Cedar logs can be identified by their pink core.

Only a specialist can accurately determine which log house is in front of you. Cedar wood is lighter and softer, but has a low drying rate.

When comparing, you should take into account the characteristics of other conifers:

Spruce- similar in wood quality and structure to pine, but it has less resin, lower strength and a lighter shade.

Fir– similar in quality and external characteristics to spruce.

Larch– similar to ore pine, resistant to rot, so often used in places with high humidity.

Cedar, in its structure and quality of wood, combines the properties of spruce and pine. If we compare these lumber, then with the same thickness of logs, cedar will provide maximum thermal protection.

Why is cedar better?

Each tree from the pine family has its own advantages and disadvantages, but the best material, which is used for the construction of luxury homes, is considered cedar.

It is distinguished by the following qualities:

Environmental friendliness. Cedar wood serves as a natural antiseptic and has a positive effect on health. It secretes phytoncides that have a depressing effect on pathogenic microflora. The air in the room becomes clean from germs and pleasant thanks to the aroma that lasts for many years.

Practicality. Siberian cedar is easy to process, has a plastic structure and high strength. The material is not susceptible to the negative effects of moisture, resistant to the development of mold and damage by insects.

High breathability, optimal heat conservation. Cedar walls allow air to pass through well, preventing the formation of excess moisture in the room. The material creates effective heat exchange - such a house is warm in winter and cool in summer.

Durability. The tree easily tolerates any weather, very coldy, scorching sun. She is not afraid of moisture and temperature changes.

In addition to all those listed performance characteristics, cedar is also valued for its aesthetic properties. This material was created by nature, retains its original texture and beautiful shades after processing (from dark chocolate to light amber).

Cedar, pine, spruce are trees, by definition belonging to the family Sosnovykh. However, despite their external similarity, these plants have a number of significant differences.

Places of growth

Cedars grew in the subtropical climate zone of the Mediterranean, mountain Crimea and the Himalayas. In accordance with the name of the area where the tree grows, it is usually divided into types: Lebanese, and so on. Pines have spread in temperate subtropical climate Eurasia, North America. Scientists identify about 200 varieties of pine trees. Spruces and pines are evergreen trees. Living conditions are created by different forms of plants from bushes to trees with large crowns.

Characteristics

The monoecious cedar plant reaches 50 m in height, is evergreen, and has an impressive spreading crown. The spirally arranged needles are collected in bunches. Each needle resembles a needle and is triangular in emerald-steel color.

Pine is also a monoecious plant with short or long needles. A bunch consists of two to five needles. If a tree is damaged, rosettes begin to form on it, and short needles grow from them. Their color depends on the climate and soil composition and varies from light silver to rich green.

Cedar cones are arranged singly, in candles, and have a barrel-shaped shape. The cone ripens in the second or third year of formation. Pine cones are oblong in shape and hang from the branches. Spruce also has needle-like, but shortened needles. The roots of this tree do not go deep, but are located on the surface layers; spruce requires fertile and moist soil.

The difference between spruce and pine is that pine is light-loving, and spruce is shade-tolerant. Pollination of the first and second species occurs with the help of wind. Pine received wide application on the farm, its wood is valuable material for carpentry and construction, it is used as fuel. This tree is a raw material for the extraction of tar, resin and turpentine.

General conclusions regarding differences

The number of varieties of pine and spruce is tens of times greater than the number of cedar species. The growing area of ​​pine is much wider than that of cedar. The morphological characteristics and size variability of pine are also much more diverse. A cedar bunch consists of a larger number of needle-like needles. Pine is less capricious in its choice of soil; its long, powerful roots go deep into the ground, which means the tree can feed on moisture and nutrients located in the deep layers of the earth.

Larch stands out in this row - it is much different greater strength and beauty of texture, practically unaffected by moisture. However, this material is expensive and not available to everyone. It should also be remembered that larch is a very durable and resinous material, and, therefore, the process of processing this type of wood is labor-intensive and expensive.

LARCH – conifer tree, which lives about 600 years and reaches a height of 45 meters. This tree is 30% denser and stronger than pine, more resistant to dampness and putrefactive fungi. A larch building can last two or three centuries. But entire houses made of larch were rarely cut down due to the hardness of the wood - only a few lower crowns were laid from larch logs.

