What does larch look like

Larch is a coniferous tree with unique features and valuable economic and medicinal properties. It is interesting to know what a tree looks like and how it differs from other conifers, as well as to understand what its benefits are.

Where does larch grow, in what natural area

On the territory of Our Country, you can meet a tree in almost all regions of the country? it is characterized by increased endurance and calmly tolerates climatic changes. Larch grows everywhere in Siberia and the Far East, where it occupies vast natural territories, and is found in small quantities in the Urals. Can you see a coniferous tree in the middle lane? however, larches of the European part of Our Country grow only in cultural plantings.

The habitat of larch in the world is Canada and the northern regions of the United States, the tree grows in the mountainous regions of Europe and Asian countries. Coniferous breed is undemanding to the quality of the soil, but prefers areas with enough sun. Larch often forms continuous forests, but successfully coexists with other coniferous or deciduous species.

Description of larch

The appearance and description of the larch tree is truly unique. The plant combines the characteristics of deciduous and coniferous trees, has a high life expectancy and a recognizable structure.

What group of plants does larch belong to?

Contrary to its name, larch is a coniferous tree and belongs to the Pine family. The uniqueness lies in the fact that of all the numerous conifers, only this species sheds its needles for the winter, thereby demonstrating the signs characteristic of deciduous plants.

larch height

The maximum height of a coniferous tree can be 50 m, while the girth of the trunk reaches 1 m. The growth of a tree directly depends on the conditions, larch grows best in sunny regions with well-drained soils, and in swampy and low-sun areas it can remain stunted and stunted.

Larch needle length

The needles of a tree can reach from 1,5 cm to 4,5 cm in length, the dimensions depend on the plant variety, its age and growth. The photo of a tree and larch leaves shows that the needles of the tree are soft and flattened, on long shoots the needles of the plant are arranged singly, and on short shoots – in thick bundles consisting of 20-50 needles.

The size and shape of the larch cones

Every year, 2 varieties of cones appear on the shoots of a coniferous tree – yellowish male and green or reddish female. In shape, the cones of the tree are rounded or elongated, almost cylindrical, and in size do not exceed 3,5 cm.

Larch crown shape

The outlines of the crown of a coniferous tree depend not only on the species and variety, but also on age. Common larch at a young age has a cone-shaped elongated crown. But over the years, the branches of the tree grow, and the crown acquires a rounded or ovoid shape.

If the area where the tree grows is characterized by strong winds blowing in the same direction, then the crown can stretch in the same direction and acquire a flag-like shape.

The ratio of larch to light

A hardy and generally unpretentious coniferous tree makes high demands on the level of lighting. A tree needs plenty of sunlight to grow healthy and grow quickly. In conditions of strong shading, it can greatly slow down its development or completely stop growth and remain stunted and weak.

How larch blooms

The flowering of a coniferous tree is not at all like the usual one. It does not give flowers in the usual sense of the word, but their role is played by young cones that appear on the branches of a tree in early spring.

Unlike most conifers, larch blooms not with green, but with raspberry or pink female cones. Therefore, in the period from late April to early May, the tree noticeably changes and becomes very beautiful.

How many years does larch live

Coniferous breed is among the centenarians. The life expectancy of larch is usually from 300 to 600 years. However, trees with an age of more than 800 years are also known in the world.

Structural features of larch

Externally and in its characteristics, the plant may resemble other coniferous trees. But some features of larch make it possible to unmistakably distinguish it from pine, spruce or cedar.

How to distinguish larch from pine

Pine and larch have similarities, but they also have differences. The main distinguishing feature of larch is the ability to shed needles for the winter, while pine is an evergreen tree. But there are other nuances.

• In an adult larch, the trunk is usually thicker than that of a pine, and the crown is more transparent and light.
• Pine has longer needles, and along all shoots they are arranged in a spiral in small bunches of 2 needles each. Up to 50 needles can be present in coniferous bunches of larch.
• Larch lives on average up to 600 years, pine – only up to 350.

