Larch belongs to the genus of conifers and it arose much lower than pine, spruce and cedar. This tree was born at the end mesozoic era almost simultaneously with oak. There are 20 species of larch growing on the planet.

Where is larch found

In the taiga of the European part of Russia and in the Urals, larch is very scarce. Larch is found here only occasionally in small islands. In most regions of this zone, one can see only single larch trees growing among other species, and in the Siberian taiga, it is a full-fledged mistress.

In the Carpathians, there are Polish and European larch, which are part of spruce forests. In the European part of the Urals, Sukachev's larch is common, from the Urals to Baikal - Siberian larch. It is this tall and slender beauty that is called the real queen. Siberian taiga. In terms of growth area, it surpasses all other tree species of Siberia.

Larch has adapted well to the extremely harsh conditions of Siberia, where in winter there are even 50-degree frosts. In the USSR, more than 500 million hectares of forests grow on soils with permafrost, and almost half of them is occupied by larch, the queen of permafrost forests. Permafrost for her and severe Siberian frosts and snowstorms are her native element. Precipitation here is less than in the Caspian deserts, but larch grows well in these areas. Therefore, it is not in vain that they call it a miracle tree. On lands with permafrost, on rocky slopes and swamps, it has no competitors, because other tree species cannot grow in such conditions. It turns out that she is not afraid of not only the worst frosts, but also extreme heat and drought. Larch, after the retreat of the glacier, was the first among tree species to move northward. In Taimyr and Chukotka, along the river valleys, primarily Khatanga and Anadyr, larch penetrates into the tundra. It can be seen far beyond the Arctic Circle, almost on the shore Arctic Ocean. In Siberia, on the 73rd parallel in the tract Ary-Mas, which means "forest island", the northernmost forest in the world grows. The main and only breed in it is larch. Its area is 5 thousand hectares.

In Chukotka and Taimyr, the forest grows in small islands. The farther north, the poorer its breed composition. In the forest-tundra, only larch, dwarf birches, willows and poplars are found. The woody vegetation here "puts out their heads" above the grass and the thickness of the snow cover, as this is dangerous. Everything that has great height, dies from severe frosts. However, even under these conditions, larch has a height of up to 10 m. worse conditions, the thinner the forest. That is why in such extremely harsh conditions only larch sparse forests are found. From the slopes of the hills and hills, as if towards a person, stunted and gnarled larches running down to the rivers. So, as you can see, this breed is very hardy and unpretentious to growing conditions.

Coniferous tree - larch

Among conifers, larch is the only wood that undresses in autumn. Her needles fall off like, for example, birch or other hardwoods. Hence and Russian name of this coniferous tree - larch. Obviously, the ancestors of larch were evergreens, because signs of this are still manifesting today. On the annual stairs of larch, the needles fall for the winter, hibernate, and remain until the next year. Sometimes among adult larches, in particular, those that grow in the southern regions, there are individuals who are late with the discharge of needles. If larch did not remove needles for the winter, it could not grow in the harsh conditions of the north, therefore, getting rid of needles, it reduces the area of ​​moisture evaporation during the frosty waterless period. At the same time, larch loves warm light and rich soil.

How long does larch live

Larch- one of the most durable conifers. It is believed that she lives up to 600 years. However, on a cross section of some larches, scientists counted 1300 - 1348 annual rings. In the harsh conditions of Siberia, this breed - an ascetic grows too slowly. Sometimes at 300-400 years of age, it can be a baby with a height of only 1-2 m, and at 200-300 years old it can have a trunk 11-12 cm thick. In favorable conditions in the Baltic states, Belarus, Ukraine and some regions of the RSFSR, larch is one one of the fastest growing conifers. Here, on rich sandy and loamy soils, its growth in height is 60-90 cm per year. In Lithuania, in one of the forest areas, a 16-year-old larch with a trunk thickness of 30 cm grows. The width of each annual tree ring is 1-2 cm. Lithuanian scientists bred this larch - Akseleratka through selection.

Long-term observations have established that during the day larch grows in height much longer than pine. It has a deep and highly branched root system, withstands air pollution, and is also valuable breed. Her crown is openwork and very little retains the sun's rays. Larch has two types of shoots: some are shortened, look like a bunch of needles surrounding the bud, others are long and begin to grow in the spring, somewhat later shortened, the needles on them are arranged spirally.