Larch is a soundwood species whose sapwood is relatively narrow (up to 20 annual layers). Late wood is dark brown in color. Due to the clearly visible rather wide annual layers and the straightness of the trunks, the wood appears striped in a radial section. Knots that have a horizontal direction are scattered singly and randomly. The texture is interesting, looks good after processing. Larch can remain in water for many centuries. After lying there for a long time in water it becomes very hard. That is why it went to the construction of bridges, piers and piers. It was on larch piles that its creator Montferrand decided to erect St. Isaac's Cathedral on the marshy soils of St. Petersburg. An example of durability and strength are the larch piles on which Venice stands. Larch wood does not rot or turn blue.

The relative biological resistance (susceptibility to destruction by fungi and insects) of the larch kernel is twice as high as that of the pine kernel. Sapwood, both larch and pine, is a fragile wood. Larch is a natural antiseptic. Due to the peculiarity of the resin impregnating it, it is not attacked by wood-boring insects, and also allows it to be used without any chemical treatment in cases where other species are susceptible to rot. In particular, the relative biological resistance (susceptibility to destruction by fungi and insects) of larch wood is twice as high as that of pine wood.

In terms of physical and mechanical properties, the durability of larch occupies an intermediate position between soft coniferous species, such as pine, and hard deciduous species, the most famous of which is oak. The fire resistance of larch wood is approximately twice as high as that of pine. The volumetric heat capacity of larch wood is 30% higher than that of pine wood. This means that a deciduous house has, accordingly large quantity accumulated heat. This is manifested in the fact that during the heated period the temperature in the room is more evenly distributed throughout the day, and in the hot summer time the feeling of coolness remains there.

In a house made of Siberian larch, the likelihood of migraines and neuroses associated with vascular spasms is reduced. Throughout its entire lifespan, larch evaporates natural phytoncides, which, when entering the human respiratory tract, prevent colds and viral diseases. With hypertension, positive results are observed in reducing blood pressure, the resorption of hemorrhages is accelerated, visual acuity is increased, and metabolism is normalized. Comparative analysis of physical and consumer properties larch and pine wood shows that in most basic indicators, buildings and structures made of larch wood, including those built from rounded logs, are superior in quality to similar structures made of pine wood.

CEDAR, or CEDAR PINE, lives 200-300 years. Its trunk is straight, reaches a diameter of 1.8 m and a height of 40 m. Sound-bearing cedar has the lightest and softest wood. The narrow core differs from the wide yellowish-white sapwood by a pinkish tint. Late wood is poorly developed and gradually transforms into early wood. Numerous resin passages in it are larger than those of other conifers, the arrangement of knots is whorled, with a large number of individual shoots directed upward. Resistant to rotting and cracking. Easy to cut in all directions. It has a beautiful texture and is easy to process.

Cedar belongs to the noble species of wood due to its unique properties. That is why the population of the Urals and Siberia at all times preferred Siberian cedar for finishing their homes. The amazing smell and healing effect of this type of wood on the human body is unique. And, nevertheless, cedar as a wall material is not available to everyone who wants to build a wooden house for the same reasons as larch. Therefore, most people choose pine and spruce.

PINE refers to coniferous wood. Lives 400-600 years and mature age(120-150 years) reaches a height of 30-40 meters. Its trunk is straight and even, easy to plan and saw.

The tree has a core part of the trunk, which in color is almost the same as the yellowish-white wide sapwood. When dried and stored, the kernel darkens and takes on a brownish-red hue. Early wood is lighter than late wood. Knots are located in the core at the end of the annual growth. The shoots are directed upward at an acute angle to the axis of the trunk, so in cross-section (on lumber) they have oval shape. Resin passages are large and numerous. The wood is soft, easy to process, and does not crack when dry. Thanks to his beautiful color and a clearly defined structure, it is widely used not only in the construction of houses, but also in the production of carpentry, in the production of artistic carvings and turning crafts.

Depending on the degree of resin, two varieties of pine are distinguished - resin, heavily resinous, and dry wood chips containing a minimal amount of resin. Dry wood chips were floated down rivers, but tar was not, since it was heavy and could sink along the way.

