Larch sheds its needle leaves for the winter, features of deciduous conifers

Do larch needles fall?

Larches are long-lasting and hardy trees. These plants are able to adapt to various natural factors and quickly cover new territories. The needles of the culture look like needle-like leaves of different lengths. They are soft, unlike spruce and pine needles, since they do not have hard mechanical tissue inside. Like all deciduous plants, every autumn larch turns yellow and sheds its green outfit, which is why it got its name.

In spring, it is covered with young bright green leaves, which over time change their shade to dark: thus the needles become more like needles. Cones appear on the branches of the plant. Their size and quantity depend on climatic conditions and region of growth. In autumn, the larch turns yellow and falls, covering the soil with a beautiful carpet of lemon-yellow hue. All winter the trees stand with bare branches.

In winter, buds appear on the branches again, looking like small spherical tubercles: in appearance they differ from the buds of other conifers. With the arrival of spring, shoots that are different from each other appear from them. The uppermost bud produces a long stem with single needles. When the lateral buds bloom, a short bunch is formed, combining many small needles growing in different directions. The stem is not developed here, and the soft needles are closely collected at one point. One bunch contains several dozen needles.

Botanical description [edit | edit code ]

In favorable conditions, it grows up to 50 m in height with a trunk diameter of up to 1 m. It lives up to 300-400 years; larches have been recorded to be up to 800 years old.

The crowns are loose, visible through the sun, and cone-shaped in young trees. With age, they acquire a round or ovoid, blunt-topped shape. In constant winds, they are one-sided and flag-shaped.

The needles are annual, soft. Flattened, bright green, located spirally and singly on elongated shoots, and in bunches on short shoots, 20-40 (50) pieces in each [4]. In autumn, trees completely shed their needles.

Why larch sheds its needles for the winter

It is assumed that in ancient times larch was evergreen. But, having found herself in regions of the far north characterized by a harsh climate, she was forced to turn yellow in order to adapt to new conditions in this way. Larch sheds its needles in the winter in order to reduce water evaporation during the cold period. The tree goes into economic conditions, because in winter the soil freezes through and through, and the roots of the plant are not able to extract a sufficient amount of moisture.

In addition, the needles themselves contain a certain amount of water, which helps them remain soft and fluffy. The surface of the needles, which protects the plant from moisture loss, has a very thin protective layer that helps adapt only to the warm season. Before the onset of cold weather, the larch turns yellow, the leaves fall off the tree to prevent it from freezing.

Reasons for yellowing of needles in summer

Unlike deciduous trees, larch is very rarely exposed to pathogenic microorganisms due to the fact that its composition includes phenolics, tannins and resins. However, like any other plants, larch can still be exposed to various diseases and pests, as a result of which its needles may turn yellow before autumn. In case of disease, putrefactive bacteria and fungi primarily affect the needles. Most often, larch is attacked by the following diseases and pests:

The Schutte mushroom infects trees in May-June under conditions of high air humidity. At the same time, the larch turns yellow. The disease can be identified by the appearance of red-brown spots on the tips of coniferous leaves. Larch needles fall off. To protect the plants, from July to September the crowns are sprayed with Bordeaux mixture or 2% colloidal sulfur.
Melampsoridium fungus causes rust. The needles of the plant turn yellow and become spotted. For prevention purposes, trees are sprayed with fungicidal agents. In addition, they try not to plant larch next to birch, which is an intermediary in the transfer of the fungus.
Hermes aphids are a type of insect that sucks juice from young needles. The needles turn yellow, dry out and fall off. Individuals of the spruce-leaf Hermes form green growths on the shoots - galls, reminiscent of velvet. The needles become yellow at the site where the aphids are sucking, become deformed and curl. Shoots with such growths always die. Insecticides containing mineral oils will help in the fight against hermes. These substances are capable of dissolving the protective wax coating of pests.

To care for a tree, you must follow the basic rules:

Larch needs to be watered and fed in a timely manner, broken, dried branches and falling needles must be removed so that parasitic insects do not infest it.
Damage to the bark must be covered.
It is recommended to loosen the soil and mulch with hay, peat, sand, sawdust, and manure.

Larch. Diseases and pests, control measures

Larch in nature has many enemies, which do not bypass it in cultivated plantings. Insect pests on larch trees are a frequent occurrence; among them there are specific larch insects and those who also parasitize other coniferous plants.

SUCKING PESTS

The needles dry out and fall off, and large, up to 3 mm aphids are visible on them. This is GREENish HERMES or BROWN APHID. If it spreads strongly, it depresses the tree and the shoots freeze in winter.

Control measures. Aphids are bred and

. The solution is to prevent the spread of ants. If there are only a few aphids, regularly wash the infected areas with clean cold or soapy water (but before doing this, you need to cover the soil so that large quantities of soap do not get on the roots). The procedure must be repeated more than once with an interval of 6–10 days. Cutting off the ends of shoots with colonies of aphids significantly reduces the harmfulness of insects. This event can be combined with scheduled pruning.

In July-August, a fluffy white coating appears on the needles, then white flakes, the needles turn yellow and dry. It is from the galls of the SPRUCE-LARCH RED HERMES aphids that small brown individuals fly out and settle on the larch, where they do not form galls, but together with the larvae they suck the juices of the needles, causing bending and yellowing of the needles. They are protected
secretions, overwinter under bark scales and next spring lay eggs, from which winged males and females will again develop. After fertilization, the females return to the spruce, where they spend the winter.
Characteristic bending and yellowing of the needles. The branches are dark green,
, often the escape continues from them. Cones can also be deformed by a gall. The next year, the damaged shoots dry out. This is a SPUR-LECH GREEN HERMES, which also has two hosts.
Read also: Yarrow planting and care in open ground. Yarrow: cultivation, propagation, use in garden design, medicinal properties

Control measures. Insecticide aerosols do not penetrate through the fluff, so they fight Hermes on larch by spraying it with contact insecticides based on mineral oils, which dissolve the finest wax fibers. And most importantly, you should not plant spruce and larch next to each other.

