One type of plant that spread and spread in the late Carboniferous period are the conifersThese are seed plants, so named because they are cone-shaped or cushion-shaped. They currently number more than 550 species. The vast majority of all species belonging to this group are trees or shrubs. They have come to dominate numerous areas at high latitudes, forming forests with evergreen, needle-like leaves. Among the best-known members of this family are pines, firs, cedars, and redwoods. You can learn more about the boreal forest in the context of climate change.
We are going to dedicate this article to tell you about all the characteristics, habitat and main species of the group of conifers.
Coniferous characteristics
These are aeolian plants whose seed develops within a protective cone. Hence its name. This cone of protection has the name of strobilus. During the time in which the seed develops and matures the cone lasts between 4 months and 3 years. The size of these seeds varies greatly depending on the species. Some conifer seeds are highly protected and able to withstand extreme environmental conditions. Therefore, they have developed a great capacity to survive in different environments, adapting to areas with high heat, periods of long drought, and extreme cold during the winter. If you want to know more about how the Climate change affects conifers, you can check out our additional resources.
The adaptations that conifers have had throughout history have been mainly due to the type of leaf. Commonly, all conifer species contain straight trunks. They usually have a great variety of trunk sizes, being the largest being the famous 112.5 meter high redwoods. By the way, Redwoods are impressive trees that play a crucial role in their ecosystem.
The terrestrial biome dominated by conifers is the taiga. You've probably heard of this type of ecosystem. It's also known as the boreal forest and is found throughout the Northern Hemisphere. These are areas closer to the poles where temperatures are more extreme. They have colder winters with a high amount of precipitation in the form of snow. It happens to be the largest biome in the world, accounting for 30% of all the world's forests. Furthermore, the boreal forest It is vital for the balance of our planet.
The taiga is composed of coniferous and copper forests in most areas such as the interior of Canada and Alaska in North America, much of Norway and extensions by Finland, Russia, Sweden and Japan. You can read about how the Climate change affects coniferous forests in this context.
Types of conifers
There are numerous types of conifers depending on the characteristics it has. Although the vast majority of them have the characteristics of their family, there are varieties in morphology and phenology. We are going to analyze which are the most representative species within the group of conifers.
White fir
The white fir is native to central and southern Europe. Its most frequent height is around 60 meters high. It is considered as a fairly tall tree and grows very slowly during the first few years. By the time he is 5 years old, he develops almost a meter a year. Flowering is in the spring time.
Greek fir
This type of conifer is native to Greece and its leaves have a dark grayish-green pointed shape. This color is also called stormy green. Its area of distribution is usually in forests where there is a lot of sun or partial shade. If you are interested in the impact of climate change on these species, you can consult the article on the black pine in Teruel.
Colorado fir
Its name indicates its main area of distribution. Although it has a very wide distribution, it is mainly found in northern Mexico and the southeastern United States. It reaches 30 meters in height and has a silver-gray hue. Among the main characteristics of this tree we find that its needles, that is, its leaves, they reach 8 centimeters in length. These are quite long if we compare it with the rest of the species in this group.
Another distinctive feature of the Colorado fir is that its cones are arranged separately by sex. Within the same individual, we find areas with more male cones and other areas with more female cones. Furthermore, the temperate climate favors its growth.
Red fir
It is one of the best known since it is the classic Christmas tree. Within the group of red firs are found 40 other species They span regions of Asia, Southern Europe, North America, and North Africa. It is one of the firs that is most confused by the way its leaves join the branches.
Lesser known coniferous species
We are going to analyze some of the species less known by the community in general. However, many of them are of great interest.
Korean fir
It is native to the southern tip of Korea and is one of the smallest fir trees in existence. It only has a height of between 2-5 meters. Some consider it to be a bush rather than a tree. It grows very slowly, developing between 10-15 centimeters a year until it reaches its mature cone shape. The good thing about this fir is that it is very easy to grow from seeds.
monkey puzzle
These trees originate from the island of Nordfolk and can reach 70 meters in height. They also grow slowly, as the male cones are 5 centimeters long at most, and the female cones are wider at the base and range in length from 7 to 12 centimeters. The wood of this fir is quite hard, heavy, and white in color. It is of great commercial interest as a natural resource for the construction of sailboats. It is usually planted in pots and is commonly grown as a small tree for ornamental purposes. They are usually found in northern areas, as they require colder temperatures to survive. If you are interested in the variety of climates where they grow, you can consult the climate issue in the valleys.
Blue cedar
This species comes from North Africa and contains blue-gray needles, hence its name. It is in high demand since it has a great ornamental interest, and over time, it has become one of the best options for decorating parks and gardens. Its height reaches about 15-20 meters, making it ideal for providing shade in these urban spaces.
I hope that with this information you can learn more about conifers and the main species.