Tar can lie at the bottom of the river for decades. That’s why they used it where it was very damp: in the construction of piers, jetties, bridges, and parts of wooden ships. The carpenters tried to place three or four tar crowns in the log house first.

Dried wood chips are used to make products that cannot withstand heavy loads. It is easy to cut and plan, and lends itself well to etching and painting.

SPRUCE in terms of prevalence it ranks second after pine. She lives up to 300 years and in adulthood (120-150 years) sometimes reaches a height of 50 meters. Its trunk is round and straight. The wood is light, soft, coreless, uniformly white with a slightly golden tint, and can retain its natural color for a long time. Late wood has the appearance of a narrow light brown stripe, which gradually turns into early wood. The knots on the spruce are located whorled, almost at right angles to the axis of the trunk; because of this, they appear round in a tangential section.

The wood has low resin content and is resistant to cracking. Spruce wood is difficult to process due to the great hardness of the knots, but in some areas, huts were built entirely from spruce. They believed that it was easy to breathe in such a hut; there was even a saying: “A spruce hut is a healthy heart.”

OAK lives on average 1000 years. The trunk diameter can exceed 2 m. Than older age tree, the higher the quality of its wood. Our ancestors built wells from oak wood - the water in them did not “bloom”, it was cold and clean. Oak piles were also driven into the river. In a word, oak is not subject to time - it does not rot in water, it is not affected by fungus, it is not spoiled by either the wind or the sun.

Those that have come down to us speak about the value of wood. historical information. If a fine of 10 rubles was imposed for a reserved tree of any species under Peter 1, then for an oak tree the chopper was subject to death penalty. At the beginning of the 17th century, cutting down oak was prohibited throughout Rus'. The wood of the oak kernel is dead and filled with special toxic substances- tils, which seem to preserve the wood, protecting it from rot. The most valuable wood is located closer to the core; it does not warp and cracks moderately.

The color of the core is from light to dark brown, the sapwood is yellowish-brown. The sapwood is narrow – 8-10 annual layers. Small vessels in the later part of the annual layer are arranged in radial rows. The medullary rays are strongly developed and clearly visible in all sections. The wood is very durable and difficult to cut. Prone to cracking. It bends well. It has a beautiful coarse texture. Easily painted, stains to black. In the butt part of large trees, twisting occurs. In combination with a radial cut, the texture of such an oak board is very beautiful. When processed with a chisel, it is fragile, requires a hard and sharp tool and caution, and withstands large threads well. Small oak profiles are inexpressive.

For joinery it is necessary to use oak aged 15-20 years. The end of the oak board is darker than the board; this must be taken into account when choosing the type of connection facing the face.

LINDEN– a tree with soft wood, homogeneous structure, white with a light pink tint, having numerous heart-shaped rays, which in a radial section give the material a noticeable shine.

It has sufficient viscosity, is equally easy to cut along and across the fibers, almost does not warp or crack, and is easy to paint and polish. Barns and bathhouses were cut from linden: barns because this wood was not affected by rodents, and bathhouses retain heat well. Light and soft wood does not crack or warp when dried, and cuts easily and cleanly. Linden is the main type of wood for artistic work.

IN CONCLUSION, IT SHOULD BE NOTED THAT ALMOST ANY TREE SPECIES CAN BE USED AS long as the wood is healthy. HOWEVER, THERE ARE CERTAIN TRADITIONS OF WOODEN ARCHITECTURE, ACCORDING TO WHICH IT IS BEST TO BUILD A BATH FROM LINDEN OR ASPEN, AND IF THIS IS NOT POSSIBLE, THEN AT LEAST FINISH THE STEAM ROOM WITH MATERIALS MADE FROM THESE WOODS BEV, AND THE RESIDENTIAL HOUSE IS MADE OF CONIFEROUS WOOD: FIR, PINE, CEDAR OR LARCH.

How to distinguish a log house made of cedar from a log house made of pine?

Cedar like construction material, known to mankind since ancient times. We can find references to this in the Bible. Today, this wood is used when building luxury cedar houses, bathhouses, country buildings, etc.

