The pine family has virtually no equal in area of ​​developed territories and accumulated biomass. It has about 11 genera and at least 250 plant varieties, each of which is highly decorative. One of its representatives is larch - a beautiful coniferous tree with its own characteristics.

Botanical Description

Larch is a popular coniferous culture in Russia. Trees of this species have a lot of positive characteristics. In addition to high decorativeness, the plant still brings great benefits - its wood is a reliable building material, and the crown, shoots and cones are used for the manufacture of therapeutic agents.

How does larch bloom?

Larch begins to bloom in early spring. On the shoots among the short needles appear miniature female inflorescences - elongated roses of bright pink color.

Hues can vary depending on the variety and place of growth - from pale pink to rich lilac and even burgundy. A flowering tree looks fabulously beautiful, especially on a sunny day.

How fast does a tree grow

Under favorable growing conditions, larch grows to a gigantic size, reaching a height of 50 m, while the diameter of the powerful trunk reaches 1.8 m. The tree grows quite quickly and every year it adds 70–100 cm in growth, often catching up and overtaking other crops. At the beginning of the life cycle, the plant has a cone-shaped crown, but as the branches grow, it changes to an egg-shaped one.

Did you know? With an average larch life of around 300–500 years old there are specimens up to 800 years old.

Root system

Larch has a powerful branched root system that grows inland and in breadth. There is no pronounced core root, and the lateral roots go far deeper into the soil, which ensures the stability of the tree against strong winds. Sometimes the lateral branches, which grow very low and come in contact with the ground, can also take root. A powerful root system allows the culture to easily take root and grow in the most severe conditions, including marshy areas, regions with frosty winters or, conversely, too arid climate. This also explains the wide range of culture growth - from the forests of northern and western European countries to the Carpathians.

In Russia, the mass growth of larch can be found in Siberian forests and the Far East, in the south of Primorye. Moreover, it is in the Russian territories that 95% of all world larch reserves are concentrated.

When a plant sheds needles

Against the background of other coniferous plants, larch stands out as a significant feature - since the onset of autumn, it discards the needles and remains naked until the onset of spring. On the shoots are only ripe cones. At the same time, the tree easily tolerates even severe frosts.

With the onset of the spring thaw, new needles appear on the tree. As they grow, the leaf needles create a soft-touch crown. Medium-sized needles have a bright green hue, giving the whole tree a luxurious, lush look. Cones also open at the same time.

Important! Larch is considered a soil-improving crop, because its needles do not oxidize the soil, but saturate it with calcium.

Female specimens have an elegant rounded shape, reddish pink or purple-violet color, depending on the variety, and male specimens are small, golden, somewhat similar to mimosa balls. It should be noted that with all this magnificent “dress” the larch does not lose lightness and delicacy, and all thanks to the uneven growth of needles - on shortened shoots it grows in bunches, and on elongated shoots - one by one.

It should be noted that although the fall of needles and deprives a tree of decorativeness in the winter, it still has its advantages. In particular, the fact that annually changing young needles is not as dusty as perennial is noteworthy. Therefore, the processes of respiration and photosynthesis are better in it.

Important! Larch can be planted without fear in urban conditions, as it can easily cope with dusty air.

Larch planting

The first step towards introducing larch into the design is to plant a tree. Having become acquainted with the botanical description of culture, one gets the feeling that it is not demanding at all - it can grow anywhere, does not need care. This is not entirely true.

In the wild, indeed, no one will care, however, when planting larch in your area, you first of all want to see an aesthetically attractive tree with a healthy crown, so you need to follow some rules of agricultural technology.

Video: Planting Larch

When to plant

Larch is planted in spring and autumn. Experienced gardeners advise planting in early spring, even before the buds begin to swell in the trees. Spring planting has the advantage in that you can provide the young tree with proper care in the most difficult first months of survival. In addition, there is no risk of freezing of the roots.

If planting in the fall is the only option, you need to carry it out at a time when usually larch trees will already drop needles, but not too late for the tree to take root before severe frosts occur. You can choose the time in late October - early November.

Seedling Selection

For planting larch in the country, it is important to choose the right variety. If the site is small, it is advisable to choose a low tree, which over time will not "please" you with a height of fifty meters, covering most of the territory with its crown.