The needles turn yellow and curl. Small insects with white fibrous shields on their backs appeared on the branches, protecting them from predators. These are relatives of aphids -
. In dry years they multiply in such numbers that the branches appear to be covered with frost. These pests can also be found on fir and spruce trees. Like all other sucking insects, mealybugs are the main carriers of viruses.

Control measures. Spraying with tobacco infusion three times at weekly intervals. In case of severe damage, you should resort to systemic insecticides; they penetrate the sap of the treated plant and temporarily make it poisonous to pests.

In spring, egg clutches can be seen on larch trees; soon the larvae will emerge from the eggs.
and its larvae suck the juices from young needles, weakening the tree. Later they will move to other plants. Berry bugs feed on various leaves of berries and other crops. It is especially common in fields, forests and on blueberries, which are spoiled by their unpleasant odor.

Control measures. Spraying with herbal preparations on young larvae helps. In case of severe damage, you should resort to insecticides.

NEEDLE-BEATING PESTS

The needles first turn white, later they look burnt, the upper part of the needles is mined.
in some years it causes great damage to larches. The caterpillars feed on young needles, mining the needles. Moving from one needle to another, leave it at the entrance hole
, formed from molt skins. It is typical that they eat up to half the needles. By this sign of damage they are easy to recognize. On the needles you can see the sheaths themselves - spindle-shaped
. They hang down. Coming out of the mine, the caterpillars put the cover on themselves and move in it to the next needle.

Control measures. Spraying with herbal preparations helps, at the end of April - May. And again in June, during the season when butterflies emerge from cocoons. In case of severe damage, you should resort to insecticides.

The needles are jagged on the sides, grooves have been eaten into them; later the needles are eaten entirely. The shoots turn brown, their ends curl and gradually dry out. Larch sawfly lays eggs in groups in the bark of young, not yet hardened shoots.
Outwardly they resemble butterfly caterpillars. They live openly in groups, each of which collectively builds a protective web nest. They overwinter in cocoons on the forest floor. Sawflies weaken larches and facilitate the colonization of stem pests.

Control measures. Dig up tree trunk circles. Destroy nests and larvae when the pest population is low. Spraying with infusions and decoctions of insecticidal plants.

Small ones appear in spring
. They settle in the whorls of the buds, connecting them
which is eaten. This
. The caterpillars also damage the needles of spruce and pine trees. Sometimes young spruce cones are also damaged by the caterpillars. At the beginning of summer, adult caterpillars descend along the fibers to the ground, make a cocoon from the needles, pupate and lie in the upper layer of the forest litter for 2 weeks until the butterfly flies.

Control measures. Keep the tree trunks under steam. Destroy nests and larvae when the pest population is low. Spraying with infusions and decoctions of insecticidal plants or a solution of any insecticidal preparation made on the basis of mineral oils.

In spring the buds are eaten away.
can cause significant damage to a young tree. The larvae do not cause much harm to trees, although they develop in wood, but, as a rule, on weakened and dying trees.

Control measures. Remove damaged shoots, and treat the tree with a solution of any insecticidal preparation made on the basis of mineral oils.

up to 1 cm, then dry out and fall off, which leads to exposure of young shoots. These are RIDAL GALLMITIES, small mosquitoes. Their larvae live and feed in the kidneys, causing their abnormal growth -
.
In June-July there is a massive flight of large butterflies. They lay groups of eggs, from which they soon emerge
, eating pine needles.
It also harms larch. If the tree was infected earlier, then in June large, up to 5 cm, cocoons of pupa can be seen on the trunk and branches. Caterpillars overwinter in pine needle litter or in the soil.
In June - early July, large butterflies land on conifers, they lay eggs, from which voracious caterpillars emerge in July, eating the needles.
damages many coniferous trees. In the 2nd half of August - September, pupation occurs on the forest floor. Typically, the larch moth is adjacent to other needle-eaters.

Control measures. Keep the tree trunks under steam. Spraying caterpillars with infusions and decoctions of insecticidal plants. In case of mass reproduction of moths, treat the plantings with insecticides.

PESTS DAMAGING CONES

In June-July, butterfly flights usually occur in the evenings. This
, whose caterpillars gnaw cones and eat seeds. A brownish mass of excrement hangs on the surface of the cones, with resin deposits in places. Larch cones do not fall off in the fall; the caterpillars make a cocoon among the yellowed needles, with which they fall to the ground. The moth is especially harmful in spruce and cedar plantations: in spruce forests it damages not only the seeds, but also the apical shoots, and in cedar forests it reduces the yield of nuts. It also noticeably harms the May shoots of pine, especially in lean years.
In June - the first half of July, Larch FLIES fly out. The female lays eggs under the scales of young cones of Siberian and Daurian larch. The larvae, emerging from the egg after 9-14 days, intensively feed on seeds. Damaged cones turn brown and dry out.

Control measures. Dig up tree trunk circles. Destroy nests and larvae when the pest population is low. Spraying with infusions and decoctions of insecticidal plants. In case of large numbers, treatment with systemic insecticides during the period when caterpillars and larvae emerge.

STEM PESTS

Stem pests damage the bark and various layers of wood. Their larvae, depending on the species of the pest, develop under the bark, penetrating all layers of the tree. Burying under the bark, bark beetles secrete odorous substances - pheromones, and new beetles flock to their smell.

The year of the beetles begins in May
, after which the female lays eggs, and in late July - early August young beetles appear. The bark beetle - the typographer inhabits old, damaged and weakened trees, and can also settle in a forest stack where the bark has not been removed.
In May-June, black beetles appear with a rusty-red border of the shield and yellow-brown elytra, along which there are two longitudinal stripes. It's dull-chested
. In addition to spruce, it damages larch, fir, and pine. The beetle settles on weakened or diseased trees. The larvae make wide passages in the wood.