Benefits of cedar wood

Cedar compares favorably with all other types of wood, including conifers. Its obvious advantages include:

• Durability. Houses made of cedar last a surprisingly long time. They easily tolerate the scorching sun and bitter frosts. Resistant to sudden temperature changes and moisture.
• Aesthetic qualities. Cedar is an excellent building material created by nature itself. Its wood has a beautiful texture and rich color scheme, from light amber to dark chocolate color. A cedar log house is valued for its unusual, attractive appearance.
• Environmental friendliness. Cedar wood, being a wonderful natural antiseptic, has a beneficial effect on health. Phytoncides secreted by cedar destroy pathogenic microbes and give the air in the room healing properties. The cedar aroma in the house lasts for many years.
• Air permeability and heat saving. The peculiarity of walls built from cedar is that they “breathe”. The air in such a room does not stagnate, and excess moisture is removed. I would also like to note that cedar has excellent thermal insulation properties. All this together creates a comfortable microclimate. It's nice to be in such a room.
• Practicality. Cedar is plastic, easy to process and at the same time has high strength. It is not subject to the decomposing effects of a humid atmosphere, and therefore is resistant to the formation of mold, rot and fungi. Bark beetles avoid it.

What is the difference between cedar and pine?

IN Lately, thanks to the above properties, cedar houses are gaining more and more popularity. However, their cost can be 1.5 - 2 times higher than similar pine buildings. And logs made from these materials, at first glance, are very similar, which some unscrupulous suppliers take advantage of by passing off pine wood as cedar.

To determine what the log house is actually made of, you need to pay attention to the smell. Cedar has a pronounced, characteristic balsamic aroma, while pine has a weaker, unobtrusive pine spirit. As for the color, the yellowish tint of the wood in pine logs is more pronounced and it darkens more slowly in the open air. Cedar logs can be identified by their pink core, which Pink colour, not like pine.

Cedar and pine are coniferous trees. At first glance, they are very similar, but in reality this is not the case at all. In order to distinguish trees, you should know not only their external features. They differ significantly in the specifics of their growth.

How to distinguish cedar from pine? This is what is presented short story in this article.

general information

Today the number is tens of times higher than the number of cedar species. And it grows in wider areas. In addition, the variability in size and generic characteristics of pine is much more diverse.

It is less capricious to the soil, since its powerful and long roots go deep into the ground, and therefore the tree feeds on nutrients and moisture from the deep layers of the earth.

Places of growth

Cedars grow in the subtropics of the mountainous Crimea, the Mediterranean and the Himalayas. Depending on the name of the area where they grow, they are divided into types: Himalayan, Crimean, Lebanese, etc.

Pines grow more in temperate subtropical climates North America and Eurasia. In total, scientists identify 200 varieties of this coniferous plant. Both cedar and pine are evergreen trees. Various natural conditions They also create various forms of plants from bushes to trees with huge crowns.

Peculiarities

How do cedar and pine grow? Cedar - monoecious evergreen, and the height of the tree with an impressive spreading crown can reach up to 50 meters. The needles, collected in bunches, have a spiral arrangement. Each needle-like needle has a triangular shape and is painted in emerald-steel color. Cedar cones, arranged singly and shaped like a barrel, stand on the shoots like candles. They ripen in the second or third year of formation.

Pine, which also has long or shortened needles. Needles of two to five pieces are also collected in a bunch. When damage appears on a tree, rosettes form at this place, from which needles gradually grow. The color of the needles depends on climate conditions and soil composition. It can vary from rich green to light with a silver tint. Pine cones are oblong in shape and hang from the branches.

Wood

How does cedar differ from pine when using their wood as a building material?

Materials made from many coniferous woods, due to their characteristics, are widely used in the construction of bathhouses, houses, gazebos and other objects. The material is popular in interior decoration. But it should be noted that coniferous species are different and have differences in quality.

How to distinguish cedar from pine? How not to make a mistake in choosing material for construction? The properties of these two breeds are similar in many ways, and yet there are some differences. Pine is subject to severe shrinkage, so it is not a very durable material. In addition, after drying it appears deep furrows. Cedar in this regard is slightly different from pine, it also has others positive points, the main ones being the following: beneficial influence per person and maintaining the original appearance for more long time.