Gardeners should consider options such as:

1. European Larch (falling) - a fast-growing tree, gaining a maximum height of 20 m. Its flowering begins in April, and already in September the shoots are covered with ripening cones.
2. Siberian larch - the culture is widespread both in Siberia and in the middle lane. Actively grow it in the suburbs. However, keep in mind that this tree is suitable for planting only in spacious areas, since, being in favorable conditions, it can reach a height of up to 35 m. The plant has bright green needles with a bluish coating, the length of which is about 3 cm.
3. Larch Daurian - the lowest of its relatives. The tree is more like an ornamental shrub, as its structure is characterized by the presence of several peaks and branches spread out to the sides.
4. Kempfer larch - A favorite of landscape designers. It is distinguished by its unusual gray-green crown. Today, even decorative dwarf forms of this tree, which are suitable for bonsai, have been bred.

For those whose plot is not large in size, it is recommended to consider hybrid varieties of fine-larch larch. Each of them will become a real decoration of the landscape. The most popular varieties are Gangofer, Pendula, Dumosa and Diana.

Did you know? Larch has such a heavy bark that it sinks in water.

Also of particular interest is the Blue Dwarf variety, which, in fact, is a bush with a hemispherical crown, and the branches of Pendula larch literally spread along the ground, forming bizarre decorative patterns.

It is recommended to buy seedlings in nurseries in order to purchase a really desired variety. The optimal age of planting material is 5–6 years. The trees should be 1.2-1.5 m high, look absolutely healthy: without signs of disease, dried or rotting areas.

Some gardeners prefer to grow seedlings on their own from seeds. To do this, collect cones in late autumn, lay them in a warm place, and when they open, they extract the seed. For the winter, the material is planted in boxes with peat-sandy soil and grown up to 2 years.Then the "young" are transplanted to open beds in the school, where they grow up to 5 years, and only then transplanted to a permanent place.

Site selection and preparation

Larch grows and develops well in open sunny areas, is not afraid of drafts and gusts of wind. What must be taken into account when choosing a site for planting is the branching of the root system. Over time, the powerful roots of the tree will grow greatly, so planting it near buildings is not recommended so that the foundation structure is not damaged.

In nature, a tree can grow in swamps, on the skeletal soils of mountains, but such conditions are not the most favorable, which affects the decorativeness of the plant. The best option would be moist, well-drained loam or sandy loam soil.

Keep in mind that larch is a mycorrhizal tree; it simply cannot exist without a close connection with mushrooms. For the formation of mycorrhiza, boletus, porcini mushrooms or butterfish are suitable. Creating suitable conditions is very simple: immediately after landing in the trunk circle, you will need to dig up the old mushrooms.

Landing process

Planting seedlings will not be particularly difficult. Try to adhere to this algorithm of actions:

1. Dig a hole 70–80 cm deep and a little wider than an earthen lump with roots.
2. Lay on the bottom a drainage layer of chipped bricks with a thickness of not more than 20 cm.
3. Fill the pit half with a mixture of earth, peat and sand, taken in a ratio of 3: 2: 1.
4. Remove the seedling from the container carefully, together with an earthen lump. It is important not to damage it in order to preserve mycorrhiza, located in thin roots.
5. Place the seedling in the planting pit, cover the soil with soil mixture and pour 15–20 L of water abundantly.
6. Dig in the caps of old mushrooms to form mycorrhiza.
7. At this stage, it is recommended to introduce a drug - a stimulator of the development of the root system. As such, you can use "Radifarm".
8. Mulch the trunk circle with sawdust or peat. Lay the material so that it does not touch the trunk, otherwise it may rot.

If several trees are to be planted at once, the distance between them should be from 2 to 4 m, depending on the variety.

Tree care

After planting, care for the young tree is important. And an adult plant also needs to observe elementary agrotechnical rules, which gardeners need to know about.

Watering

Regular watering is required for young trees. If larch is planted in the warm period (spring, summer), you need to water 2 times a week. At the same time, it is important to moisten the soil well to a depth of 60–70 cm. About 2-3 buckets of water will go to each tree. To make the process more efficient, you need to dig a small depression around the trunk and feed water directly into it.