Control measures. Planting healthy trees, without visible holes on the trunk, gum leaks, as well as creating conditions for the growth of healthy and strong coniferous plants. Treatment of trunks, crowns and tree trunk circles with insecticides. This is done in the spring, before pests appear after wintering. Douching the resulting holes can kill the first beetles, preventing them from multiplying and attracting the bulk of pests to the trees. During the period when beetles emerge (June - July), the tree crowns are sprayed with contact insecticides. If you find borer, use a knife to remove the bark where it appears and scrape off the white larvae that eat the cambium.

DISEASES OF LARCH

Different types of fungi cause drying out, rusting and falling of larch needles. They are dangerous because they overwinter safely in fallen plant debris, and in the spring they can infect healthy plants. Increased humidity and dense plantings lead to the formation of

. The bodies of lichens trap moisture on the bark and serve as a home for diseases and insect pests. Forming and pruning the crown reduces humidity and reduces the risk of the spread of fungal diseases.

At the beginning of summer, pustules appear on the needles along the midrib in the form of
. The affected areas of the needles turn yellow and die. This is larch RUST. With strong development of the fungus, all the needles gradually turn yellow and die. Further development of the fungus occurs on birch leaves.

Control measures. Spatial isolation, do not plant larch next to birch. Cutting out affected shoots, increasing resistance through the use of microfertilizers and immunostimulants.

A velvety black coating on larch branches is a sign that the plant is affected by ALTERNARIOSIS. The needles fall off, young shoots do not overwinter. The cause of this disease may be the thickening of the lower tier of the tree
In May-June, red-brown spots appear on the needles, then they turn yellow and fall off. Mushroom
affects larch at high air humidity. The damage begins at the tips of the branches, then spreads to the entire plant. Bare young shoots freeze in winter and the tree loses its decorative effect.
Drying of the needles may indicate that the larch is suffering from NECROSIS. This disease is caused by several species of fungi, which appear as stroma scattered on the surface of the bark. The fungus also settles on the surface of needles and cones, causing them to dry out and fall off.
Mushrooms are found on larch trunks
,
the presence of which can cause the occurrence of numerous putrefactive formations, cause death and drying out of branches.
Due to frost, sunburn, and mechanical damage, the integrity of the tree bark is damaged and wounds appear, which serve as an excellent place for the proliferation of fungi and infectious diseases. Larch rot and
affects both young and old trees. A wound appears on the affected areas of the trunk, which becomes larger over time. Fruiting bodies of the fungus appear in the wound, and the affected tree tissues die. Such diseases can lead to the death of the plant.
Plants, starting from the upper shoots, wither. The needles turn yellow, red and fall off, and the plants themselves gradually dry out. Affected roots turn brown. Tracheomycosis wilt is caused by soil pathogens. Seedlings and young plants are most affected. The development of the disease is promoted by: stagnation of water in low areas, lack of sunlight.

Control measures. Healthy planting material, timely removal of dried branches, coating of cuts with garden varnish and paint. Increasing sustainability through the use of microfertilizers and immunostimulants. Treating the roots of seedlings with fungicides before planting. When signs of disease appear, water with fungicides at the roots. Preventive spraying in early spring with copper-containing preparations. Destruction of affected needles and branches. In July-September, spraying with 2% colloidal sulfur or Bordeaux mixture.

Why does larch turn yellow in autumn?

Some gardeners believe that if coniferous shrubs and trees are planted on the site, then there will be no need to care for them at all. They think that spruce, pine, and larches do not require maintenance. In addition, people mistakenly talk about the presence of immunity in plants. It’s as if conifers don’t catch diseases.

However, if you analyze the statistics, it becomes clear that conifers can also get sick. A common disease is yellowing of the needles; in some cases, the needles turn brown.

Those who did not expect the disease to appear begin to panic. What to do. How to get rid of it. Is there a chance that the plant will be saved?

Description of culture

The science of biology says that larch belongs to the gymnosperms, class Conifers, higher plants of the Pine family. About 150 million years ago, these unique plants dominated the planet. Today, gymnosperms are represented by coniferous species, which include larch.

What does a larch tree look like?

There are several varieties of larches, but some of them are very similar to each other in appearance and growing conditions. The height of the tree on average reaches 50 m. The trunk is straight, covered with bark in the form of gray or brown scales. Some larches reach more than 1 m in girth. The branches have long annual shoots and short perennial shoots and grow at right angles to the trunk, bending upward.

The length of larch needles is 3-4 cm. The needles are soft, delicate green in color. On long shoots, the needles are arranged in a spiral; the needles grow in bunches of 30-50 pieces, which makes the larch crown openwork.

For your information! Perennial shoots live from 10 to 12 years. Sometimes they continue to grow and form growth branches.

Larch crown shape

The crown shape of larch at a young age has the shape of a cone. Over time, as the tree grows taller and older, it takes on a round, egg-shaped shape.

The larch root system can adapt to different types of soil. The tree adapts to the type of soil due to the plasticity of its roots, forming adventitious shoots. In swamps, sand, on stone heaps or in a dry hollow, larch grows, using the ability of its roots to be located over a wide area near the surface of the earth. Lower branches at the bottom can take root, which further strengthens the roots and helps the tree withstand strong winds.

How it blooms

Once the tree reaches 15 or 20 years of age, it begins to bloom. Larch blooms in April or May. The flowering period lasts 1.5 weeks. Along with the new needles, fruits appear in the form of small cones. Since the tree is monoecious, it has male and female flowers. The female flowers look like small soft cones of green or red-violet color, similar to small roses. The male ones produce round, light green spikelets. Moreover, cones of different sexes grow on the same branch.

With the arrival of September, the cones ripen. They have a round, cone-shaped shape about 4 cm in size. The scales become brown in color, they are coarser and woody. The winged seeds scatter after the cones ripen, but in order for new trees to grow from them, zero temperature and high humidity are required. An obstacle on the way from a seed to the appearance of a tree is the great love of birds and mammals of forest inhabitants for seeds. The harvest of new trees varies from 5 to 9 years. The cones can hang on the tree for many years after the seeds have dispersed.