A little about the benefits of pine cones

It should be noted the benefits of pine cones. Absolutely all parts of the plant are used in folk medicine. Its fruits are especially beneficial.

Pine cones are a treasure trove large quantity useful substances. Young buds, rich in valuable biologically active compounds, are very useful. They are used in folk medicine for the following purposes:

Finally

The main differences between cedar and pine:

• The plant is taller than a pine tree.
• It has a longer lifespan (up to approximately 800 years) compared to pine (up to 120 years).
• Flowering occurs later.
• Fewer grooves in the wood.
• Thermal conductivity is 30% less than that of pine, which is associated with greater porosity.

Currently, there are many types of lining on the finishing materials market. Paneling made from pine and cedar of various varieties has become widespread. In this article we will look at some of the features of lining made from Altai cedar, and also tell you how to distinguish it from materials made from other types of wood.

This lining is unique in its own way, since the Gorno-Altai cedar, from the wood of which it is made, grows exclusively in the Altai mountains; it no longer grows in any other regions of Russia or the world. Untouched nature, the special climatic and geophysical conditions in which these trees grow give the wood special and unique properties. Residents of these places believe that these trees emit positive energy, drive away evil spirits and improve human health. Scientific research confirm that Altai cedars have a whole set of distinctive features and it is not for nothing that they have been considered unusual and very valuable since ancient times.

According to data obtained from scientific research, Altai cedars, compared to other Siberian cedars, have almost 2 times the density and higher strength indicators. In terms of wood's resistance to rotting, it is superior not only to such a popular material as pine, but is also identical to larch, which is recognized as practically the standard for this parameter.

Now let's move on to the question of how lining made from Altai cedar differs and how not to confuse it with materials from other types of wood.

First of all, you should pay attention to the color. It should have slightly pinkish tints; by the way, after a while your cedar lining will darken a little and acquire a reddish-pink color, which will give the interior nobility and make it more sophisticated.

Second characteristic– an indescribable aroma, you will not confuse it with anything else, it is a fairly strong and very pleasant pine smell with unique notes inherent only to this breed.

The lining made from Canadian cedar, unlike our Altai cedar, is darker, the color is close to brown or deep red, the smell from the wood is barely perceptible. Far Eastern or Karelian cedar is slightly brown in color, just like its Canadian counterpart does not have a strong aroma, so it is difficult to confuse these species with their Altai relative if you carefully choose.

A separate question is how to distinguish Altai cedar lining from pine? Everything is quite simple - cedar wood is much lighter, it has a smoother and more uniform texture. Despite the fact that pine also emits a noticeable pine aroma, it is not as pleasant and strong as cedar. The pine smell should be familiar to you if you have eaten pine nuts, and once you smell it, you can’t confuse it with anything else. Also, pine wood contains a larger amount of resin, which not only worsens the appearance, but also makes this material unsuitable for finishing a steam room.

So, let's repeat the key features linings from Gorno-Altai cedar:

• color;
• texture;
• resinousness;
• smell.

Planting and growing Siberian cedar has long been carried out in nurseries in the middle zone. Knowing the secrets of stratification, you can try to grow this tree on your own site. You will learn from this material how Siberian cedar bears fruit, how its seeds are used, and how to care for the plant.

Photo and description of Siberian cedar pine: wood, needles and seeds of Siberian cedar

First, read the photo and description of Siberian cedar, and then find out about its characteristics.

Siberian pine , or Siberian cedar (P. Sibirica) – tree up to 35 m tall. The crown is dense, sharply cone-shaped in youth, later wider. The branching is whorled. The upper branches are candelabra-shaped, raised upward. Short branches grow in close whorls. Root system rod type with outstretched lateral roots.

The bark of Siberian cedar wood is smooth, gray, later furrowed, gray-brown. Young shoots 6–7 mm thick, light Brown, covered with thick red hairs. Arranged whorled, short, prostrate. The buds are not resinous, 6-10 mm long, ovoid in shape, and have lanceolate light brown scales. The needles of Siberian cedar are dense, protruding, 6–13 cm long, 1–2 mm wide, dark green, with bluish stripes on the sides, collected in bunches of 5. Around the bunches are scale-like golden-brown leaves that quickly fly away. The needles on the branches last up to 3 years. The cones are erect, light brown, 6–13 cm long, 5–8 cm wide, ovoid or elongated.