Trees can be distinguished from each other by the shape of the cones. In pine they are cone-shaped, like in most conifers, and in larch they are rounded.

Which is better – larch or pine

The wood of both trees is often used in construction. There are advantages to both options.

• Larch wood is much denser in structure than pine wood, therefore it is more reliable and durable.
• Highly selected larch wood has a smoother texture with fewer knots.
• The color of larch is very beautiful – the boards may have a reddish or light brown tint. But there is also a minus – it is more difficult to choose lumber of the same color, almost always the shades will differ.

In general, the properties of larch are valued much higher. But the price of its wood is also higher, the plant is supplied mainly from Siberia, drying and processing are associated with certain difficulties. Therefore, pine is still the more common budget option.

What is the difference between fir and larch

Distinguishing larch and fir is quite simple. First of all, you need to look at the trunk – the fir is slimmer and does not have noticeable bends, besides, its bark is smooth. Like most conifers, fir remains green in winter – this distinguishes it from larch.

A characteristic feature of fir is its cones. They sit on the shoots vertically and are directed upwards, like candles. An adult fir can reach a greater height than a larch tree – up to 60 m or more in height.

Which is better – cedar or larch

Both cedar and larch are considered premium materials in construction. Cedar has the following advantages:

• beautiful appearance of wood – noble brown with a recognizable pattern;
• antiseptic properties, neither mold nor insects appear in cedar houses;
• good thermal insulation characteristics – cedar wood is very dense and thick.

The main disadvantages of cedar can be considered its high cost and a strong specific smell, which not everyone likes.

Larch not only costs less, but also does not emit an obsessive aroma. With proper processing, it surpasses cedar in terms of the strength of wood and retains heat just as well. Therefore, the properties of larch wood are more popular in construction.

The difference between spruce and larch

In a coniferous forest, larch can be confused with spruce. But a number of characteristic features will allow you to correctly determine the type of tree.

• If larch needles are long and soft to the touch, spruce needles are usually shorter and much sharper.
• Spruce is an evergreen plant, it does not shed needles for the winter and does not change color in autumn. Larch with the advent of autumn turns yellow, and with the onset of cold weather, its needles crumble.
• On the branches of spruce, the needles are arranged in a single order, while on larch they are collected in large bunches.
• Spruce produces a more pronounced coniferous aroma.

According to the characteristics of larch wood, it is much stronger and harder than spruce. Spruce boards weigh much less, they are lighter in color than larch.

Larch in landscape design

Larch is a very beautiful tree in terms of landscape design. If desired, it can be grown on your own plot.

• The tree looks attractive, even if planted alone in a free area of ​​​​space. In summer, the tree will please with a juicy and bright shade of needles, and in the fall it will acquire a golden yellow color and give the site a fabulous look.
• In the composition of plant compositions, the tree usually plays the role of the main accent. You can combine it with both undersized conifers and perennial flowers.
• Low decorative varieties of wood are used to create hedges. Also, plants with drooping branches are often planted near natural or artificial reservoirs.

If you break the lawn around a lonely standing tree, then in the warm season under it you can arrange a comfortable place to relax by placing a deck chair or chair in the shade.

In garden compositions, the plant looks best in groups with 2-3 shades of color. If the alpine slide or flower bed is too bright and colorful, the tree is simply lost against the background of neighboring plants.

Types of larch with a photo

In terms of species diversity, the tree is represented very widely. It makes sense to single out some of the most common types and varieties of larch with a photo that are found all over the world both in wild and in decorative form.

European

European larch, or common larch, is one of the most common plant species. It grows mainly in Western Europe in the foothills, tolerates cold well, but does not like heavy marshy soil.

In height, European larch grows up to 40 m, in trunk girth it can reach 1,5 m. A recognizable feature of the species is sagging branches, the crown of a tree can be oval or have an irregular shape. In an adult plant, the bark is brown, and in young trees it is gray.