Where does it grow and how much?

Larch is a coniferous and cold-loving tree. In the Northern Hemisphere, where larch grows, more than 70% of forests are larch tracts. It is found in Siberia, the Far East, North America, Western and Northern Europe, the Himalayas and Tibet. How many years a larch lives depends on the place where it grows.

Note! The lifespan of a tree is on average 400-500 years, although there are specimens whose age reaches 900 years or more. For example, in Crimea there are still trees that are the same age as the founding of the city.

What causes yellowing and browning of larch needles?

Unfortunately, larches, although they are one of the most common plants in our climate zone and, under favorable circumstances, can live up to 400 years, just like other plants, they are susceptible to diseases, one of which is caused by the fungus Mycosphaerella laricina. This fungus has been little studied and therefore the causes and methods of spread of the disease have not been fully determined. It was only noticed that Japanese and American larches have a certain, higher level of resistance to the disease in comparison with European, Siberian or Kamchatka larches.

How does the disease progress?

Infection, as a rule, occurs in the spring (April - May), when the spores of the fungus reach maturity, “gaining strength” in the fruiting body of the fungus, “comfortably located” on last year’s fallen needles. You will notice the first manifestations of the disease in June, and its spread will begin from the lower tiers of the tree, which, as is clear, are located closest to the source of infection.

What does diseased needles look like?

Initially, individual yellowish spots will appear on the tree’s needles, both in the lower part of the plant and on the crown. The damage to the needles begins from its upper part, gradually moving closer to the branches and changing color from yellow to brown. At this time, re-ripening of the fungal spores occurs, which continues for ten to fourteen days. And it would be wrong to assume that this will be the end of its reproduction. No, the cycles will be repeated until the onset of cold weather, and at the same time, spores, moving from one branch to another, will exponentially increase the infected area.

How is Mycosphaerella laricina spread?

The needles affected by the fungus begin to fall off already in mid-summer, and by July they can reach a third of the entire coniferous mass of the tree. In the spring, spores ripen in the most comfortable conditions for themselves - high humidity and intensive growth of needles, and not only ripen, but are also carried by the wind to other, still healthy, trees or remain on fallen needles in “waiting” for a new spring, warmth and rain.

Risk group

Plants growing in lowlands and places with high humidity, where particularly favorable conditions are created for the intensive life activity of Mycosphaerella laricina, are most susceptible to fungal disease. What does the disease mean for larch? Repeated disease will seriously weaken the plant, leading to drying out of branches and shoots and, if no action is taken, ultimately to the death of the entire tree.

What to do?

Disease prevention is the best way to protect the plants of your garden or plot from unpleasant, negative consequences and expensive ways to get rid of the disease. Don’t be lazy to regularly inspect trees and promptly remove not only “suspicious” branches or shoots, but also fallen needles. Thus, you will get rid of foci of the disease and will not have to worry about the health of your “green giants”. Agree that removing needles or crowning a tree for sanitary and preventive purposes is much cheaper and easier than removing the entire length and then growing a new, healthy plant.

Do not ignore chemical methods of combating diseases, for example, by spraying young coniferous plants with copper-containing fungicides. However, if you still cannot do without radical action, remember - specialists will always come to the rescue, diagnose and treat diseased trees and help carry out work of any degree of complexity to ensure that your green spaces are beautiful and healthy.

Why does it drop needles?

Larch loves light very much, which is one of the most important factors for its successful growth. Sometimes she is called the daughter of the Sun. Its unpretentiousness to soils and harsh climate is surprising. The question arises: is larch a coniferous or deciduous tree if it sheds its foliage like other deciduous trees?

Of course, larch is a coniferous tree, but with the onset of autumn its needles turn yellow, and by the arrival of winter the tree sheds them, like its deciduous counterparts. This is its distinctive feature from other coniferous trees. This is where the name of this tree comes from.

Important! In winter, it is easy to identify it by small round buds located along the entire length of the branch. Even without needles, this tree looks like openwork lace.

Interesting Facts

Surely many did not know that:

The wood of larch trees has unique properties. The high resin content makes larch so strong and resistant to rot that buildings and things made from larch wood last for centuries. When kept in water for a long time, this wood becomes so hard that it is impossible to drive or remove a nail without breaking it. During excavations in the Altai Mountains, larch products were found that are more than 25 thousand years old.
The root wood of larch is much stronger than the trunk. Products made from the rhizome are practically immortal, although they are labor-intensive to process. A ladle made in the 18th century is still kept in the Zagorsk Museum. It holds 1.5 buckets of liquid.
Even in ancient times, Siberians knew about the healing properties of this tree. And today, aromatic and tasty chewing gum made from its resin, containing phytoncides and microelements that protect the oral cavity from infections and various diseases, is very popular. It completely replaces toothpaste if necessary.
This tree has virtually no waste after processing. One cubic meter of its wood can produce up to 700 liters of ethyl alcohol, 200 kg of cellulose, 1.5 thousand m of artificial silk, and then rosin, essential oil, paint, acetic acid and many other useful substances are extracted from the remaining waste.

Use of larch for economic purposes

In addition to the fact that larch is an invaluable plant for medicine, it is also important in other areas of human activity, especially in construction and furniture production. Siberian larch has special technical properties:

✓ High wood density. In terms of density, larch is ahead of most other tree species and is comparable to the density of oak (the density of larch is 620-725 kg/m3, the density of oak is 670-730 kg/m3). Thanks to this, products made from this wood are highly durable and wear-resistant.

✓ Low water permeability. Unlike other tree species, larch can easily withstand a humid environment. Under the influence of water, wood only becomes harder, acquiring the properties of stone. An interesting historical fact: Venice was built on larch stilts more than 1000 years ago.