190 year old larch forest

Larch, which in Siberia in conditions of permafrost at the age of ripeness sometimes gives - only a few tens of cubic meters of wood per 1 ha, in Ukraine it has 800-900. A 190-year-old larch forest grows in the Dzerzhinsky forestry of the Novograd-Volynsky forestry of the Zhytomyr region, where the height of the trees is 47-50 m, and the stock of wood is more than 1300 m3 per 1 ha. Lindulovsky larch forest grows on the Karelian Isthmus, planted to foresters by Fokel in 1737. One can learn about this unique grove from numerous literary sources, scientific and popular science articles. However, this is not enough, you need to see it with your own eyes. Look up and your head will spin. The trunks are giants, up to 45 m high and 50-70 cm thick, as if they moved the sky from you to an unusual distance. You wonder: can this be in a relatively harsh climate? Larch strikes the imagination here. Everyone who sees her falls in love at first sight. This is an original and unique forest museum, a role model, an invaluable relay race of forest architecture. The stock of wood here is about 1700 m3 per 1 ha, that is, from one larch you can take it ten times more than we take today in cut down forests.

The history of the creation of this grove is very interesting. When Peter "cut a window to Europe", Russia began to build ships on the Baltic Sea. Their construction required high-quality wood. Larch suited for this purpose as well as possible. The Admiralty Board instructed "... to create forests related to navigation ..." For a long time he was looking for land and trees suitable for planting larch, from which cones could be harvested. Found them in the Arkhangelsk province. On these best of best trees he prepared cones and obtained seeds, from which he grew seedlings for planting. Currently, this unique plantation with an area of ​​356 hectares has been declared a nature reserve.

Biological features of larch

Larch has a number of interesting biological features. The spring is red. Most tree species are waiting for more warm days, and the larch is already releasing its delicate light green needles from the buds. The arborists are in a hurry to advance warm weather finish planting larch in 3-4 days, since being late leads to a decrease in the survival rate of seedlings. In spring, against the background of pale green needles, pink or reddish “lanterns” are visible on the branches - future cones can become dusty, next to them are bright yellow spikelets - male flowers in which pollen ripens. After maturation, the anthers burst, the pollen flies out of them and is carried by the wind in different directions. Larch is a monoecious breed, that is, on the same tree there are male and female flowers - spikelets. Seeds in cones ripen in September. Over time, they open up and the wind carries the winged seed to a considerable distance from the mother trees. Most of the larch seeds do not germinate, because there are no germs in it. Do not collect cones from singly standing trees, as in them the flowers are deprived of the possibility of cross-pollination.

Extremely photophilous larch never forms dense forest stands. In a forest with larches, trees are located at a considerable distance. Here, as a rule, there are no shrubs and rocks of the second tier, and therefore it is always light and spacious, which is in the park. In autumn, larch needles acquire a very good golden yellow color. During this period, each of its trees resembles a torch, which, in a plantation with spruce and pine, shines against the background of their dark greenery. Even in autumn, larch needles remain extremely tender, soft and not prickly.

Larch has a very thick bark, which saves it not only from severe frosts, but also from ground fires. Scientists also found that in Yakutia and other regions of Siberia, in permafrost forest floor rots very slowly, its layer can reach 10 cm. Seeds that fall on such a litter germinate, but its tender roots cannot break through to the mineral layer of the earth, and the larch dies. Ground fires expose the land, contribute to the appearance of self-seeding of larch. Consequently, in this case, the enemy of the forest, fire, contributes to the emergence of a new generation of forests.

Unique properties of larch

The wood of this breed has a number of unique properties, such as extreme strength and durability. No wonder it is called coniferous oak. In the construction of ships, it is valued more than oak, since the latter oxidizes the fastening bolts. It is not afraid of beetles - grinders, it is distinguished by great flexibility and elasticity. Larch sleepers last for decades, while pine sleepers last only 4 years. The valuable properties of larch wood are associated with its extreme density and high specific gravity, as well as the fact that it is impregnated with tannins. Due to its high specific gravity in water, it does not sink, and therefore it cannot be fused like pine. When burning, larch gives off a lot of heat, therefore, along with birch, hornbeam and oak firewood, larch firewood is considered the best for heating. It is extremely resistant to decay. In the taiga, trunks often found fallen by storms have lain for more than 200 years, overgrown with moss and grass, but with completely healthy and hard wood.

