What kind of plant is a conifer?
gymnospermous plantsconifer, any member of the division Pinophyta, class Pinopsida, order Pinales, made up of living and fossil gymnospermous plants that usually have needle-shaped evergreen leaves and seeds attached to the scales of a woody bracted cone.
Are conifers spores or seeds?
Pine trees are conifers (cone bearing) and carry both male and female sporophylls on the same mature sporophyte. Therefore, they are monoecious plants. Like all gymnosperms, pines are heterosporous, generating two different types of spores: male microspores and female megaspores.
What type of seed is a conifer?
Gymnosperms are seed-bearing plants that do not produce fruit. Gymnosperms have seeds, but they do not produce fruit. Instead, the seeds of gymnosperms are usually found in cones. There are four phyla of gymnosperms: conifers, cycads, ginkgoes, and gnetophytes.
Do conifers reproduce through seeds?
Most important, coniferous plants reproduce by growing seeds inside of cones. These cones ripen over the course of weeks, and the seeds are then dispersed either by being dropped, eaten or carried away by forest wildlife. This is something that only a coniferous plant can do.
What do conifers use to make seeds?
conesThe word "conifers" means "bearing cones." Conifers are plants that use cones to house their seeds. Conifers are woody plants and most of them are trees such as pine trees, firs, cypresses, junipers, cedars, and redwoods. Conifers reproduce using their cones. Some cones are male and some are female.
Is a pinecone a seed?
What, Exactly, Is a Pine Cone? In the biology of pine trees, the cone is actually not the seed at all, but a "fruit" structure that nurtures two pine seeds between each pointed or prickly scale of the cone. What we normally think of as a pine cone is actually the female reproductive structure of the tree.
Which is an example of a conifer?
PineConifersFirLarchCedarThujaConifers/Lower classifications
Where do conifers store their seeds?
coneSeeds are found inside the cone on the upper surfaces of the cone scales. Open cones have dropped their seed; so collect closed cones only, preferably by picking them from trees. Collect cones from well-formed, vigorous trees.
Where do the seeds of coniferous plants grow?
The mature seed consists of the dormant embryo embedded in remnants of the female gametophyte and megasporangium (nucellus) and surrounded by a seed coat. The seed coat of conifers is similar to that of other gymnosperms, developing from an integument with three distinct layers.
What type of reproduction do conifers have?
Conifers grow cones to reproduce instead of flowers or fruits. Scales grow on the outside of the cones. Some species of conifer grow male and female cones on the same tree, while others grow male and female cones on separate trees. The male cones, which are smaller than the female cones, produce pollen.
Which plant does not produce seeds?
Plants such as ferns and mosses are called nonflowering plants and produce spores instead of seeds. There is also another group called the Fungi, that include mushrooms, and these also reproduce by spores.
What are the seedless plant called?
Lycophytes and pterophytes are referred to as seedless vascular plants, because they do not produce seeds. The seed plants, or spermatophytes, form the largest group of all existing plants, and hence dominate the landscape.
How do conifers disperse seeds?
Seeds of conifers, holly and oaks (acorns) may be dispersed directly from the plants by dropping when fruits mature. Some of these seeds and fruits may roll, or be blown along the ground. Some conifer seeds have seed wings, which increase the chances that they will be moved by wind.
How do coniferous plants reproduce?
Conifers grow cones to reproduce instead of flowers or fruits. Scales grow on the outside of the cones. Some species of conifer grow male and female cones on the same tree, while others grow male and female cones on separate trees. The male cones, which are smaller than the female cones, produce pollen.
Is conifers reproduce asexually?
The two main ways that flowering plants and conifers reproduce are sexual reproduction by means of seeds and asexual reproduction by means of separating and rooting part of a plant, cloning the mother plant. Not all plants are suited for asexual, or vegetative, reproduction.
Where do conifers come from?
The fossil record shows that conifers originated in Europe and North America during the Middle Pennsylvanian approximately 310 million years ago, subsequently diversifying and radiating across the global landscape.
What does conifer mean?
Remember, conifer means 'cone bearing' . It doesn't mean needle-like leaves or evergreen. Compare the parallel veining on Ginkgo leaves with, say, Agathis, which is a conifer.