✓ Fire resistance. Due to the high resin content in the wood fibers, this tree is characterized by high refractoriness and burns slowly. The fire resistance of larch is approximately 2 times higher than that of pine.

✓ Rot resistant. Larch is practically not susceptible to rotting and insects due to the high resin content in the wood structure. This breed can be safely used in rooms with high humidity - baths, saunas, spa complexes.

In addition, larch has a very beautiful texture with a small number of knots, which makes it possible to make durable furniture and exquisite decorative elements from it.

Larch in construction

Thanks to its excellent technical characteristics, larch is an excellent material for construction. Houses, cottages, saunas, baths, decorative buildings, gazebos and terraces are built from timber and logs of this type. In this case, climatic conditions for the use of larch do not matter. Buildings from it can be erected both in a humid, warm climate and in harsh northern regions. With proper construction, processing and maintenance, larch log houses can last hundreds of years, which even pays for the rather high cost of wood.

Larch can also be used in the construction of house foundations, including in wetlands and in places with high groundwater levels. This material is practically not subject to rotting, and with additional treatment with an antiseptic or oil, a larch foundation will last for decades.

Larch finishing

Thanks to its beautiful texture and color, larch is widely used as a finishing material for the exterior and interior of homes. It can be used to finish floors and walls; larch can be used to make doors, window frames, decorative arches and stairs. This is an excellent option for those who prefer environmentally friendly interior design and care about their health. Larch is a natural antiseptic; it purifies and disinfects the air, so it can be used to decorate children's rooms, bedrooms and any other residential premises.

This breed is very often used in the production of flooring - decking boards, parquet, laminate, engineered boards. With proper processing, larch can be used to produce materials with a perfectly smooth surface or give it a special texture; any paint and varnish coating can be applied to the manufactured materials. Larch does not deform due to changes in temperature or humidity and is resistant to mechanical stress, which makes it an ideal material for laying floors.

Furniture making

Siberian larch is an excellent basis for creating durable and comfortable furniture for home and office. From it you can create both magnificent cabinet furniture - cabinets, tables, kitchen units, and the basis for upholstered furniture - frames of sofas and beds. Any product made from larch looks expensive and elegant, and thanks to its excellent natural characteristics, the furniture will last for many years.

Larch lumber

Due to the high resin content, the production of larch lumber is associated with certain difficulties and requires special knowledge, skills and prepared equipment. Currently, you can find many materials made from larch - boards, planks, lining, timber, imitation timber and much more. Properly dried and processed lumber can be used for exterior and interior decoration and will serve its owners for many years.

As you can see, larch is a unique plant that can provide a person with both useful medicines and necessary building materials.

How to distinguish larch from pine

Visually in nature, pine and common larch are so different that it is impossible to confuse them. Everyone knows what larch looks like and how it differs from pine. But in the form of wood, these trees are difficult for an ignorant person to distinguish. When purchasing building materials, you must be able to distinguish between these species so as not to overpay, since larch is more expensive.

First of all, you should pay attention to the bark of the wood. Larch has a dense structure, deep cracks and a reddish bark color. Pine has a thinner brown-yellow bark.

Important! Larch is heavier than pine. If the board is moistened with water, you can see the difference in the structure of the wood.

Pine does not have a clear pattern, while larch boards have a marble pattern. When in water, the larch will drown. If you set fire to wood, the larch board will ignite later and will burn longer.

The use of larch in landscape design

Due to the variety of types of larch, it is used not only in industry, but is also in great demand in landscape design. There are more than 20 species of it in the world, many of which can be a worthy decoration of any garden. Thanks to the structure of the branches and needles, the tree does not prevent the penetration of sunlight for plantings located in the area under the branches.

The openwork crown, changing color from soft green in spring to golden in autumn, looks beautiful both on a rocky hill and when decorating a garden path. It is advisable to grow tall slender trees in large parks and gardens. For small garden plots, a standard would be the best choice. In the autumn, when the tree sheds its needles, it is convenient to prune the branches and form the crown.

For the design of garden plots, the most commonly used species are European larch repens and Japanese pendula. Repens has a weeping crown measuring just over a meter and reaches a height of 1.5 m, which is very convenient in the limited space of a small garden.

Japanese pendula grows up to 8 m and has a crown size of up to 4 m. Over time, the branches form a green-blue trail around the trunk, which looks very beautiful in any garden.
In addition to boles, dwarf species such as kaempfera are used to decorate flower beds and paths. This species is a shrub that looks like a green cushion; it will decorate an alpine hill or path in the garden.

Planting and caring for popular varieties of larch

Today, there are many interesting species of northern beauty that are grown in the garden.

Fans of tall trees prefer the following varieties:

Siberian;
Japanese;
European.

Siberian larch

They are distinguished by massive branches and large cones, which are covered with thick scales. Some of them have drooping shoots, which affects the overall appearance of the crown. To plant Siberian larch, it is better to use ready-made seedlings with a strong root system. Since the tree does not need special care, in a few years it will turn into a slender beauty. The variety is characterized by bright green needles. In mid-autumn it takes on a golden color that you can’t take your eyes off.

Pendula

European larch Pendula is a picturesque light-loving plant. She prefers fertile alkaline soils. The crown of the plant has a weeping shape, and the needles are colored bluish-green. When planting Pendula larch on a trunk and caring for it, the hole should be properly filled and watered regularly during dry periods. To increase the height of the plant or obtain a multi-tiered crown, young shoots are tied to a vertical pole for about 3 years. To increase the density of the crown, young branches are pruned in early spring. As a result, planting and caring for weeping larch brings true satisfaction to gardeners.

In addition, the plant effectively absorbs polluted air in urban areas. It grows quite quickly. It has an attractive appearance that combines lush slimness and the original aroma of pine needles. Even when in a dormant state, the tree remains attractive. In cold winter, larch is dotted with many pretty cones located on graceful weeping shoots.

