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Japanese larch is the brightest and most beautiful representative of the Pine family. Thanks to the beautifully colored needles, unpretentiousness in care and rapid growth, the plant is widely used in landscaping the backyard. Kempfer larch prefers to grow in a sunny place, it is in perfect harmony with ornamental shrubs, junipers and other conifers. The uniqueness of the species lies in the fact that it has the features of deciduous and coniferous trees.
Description of Japanese larch
Kempfera Japanese larch is a deciduous coniferous plant native to the island of Honshu. In Russia, the species is known recently, but has already gained great popularity. Kempfer larch can grow in cold and dry climates, tolerates recurrent spring frosts, and is easy to care for.
Japanese larch is a tall conifer that reaches a height of up to 30 m. The plant has a powerful trunk with a thin, peeling bark and long branches slightly twisted in a spiral. At the beginning of winter, annual shoots acquire a brown-lemon color with a blue bloom, adult shoots turn dark brown.
Kempfer larch is a fast growing plant, with an annual growth of 25 cm in height and 15 cm in width. The pyramidal crown is covered with blunt blunt needles reaching a length of 15 mm. In autumn, the needles are painted in a light lemon color, thereby giving a decorative look to the personal plot.
Fruiting occurs at the 15th year of life. Kempfera is covered with round-oval cones 30 mm long, arranged in 5-6 rows. The fruits are formed from thin scales and can stay on the shoots for up to 3 years, forming light brown small seeds.
Japanese larch has a strong wood, so the plant is widely used in the woodworking industry. Furniture, souvenirs, window frames and door panels are made from it. Wood is also used for the construction of private houses, as it has bactericidal properties, freshens the air and drives away pests and parasites.
Japanese larch differs from other species in its vitality, durability and high immunity to diseases. It can also withstand severe frosts, slight drought and sudden changes in temperature and humidity conditions.
Growing Kempfer's larch, you can stock up on valuable natural gifts that cope with many diseases:
- resin or sap quickly heals wounds, heals abscesses, boils and carbuncles;
- young needles strengthens the immune system and quickly recovers after colds;
- a decoction of the shoots soothes joint pain, treats bronchitis and pneumonia.
Kempfer larch in landscape design
Japanese larch is the main plant in landscape design for many owners of their personal plot. Since the tree is decorative, unpretentious, tends to change color, has a rapid growth and durability.
In garden compositions, Japanese larch is planted in coniferous gardens, next to a juniper, and is used in single and group plantings.Diana larch on the trunk is distinguished by its unique beauty. A properly formed tree is a beautiful waterfall of hanging branches that sit on a perfectly flat trunk. Japanese larch Diana will look great in rock gardens, front gardens, flower beds and as an openwork hedge.
Japanese larch varieties
Thanks to the efforts of breeders, several varieties of Kempfer larch have been bred. They differ in size, color of needles, crown shape and maintenance requirements. Among the popular varieties, everyone can choose one that will look harmoniously on the garden plot among other plants.
Kempfer Larch Diana
Diana (Diana) - a tall variety, under favorable conditions grows up to 10 m.The plant is in demand from owners of household plots for its luxurious look. Japanese larch variety Diana has spiral shoots and bright pink miniature cones. The weeping crown is covered with delicate, soft needles, which are painted in a light emerald color in the summer, and in a bright lemon in the fall.
In the first few years, young Kempfer larch grows very quickly, then development slows down. Diana prefers to grow in moist, alkaline soil.
In landscape design, Kempfer's larch of the Diana variety is used in single and group plantings, in coniferous gardens, next to ornamental shrubs and surrounded by perennial flowers.
Japanese larch Stif Viper
The Japanese larch Stiff Weeper is a creeping stem tree. The variety is undersized, reaches a height of 2 m, a width of 1 m. The beautiful crown is formed by hanging side shoots, therefore the variety is in demand and looks great in any garden compositions.
The needles of the Kempfer Stif Viper Japanese larch are painted in a sky-green color, falling off after the first frost. The female cones are red, the male cones are lemon green.
Japanese larch BlueDwarf
Kempfer Blue Dwarf larch is a dwarf variety with a hemispherical crown, up to 2 m high. The plant is slow-growing, the annual growth rate is about 4 cm. In the spring the tree is covered with soft, dense needles of a bluish-emerald color, in the fall it changes color to rich yellow.
At the end of summer, small red cones with thin, slightly curved scales appear on larch. In winter, larch sheds needles, but cones, which stay on the branches for several years, give decorative effect.
The variety is frost-resistant, loves fertile, drained soil. Does not tolerate drought and low air humidity.
On a personal plot, it looks harmoniously in rocky and coniferous gardens, in rock gardens, in a mixborder. Young specimens lend themselves well to pruning, so they can be formed like a standard tree. The original shape is suitable for creating alleys and contrasting compositions of decorative trees and shrubs.
Japanese larch Blue Rabbit
Japanese larch Blue Rabbit is a tall variety with a pyramidal crown. Adult specimens in favorable conditions reach up to 15 m. The variety got its name for the blue color of the needles, which becomes golden-red in autumn.
The tree is cold-resistant, so it can be grown in all regions of Russia. Kempfer Blue Rabbit is a fast-growing variety, resistant to gas pollution, retains a decorative appearance throughout its life. Kempfer's Blue Rabbit larch prefers to grow in well-drained, breathable soil with high humidity.