Male spikelets are usually located in the middle part of the crown, female cones are located at the ends of the upper shoots of the tree, 2-3 near the apical bud. They ripen in the second year after flowering, within 14–15 months. Mature cones reach 6-13 cm in length and 5-8 cm in width and have tightly pressed scales with thickened scutes. Each cone contains from 30 to 150 nuts (cedar seeds). The seeds of Siberian cedar are large, 10–14 mm long, 6–10 mm wide, without wings, brown in color. When fully formed, the outer shell of the seed darkens, the cones dry out, their resin content decreases, and in August-September they fall from the tree. In a good year, one large cedar can produce up to 1000–1500 cones.

As can be seen in the photo, the Siberian cedar pine belongs to a number of species that are significantly different from ours Scots pine:

The darker needles of the cedar pine are much thicker and longer. In addition, they do not sit in twos, like in an ordinary pine, but usually in five in each bunch (in a shortened shoot). The common pine has small seeds, with large wings, the pine has large seeds, and if there is a wing, it is small, underdeveloped, and does not stick to the seed.

In the Far East, an even closer species is found - the Manchurian pine, which is distinguished by especially large cones and great growth.

The fourth, sharply distinguished species, found in the mountains of Siberia and Kamchatka, is a low, creeping shrub that has adapted to the harshest climate.

For the first time, the description of the Siberian cedar pine was given by the Tobolsk Metropolitan Cyprian in his work “Synodica”, where he told how Novgorod merchants, finding themselves in Siberia in the 12th century, saw big trees with cones. Some of them had seen pine cones before. So they called the unfamiliar tree cedar.

How Siberian cedar bears fruit and tree propagation

The Siberian cedar bears fruit only top part crowns Cedar pine cones are much larger and more massive. Unlike almost all other pines, these cones disintegrate when ripe, like those of fir trees.

In nature, Siberian pine pine reproduces by seeds spread by nutcrackers, chipmunks, squirrels, sables and other animals that feed on pine nuts; in culture - mainly seedlings and saplings. Particularly valuable forms are propagated by grafting. Seed production in Siberian pine pine begins at 30 years of age.

Reproduction at home is also carried out by seeds. Seeds may not appear every year, yields are relatively low.

Origin of the Siberian cedar pine: where it grows and how long the cedar lives

The origin of the Siberian pine pine is within the borders of Russia; only the southern edge of the distribution area extends into Mongolia and Kazakhstan. This forest species grows in about a third of the entire forest zone of our country. Siberian pine forests and forests with a noticeable presence of pine pine occupy 40,600,000 hectares. They are common in the mountains and plains of the northeastern regions European Russia(from the upper reaches of the Vychegda River), almost throughout Western and Eastern Siberia. These forests are called dark coniferous taiga.

In the European part of Russia in the northeast, beyond the Urals - all of Siberia and Altai. IN Central Altai the upper limit of cedar growth lies at an altitude of 1900–2000 m above sea level, and in the southern regions it rises to 2400 m. Siberian cedar also grows in Mongolia, Northern China and in the Sikhote-Alin mountains, where it is found along with Korean cedar ( Pinus koraiensis).

To the west from the Urals it extends to the Timan Ridge. Forms forests with Siberian fir, spruce, larch.

Where does Siberian cedar grow in the European part of Russia? The northern border of the distribution area runs along the line St. Petersburg - Kirovsk - Vologda. In the south it grows in the Caucasus.

It is very easy to breathe in a cedar forest due to the smell of pine needles and aromatic oils released by cedar wood. This remarkable feature of cedar forests was noticed by ancient monks. Then the proverb arose: “In a spruce forest - to work, in a birch forest - to have fun, in a cedar forest - to pray to God.” The monks brought cedars from Siberia to middle lane Russia. And today they grow in Sergiev Posad, monasteries in the Yaroslavl and Tver regions. They are located on the territory of the Moscow Kremlin. How long does the Siberian cedar live in? wildlife? These are long-lived trees. They live up to 800, or even 1000 years.