Buildings made of larch are noted for their amazing durability. Its wood does not rot either in the ground or in water, and surpasses oak in strength, and can serve people for thousands of years. Where larch grows, they make the lower part of wooden buildings from it, and they serve for centuries. Over time, larch wood seems to turn to stone and acquires more and more strength, in addition, the color gradually changes - it gets better and better.

In Altai, scientists discovered ancient mounds, where they found products made of larch. All of them are perfectly preserved. Once upon a time, sarcophagi-wells, log cabins of grave crypts, war chariots with wheels that were woven from larch roots were made from larch. And all this was done in the Bronze Age, that is, two thousand years before our era.

As you know, Venice is located on 118 islands. The city began to be built up in the 5th century. The palaces and temples of Venice stand on larch stilts. Total There are more than 400 thousand Venetian piles, they have been serving for more than 1000 years and so far there are no signs of wood damage.

The city of Arkhangelsk, the Winter Palace and St. Isaac's Cathedral in Leningrad also stand on larch piles and today they are as strong as iron. The wood has become so hard that neither a saw nor an ax can take it. In the Kremlin, details of houses made of larch have been serving for 500-600 years. Parquet and window frames made of larch winter palace perfectly preserved to this day and, obviously, will serve for more than one hundred years.

In 1849, a church built of larch in 1248 was dismantled in the Pula district of the Warsaw province. The building stood for 601 years, but the wood was so strong that it was used to build a new church. The durability of larch is due to the special chemical composition of the resin, which is a long-term preservative of its wood and it is this resin that protects against rotting and damage.

What is larch used for?

Larch used for the manufacture of machine parts, in the construction of bridges, piers, locks, dams, water mills. In the Urals, there are larch dams that have stood without repair for more than 300 years. When talking about the outstanding qualities of larch wood, they remember the bridge over the Danube, built back in the days of the Roman Empire. The remains of this bridge have survived to this day. The axle bearings of old steamer wheels were also made of larch, since the metal did not serve this role for long, because it was always eaten by grains of sand in the water.

The bark of larch and birch, as well as pine and fir needles, fallen pine cones, turned into flour, are used to disinfect seeds of agricultural crops, increase its field germination and plant resistance to diseases (3 kg of flour is needed for 1 ton of seeds). It turns out that the phytoncides that it releases provide a positive effect on the seeds.

Larch wood contains almost 44% cellulose and up to 10% pentoses - substances very valuable for chemical industry, as well as up to 4% essential oils and alcohol extracts. Rosin can be obtained from it, essential oil, vinegar, dyes, fodder yeast, tanning extracts. From the secretions of larch - a resinous mass, chewing plates of light-colored Brown. They are sweet in taste and have a pleasant resinous smell. They are used for beriberi, to strengthen teeth and gums, and also as an excellent tonic. In the taiga, you can do without toothpaste and brushes, they are perfectly replaced by larch resin. It is pleasant to chew it and at the same time the teeth become clean, the gums are strengthened, and the pleasant aroma of the forest is felt in the mouth for a long time.

The amazing property of larch

Scientists recently discovered another amazing property larch wood. They obtained from it a polysaccharide substance, which, according to medical research, resumes the movement of blood in damaged tissues and their vital activity. The ability of larch to heal its own wounds has long been known. Now scientists have learned that it is the substance obtained that helps to bind and glue gaps in the tissues of the tree. They found that the isolated polysaccharide is very similar in its chemical composition to a drug that is used today in medicine to restore blood flow. It can be used in the chemical industry for the manufacture of polyhydric alcohols and some other products.

larch resin

Has great value larch resin . About 25-30 years ago, when the demand for resin increased significantly, and it was impossible to satisfy it only at the expense of pine, the question arose about the extraction and use of resin from larch. Rosin from larch resin is used in the manufacture of paper, rubber products, varnishes and other industrial products. Processed also technology for the production of a very valuable and much-needed larch balsam.