How many conifers are there in the world?
While there are only around 800 conifers that occur in nature (as compared to perhaps 28,000 orchids), due to chance mutations and plant breeding, there are thousands of cultivars (short for ‘cultivated variety’) that are wonderful focal points and accents to the garden and landscape.
Do conifers have needles?
So ok, we get it now, conifers are complicated, but they all have cones and we know that they all have needles instead of leaves, right? Well…sorry to make it even MORE complicated, but there are a few conifers that don’t have needles, they have leaves! Native to Australia, they don’t look anything like our idea of conifers. So what makes them conifers then? Remember the first bullet point: they bear cones!
Do conifers add color to the garden all year long?
Conifers add color to the garden all year long! Photo by Janice LeCocq
Is a pine tree a conifer?
So yes, pine trees are coni fers; we all know about pine cones! However, some conifers, such a yews, have fleshy cone that look more like fruit. Here's a photo: Yew 'fruit'. Other conifers, such as cypress and junipers, have cones with fused scales that look more like berries than what we think of as cones.
Is a ginkgo a conifer?
Hi Judit. Technically, no, Ginkgo is not a conifer. At one point, taxonomists did include Ginkgo with conifers, but today they have their own species, genus, family, order, class and division. However, we at the ACS include them under our conifer umbrella because both conifers and Ginkgo are gymnosperms, and closely related botanically.
What is a conifer?
Conifer, any member of the division Pinophyta, class Pinopsida, order Pinales, made up of living and fossil gymnospermous plants that usually have needle-shaped evergreen leaves and seeds attached to the scales of a woody bracted cone.
Where are conifers found?
Conifers are most abundant in cool temperate and boreal regions, where they are important timber trees and ornamentals, but they are most diverse in warmer areas, including tropical mountains. The heights of selected conifers and a highlight of the needle-and-cone configuration of the Douglas fir ( Pseudotsuga ).
How tall are conifers?
In fact, the very tallest trees are the coast redwoods ( Sequoia sempervirens) of coastal California, some of which are more than 110 metres (361 feet) tall.
Famous varieties of Conifer trees
It is native to the regions of Australia, New Zealand, Spain, Mexico, and some areas of California. The height of the tree ranges from 12 to 32 meters. It loves to grow in temperate forests. It is famous for its high-quality pulp and lumber for industrial uses [2] Burdon, R., Pinus radiata. Ecosystems of the world, 2001: p. 99-162. Read .
Reproduction and life cycle of Conifer trees
Conifers are naturally spread by winds, seeds are spread through the air because they are light in weight. Some of the conifers are monoecious some are dioecious, and sub-dioecious are also observed.
Artificial propagation
The method is favorable for conifer plants with a strong root system. It is also a time-consuming method because it can take a whole year for the development of the root system. Once a proper root system is developed, the plant is ready to be planted in the soil.
Care and tips for healthy growth of ornamental conifers
Nitrogen content in the soil determines the seed quality and its dry weight. The nitrogen in the form of ammonium ions and nitrates is important to enhance the speed of seed and cone production.
Diseases of Conifer trees
Major problems faced by Conifer trees are related to fungal infections. These disease conditions are economically important because any damage to the softwood supply to the industries will result in a decrease in gross domestic production (GDP). Some of the important diseases are discussed below:
Uses of Conifer trees
Provide food, fuel, and excellent quality of wood pieces to build furniture and wood materials as house decors.
Where are the seeds of conifer trees tucked?
The seeds of conifer trees are tucked inside cones.
How to stratify conifer seeds?
Just soak the kernels in water for 12 to 24 hours, drain them, then layer them with slightly damp peat moss or vermiculite in a jar or plastic tub, and then refrigerate the containers for one to four months (the y'll need a temperature that's below 45°F but above freezing). Some conifer seeds don't require stratification if planted fresh. However, older seeds will always benefit from exposure to a cold period, either natural or artificial.
How to keep evergreens healthy?