Siberian

Another common species that occupies considerable space in Siberia, Altai and the Urals. Predominantly forms solid massifs or grows in mixed coniferous forests, rarely found in the neighborhood of deciduous trees. The tree prefers podzolic, moist soils and plenty of sunlight.

The Siberian variety grows on average up to 40 m, and the diameter of its trunk can reach 1,8 m. The crown shape of the tree is oval, thinned out, the bark of mature trees is grayish, and that of young trees is light yellow.

Japanese

The Japanese variety grows wild on the island of Honshu in Japan. The tree has a number of distinctive features:

• Japanese larch is noticeably lower than other species – about 35 m in height;
• the crown of the plant is pyramidal, thick long branches are located horizontally;
• the needles of the plant have a bluish-green tint, which gives the tree a very decorative look.

Unlike most species, Japanese larch thrives on moist clay soils and loams. Also, this variety is distinguished by rapid growth.

American

The habitat of the American larch is mainly Canada and the northeastern regions of America. The tree is quite compact in size, reaches an average of up to 30 m in height, while the girth of the trunk is only about half a meter. The crown of the American variety of the plant is cone-shaped, formed by curved long branches, the trunk is covered with reddish bark in mature trees and dark yellow or orange in young ones. The requirements for the conditions of the tree are quite standard, it loves sunlight, but at the same time it is calm about the low quality of the soil.

A characteristic feature of the American variety is the miniature size of cones and needles. Needles usually do not exceed 3 cm in length. The size of the cones is on average 2 cm, but the buds of a plant of this species have a very beautiful shape, reminiscent of rosebuds.

Daurskaya

Daurian larch is one of the most hardy types of coniferous plants. Trees can grow on poor soils and on permafrost, on mountain slopes and in wetlands, and endure severe frosts.

The maximum height of the Dahurian larch is about 30 m, the trunk in diameter reaches about 0,8 m. The crown of the tree is oval, the bark is very dense, covered with deep grooves. The cones of this species in a blooming state are similar to rose flowers and have a pronounced crimson hue. The species is actively used in landscape design, since minimal care is required for a beautiful plant.

Varieties of larch for the garden

In addition to species diversity, the tree is represented by a large number of ornamental varieties. Varietal trees are successfully grown in gardens and summer cottages, usually they are characterized by rapid growth, a small maximum height and an interesting crown shape.

Kornik

European larch with a spherical crown, reaching 1,5 m in height and about 1,2 in crown diameter. The branches of the variety are short and grow upwards, soft needles grow up to 3 cm in length, a distinctive feature is a large number of decorative buds.

Kornik is often grafted onto a trunk. From spring to early autumn, larch needles have a bright green color, in autumn Kornik turns yellow, and falls off in cold weather.

Repens

The variety of the European variety Repens reaches 1,5 m in height and spreads a crown of 80 cm in diameter. It is usually cultivated in standard form, a characteristic feature of the plant is flexible, very long shoots falling to the ground.

“Weeping” Repens larch organically looks on the banks of small reservoirs, is used as part of alpine slides, and is also suitable for container growing.

Blue Dwarf

A variety of the Japanese variety with a maximum height of about 2 m on a trunk and a crown diameter of about 1 m. It is distinguished by very beautiful needles – in the summer season Blue Dwarf has a bluish-green shade of the crown, and in autumn its needles become bright orange.

Trees of this variety grow very slowly, adding only up to 4 cm per year, they prefer lighted areas, but they can also tolerate slight shading.

Diana (Diana)

Japanese larch Diana is an unusual variety with twisted spiral-shaped branches directed upwards. The tree is quite tall, can reach up to 8 m in height, with a crown diameter of about 5 m. The crown shape of the plant is usually spherical or hemispherical, the bark on the trunk is red-brown.

Variety Diana is often used in landscape design and bred in gardens both in single plantings and in compositions.

Pendula (Pendula)

Another decorative variety of the Japanese variety with beautifully hanging shoots. It grows up to 6 m in height, the average crown diameter is about 1,5 m.