Despite the huge distribution and unique properties, larch was not lucky. They do not sing songs about her, as about viburnum, oak, birch or mountain ash, cafes, shops, restaurants and ensembles are not called after her. Each tree has its own destiny and its own glory. However, as all of the above testifies, this breed deserves deep respect. Its wider introduction into the forests of Ukraine will significantly increase their productivity.

Besides, larch should plant along roads and clearings in the forests, make forest belts out of it in the fields.

Dendrologists share everything tree species plants for two large groups: deciduous and coniferous trees. And, as a rule, it is very simple to attribute one or another species to one of these groups. The only exception to this rule is larch. This is deciduous or Let's try to understand this issue.

Larch: coniferous or

Lárix - this is the name of this wonderful tree in Latin. Why do many people have a question: "Larch is deciduous or conifer tree?" And how to answer it correctly?

The thing is that although this tree has needles, it sheds its needles for the winter, just as hardwoods do. This is the moment that drives many people into a dead end. And not everyone can confidently answer the question "larch is a deciduous or coniferous tree."

In fact, this beauty of botany belongs to the pine family, and thus it is a coniferous species. And one of the most common on the planet.

Larch: botanical description of the plant

So, we found out that larch is a coniferous tree. The features of this plant, as well as its distribution throughout the Earth, we will consider below.

The average height of this tree is no more than 50 meters (with a trunk diameter of no more than 1 meter). Larches live on average up to 300 years, although individual specimens have been recorded that have lived up to 800 years.

The peculiarity of this plant is a conical (like many conifers), but a very loose (translucent) crown. In those places where the wind rose is unidirectional, the crown may have a flag-like shape.

The main feature of this coniferous breed is its needles. It is annual and very soft, as for a coniferous tree. Touching larch needles is quite pleasant. Every autumn, the tree sheds its needles, and in spring new, fresh, green needles grow on its branches.

Larches are quite developed and powerful, which allows them to settle on steep mountain slopes, where strong winds blow throughout the year. IN individual cases, for greater stability, even its lower branches take root in the ground.

Larch is a very light-loving tree, therefore, it chooses appropriate areas for itself: open and unshaded. If the growing conditions are favorable, then the plant is able to reach for the sun at an amazing speed: up to one meter per year!

Larch is very resistant to low air temperatures. She is not afraid of sharp frosts. Undemanding to soils. So, larch can grow both on the dry soil of a mountain slope, and on the waterlogged land of a swampy lowland. However, if the soil conditions are too unfavorable, then the tree will grow very stunted and low.

Geographic distribution of the plant

Larch is one of the most common tree species on the planet, numbering up to 15 different types. Very often these trees form vast and light forests. Vast territories are occupied by larch forests in Siberia, as well as in Far East.

European larch is often called a long-lived tree. She easily lives to the age of several hundred years. On the territory of Russia, three types of larch are most often found: Russian, Siberian and Dahurian. The latter can be easily distinguished by their shiny silvery buds. Whole forests grow in Transbaikalia

IN North America western and American larch became widespread. In the United States, the wood of these species is actively used in construction and industry.

The use of larch by man

The wood of this tree has long been used by man. It differs in durability, elasticity, resinousness. Plus, it is very resistant to decay. In the hardness of larch fabrics, they are second only to oak.

The wood of this plant is actively used in the construction business, in industry, in the construction of surface or underwater structures. Turpentine is also produced from it.

The plant is used in folk medicine. So, larch needles are a huge source of ascorbic acid. Therefore, fresh needles (or an infusion of them) are an excellent prophylactic against scurvy. In addition, baths from the needles of this tree are recommended for people suffering from joint diseases. Turpentine is also made from larch resin - a very effective remedy for rheumatism and gout.

Finally...

Is larch a deciduous or coniferous tree? After reading our article, you will forever remember the answer to this question.

Larch is a tree not only beautiful, but also very useful. The wood of this unique plant differs in the big durability and resistance to rotting therefore it is widely used in the construction industry. And several centuries earlier, the strongest and most reliable ships were made from it.

What is larch? Is it a deciduous or coniferous tree? The features of the breed are described in this article.

Description of the breed. Is larch a deciduous or coniferous tree?

Larix is ​​the Latin name for a very interesting tree- larches. In height, it grows up to fifty meters, while the diameter of the trunk does not exceed one meter. Each plant lives three hundred to five hundred years, although the old-timers of the Earth are known, who are already about eight hundred years old.

