Larch is a genus belonging to the Pine family. It differs from most other conifers in that the greens fall for the winter. Due to this, some types of tree are able to survive abnormally low temperatures, grow far beyond the borders of the Arctic Circle.
Origin of name
The Russian name of the plant indicates a seasonal update of needles. Latin - Larix - It came to the development of a generally accepted botanical classification. Presumably, this word refers to the Gallic or Celtic language, meaning "resinous" or "rich in resin." According to another version, the Latin name comes from the word laridum, meaning "fat".
Botanical Description
Larches - large straight trees. Adult specimens in the wild stretch to a height of 30–40 m, rarely are below 23 m. In diameter, the lower part of the trunk reaches 1.5 m. The root system is pivotal, the penetration depth depends on the soil. Under permafrost conditions, it is superficial, with a large number of subordinate roots. The bark is brown or dark gray, thickens with age, becomes fractured.
Crowns are rare, in young trees of regular conical shape. In adulthood, they become wide, ovoid. Young shoots are slightly pubescent, yellowish, pink or light brown in color. The needles are soft to the touch, flattened, bright green, 2-4 cm long. Located on shoots in large bundles or spirally.
Larch monoecious: one tree contains signs of both sexes. Female cones are short, bright pink or brownish in color, about 3 cm long, with large rounded scales. Male up to 1.5 cm in length, ovoid, yellowish. The seeds are small, winged, ripen by October, can sag in closed cones until next spring. Trees reach fruiting age by 15–17 years. In the summer, mature cones with wide open scales resemble rose flowers. The needles begin to turn yellow and fall in mid-September; in some species, it remains until late autumn. Cones continue to hang on branches throughout the winter.
Larches are undemanding to the level of soil nutrition: they grow on sandy, silty, rocky soils, swamps. Sensitive to lack of sunlight, perish in deep shade. In well-lit areas, they develop rapidly: annual growth in height of young trees reaches 80–100 cm.
Thanks to the stiff thick bark, fire-resistant larch trunks. Trees carry forest fires, fill burnt wastelands. The lifespan of these breeds is about 500 years. There are specimens over 800 years old.
Kinds
In nature, about 20 species of larch. As a result of interspecific pollination, many of them form hybrid forms. Common tree species:
- Siberian. It grows in the Northern Urals, Siberia, Sayan Mountains, Altai, grows as a part of mixed forests in the flat territories and in the mountains to the level of 2900 meters above sea level. Often populates old burns, wastelands. The height of the trees is up to 35–40 m. The crowns are openwork, pyramidal. The young bark is light brown, smooth, becomes brown with age, can be peeled off by plates. The Siberian species is cold-resistant, prefers soddy or podzolic soils, likes moisture. May exist in urban environments.
- Western It grows in Canada, in the northeastern United States, rises to 2500 meters above sea level. The tallest species. The length of the trunks is up to 80 m. The crowns are narrow, pyramidal. The needles are soft, bright green, needles about 3 cm long. The cones are oblong, light brown, up to 5 cm long.
- Japanese or delicate. Far Eastern species growing on the Japanese islands, Sakhalin, Kuril Islands. Trees reach a height of 28-30 m. Crowns are cone-shaped, openwork. The needles are bluish-green, needles up to 5 cm long, spirally located. The bark is reddish or red, lighter than other species. This larch prefers fertile soils, grows slowly, and extends 20 cm per year.
- European. Distributed in the Alps, forests of the Carpathians, Western Europe. Trees reach a height of 30–40 m. Crowns have a wide pyramidal or irregular shape. The needles are gray-green. The bark is brownish-gray, fissured. The species is drought tolerant, does not tolerate waterlogging, and develops on any soil. Life expectancy is up to 400 years or more.
- Daurian. The second name is Larch Gmelin. Distributed in areas of Eastern Siberia. Trees grow up to 35 m in height, the crowns have a pyramidal shape, in open windy areas they become irregular, one-sided. The needles are bright green, 2-3 cm long. The cones are light green. The most cold-resistant and hardy look. It develops on marshy soils, in the mountains, tolerates drought well.
- Seaside. Hybrid variety. Grows in the Far East: in some areas of the Primorsky Territory, on Sakhalin. Trees up to 25 m high. Needles of a bluish tint. The crowns are narrow pyramidal. Cones up to 5 cm long.
All varieties of larch are shed annually by needles. In September or October, it turns yellow, flies around. In May, the shoots are covered with new needles.
Application
Medicine
Scopes of application are numerous. Needles, buds, bark, resin plants - raw materials for the pharmaceutical industry. They contain a complex of biochemical active substances, including:
- lignins
- tannin compounds
- vitamins
- flavonoids
- alkaloids,
- essential oil,
- catechins
- minerals.
