Assessment of the decorative qualities of species of the genus Pinus L. in the conditions of the European part of Russia

Abstract

The paper presents the results of a study of the decorativeness of pines, which are actively grown on the territory of the European part of Russia. Decorativeness is based on the visual perception of plant habitus. The state of the habitus depends on the genotype and adaptive characteristics in certain growing conditions. The study examined 25 decorative features of 56 species. 24 traits were related to vegetative and generative organs. 1 trait was assessed by the method of weight taxonomy as an indicator of originality of all species for 24 traits. Studies have shown that the total score on a 100-point scale of decorativeness in the studied pines varies from 40 in Pinus heldreichii Chirst and Pinus waschoensis Mason & Stockwell to 68 in Pinus patula Schltdl. & Cham. The research results can be applied when choosing species for cultivation on landscaping objects to increase their aesthetic appeal.