The northern beauty brightens up the garden when its bright green needles appear in late April. Its flowing crown especially stands out against the backdrop of slender maples and beautiful flowering shrubs:

lilac;
mock orange;
rhododendron;
forsythia;
broom

An elegant weeping larch on a trunk can be planted near an artificial pond or on a lawn. The tree has a unique crown, which is obtained by special pruning. Weeping branches are formed using grafting. In addition, larch is widely used in the landscape design of summer cottages when creating alpine slides, openwork hedges and stylish front gardens. Why not plant a northern beauty near a country house? Many have long enjoyed the charm of the resilient northern tree.

Use in construction

Thanks to its unique properties, larch is an elite building material. The high resin content of the tree protects products made from it from destruction by moisture, making the wood equal in strength to stone. Contact with both fresh and salt water increases its strength and makes it indispensable in shipbuilding and the construction of underwater structures.

For your information! A short excursion into history will tell you that Venice and St. Petersburg stand on larch stilts. Archaeologists have discovered ancient larch buildings that are more than 15 centuries old.

Over time, this tree does not collapse, but becomes stronger. The gum content and resin content in wood preserve it from rotting and parasites. In terms of strength and suitability for construction, larch is not inferior to oak, and in some ways even surpasses it. A straight and knot-free trunk allows you to obtain lumber of excellent quality. The boards and slats have a beautiful pattern and 12 shades of color: from brown to golden.

Amazingly beautiful finishing materials made from Siberian and Daurian larch are in increasing demand in the building materials market. Products made from this wood are highly resistant to mechanical and climatic influences and retain their appearance throughout their entire service life.

This tree conducts heat poorly and has the ability to accumulate and accumulate it. Finishing a log house with such material allows you to keep the house warm in winter and cool in summer.

Note! A long time ago, according to descendants, residents of areas where larch is a rare species looked for trees in the forests that shed their needles in the fall, cut them down and brought them to their yards to build a house. Wood for construction was saved for many years. It happened that only the heir of several generations could build a house made of larch.

In addition to resistance to rot, fire and pests, strength and beauty, larch has medicinal properties. The high content of nutrients, antioxidants and phytoncides in wood has a beneficial effect on the human body. A house built from this type of wood will preserve your health and relieve you from everyday fatigue and the stress of the city bustle. Even many years after construction, wood does not lose its healing properties.

Important! In this case, we are talking only about Siberian larch, since European species are inferior in their properties even to pine and are not related to valuable species.

The disadvantages of larch as a building material are its high cost and difficulty in processing. Cargo transportation from Siberia, the impossibility of rafting on rivers, and the high consumption of processing mechanisms and means make a house made of such wood an expensive pleasure.

Larch is not only a unique tree, but also mysterious. Some of its mysteries have already been solved, but something else is shrouded in mystery. In ancient times, this tree was a cult tree for many tribes. And today it is recognized as a symbol of Russia. But it is not only history and myths that make this tree mysterious. Scientists have noticed that the stump of a felled tree continues to grow for many years. It turned out that groups of larches that live in the immediate area around the felled tree form a single root system. Thus, the fantastic ideas of the film “Avatar” about the natural “Internet” are quite real.

Note! Over the years, the cut site on the stump is completely closed, protecting other trees from infection, and at the same time, the stump still lives for many years thanks to the general nutrition of the entire root system.

Due to the high rate of photosynthesis, larch is a forest-forming species. Thanks to this property, the issue of urban greening can be resolved in the future. The experience of Yekaterinburg confirms that this tree is the best choice for polluted city streets. But this is not all mysteries. Based on the nature of the location of larch massifs and the chemical composition of their wood, scientists can accurately determine the locations of kimberlite pipes and the presence of diamonds. In this way, a diamond deposit was discovered in Yakutia.

Over the entire history of mankind, many facts, discoveries and legends have accumulated that tell about larch, about what an amazing tree of the Northern Hemisphere it is, which has unusual, unique properties and features. More than 20 species belong to this species, which allows it to be used not only in construction, but also in garden design, geological exploration, medicine, and simply enjoying the beauty of larch forests.

Usage [ edit | edit code ]

Wood with narrow light sapwood and a reddish-brown core, hard, elastic, durable, resinous, extremely resistant to rotting. The volumetric mass in a freshly cut state is 0.9-1.1, in an air-dry state - 0.7-0.8. Due to its strength and durability, larch wood is widely used - from construction work to the chemical industry. In terms of hardness, the tree is second only to oak, by 1 point. In oak it is 110 units on the Brinell scale, and in larch it is 109 [10]. Due to its relatively stable properties, it is used more often than other types of wood in its raw form.

The high resin content of wood creates problems when using wood in construction, and as the wood dries, the viscosity of the resin increases so much that it is impossible to hammer a nail into it, and hammered nails can no longer be removed from old larch boards, since the metal of the nail is torn. In addition, larch boards are quite heavy and will resin. To assemble and reassemble structures, it is often necessary to introduce additional technological operations, use self-tapping screws or threaded connections and additional tools.

Larch bark contains up to 18% tannins. Brownish-pink bark dye is a permanent dye for fabrics and hides.

Logging [edit | edit code ]

Despite the widespread prevalence of larch and the high quality of wood, larch accounts for a relatively small part of the total volume of logging in Russia. One of the reasons is that previously timber was floated down rivers, and due to its high density, freshly cut larch wood sinks (immediately or after a short time in water) and cannot be floated, which in some cases means it is impossible to transport from harvesting sites to processing. In addition, larch requires a special approach to processing due to the high density of the wood and its resin content (viscosity), which lead to increased wear of universal tools and mechanisms.

In North America, vast areas are occupied by American larch ( Larix laricina

(Du Roi) K.Koch) and western larch (
Larix occidentalis
Nutt.). Unlike Russian larch species, which are relatively little exploited, American species are widely used in the timber industry and especially in construction.