The plant looks interesting: it has a conical crown, but it is very loose, translucent in many places. If the tree grows in an area where the winds blow predominantly in one direction, then the larch crown will form in the form of a flag.

The root system of the tree is very powerful and tenacious - it is easily kept on steep slopes even when strong wind. For greater stability, the lower branches of larch take root.

Amazing Feature

This species has modified leaves - needles. It would seem that in this place the question of which larch tree is coniferous or deciduous is no longer relevant. But the needles of larix are special - very soft, not prickly, pleasant to the touch, growing in bunches of 40-50 pieces or singly. In addition, it is an annual, that is, it falls off every autumn, and grows again in the spring - young, bright green. It is this fact that most often raises doubts about whether larch belongs to coniferous or deciduous trees. Since neither spruce, nor pine, nor fir - traditional representatives of conifers - do not shed their needles for the winter. Everyone knows that the Christmas tree "in winter and summer - one color." However, those who are interested in whether larch is a deciduous or coniferous tree should know that it is still a coniferous species belonging to the Pine family.

botanical properties

Larch loves the sun very much. In the shade, it does not grow at all and does not bear fruit. The tree chooses places flooded sunlight. Under favorable conditions, it grows extremely fast - up to one meter per year!

Other agro-climatic conditions do not play such an important role:

• larch is resistant to low temperatures, calmly tolerates severe frosts;
• undemanding to the composition of the soil. It grows equally well on soils poor in humus, on dry and waterlogged soils, and moss swamps. But prefers sandstones of river valleys.

Larch can create pure plantings or coexist with spruce, fir, birch and other species. It is noteworthy that this tree is not damaged by rodents, does not affect diseases.

Kinds

Now we know the answer to the question, larch is a deciduous or coniferous tree. And who knows that this is one of the most common breeds on the planet? More than twenty of its species are known: Dahurian, Amur, Kamchatka, European, Primorsky, Siberian, Okhotsk, Kuril, Olginskaya, Chekanovsky, Gmelin, Middendorf, Komarov, Griffitz, Lyubarsky, Potanin, Lyell larch, American larch, thin-scaly, western, Polish and some others. They differ in places of growth, length and width of shoots, shape and size of cones, appearance needles. But they all belong to the Pine family, and no one doubts that larch is coniferous or deciduous tree. The features of all species are the same - soft needles that fall in the winter.

Distribution area

Larch is very widespread on earth. It grows throughout the northern hemisphere of the planet. In Russia, 38% of the forest area is occupied by larch plantations, and this is a huge territory! The tree grows in the Far East and throughout Siberia, in Northern and Western Europe up to the Carpathians, in some places in Central Europe, throughout North America, Canada. Larch can be found even far beyond the Arctic Circle!

Use in the national economy

Larch is widely used in everyday life. Its wood is highly durable, resinous and resilient. In terms of hardness, it is far ahead of other tree species, second only to oak. A big plus of larch is that it is very resistant to decay. By the way, all of Venice stands on wooden piles made of Siberian larch. Surprisingly, having been in water for centuries, it not only did not rot, but became harder than iron. Now even an ax will not take such a pile.

All these characteristics determine the widespread use of the species in construction, as well as in the furniture business. Berths, ships, bridges, underwater structures are built from larch. It is used in the design of interior and exterior interiors, as well as in industry - they produce turpentine. Containers for liquids are made from wood - barrels, vats. Piles, masts, sleepers, mill wings - all this is also made from larch. Very often it is used for the manufacture of sports and children's game equipment, fences, sidewalks, front gardens.

An interesting fact: the frame of Soviet trucks ZIS-5 and UralZIS is made of larch.

Larch in folk medicine

Any items made from Siberian larch have a natural ability to purify the air, rid it of harmful volatile substances. Phytoncides contained in wood help the body cope with colds. They also actively destroy viruses, soothe nervous system and get rid of migraines. Hypertension and hypotension patients are advised to decorate the interior of the house with larch or at least have a few items made from this tree.

The needles of this breed are very rich ascorbic acid. An infusion of fresh needles is used as excellent remedy from scurvy, as well as for the prevention various diseases, strengthening immunity. Siberian larch is able to give Siberian health.