After watering, the groove is dug up with earth and mulched with a layer of at least 5 cm to save moisture. Mature trees do not need watering - they have enough natural rainfall. It is advisable to spray decorative undersized crops in the hot period in the evenings with cool water - so the needles will rest from the summer heat, and the tree will not be attacked by a spider mite.

Important! Before wintering (at the end of November) it is recommended to carry out water-loading irrigation, spending up to 5 buckets of water for each tree. This is necessary because in conifers vital processes in the winter do not stop, but only slow down.

Fertilizer

So that the larch does not hurt and shows off with magnificent needles, it is useful to periodically fertilize the soil around the tree with phosphorus and potassium compounds. As a complex fertilizer, Kemira is suitable. Processing is carried out in early May, spending 20 g per 1 m².

At the beginning of summer, it is possible to treat the crown with a solution of urea or Quantum. In principle, these top dressings of the larch are quite enough, because it does not apply to fruit trees, and its needs are different.

Pruning

Pruning is carried out in the fall, when the needles fall, or in the spring, before the buds begin to swell. Larch tolerates this procedure well and is quickly restored, which gives great scope for creativity. Armed with clippers, you can give the tree an oval or spherical shape. One molding haircut is enough per year.

When pruning, in order to adjust the height and size of the plant, as a rule, most of the annual shoots and part of the two-year growth are removed. But do not get too carried away so as not to violate the density of the crown. Sanitary pruning should be carried out throughout the season, removing dried, diseased or damaged areas.

Video: Larch crown formation

Mulching and loosening the soil

Periodic loosening of the soil, which is carried out in spring and summer, will make it more fluffy, improve water and air permeability. In addition, this is a good reason to do weed weeding. It is best to loosen the soil at the same time as irrigation, deepening into the soil no lower than 10-15 cm.

Important! After loosening, the soil is mulched to preserve moisture. You can use peat, but better humus, which will also become an organic fertilizer.

Winter preparations

Larch is a winter-hardy crop, so mature trees do not need additional shelter, especially since many varieties are tall enough, which makes the procedure impossible. However, it is useful for winter to cover the roots with a layer of mulch at least 15 cm thick.

Young seedlings of heat-loving varieties can be additionally covered with spruce branches or non-woven material.

Possible diseases and pests

Larch is a fairly strong culture and rarely gets sick. However, it is not safe from viral infections that can be transmitted by insects, penetrate through soil, groundwater, etc. Many diseases cause improper care: the plant remains in the shade, lack of fertilizer.

Did you know? Materials for the interior decoration of the house, made of larch, are not only decorative, but also help create a pleasant, ecological environment due to the content of essential oils and resins.

The most common diseases are:

• rust - characterized by the appearance on the veins of the needles of small yellowish blisters. In the neglected stage, all the needles may turn yellow, and the tree will die. You can overcome the disease by treatment with the preparations "Rayok" or "Skor";
• shute mushroom - can be determined by the appearance of red-brown spots on the needles at the end of spring. The tops are initially damaged, and then the entire plant is completely damaged. They struggle with the disease by spraying with the Profit drug, performing procedures 2-3 times with an interval of 2 weeks;
• tracheomycotic wilt - the disease manifests itself as withering apical shoots. The color of the needles turns yellow, and then turns red. To cure the tree, the crown and soil should be treated with a Bordeaux mixture, Vitovax.

In addition to diseases, larch can become prey for insect pests. Most often, trees suffer from:

• brown aphids - a small insect up to 3 mm in size, whose settlements can be seen on the needles. The pest eats the juice of the plant, due to which the crown quickly dries and crumbles. Treatment with Operkot is necessary;
• spruce deciduous hermes - an insect that leaves a well-visible white coating on the needles, the needles turn yellow, deform and crumble. You can overcome by spraying with insecticides "Decis pro" and "Aktara";
• bristle weevil - a pest eating out larch buds.To get rid of it, you should cut off the affected areas and spray the tree with “Angio”;
• spider mite - an insect that appears on the needles with small black dots and the appearance of a thin web on the needles. It activates in hot, dry weather. For treatment should be used drugs "Nurel-D", "Caesar".

In order to protect the conifer from diseases and pests, it is recommended to periodically conduct preventive treatments with chemical preparations. To create protection against insects, “Actellik” or “Confidor” will help, and Bordeaux mixture from diseases, “Hom” will help. Means can be alternated during spring and summer sprayings.

