Flattened

2024 Author: Gavin MacAdam | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 13:38

Platycladus (lat.platycladus) - a coniferous evergreen tree belonging to the Cypress family.

Description

The squid is a slowly growing tree of relatively small size, the height of which can vary from five to ten meters. True, sometimes in especially favorable conditions one can meet specimens up to eighteen meters high or even more. If these trees grow in unfavorable conditions for them, then they often take the form of bushes.

Each tree has a superficial root system. As for the trunks, they are in most cases straight, and the diameter of the trunks of mature trees often reaches one meter. Sometimes the trunks are divided near the bases into several isolated and vertical trunks rushing upward. Each trunk is covered with light, thin bark, painted in pleasant reddish-brownish tones. This bark is endowed with the ability to exfoliate, and it exfoliates in rather long strips.

Quite wide fan-shaped (that is, flat-squeezed) twigs of the flat-branch are covered with a yellowish-reddish bark and always grow tightly pressed and only vertically directed. They form luxurious wide crowns, characterized by a spectacular conical shape.

Scale-like or needle-like (needle-like needles can be found only in annual or biennial trees), the needles of trees are always very closely pressed against the branches. Its length varies from one to three millimeters, and it is all painted in pleasant light green tones and is endowed with rather sharp tops. By the way, with the onset of winter, the needles turn brown. The needles have another interesting feature - it is characterized by the complete absence of resin glands.

Sitting at the very tips of the shoots, the male greenish-yellowish flowers of the flat-branch (often called microstrobils) boast an attractive elongated shape and reach a length of two to three millimeters. Platypus begins to bloom with the onset of April. And female bumps, called megastrobiles, often reach two centimeters and have a very impressive weight - from eight to twelve grams. All of them have an almost spherical shape, are attached to the tips of separate branches and are endowed with characteristic hook-shaped protrusions. Until the moment of ripening, the female bumps are quite soft, and they are covered with a delicate bluish-greenish coating. They ripen after pollination only in the second year, acquiring a reddish-brownish tint when ripe and gradually becoming rustic. And after a while they also open up. Each cone is formed by six or eight scales that are fused together and directed upwards, while each scale includes one or two seeds. Egg-shaped seeds are reliably protected by plump brownish-brownish shells with white markings near the bases and a spectacular glossy surface. The length of the seeds reaches six millimeters, and their width ranges from three to four millimeters. These seeds do not have wings, and their ripening usually occurs in autumn.

Where grows

The natural habitat of the flatfish is considered to be Korea and China.

Usage

The strong and light wood of the flathead is often used for the manufacture of furniture, but, alas, it is not suitable for exterior decoration in the construction business. Moreover, these trees are widely used in park construction and for landscaping various settlements. Luxurious hedges are made from flatfish.

Growing and caring

Platypus perfectly tolerates drought, and also boasts excellent resistance to short-term frosts up to minus twenty-five degrees and the ability to grow superbly on loose, poor soils. At the same time, it is important to take into account that in cold climates, its growth slows down significantly.