Baths made from larch needles are also very useful. They help those who suffer from joint diseases. Turpentine is a medicine against gout and rheumatism, which is made from larch resin.

Instead of total

Now you know that larch is a deciduous or coniferous tree, as well as all the features and characteristics of the breed, where it grows and areas of application.

Larch is an amazing coniferous tree with antiseptic properties that are valued both in medicine and in construction. Surprisingly, it is made from medications and are actively used in the construction of houses. So what is the peculiarity of the Siberian larch?

Description of Siberian larch

Larch grows anywhere in Russia, but the most valuable tree is grown in distant Siberia. Due to the harsh climate in that area, larch becomes very durable, and resembles an almost eternal oak. If compared according to Brinell, the strength is 109 units. for Siberian larch, and 110 for oak. In other places, a tree grows more loose in structure. Siberian larch has a high fire resistance. It emits a healing aroma that favorably affects the well-being and health of people.

The height of Siberian larch can reach 45 meters. The trunk of the tree has a cone-shaped and straight appearance, in girth it can reach 2.5 meters. The bark has a grayish-brown tint, rather thick and cracked in places. The needles of the Siberian larch are soft, light green and the length of its needles does not exceed 5 cm. The tree belongs to the pine family. But it differs from them in that it sheds all its needles for the winter. A tree lives an average of 900 years.

A house built using Siberian larch will last more than one century. But earlier this tree was rarely used in construction, because. she was hard to cut special means, which are capable of facilitating this work at that time was not yet available. In its density, it is 3 times higher than pine. It is steady against emergence of dampness and is not subject to influence of a fungus. It may have been in water for years and this will only improve its strength, so it is quite often used for the construction of bridges, piers, etc.

Siberian larch is actively used in shipbuilding, it is not afraid of sea ​​water. They also produce sleepers, parquet boards, power line poles, elements of building structures, baths and saunas. Larch clapboards can be used to decorate the inside and outside of the house. Ideal for rooms with high humidity. Able to withstand harsh climate without antiseptic impregnation of wood. It does not conduct heat well, so it is well suited for sheathing a house. The root of the Siberian larch is even stronger than the tree itself. Previously, it was used to make dishes intended for a festive celebration. The retail price of boards is on average 45,000 rubles per 1 m3.

Siberian larch has a beautiful color, you can easily see annual rings on it. Given valuable tree is very durable, but also expensive, although it is worth it.

Larch is a tall, slender tree; its height is 25-50, and sometimes 80 m. The root system of the plant is highly branched, deep, with a well-developed taproot. Its structure significantly depends on the characteristics of the soil. In permafrost regions root system superficial, and adventitious roots can form in wetlands. In young trees, the crown has a conical shape, which gradually becomes cylindrical or wide-conical. It is formed by elongated growth shoots, on which the needles are located singly and in a spiral.

It is one of the few conifers that sheds its soft, thin, and flat foliage in autumn. However, larch seedlings retain needles throughout the year. Dropping needles is probably special kind adaptation of the tree to the harsh climate, since the northern limit of larch growth goes beyond the Arctic Circle. At the same time, the needles of Gmelin larch and Siberian larch fall off in the second half of October, Siberian larch and American larch shed their golden outfit only in November. In winter, the tree can be recognized by its knotty branches, but in spring, bright green bunches of young needles appear again on larch, which are located on shortened shoots in bunches of 20-40 pieces.
larch blossoms in early spring, simultaneously with the appearance of needles. Male cones have an oval-spherical shape. They are located on leafless shortened shoots mainly on the underside of the branches and abundantly secrete pollen, which does not have air sacs and therefore spreads not far. The oblong female cones are red, pink or green, wind-pollinated, and fertilized in a month.
Larch begins to bear fruit from 15-25 years and continues at intervals of 3-5 years until old age. Rounded or oblong cones that mature in the first year are 2-3 cm long. Light brown seeds are located on the seed scales of the cones. Under each seed scale there are two seeds with a large leathery wing. Cones open only in the spring of next year, so you can collect them throughout the winter.

