Siberian cedar is known all over the world for its delicious and healthy fruits. How many years does a tree grow when it begins to bear fruit: issues that interest many gardeners. More about this later in the article.

How fast is cedar growing

Siberian cedar, or Siberian pine does not really belong to the genus Cedar, which today has only 4 varieties. The true representative of the species bears fruit inedible small seeds and is on the verge of extinction. In many countries, this culture is protected by law and bred in reserves to preserve the species.

Long-lived trees live 500-800 years. In nature, these are powerful plants with a wide crown, the trunk girth can reach 2 m and a height of up to 40 m. Therefore, the annual growth of the culture is considered not only regarding upward growth, but also taking into account the growth in width.

Did you know? Cedar resins and esters are used in the perfume industry: it is believed that a pleasant aroma has the ability to eliminate irritation and anxiety.

Wild Siberian cedar has a very short growing season - no more than 45 days a year, therefore it is referred to as slow-growing crops. The first 10 days, growth is slowed down, then in June with the onset of heat increases, reaching its maximum. Over the year, the length of the shoots increases by only 8 cm.

Today there are many breeding varieties that do not grow so tall and wide, which makes them suitable for planting in the suburban area. When grown from seeds, sprouts appear already on day 30–40. At the seedling stage, the growth is small: at 5 years old, the plant is only 25–35 cm tall. By the age of 10, the trunk is already 1–1.5 m, and the crown width is up to 0.8 m.

Important! Experienced gardeners recommend using seeds from Altai crops when sowing. And the trees show the best growth on nutritious forest soils.

Starting from 15–20 years, depending on the variety, cedar pine gives an increase of 25–35 cm per year in height and up to 16 cm in addition to the diameter of the crown.

How old is the cedar?

The fruiting age of the wild plant species is 40-60 years. In nature, it usually competes for nutrients with more active trees.

Cultivated plants begin to bear fruit faster - at 15–20 years. When growing in the garden, you can achieve an even earlier result if you plant a stalk of an already fruiting tree in an early variety. In some specimens, cones appear as early as 5–7 years after planting, and in breeders bred by Russian breeders, they appear already in their fourth year.

Description of cones and seeds

Siberian cedar belongs to monoecious cultures, i.e., on one tree there are both male and female cones. The former are concentrated on the bases of the branches, and the latter are concentrated on the tops. Pollination occurs with the help of wind in June.

Important! For successful cultivation, you cannot fertilize the soil with nitrogen: the substance inhibits the growth of the crop. It is preferable to use potassium formulations in top dressing.

Young cones are colored in purple, egg-shaped. As they develop, they become diamond-shaped and acquire a brown tint. In tightly squeezed flakes, seeds mature within 15 months.

Mature cones fall in September-October, without opening, each contains 30-150 seeds, depending on its size. Large nuts are obovate in shape, up to 14 mm long and covered with a hard shell.

Can the cedar be attributed to fruit crops

From a botanical point of view, pine nuts are seeds, not fruits. If we take into account that oil is produced from seeds, then the culture can most likely be attributed to oilseeds, and not to fruit and berry. But it’s not so simple.

Did you know? In the Bible, in the description of the construction of the Jerusalem Temple, cedar wood is mentioned as one of the building materials. In those days, the tree symbolized well-being and prosperity.

Cedar has a rich purpose:

1. Medicinal raw materials - live and essential oil, resin, needles. Used in pharmacology, cosmetology, perfumery and traditional medicine. Needles are used in the production of valuable livestock products. Zhivitsa (resin) is popular in dentistry for relieving pain and treating infections. The oil is unique, is part of many drugs, is used independently.
2. Food product - nuts, butter. Ingredients for salads, first and second courses, pastries and desserts.
3. Construction material. Wood is often used for external works, interior decoration of houses, it is durable and resistant to external influences, to insects. Bees that live in cedar hives are especially fruitful.
4. Household purpose. Crockery and food packaging keeps food fresh, does not absorb odors.
5. Landscaping. It cleans the air of carbon dioxide, saturates it with volatile, has a healing effect.

In nature, the culture develops slowly, but with home growing and application of breeding varieties, you can achieve faster growth and early fruiting. The main thing is to properly care for the plant, provide it with suitable conditions.