Decoctions and infusions of herbs, buds, young bark are used to treat infectious diseases, pathologies of the digestive tract, cardiovascular, immune systems, musculoskeletal system.
Larch resin is an effective biostimulant with antiseptic, firming, anti-inflammatory, regenerating properties. Resin is included in the composition of dietary supplements, natural medicines, cosmetology products.
Wood
Wood belongs to the sound species, has a high density, is not subject to deformation, decay. It is a reddish-brown, with a contrasting natural pattern, heavy, hard material, slightly inferior in technical characteristics to oak. It is well polished, suitable for outdoor and indoor use. Due to its high resin content, it can serve up to 70–100 years without loss of properties..
Larch is used for the production of:
- lining
- flooring
- timber
- panels for decorating the walls of houses,
- furniture
- door leafs
- window frames.
Wood does not suffer from moisture, temperature changes, it holds well all types of fasteners, it has excellent biostability. Logs are used in pillar construction of foundations, capital fences. Even being deep in the soil, the material does not collapse for several decades.
Lumber waste is used for the production of charcoal, alcohol, paper, pulp.
Landscape design
Resistance to adverse environmental influences, beautiful appearance make the tree suitable for landscaping, use in landscape design. Ornamental varieties and ordinary larch can be grown on the house plot. Most species lend themselves well to pruning, crown formation. Dwarf species are used as tapeworms in group plantings. These trees are well adjacent to almost any coniferous and deciduous shrubs..
Landing
Seedlings are recommended in nurseries. Good material has flexible shoots, bright needles without yellowness. The age of the most suitable specimens is 2–4 years. Work is carried out in April or September.
The larch plot should be sunny, without near groundwater. Acidic soil is undesirable. Heavy clay soil should be diluted with sand and a small amount of lime.
Pits for seedlings are prepared with a depth and width twice as large as the root system. Equal parts of peat and sod land are added to the excavated soil. The bottom can be lined with a drainage layer of 10-15 cm. The root neck is not buried: it must remain at the surface level.
After planting, the tree is abundantly watered, mulched with a thick layer of sawdust or dry needles.
Care
The soil near the plantings must be kept clean by weeding. Loosening the soil around the plants is required to a depth of 7–10 cm. Young seedlings need a lot of moisture, so watering should be frequent and plentiful, once a week, 20 liters of water per trunk. Trees older than 5 years are prone to natural rainfall.
Fertilize planting twice a season. For this purpose, complex mineral compositions, potassium supplements, liquid solutions of organics, humus, peat are used.
For winter, larch is not insulated. In severe frosts, young growth can be covered with snow so that the root system does not suffer. Mature trees do not suffer from the cold.
Crowns are cut for sanitary purposes in the spring, after the snow melts. An emerging haircut is carried out in June. During the season, you can cut up to ⅓ of the shoot length, during the growing season they are quickly restored.
Diseases and parasites
The most dangerous for larch is cancer that affects the trunks and needles. Its signs: shiny smooth spots on the cortex, deep ragged cracks, increased gumming. Symptoms of fusarium and other fungal infections: yellowing or browning needles, the appearance of reddish specks, bald spots, rusty or black spots on the bark.
Bordeaux liquid, sulfuric solution, Fundazole, Tsinebom and other fungicides are used for treatment. Tinder fungi are removed from the bark by treating it with copper sulfate or Nitrofen.
Of the parasites, the larch is plagued by caterpillars, leafworms, moths, cap moth, sawflies, bark beetles, aphids, and coniferous mealybugs. For the prevention and destruction of pests, Fozalon and Karbofos are used.
Breeding
Seed propagation of larch at home gives a result if the material is tested for germination. You can do this by filling the seeds with water. After 5 minutes, the pop-ups are removed: they are not suitable. The remaining are dried, sent for stratification. The material is mixed with sand, poured into linen bags, stored in a refrigerator at a temperature of 4-6 ° C for two months.
Sown in loose warm soil in spring. On top of the material is sprinkled with a mixture of sand and peat in a layer 1-2 cm thick. Humidify every 2 days. Sprouts are thinned out when they rise to 5 cm. Grow seedlings to full-fledged seedlings in beds or by settling immediately in permanent places.
Cuttings can get new plants faster. For rooting, the apical or middle parts of lignified shoots 15–20 cm long are taken. The lower sections are performed at an angle of 45 ° and treated with growth stimulants. Cuttings are placed in a peat mixture, deepening by ¼ length. After 4-5 weeks, young roots appear, the material is planted in tubs or open ground in a permanent place.