Larch is a fast-growing and long-lived species: some of them live for about 900 years. The most intensive growth is observed at the age of 80-100 years. This genus includes about 20 species of monoecious trees that grow in the Northern Hemisphere, forming larch forests, or growing among other conifers. Several types of larch differ from each other in such insignificant ways that many scientists are still debating which species are independent and which are only a variety of the same species. The European larch (Larix decidua), which is more cold sensitive than other species, is closely related to the American larch (Larix laricina) native to North America. Siberian larch (Larix sibirica) - a tree 30-40 m high, growing in the east and north-east of the European part of Russia, east of the Yenisei is replaced by a close species - Gmelin's larch, or Daurian larch (Larix dahurica), which is distinguished by small (length 10- 20 mm) with ovoid cones. These two types of larches easily put up with the harsh climate of the north. In addition, it is necessary to mention such species as western larch (Larix occidentalis) and Kaempfert (Japanese) larch (Larix kaempferi).

Larch is very useful tree: she alone replaces an entire pharmacy. IN medicinal purposes they use not only its buds and young shoots, which are harvested in the spring, but also larch resin, from which "Venetian" turpentine is obtained, containing up to 16% turpentine, used for chronic respiratory diseases and urolithiasis. The bark of this tree is used for hernia and poisoning, and the needles, which can be collected throughout the summer, are consumed fresh as a therapeutic vitamin remedy.

FEATURES OF CULTIVATION, SOIL, LANDING RULES
Larch is very photophilous, frost-resistant and resistant to urban conditions, but suffers from summer drought, therefore, in hot weather, watering is carried out at 15-20 liters for each tree 1-2 times a week. At a young age, the tree tolerates a haircut quite well.
Loosening is carried out only under young plantings, 20 cm deep, and weeds must be removed.
In early spring, before the shoots begin to grow, Kemira-universal fertilizer is applied at the rate of 100-120 g / m2. On winter period only young plants cover, and for the first 1-2 years after planting, Japanese larch trees are covered with “Pegasus” from spring frosts.
It is undemanding to soils, but prefers well-drained podzolic and sod-podzolic soils. Does not tolerate stagnant moisture and drought, does not grow well on the sands.
Planting larch in a permanent place should be as early as possible. This is best done when she reaches the age of six. In general, up to the age of 20, larch easily tolerate transplantation. In more early age the plant is planted in a soft container, and in the older one - always in a hard container or with a frozen lump.
For landing it is better to choose early spring before bud break or autumn after leaf fall. The place intended for this tree should be bright, open and spacious, because larch prefers to grow in free and sunny areas.
Landing pits must be prepared in advance. If the soils are heavy, drainage from gravel or broken bricks with a layer of 20 cm is required. The soil mixture consists of leafy soil, peat and sand (3:2:1).
Plants are planted at a depth of at least 70-80 cm. The distance between the trees is 2-4 m. On the young thin roots of the plant there is mycorrhiza, which is important not to damage during planting.
After planting, it is necessary to mulch with peat or sawdust with a layer of 5-6 cm.

BREEDING
The larch is propagated by seeds. Grafting is advisable only for the reproduction of especially valuable species and decorative forms.
In youth, the tree grows quite quickly: in the first three years, the growth is more than 1 m, then up to 30-40 pets it grows by 1 m annually.

DISEASES AND PESTS
The main pests of larch are: silkworms - pests of coniferous tree species in Siberia, the Far East. Wings are grey. They feed on needles, buds, young cones.
Larch sawflies lay their eggs in groups on the surface of needles. Sawfly larvae live openly and outwardly resemble butterfly caterpillars, differing from them a large number false abdominal legs (6-8 pairs). Sawfly larvae live in groups, each of which collectively builds a protective web nest;
Also, larch is significantly harmed by: larch leafworm, larch case-bearer, larch flies, cone worm and larch moth.
Control measures: in case of damage to the plant by insect pests, the damaged shoots should be removed, and the tree should be treated with a solution of any insecticidal preparation made on the basis of mineral oils.

LANDSCAPE DESIGN
Due to its decorative qualities, as well as frost resistance and unpretentiousness, larch is widely used in landscape gardening and landscaping of household plots. It looks good in single, group and avenue plantings, in pure and mixed groups. Particularly attractive are mixed groups of different types of larch, because the color scheme of its needles in spring and summer includes all shades of green: from pale green to gray and gray-green.