The best way to insure a crop of healthy evergreens is to keep your seedlings growing rapidly. To do so, you'll have to give them sufficient (but not excessive) water and monthly feedings of half-strength liquid organic fertilizer; stronger solutions of plant food may damage the roots. -Advertisement-.
How long does it take for a conifer tree to grow?
Though individual species do grow at differing rates, a young conifer will generally be ready for its permanent growing spot two years after its seed was sown. Once again, it's important not to disturb the root ball when transplanting. Remove plants from a nursery bed and trench all around each small tree, burrowing underneath before attempting to lift it from the surrounding soil.
How to get a germination?
One easy way to achieve germination is by exposing the kernels—for periods of time that can vary from one species to another—to cold temperatures. This treatment, called "stratification," serves to break the dormancy of the embryos.
When to gather conifer seeds?
The best time to gather them is in the fall, when the fibrous "petals" at the base of the woody husks have begun to open, indicating ripeness.
Can evergreens grow from seed?
That doesn't mean that evergreens are necessarily difficult to grow. With a little patience and a dollop of knowledge, there's no reason why you can't have the pleasure and satisfaction of raising your own conifer trees from seed.
How to grow conifers?
The trick to growing conifers (a group including pine, spruce, fir, and other narrow-leaved evergreens) lies in understanding how to work in harmony with nature . . . first to sprout the seeds and then to protect the delicate young plants from disease. As you likely know, conifer seeds (some of which are as large as a quarter-inch in diameter, while others are minute) are tucked between the scales of cones. The best time to gather the life-carrying nodules is in the fall, when the fibrous "petals" at the base of the woody husks have begun to open, indicating ripeness. Simply pick or clip off some cones and place them in a dish. As they dry, the seeds should loosen and drop out ... though occasionally a stubborn piece of "fruit" will have to be dismantled in order to get at the nuggets within.
How to keep evergreens healthy?
The best way to insure a crop of healthy evergreens is to keep your seedlings growing rapidly . To do so, you'll have to make sure they get sufficient (but not excessive) water and monthly feedings of half-strength liquid organic fertilizer. (Stronger solutions of plant food may damage the roots.) -Advertisement-.
Can you grow conifers from seed?
Growing conifers from seed isn't for the impatient. But if you have the interest, the time, and a willingness to let nature work its magic (with just a little assistance along the way), you can reap the rewards of nurturing a tree which — as the wind whispers through its needles — will scent your days and soothe your nights.
Can conifer seeds sprout?
Therefore, if you were to simply stick wild conifer seeds in the ground, it might be years before any of them began to grow! Some wouldn't sprout until bacteria and fungi had eaten away at their coatings . Others would burgeon only following exposure to fire . . . after repeated freezing or thawing . . . or in response to some other natural sequence of events. The key to success, then, is to speed germination in some way that replicates nature's own processes.
Do conifer trees grow from tiny acorns?
We've all heard the old saw, "Mighty oaks from tiny acorns grow." Well, the sighing, whispering conifer forests that still cover much of North America sprang from humble beginnings, too. In fact, these beautiful and useful trees have a hard time even getting started on their own.
Can you plant stratified seeds outdoors?
However, older nodules will always benefit from exposure to a cold season, either natural or artificial. While you can simply plant your stratified seeds in the ground outdoors, as happens in the wild, the low success rate which generally rewards that method provides a good argument for coddling your plants.
Do evergreens sprout as readily as marigolds?
The seeds of evergreens don't sprout as readily as do, say, garden variety marigolds.
How to grow conifer seeds in the winter?
1. Soak the conifer seeds in warm water for 12 to 24 hours. Drain the water and layer the seeds in an airtight container with damp peat moss. Place the container in the refrigerator for two months . Keep the temperature in the refrigerator above freezing but below 45 degrees Fahrenheit.
How to transplant conifer seedlings?
Cut the bedding between the conifer seedlings with a sharp knife so as not to disturb the roots. Plant each seedling in a 1-gallon plant pot filled with potting soil when the seedlings begin to crowd each other. The conifers are ready for transplanting into the ground when they outgrow their containers.
What zone do conifers grow in?
Conifers grow in U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 2 through 9, depending on the species. Most of these trees and shrubs produce cones, except junipers and yews, which produce berry-like cones.