Pendula looks good on the banks of artificial reservoirs and as part of plant compositions. The shoots of the variety can not only descend to the ground, but also lie on the ground with a green carpet. The shade of the needles of this variety in the summer is bluish-green.

Stiff Weeper

A variety of Japanese larch with a creeping crown type reaches 2 m in height and about 1 m in crown diameter. It is usually grown on stems. The needles of the plant are bluish-green, in terms of growing conditions Stif Viper prefers sunny areas.

The variety looks impressive in group plantings and with a single planting. To maintain the beauty and health of the plant, it is necessary to monitor moisture, the tree does not like either marshy soil or severe drought.

Krejci

Kreychi is an unusual variety of European larch, which has a rare and twisted crown in all directions up to 90 cm in diameter and up to 1,5 m high. It is distinguished by very slow growth, it adds no more than 10 cm per year on separate shoots, which noticeably thicken with age. The variety is used mainly in group plantings, it is necessary to plant Kreychi in a lighted area and on well-drained soil.

What is useful larch

A coniferous tree is valued not only for its external beauty, but also for a lot of useful properties. The plant is used in medicine, the composition of the needles includes tannic components and natural acids, ascorbic acid and essential oils. Thanks to this, infusions, decoctions and other remedies based on shoots, buds and needles of a tree have healing properties. Natural medicines effectively fight inflammation, strengthen the immune system and increase stamina, help treat sore joints and neuralgic ailments.

How larch is used by man

Larch wood is an excellent building material. Due to its high density, larch wood has huge reserves of strength and durability, even in conditions of high humidity, it does not lose its characteristics.

The tree is used for low-rise construction, interior and exterior decoration. Floors and stairs are made from the wood of this species, baths and saunas, swimming pools, open terraces are built. Coniferous wood is ideal for use in those buildings that will subsequently be exposed to high humidity or temperature changes.

The use of larch by man has been going on for centuries, in the old days the tree species was used in shipbuilding. Even with constant exposure to moisture, larch wood not only does not lose, but also enhances its strength characteristics.

Larch in medicine

In folk recipes, cones and needles of plants are mainly used – tinctures and decoctions are prepared on their basis. The benefit of larch is that medicinal remedies from the plant help with rheumatism, sciatica and gout, and relieve toothache. Useful properties of larch needles are expressed in the fact that the plant has hemostatic properties, brings a beneficial effect in case of constipation.

Larch needles are often used for colds. The antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties of the plant help to cope with coughs, reduce fever and eliminate infectious processes in the respiratory tract.

Features of caring for larch

Growing a tree is not particularly difficult. There are a few basic rules to keep in mind

• Conifer loves light, so it should not be planted in shady areas.
• The tree does not tolerate drought and waterlogging, the soil for this plant should be selected light and with good aeration, if necessary, drainage should be provided.
• Watering the tree is carried out as needed, during periods of drought, you need to bring water under the trunk 1-2 times a week.
• For a coniferous tree, it is imperative to carry out an annual sanitary pruning. Decorative haircut is carried out to align the crown and only for young trees.

Interesting facts about larch

Several interesting facts are connected with the unusual coniferous tree larch.

• This coniferous breed is the most numerous in Our Country. However, in terms of prevalence, it is less common than pine or spruce, mainly larch forests are concentrated in Siberia and the Far East.
• Despite the huge natural reserves of coniferous species, it is far from being the most popular in logging. The reason is that wood cannot be rafted down rivers in the traditional way – due to its high density, it sinks almost instantly. Thus, additional transportation costs are required for the workpiece.

Over the years, the density of larch wood only increases; it is very difficult to drive a nail into a well-dried tree. Structures and decorative elements made of this rock have been preserved for centuries. For example, larch piles still support Venice built in the Middle Ages, the decoration and cladding in the interiors of ancient manors and palaces is perfectly preserved.

Conclusion

Larch is a coniferous tree with unique characteristics and numerous beneficial properties. It is used everywhere, in folk medicine and in construction, in repair and decoration, when creating beautiful landscapes in parks and gardens.