Tree transplant

Sometimes there is a need for a transplant of larch. For example, if you have grown seedlings yourself and now you need to transplant them to a new place or you need to move the tree due to the redevelopment of the site, the introduction of a new idea in landscape design. Transplantation rules are, in principle, identical to the process of planting a seedling.

Important! You need to pay attention to the correct digging of the plant - it must be removed from the soil together with an earthen lump, without violating the structure of the root system.

To do this, the tree is first dug up from all sides, and then gently lifted with a shovel. After that, the larch must be immediately placed in a new planting pit.

Video: How to transplant larch

When can I transplant

The best time for transplanting larch is spring. At the beginning of the article, the reasons why a tree planted in the spring take root much easier than what was planted at other times of the year have already been mentioned. Nevertheless, sometimes it becomes necessary to deal with the transplant process in the summer or autumn.

In summer

Larch transplantation in summer is also allowed. Only it is advisable to do this in the evening, so that the scorching rays of the sun do not overdry the landing pit and earthen lump. It is advisable to perform 1-2 times the treatment with a rooting agent, such as, for example, “Heteroauxin”.

Immediately after planting, the tree is abundantly watered, delivering at least 20 liters of water under one tree. The first days and weeks you need to constantly ensure that the soil is moist.

Fall

You can start the autumn transplant at a time when the larch will drop needles and will be preparing for winter "hibernation". The optimal period is the beginning - mid-November. After this, the soil should be covered with a layer of peat mulch about 10-15 cm thick.

After planting, it is recommended to water the tree abundantly, spending at least 2 buckets per instance.

If we are talking about young trees transplanted from the school, it is advisable to cover them for the winter, using spruce branches. For an adult plant that has changed its place of growth, mulch is enough.

What can be planted next to larch

Speaking about what can be planted next to larch, first of all, you need to build on the variety and the maximum height that it can reach in adulthood. If this is a tall tree, do not plant near it flowering and fruiting plants that need good lighting.

Important! You can not plant a larch next to a birch, because from it a tree can become infected with rust.

In principle, there are no such restrictions in the selection of neighbors for larch - you can safely fantasize by creating compositions: flower beds with other coniferous, decorative and deciduous shrubs, flowers.Larch will be well combined with cereal crops, creating the appearance of a plot of cultivated forest. You can plant fescue, grate, feather grass, spreading pine forest.

What should not be done is to plant annuals nearby, since their annual transplantation can adversely affect the root system of larch. Choose for the flowerbed several varieties of perennials blooming in different periods (muscari, hydrangea, astilbe) to extend the attractiveness of the composition.

The use of wood in landscape design

Larch is not without reason aroused interest among gardeners and landscape designers. The tree has high decorative qualities all year round. In spring, it pleases with elegant flowering, followed by landscaping of the crown with fluffy coniferous vestments.

By autumn, before dropping the foliage, the tree “changes clothes” in a gold outfit. And even in winter, bare branches are able to surprise with their intricate curved patterns, especially spectacular varieties with twisted branches.

Large species of larch are used for single or group plantings. Of the smaller ones, create alleys, group compositions with the inclusion of deciduous shrubs and trees. Particularly noteworthy are dwarf varieties with a weeping crown, with which you can form a wide variety of floral pictures.

Important! Good neighbors in the flowerbed will be decorative foliage plants and flowering perennials.

Larch, like all coniferous plants, is great for decorating rockeries and rock gardens. The conifer looks great against the backdrop of exposed rocky compositions, decorates the slopes, reviving the general landscape. It looks good in the vicinity of ornamental shrubs (fern, cuffs, hosts) and creeping flowering crops (saxifrage, alissum).

If the area of ​​the site allows, you can create a flower bed from different conifers or exclusively from larch of different varieties, picking up trees of different size and color. For example, the composition may include high Japanese larch (up to 35 m), located in the center or in the background, next to the Camera with a gray-green crown, as well as several dwarf species, among which you can place the Blue Dwarf variety with iridescent green-blue needles. Larch can become part of a mixborder.

Larch is an excellent coniferous crop that can significantly transform the garden. A huge number of species and varieties of this plant allow you to choose the best option for large and small areas, to design beautiful alleys and flower beds. In this case, the only thing that is required from the gardener is a little love and care.