Why are conifers erratic?
Conifer seed germination is erratic, because they are pre-programmed to only sprout under favorable conditions.
How to grow a sage plant?
Feed the seedlings with half-strength liquid fertilizer such as fish emulsion when the first true needles appear. Sprouting starts in a couple of weeks, but some stubborn seeds may take longer. Keep the tray in a sunny protected area such as under the edge of a tree or in an unheated greenhouse. Do not let the plants dry out.
What is a conifer?
Conifers are woody plants, which means that they have stems and trunks of wood, which are covered with bark. They have woody stems even if they are ground covers or tiny miniatures that grow a fraction of an inch a year. Most of us think of trees when we hear ‘woody plants’ but there are thousands of shrubs, groundcovers and vines that are included in the category. Growing and caring for conifers and other woody plants is generally the same.
What does a golden conifer that's supposed to be deep green mean?
Is the color true to its intended description? For example, a golden conifer that’s supposed to be deep green indicates a lack of nutrients.
How long does it take for a golden conifer to burn?
Some of the golden cultivars will burn in full sun until established, which can take 2-3 summers. A few never burn in full sun. Check the plant description to be sure, or better yet, consult with other conifer lovers in your area. Conifers with white variegation tolerate very little to any direct sun.
What is the problem with B&B conifers?
B&B conifers have an unique set of issues: The soil is often clay, and the clay ball often buries the root flare. There is often much more root trauma involved with digging and preparing these trees, which means more transplant shock and a greater need for supplemental irrigation. Adventitious roots grow into the soil above the flare.
How are woody plants grown?
Woody plants are grown in one of two ways: in containers or the field. Container-grown plants are much more likely to be root-bound than those that are field grown, however their entire ‘history’ is evident in the container, and it is relatively easy to get a look at the roots.
Where is the flare on a conifer?
It’s critical for a conifer’s root flare (the point at which the roots begin to “flare out” from the trunk) to be visible at the soil surface. Many woody plants are buried far too deeply. The plant must be ‘excavated’ so that the flare is visible.
Do conifers need space to grow?
Remember to consider growth rate when placing your conifer; fast growing selections will need space to expand.
Why are conifers important?
While conifers are a smaller group of species than others, they are a hugely important division of plants as they often grow over large landmasses. While the rainforest displays more biodiversity, boreal conifer forests maintain the planet’s largest carbon sink.
Why are conifers important to the northern hemisphere?
Conifers are economically valued for their soft lumber and the production of paper. Indigenous communities continue to fight for these precious and powerful ecosystems.
What is a gymnosperm?
Gymnosperms are a group of plants that produce seeds that are not contained within either the fruit or the ovary of a plant. The seeds of a gymnosperm are open to the air and are directly fertilized by pollination. Another term for gymnosperm, though less frequently used, is acrogymnospermae. It’s a big word for plants you are most likely already ...
How do conifers produce ovules?
A pollen tube will eventually be created to carry the sperm cells to penetrate the egg cell. Female ovulate cones give rise to megaspores (also known as the haploid) in a structure called the megasporangium, then producing ovules. When the pollen fertilizes the ovule, it creates a diploid zygote. This creates an embryo, coated in seed tissue. This process of reproductive structures, fertilization, and seed development can take years.
How to tell if cedar is real?
To identify a true cedar, look for needles in dense, spiral clusters. The needles are waxy. Its cones are the true give-away: they grow upright and are barrel-shaped.
Where did the term gymnosperm come from?
The origin of the term gymnosperm is greek. Gymnos, meaning “naked” and sperma being “seed” connects the etymology of the word directly to its specific style of seed production – unenclosed and exposed for pollination. The seed of a gymnosperm develops on the surface of leaves or scales and are often modified into cones.
Where are cedar trees native to?
However, this is a lot of common misunderstanding as to true cedars, which only include 4 species: Cedrus libani, Cedrus atlantica, Cedrus brevifolia, and Cedrus deodara. All are native to the mountainous regions of the Western Himalayas and the Mediterranean. These trees, Cedrus libani in particular, are threatened species.