Kempfer Pendula Larch
Japanese larch Pendula is a medium-sized variety, the height of the tree reaches 6 m.The slow-growing tree forms long, strongly drooping branches, which, with age, cover the ground with a coniferous carpet.
Soft, fluffy sky-emerald needles give decorativeness to the view. Pendula is not demanding on the care and composition of the soil, but, like other varieties of larch, it does not tolerate dry and waterlogged soil.
Planting and caring for Japanese larch
Kempfer's larch is a decorative long-liver with beautifully colored needles. To grow a beautifully growing tree, you need to decide on the variety, choose the right site for planting and observe timely care.
Seedling and planting plot preparation
A Japanese larch seedling is best purchased in nurseries. When buying, you need to pay attention to:
- rhizome, it should be well developed;
- the trunk must be flexible and resilient, without signs of rot and mechanical damage;
- the needles are rich green, if it is colored brown or dark brown, it means that the plant is at the stage of death, you should not acquire such a seedling.
Japanese larch is a long-liver that does not tolerate transplanting well. Therefore, when choosing a site, it is necessary to take into account that the plant will grow in one place for about 15-20 years.
Kempfer larch grows well and thrives in an open, sunny location. Thanks to a powerful, well-developed branched root system, it can grow in open spaces without fear of strong gusty winds.
The soil for planting should be nutritious, well-drained, neutral or slightly acidic. Since the plant does not tolerate waterlogging, the planting site should be located at the top and away from water bodies.
Landing rules
Experts recommend planting seedlings in spring, when the soil warms up to + 12 ° C. It is better to work in the evening:
- A planting hole is dug 80 cm deep. A 15 cm layer of drainage (expanded clay or broken brick) is laid on the bottom.
- When planting several specimens, the distance between the planting holes should be at least 2-4 m. The interval depends on the size and shape of the crown.
- At the seedling, the root system is straightened and set in the center of the planting pit.
- The well is filled with nutritious soil, compacting each layer to avoid the formation of air voids.
- The top layer is compacted, mulched and spilled. One copy consumes at least 10 liters of water.
Watering and feeding
Abundant and frequent watering is necessary for a young plant for 2 years. Irrigation is carried out 2 times in 7 days at the rate of a bucket of water per 1 seedling. As the root system grows, watering is carried out only in dry summers. During the hot summer, the plant will not refuse irrigation by sprinkling. This will increase the humidity of the air and give the needles a healthy and decorative look.
Every year, before sap flow, fertilizing is carried out with liquid fertilizers, which are specially designed for conifers. In order not to burn the root system, fertilizers are diluted and applied strictly according to the instructions.
Mulching and loosening
After each watering, shallow loosening of the soil is carried out. To retain moisture, stop growth weeds, the trunk circle is mulched. Straw, fallen leaves, sawdust, pine needles or rotted humus are suitable as mulch. The mulch layer should be at least 7 cm.
Pruning
In the first 2-3 years after planting, formative pruning is carried out, giving the crown a decorative look. Adult plants need regular sanitary pruning. In the spring, remove non-wintered, mechanically damaged and dried shoots.
Low-growing varieties are often used to create a standard tree. In this case, the formation is carried out throughout the season.
Preparing for winter
Kempfer's larch is a frost-resistant species, therefore, plants at the age of 6 years do not need shelter for the winter. To protect young larch from the upcoming frost, you must:
- cover the crown, trunk and branches with breathable material;
- insulate the root system with spruce branches or sawdust.
Reproduction
Japanese larch can be propagated by cuttings, grafting and seeds. Cutting and grafting are complex and time-consuming processes, so they are not suitable for a novice gardener. Most often, such reproduction is used in nurseries and garden centers. In favorable conditions, the root system of cuttings grows quickly, the graft heals, and for 2 years the plant can be planted in a permanent place.
Reproduction by seeds:
- In the fall, before the beginning of leaf fall, cones are collected and removed to a warm place for ripening. Maturation is determined by the open scales.
- The collected seeds are soaked in warm water for 2 days. To avoid the addition of infection, it is necessary to change the water every 5 hours.
- The prepared container is filled with pre-heated, nutritious soil.
- The seed is buried 4-6 mm.
- The soil is spilled, the container is covered with polyethylene and removed to a warm, sunny place.
Under such conditions, a Japanese larch seedling develops for 1.5 years, after which it can be transferred to a prepared place.
Diseases and pests
Japanese larch has strong immunity to many diseases. But if the rules of care are not followed, larch can be struck:
- larch moth;
- coniferous worm;
- aphid;
- caterpillars of the case;
- bark beetles;
- larch sawfly.
If you do not start treatment in a timely manner, the growth and development of Japanese larch stops, decorativeness is lost, the metabolic process is disturbed, the tree is depleted and dies. When pests appear, it is necessary to treat them with insecticides, such as: "Karbofos", "Fozalon", "Decis".
Among fungal diseases, rust and shute are considered the most dangerous. For treatment, fungicides, Bordeaux liquid or any copper-containing preparation are used.
Conclusion
Japanese larch is a godsend for conifers. But before choosing a variety, it is necessary to take into account the height and shape of the crown, since this directly affects the decorativeness of the planting. Care requirements, cold resistance and disease resistance should also be assessed.