In Russia, several species are cultivated, for example, fine-scaled larch, or Japanese larch ( Larix kaempferi

(Lamb.) Carrière), and Polish larch (Larix decidua var. polonica [syn. Larix polonica Racib. ex Wóycicki]).

Coniferous trees and their features

Conifers have long and firmly occupied a special place in gardening culture, thanks to their unpretentiousness and durability. Green spaces look spectacular in winter under a cap of snow, which only increases their level of attractiveness.

However, it is worth remembering that not all trees in this group are evergreen. Thus, larch, metasequoia and swamp cypress shed their needles as the temperature drops. In other representatives, the leaves fall off gradually and non-simultaneously. Moreover, the fall does not depend on the season.

The advantages of conifers include:

Actively used in traditional and alternative medicine;
Due to the natural correct shape, there is practically no need to form a crown;
A variety of shapes and types, which makes it possible to use in garden plots of various sizes;
Good tolerance to lack of water and light.

The combination of these factors determines the wide distribution of these plants. Ease of care and resistance to diseases attract many, both beginners and experienced gardeners.

Is it the only coniferous tree that sheds its needles for the winter?

In addition to larch, there are several other species of deciduous conifers.

Well-known and common representatives include the following.

Swamp cypress (Taxodium birowed)

The plant is native to North America. It is distinguished by strong wood and the presence of respiratory roots (pneumatophores). The development of the latter is determined by the natural distribution area of the species.

Found in swamp areas of the USA (from Texas to Delaware). Since swamp soil is characterized by a large amount of moisture and a lack of air, respiratory roots provide the plant with an additional source of oxygen. By autumn, not only leaves fall, but also twigs.

Kaempfmer's false larch

Outwardly very similar to Siberian Larch, it is easy for an inexperienced gardener to make a mistake. The difference is that this species does not have cones that crumble into diamond-shaped plates when ripe, like cedar.

The distribution area of the plant is the mountains of Eastern China, where the plant forms forests. It became widespread in gardening culture due to the unique beauty of its needles.

Metasequoia

The tall tree is distinguished by a straight trunk and a wide-conical crown of light green color. The needles of the plant are soft; by autumn they turn yellow and fall off, sometimes even along with the branches.

The speed is different. growth and ease of care. It is not resistant to temperature fluctuations, but grows best in the humid subtropics, along the edges of ravines and river beds.

Metasequoia and Taxodium are related species, despite the fact that they are distributed on different continents. Each of the deciduous species has a number of characteristics, but the seasonal shedding of needles unites them.

Siberian larch sheds its needles for the winter, what else is interesting about it

Siberian larch is distributed throughout Russia from the Sea of Okhotsk to Lake Onega. It is considered the main species that forms the forests of this region.

Features of the species include:

Unlike other types of wood, the durability of wood only increases over time, which is why it is often used in the construction of houses and shipbuilding. In museums you can find products made of larch, which over the centuries spent in the mounds of Altai have only darkened.
A large number of Russian cities were built on this wood. In addition, it is known that even in tsarist times it was exported. So the piles of the houses of Venice were also made from this very rock;
In addition to its deciduous nature, the plant is durable and can live from four hundred to five hundred years;
Larch is a dioecious plant, that is, both female and male cones are located on the same tree, which is typical for many coniferous species;
The plant tolerates not only a decrease, but also a significant increase in temperature. This feature makes it possible to grow it not only in the harsh conditions of the north, but also in the hot climate of the south. Drought, with proper care, will not harm the tree;
The tree trunks are straight and can reach a height of thirty to forty meters. But sometimes they can exceed this size up to fifty meters with a trunk thickness of up to two.

The mechanism of shedding leaves for the winter has developed in larch as a result of climate change. Seasonal cooling significantly worsens the process of enriching the plant with water, and in the presence of green foliage this disadvantage is significantly aggravated.

To avoid the danger of dying due to lack of water and oxygen, the larch was forced to adapt.

Being an unpretentious and hardy species, larch has spread widely across many regions and areas of the globe. It is used both as a garden and industrial crop. A tree can not only decorate the site, but also ensure the longevity of the building.

Larch

June 12, 2021 Unique in its properties, larch wood has long served people faithfully and generously gives away its wealth.

It took me a while to learn how to use it to its fullest. For this, the magical science of chemistry had to develop. But long before that, larch was indispensable in many sectors of people’s lives.

Larch is the most numerous tree in Russia (and what is it, in the world), most of which grows in the territory east of the Ural Mountains.

Botanical characteristics of larch

Larch is a genus of coniferous deciduous trees, which includes over 20 species and forms, common in the Northern Hemisphere: in Eurasia and North America. The most ancient species are found in the Himalayas and China. Their taxonomy is difficult, since they easily interbreed.

The most numerous larches in the world are Siberian, American and Gmelina. In Russia, about 7 species of this genus grow under natural conditions.

Externally, all types of larch are similar. These are forest giants as straight as columns. With a trunk diameter of 1-1.2 m, they grow up to 30-40 m in height, less often up to 50 m. In closed tree stands they have smooth, highly cleared of branches, cone-cylindrical trunks. At the bottom they often take on a bottle-like shape. But in harsh conditions - at the northern limit of forest distribution and at the upper forest limit in the mountains - they can take a creeping form.

Kamchatka larch looks original. It has a bottle-shaped trunk and exceptionally thick bark, reaching 25 cm.

Representatives of the genus live up to 300-500 years, very rarely up to 900 years. This is relatively short-lived when compared with other coniferous trees. Reproductive age is reached at 15 years of age. But active “fruiting” occurs only once every 6-7 years.

Larch bark is thick, gray-brown or reddish-dark brown with longitudinal cracks. As it ages, it separates from the trunk in large pieces. Thanks to their thick bark, larch trees can withstand forest fires.

The crown is ovoid-conical, narrower in youth, wide with a blunt apex in old age. And in very old trees it is spreading, with horizontally spaced branches raised upward. In dense plantings, tall trees have multi-topped or flag-shaped forms.