Characteristics of Siberian cedar, size and growth rate

Siberian cedar pine is a species with a sharply continental climate. The tree is moisture-loving and has increased demands on both soil moisture and relative air humidity, especially in winter period. This exactingness is due to the very large surface of the needles, so cedar cannot grow in places with a dry climate. The experience of creating cedar plantings in different forest conditions of Central Siberia has convincingly shown that increased growth and high preservation can be achieved only with care for 7–9 years.

One of the characteristics of Siberian cedar is its high shade tolerance, but in adulthood the tree grows and bears fruit better in conditions of sufficient lighting. Does not tolerate air pollution from smoke and transplantation in adulthood.

The growth rate of Siberian cedar is slow; it grows throughout its life. Trees begin to produce seeds for the first time at 25–30 years of age if they grow in the wild, and in plantations no earlier than 50 years of age.

For successful growth and seed production, it is not the climate that is important, but the soil conditions. Among coniferous plants, Siberian cedar pine is the leader in smoke resistance and can grow in urban environments. It is not demanding of light and grows well in the shade. Pine of this species may suffer from Hermes lesions.

The best time to plant Siberian cedars is spring before shoots begin to grow. Seeds are sown before winter or in spring after stratification. Sometimes they graft onto common pine.

Very close to Siberian pine dwarf pine – Pinus pumila (Pall.) Regel, which is often called dwarf cedar. Until recently, many botanists even considered dwarf cedar to be a variety of Siberian pine.

Cedar pine is found in Russia and Western Europe in several species. The most common of them is our Siberian “cedars”, which are found partly to the west of the Urals. In old age, these are mighty giants up to 35 meters in height and more. Cedar pines, common in the mountains Western Europe, belong to another species (Pinus cembra) - European cedar pine; they are much smaller and by the age of 100 they reach a height of only 12 meters. The size of such Siberian cedars above 20 meters is already very rare.

Using Siberian cedar wood (with photos and videos)

Siberian cedar pine , or Siberian cedar (R. sibirica) – is one of the most valuable economically tree species.

This is a very beautiful tree, suitable for single and group plantings. The seeds containing fatty oils are eaten.

Pay attention to the photo - Siberian cedar wood is well processed, since its wood is light and soft, suitable for carpentry and finishing work, various crafts:

Nut shells are used as mulch.

High winter hardiness and excellent resistance to temperature fluctuations make this pine convenient for cultivation in country parks.

Siberian cedar- a real wood-combine, almost all of its parts are used by humans. The juice is used in medicine. Wood is used to make furniture, musical instruments and pencils. Tannins from the bark are used in the production of leather goods. The needles are processed to produce vitamin flour for livestock.

In nature, Siberian pine seeds are spread by nutcrackers, chipmunks, squirrels, sables and other animals that feed on pine nuts. Pine nuts are very nutritious, containing 65 percent oil and rich in protein and vitamins.

Economically, cedar is one of the valuable wood species that has a beautiful texture and is therefore used for making furniture, musical instruments, and pencils. Cedar needles contain vitamin C and provitamin A, microelements and essential oils are found in the buds.

Cedar oil, which is obtained from nut kernels, is the only complete substitute for olive oil in Russia.

Coniferous hedges are extremely decorative, help improve the microclimate, attract forest animals and serve as beautiful corners of wildlife. The needles of the Siberian cedar tree have high phytoncidity (the ability to disinfect the surrounding air) and release environment many valuable volatiles organic matter. Staying in such conditions in itself contributes to the preservation of health and longevity, and if you add to this the joy of contemplating the results of your own work, then the psycho-emotional factor will also contribute to the success of treatment.

High-quality oil from Siberian cedar nuts is a thick, transparent liquid of a pleasant golden-straw color with a very faint, delicate nutty odor. It should be stored in a cool place without access to light, in a dark glass container with a narrow neck (for less contact with air). Natural antioxidants contained in cedar oil protect it from rancidity, but to increase shelf life it is advisable to follow the same rules as when storing all other oils vegetable oils. The sediment formed during storage of unrefined oil is not harmful to health and consists of phospholipids, macro- and microelements that are beneficial to the body.

