Coniferous plant species are in demand in landscape design. They are unpretentious and fit perfectly into beautiful planting groups. Weeping larch belongs to small forms, since its height reaches only 2 m. Under natural conditions, the level of its growth stops at 30-40 m. The decorative version is brought out through grafting on a bole. A distinctive feature is the cascading upper branches with a small number of lateral processes, for which it was called weeping (by analogy with willow).
Weeping larch on a trunk
Short information
- Colour: changes during the season from light green to yellow towards fall.
- Height: 2 meters.
- Crown width: 100-120 cm.
- In which regions is it growing: Central, North Caucasian, Volgo-Vyatka, Siberia.
- Landing features: on the sunny side, no closer than 3-4 m from neighboring trees.
- Immunity: tall.
- Life span: 450-500 years.
Popular varieties
Larch needles fall off by winter. This is the only species of conifers that meet frosts with bare branches. But in the spring, amazing metamorphoses take place, when during the season the tree changes color three times, starting with pale green and ending with yellowish.
There are varieties with bluish needles. The main types are conventionally divided into Japanese, European, Siberian.
The most popular are:
- Western;
- Bullets;
- American;
- Repens;
- Pendula.
All species are dwarf, grow slowly, characterized by a drooping crown. When properly cared for, they look luxurious thanks to the lush mass of branches that are shaped by pruning.
Growing regions
The tree is cold-resistant and light-loving, tolerates severe winters well, does not feel well during prolonged droughts and the scorching sun.
Therefore, in the south, where the climate is dry, it is undesirable to plant them. It is unpretentious to the composition of the soil, it takes root well in the Central, Primorsky, North Caucasian, Ural regions, in Siberia.
Description of the plant
Standard larch is compact in size: with a height of 2 - 2.5 m, the crown coverage is 1 m.
The slender stately beauty surprises with the unusual shape of the branches, flowing in cascades hanging down to the very ground.
The needles are soft, light green during the flowering period. During the summer, it darkens, gradually turning golden in autumn.
Shoots are spiral, spread in a dense carpet. Red bumps (female type) and golden (male) become a bright accent.
The root system is powerful, branched. The bark is small-scaled, red-brown in color. The height of the tree depends on the grafting site. In winter, the needles fall off, but the branches are decorated with numerous cones.
Landing
The plant cannot be propagated by seeds
It will not work to grow the desired species from seeds, since the tree acquires the necessary characteristics after grafting. Therefore, they only turn to nurseries for purchase.
Sapling selection
For planting, a 2-year-old tree is chosen, it is not necessary to transplant it before, there is a risk that the vaccine will not take root.
The height is about 100-120 cm, the older it is, the more expensive it is. The price ranges from 3500 rubles. up to 12 thousand and more.
When choosing a plant, you need to pay attention to the condition of the branches, they must be elastic, without breaks, densely covered with bark. The roots are covered with foil or placed in a special container. Dried roots prevent adaptation and the tree may die.
Site preparation
All types of larch are centenarians, their age often reaches 450-500 years.
The root system is very powerful even in standard varieties, it goes into a depth of several meters, so the planting site must be chosen carefully, it will no longer be possible to transplant it.
If you plan to grow several plants, then a gap of 3-4 m is observed between them.
Basic requirements for the site:
- open, well lit by the sun;
- light soil with good drainage layer;
- lack of surface groundwater;
- there are no mature trees with a spreading crown nearby.
The planting hole is 70-80 cm deep, the width should be 1.5 times the volume of the root system. A layer of expanded clay and sand is poured at the bottom of the planting pit for free passage of moisture and air. The acidic soil is neutralized with a solution of slaked lime, a little complex fertilizer is applied.
Landing technology
A root with a part of the trunk is carefully placed into the prepared hole to a depth of 70 cm.
Then it is covered with earth with a slight elevation near the base, a garter to the support is required. To maintain moisture, the trunk circle is mulched.
The optimal planting time is spring, with good soil warming.
Care
Larch is unpretentious, there are no special secrets in its cultivation.
Top dressing
They are carried out 2 times a year with complex fertilizers containing the main elements.
It is allowed to introduce organic matter 1 time in the middle of the season. Adult mature plants are fed once a year - in the spring, during the period of active growth.
Watering
Larch does not tolerate excess moisture
Plants of this species do not tolerate excess moisture and waterlogged soils.
Usually additional watering in spring and autumn is not required.
The exception is periods of prolonged drought, when the appearance of the crown may suffer from a lack of moisture. In this case, watering is carried out every 2 weeks, no more than 20 liters per tree.
Mulching and loosening
For mulch, finely chopped weeds, sawdust, shavings, peat are used. The measure allows you to maintain an optimal moisture level while reducing the frequency of watering.
It is very important to loosen the near-stem zone. It should not be carried out close to the trunk; damage to the root hairs is possible.
The root system itself goes deep, so the main parts are reliably protected from external factors, but they need free breathing.
Neglecting the procedure leads to an increase in soil density and possible rotting of the base of the trunk and roots.
Crown formation
The decorative appearance of the plant is impossible without care. The most popular shapes for hardwoods remain the ball and cone.
Weeping varieties do not need frequent pruning.
The largest one is spring, it creates the basis for most of the season, is preventive and sanitary. Frozen and damaged branches are removed, their length is leveled relative to the ground, overgrown lateral processes are removed.
Preparing for winter
It is required in the first 1-2 years after the transplant. Particular attention is paid to the insulation of the root zone.
The plant is initially frost-resistant, so it tolerates the winter well; in regions with heavy winds, it is recommended to cover the crown with a special material and fix it with ribbons.
As the tree grows and develops, such measures lose their relevance.
Reproduction
It is carried out mainly by cuttings. The method is lengthy and rather complicated. To do this, choose a low-growing twig, bend it down and put it in the ground in the middle, cover it with sphagnum, moisten it and cover it with a film on top.
During the season, the moisture level is regularly checked; the mother plant is not cut off.
For the next season, the degree of rooting is checked, only then it is separated from the main trunk and transferred to a new site.
Larch of any kind reproduces by cuttings very reluctantly.
A more reliable way is to graft the stem on the stem. A partial shade is created for the plant, the grafting site is processed and fixed.
Diseases and pests
Preventive treatment will protect the tree from pests
Weeping larch is highly immune to disease. The main damage is done only by shute, a fungus that activates in high humidity. The affected branches are immediately removed, the plant is sprayed with fungicides.
Pests most often harm bark and needles. Among the most malicious are:
- spruce-larch hermes;
- aphid;
- mole;
- weevil;
- sawfly;
- spider mite;
- mealybug;
- false shield;
- pine bug.
The fight is carried out by spraying with special preparations Alatar, Fufanon, Senpai. For prevention, treatment is carried out in early spring before the start of sap flow.
Use in landscape design
Weeping larch on a trunk looks great in individual plantings, when decorating artificial reservoirs, alpine slides and heather gardens. It harmonizes well with juniper, dwarf forms of thuja, in combination with multi-level flower beds.
Common cultivation mistakes
Conifers do not require special care, but the tree will feel bad and lose needles if:
- grows in a shaded area;
- watered too often;
- there is great crowding;
- regular pruning and preventive spraying are not carried out.
The main mistake in cultivation is considered to be an oversupply of fertilizers. Incorrectly calculated proportions will lead to "burning" of the root system.
Larch pruning Larch on a trunk
Pendula larch. Planting and leaving larch on a trunk.
Care for weeping forms of plants. For example: conifers - larch
Gardeners reviews
Experienced gardeners appreciate larch for its elegant appearance and original shape, note its undemandingness to the soil composition, love for sunny space.