Larch is more demanding of light than other coniferous trees. This is evidenced by:

sparse, highly raised crown;
good cleaning of the trunk from branches;
rapid thinning of forest stands;
anatomical and physiological features of assimilating organs (needles) - they have little chlorophyll.

However, their relationship to light changes significantly with age. Young larches can tolerate stronger shade.

needle leaves are flat, straight or slightly crescent-shaped, soft, with white rows of stomata below, narrowed at the base, with a blunt apex. They are located on shortened shoots, either singly or in bunches (11-59 pieces each). The length of single needles is usually 1.5-4.5 cm, but sometimes reaches 10 cm. Only mature larches shed their needles every year; their shoots retain them in winter.

The main root of the larch taproot system can go very deep, extracting water from a considerable distance, but it is not always there. In waterlogged soils and in the presence of a layer of permafrost, the root system of the tree becomes superficial. It always has well-developed lateral roots. Adventitious roots develop on sandy soils and in conditions where the area is heavily covered with mosses.

Larch propagation

Larches are monoecious plants, and male and female gametophytes are formed on the same tree. Male spikelets (microstrobiles) are spherical-ovoid, developing in early spring (before the appearance of needles) on shortened shoots, mainly on the underside of branches, and often on trunks. They consist of numerous sporophylls sitting on short petioles and carrying a lot of small pollen.

Female sporophylls are found in strobili (cones). Larch cones are small, reddish-pink or green, mature ones are brown. They are round 2-2.5 cm or ovoid 2-4 cm long, less often up to 10 cm, vertically located, with spoon-shaped pubescent seed scales. They develop simultaneously with male ones on the tops of shortened shoots surrounded by a bunch of needles. Larch requires cross-pollination for fertilization. It happens with the help of the wind. Pollen is devoid of air sacs and flies a short distance of 6-15 m, less often 100 m.

Fertilization occurs only a month after pollination.

Larch seeds ripen in the fall and fall from the cones either in early spring or next fall. Seeds with wings, 6 mm long, lose their viability after 2-3 years of existence. Cones that have spilled seeds remain on the tree for up to 3 years.

In addition to propagation by seed in nature, although in rare cases, there are examples of vegetative propagation of larch. The stump growth of a tree under the age of 100 years occurs due to dormant buds. In addition to stump shoots, new shoots appear from roots close to the soil surface and from rooted branches.

Characteristics of larch wood and examples of its historical longevity

Larch wood is superior in strength, strength and elasticity to all other coniferous species in Russia. It warps slightly, becomes denser when dried, but often cracks. It is heavy, strong, durable, but difficult to process.

Due to its high specific gravity, a freshly cut tree sinks in water, making it difficult to float down rivers. It resists rot well and is an excellent material for construction in damp places and under water.

In the Leningrad Hermitage you can see larch logs that have lain for two and a half thousand years in the ground and have only slightly changed their color. And on the Danube, the remains of a bridge built by the Romans many centuries ago were discovered. The larch piles not only did not deteriorate from being in the water, but, on the contrary, became so hard that the strongest drills broke on them.

Knowing these properties of larch, Peter I, during the construction of St. Petersburg, which, as you know, was built on a swamp, ordered larch logs to be driven into the ground. And the most beautiful city was built on larch piles. Peter also built his navy from larch. The tree was harvested with and without roots, in the form of knives, kokor, beams, logs, stumps and was used on ships for critical parts, finishing work, gun platforms, underwater filing, making barrels for storing meat, oil, water, cranberries, cloudberries and other purposes. To build one 74-gun ship, about 5 thousand were spent, and for a 32-gun frigate - at least 3 thousand trees.

The first plantings of larch in Russia date back to the 18th century, when the famous Lindulovskaya Grove was planted near St. Petersburg, now a state reserve.

In the North, larch was used to build churches, houses, baths, bridges, wells, and for laying pipes. Arkhangelsk also stands on stilts. For this purpose, 45 thousand of them were used. Venice also stands on larch stilts.

During excavations of the Pazyryk mound in Altai, many products made from this wood were found. They lay untouched for more than 25 centuries. Now sarcophagus wells, grave crypts, and war chariots are kept in the Hermitage.

Application of larch

These trees can withstand both frost and drought. That is why it is planted in shelterbelts in Ukraine and Kuban, the Volga region and Moldova. The tree grows quickly and gets along well in the hot south.

Because of the beauty of larch in spring and autumn, and also because it combines well with other trees, it is used in landscape design. It tolerates the urban environment better than all other conifers, all due to the fact that its needles fall off in the winter. Therefore, it is also used for urban landscaping.

Examples of using larch wood:

construction of ships, barges, bridges, water mills, houses, greenhouses, vegetable stores, piers, bridges, dams; swimming pool equipment;
for parts in aircraft, automotive and mechanical engineering;
widely used as a first-class high-calorie fuel, for burning coal and as a raw material for chemical processing, producing cellulose, alcohol, turpentine, turpentine, etc.;
Larch firewood is excellent. They burn evenly, practically without soot, since there is less resin in it than in other conifers, and they provide decent heat. Harvesting is not difficult. But since larch is an elite type of wood, it is rarely used for firewood;
More often it is used to make finishing and building materials, parquet, furniture, frames, and doors. It polishes well, paints evenly and does not warp.

People are not content with just solid wood. From one cubic meter of it, using chemical processes, you can get:

2000 pairs of stockings;
6000 m2 of cellophane;
200 kg of cellulose;
1500 m of silk fabric;
200 kg grape sugar or
700 liters of wine alcohol.

It is also used to make:

rosin;
sealing wax;
acetic acid;
turpentine;
matches, etc.

An uncut growing tree produces resin (“Venetian turpentine”). It is mined by tapping (drilling a channel in the lower part of the trunk) of trees and is widely used in the paint and varnish and electrical industries. Resin, resin, bark, needles and buds of larch are also used in medicine.