Watch the video “Siberian Cedar”, which shows how these trees are used:

How to grow Siberian cedar pine from nuts and cedar care

Here you will learn how to grow Siberian pine pine from a nut and how to care for seedlings. To grow cedar, you can take a mature cone, place it on a sheet of paper in the room, the cone cracks under the influence of dry air in the room, and seeds fall out of it. These seeds are immediately planted on the site in the same autumn. You can grow pine sprouts in a school, but no more than two years, then they need to be transplanted into place, or you can plant them in place immediately.

Before planting Siberian cedar seeds, they must be subjected to stratification (long stay in a cold and humid environment to stimulate germination). Stratification of Siberian cedar seeds is carried out for 3–5 months at temperatures from -4 to +3 °C (in a glacier, deep trench, cold basement, in boxes under snow or in a regular household refrigerator). To do this, they are pre-mixed with 2-3 times the volume of a sterile substrate (sand, sawdust, peat, moss). When stratifying in a trench, good drainage and protection from rodents should be ensured. To create a supply of viable seeds of cedar pine trees, long-term (up to 2.5 years) storage methods in deep trenches (2.5 m) can be used. In the latter, it is constantly provided low temperature and humidity. The germination of Siberian cedar seeds lasts up to 4 years. In the case of long-distance transportation, it is important to prevent drying out (below 8-10 percent humidity) or self-heating, which occurs when the seed moisture content is above 20 percent and their storage at
elevated temperature.

To speed up the emergence of seedlings and reduce losses from rodents during spring sowing, it is advisable to use slightly sprouted seeds. 120–140 seeds are placed per 1 m of soil at a depth of 3–4 cm. Protection of seedlings from birds is ensured by covering the soil surface with a layer of sawdust (3–4 cm). Seeds germinate in the year of sowing or the next (less often in the 3rd year); after germination, young seedlings should be shaded and watered. In general, the technology for growing cedar seedlings does not differ from that used for other conifers (shading, watering, protection from lodging, loosening, weeding). It is very convenient to grow conifer seedlings in special baskets, boxes or jars dug into the ground. Such seedlings are ready for transplantation for permanent residence at any time of the year. A young plant usually acquires a crown by the age of 5–7 years. At 20–30 years old, the lower branches begin to die off, and the cedar crown takes on an ovoid shape.

How to plant Siberian cedar: cultivation and soil for planting

A simpler solution for planting and caring for Siberian cedar pine is to take a cedar seedling from a nursery or transplant it to your garden plot from the forest. In the latter case, it is not recommended to take trees that grow in shaded areas, as they will most likely die from sunburn and dry air. It is better to opt for cedars growing in open sunny meadows or at the edge of the forest. The seedlings should be transported to the site with a lump of damp soil on the roots, having first wrapped them in burlap. Under optimal growth conditions and with intensive agricultural technology, Siberian cedar plants already reach a height of 3.5–5 m at the age of 15.

Does not tolerate cold soils (the northern and eastern boundaries of cedar growth coincide with the southwestern boundary of the distribution of permafrost soils). The soil for Siberian cedar is preferably drained, deep, light loamy and loamy.

It is recommended to plant cedar 4 m from each other and from other plants. You need to plant it as follows: take sphagnum moss (this is mandatory, and nothing can replace it, it grows in cranberry bogs), wrap 3-4 nuts with this sphagnum moss. Plant it in a hole 7–10 cm deep, maximum 12 cm, and bury this hole. Moss will help retain moisture and protect against mice, which will eat the nuts if there is no moss. The cedar may sprout in the first year, or maybe in a year. A long single needle will appear.

In a year, that is, when he is about two years old, he can be transplanted, this must be done in early spring, late April–early May. Again, the taproot does not need to be tied.

The cedar will begin to bear fruit in 25–30 years, or it may not begin to bear fruit at all. But don’t be upset: cedar, wonderful ornamental plant. It has five needles at once, and they are long, about 15–20 cm long. It is fluffy. There is no need to pinch it. It grows slowly, but is exceptionally elegant and looks beautiful.