Large, upright, broad, slow growing evergreen shrub, conifer (H 4-5 m, W 2-3 m). Crown conical to egg-shaped, compact, dense, regular. Bark red-brown to dark brown, flaky. Young shoots green, later red-brown. Needles wide, flat (2 cm), dark green. Flowers unisexual, male and female flowers on separate plants; male inflorescence very numerous, yellow, female flowers green. Flowering period: March-April. Fruits produced on female plants only, ovate (0,5-0,8 cm), fleshy, juicy, light red. Ripening time: August-October. Very long-lived, healthy and adaptable species. Requires fertile, sufficiently drained, moderately moist soils. Easily withstands cold, occasional drought, wind, poor soils, urban conditions and hard pruning.
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Conifers have woody stems (i. e. tree trunk and branches) and are also called woody plants or trees. Their leaves are transformed into needles or scales, usually being hard and leathery.
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Woody plant, normally branched at the ground level into several side stems, usually lacks of a dominant stem. Tree top can be of different shapes, dense or thin, symetric or uneven. Most shrubs reach a height of 1 to 2 metres, but some can grow much higher (up to 8 m); some can grow into very low or carpet-like forms.
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Leaves or needles remain on the plant for several consecutive years, usually 2 to 5 years. Our descriptions contain the word evergreen.
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Plant can in otherwise appropriate environment survive cold down to - 23 °C.
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Plants from this group grow equally good in different positions, regardless of solar radiation. Usually they need more moisture in sunny than in shady undergorwth and they can bloom more exuberant.
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Porous or dry soils are normally light and loose, there is no stagnant water but relatively quickly flows in deeper layers; such ground are more airy and warmer, yet drier and usually contain less humus and for such undergrowth it is often to for drought to appear (e. g. rockgardens, walls, by paths and roads, on gravel, also on gravel surface in towns and close to buildings ...), plants of such undergrowth need well-drained soil, they tolerate drought but cannot tolerate constant moisture or even flooding.
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Among described plants in this category we marked those, which are particulary resistant (to various environmental conditions), do not require much maintanance and thereby suitable fot planting in public areas.
