What is larch? Is it deciduous or conifer tree? The features of the breed are described in this article.
Description of the breed. Is larch a deciduous or coniferous tree?
Larix is Latin name very interesting tree- larch trees. In height, it grows up to fifty meters, while the diameter of the trunk does not exceed one meter. Each plant lives for three or 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 mainly in one direction, then the crown of the larch will form in the form of a flag.
The root system of the tree is very strong and tenacious - it is easily held on steep slopes even with strong wind... For greater stability, the lower branches of the 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 already irrelevant. But larix needles are special - very soft, not prickly, pleasant to the touch, grows in bundles of 40-50 pieces or singly. In addition, it is one-year-old, that is, it falls off every autumn, and in the spring it grows up again - 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 are traditional representatives conifers- do not drop needles for the winter. Everyone knows that the tree is "one color in winter and summer." 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 is very fond of the sun. In the shade, it does not grow at all and does not bear fruit. The tree chooses the places flooded sunlight... At favorable conditions grows extremely fast - up to one meter per year!
The rest of the agro-climatic conditions do not play such an important role:
- larch resistant to low temperatures, calmly endures and very coldy;
- not demanding on the composition of the soil. It grows equally well on soils poor in humus, on dry and waterlogged soils, mossy bogs. But he prefers sandy loam of river valleys.
Larch can create clean plantings or coexist with spruce, fir, birch and other species. It is noteworthy that this tree is not damaged by rodents, does not infect diseases.
Kinds
Now we know the answer to the question, is larch a deciduous or coniferous tree. Who knows that this is one of the most widespread breeds on the planet? More than twenty of its species are known: Daurian, Amur, Kamchatka, European, Primorsky, Siberian, Okhotsk, Kuril, Olginsky larch, Chekanovsky, Gmelin, Middendorf, Komarov, Griffitz, Lyubarsky, Potanin, Layel larch, American larch, thinly and some others. They differ in places of growth, the length and width of the shoots, the shape and size of the cones, the appearance of the needles. But they all belong to the Pine family, and no one doubts whether larch is a coniferous or deciduous tree... The features are the same for all species - soft needles that fall off for the winter.
Distribution area
Larch is very widespread on earth. It grows throughout the northern hemisphere of the planet. In Russia 38% forest areas are occupied by plantings of larch, and this is a huge territory! The tree grows on Far East and throughout Siberia, in North and Western Europe up to the Carpathians, in 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. She was far ahead of others in hardness. 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 stilts made of Siberian larch. Surprisingly, being 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 furniture. Berths, ships, bridges, and 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 of this is also made from larch. Very often it is used for the manufacture of sports and children's play equipment, fences, sidewalks, front gardens.
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. The phytoncides found in wood help the body cope with colds. They also actively destroy viruses, soothe nervous system and relieve migraines. Hypertensive and hypotensive patients are advised to decorate the interior of the house with larch, or at least have several items from this tree.
The needles of this breed are very rich in ascorbic acid. Infusion of fresh needles is used as an excellent remedy for scurvy, as well as for prevention various diseases strengthening immunity. Siberian larch is able to give Siberian health.
Larch pine baths are also very useful. They help those who suffer from joint diseases. Turpentine is a medicine for gout and rheumatism made from the resin of larch.
Instead of a total
Now you know whether larch is a deciduous or coniferous tree, as well as all the features and characteristics of the breed, where it grows and the area of application.
Pine and larch are conifers, each of which has its own characteristics. Some people are interested in comparing both specimens from a botanical point of view. For others, knowledge about how larch differs from pine have practical value, since each of them is a building material. Let's consider the issue from all sides.
About pine and larch
Pine- a representative of conifers, most often growing to large sizes, less often to small ones. The tree is widespread throughout the territory Northern hemisphere... Can form forests, clear or with the presence of other species.
Pine
Larch, which also belongs to conifers, is the leader among other species both in Russia and in the world in its distribution, occupying gigantic areas. It is a very unpretentious plant.
Larch Comparison
Trees as biological specimens
If you look at the plants from afar, you will notice that the crown of the pine is thicker and more rounded. In larch, the crown is sparse and has an acute-angled shape. However, with age, the tree is able to change its shape and acquire a rounded appearance in its upper part.
Pine needles are stiffer than completely thornless, flattened larch needles. In addition, an important difference between larch and pine, which many consider key, is that the former, like its deciduous counterparts, completely frees itself from its clothes in the fall. Having dropped the needles, the larch becomes like a strange dried spruce. The pine all year round pleases with its magnificent appearance. Its needles can stay on the branches for up to 5 years, and their alternating change occurs imperceptibly.
Trees differ in the size and color of the cones. In a pine, they are largest, at first green, and when ripe they are brown. Larch cones look more graceful, they are not so large, more rounded; newly born, they have a yellow tint, in a mature state they are brown.
If we compare the bark of young trees, then in a pine it is darker. With the growth of coniferous representatives, these differences are erased.
Trees as raw materials for building materials
Consider the difference between larch and pine used as lumber.
If we talk about the smell, then in pine it is pronounced, resinous, which cannot be said about larch. Fresh pine looks very light. Then the wood darkens, products from it acquire a yellowish tint. Larch is initially quite dark, gradually shades thicken towards red-brown.
Wood of both types differs in the severity of the structure. In larch, the grain pattern is more distinct. In addition, the wood of this tree has a high percentage of knotty fragments.
Larch is heavy. You can feel the difference in weight by lifting a board out of it and a piece of the same size in pine. The severity is due to the high density of the larch. Its wood is so strong and dense that a nail that has passed across the fibers does not leave a trace on it. If you do the same with pine material, the footprint will be noticeable because pine is softer.
Larch does not catch fire as easily as pine. It will take some time to ignite a torch from it, and the fire will spread rather slowly. Pine chips will literally flare up in a couple of seconds.
Important advantages of larch are its lower thermal conductivity (buildings made of such wood retain heat better) and greater resistance to the destructive effects of moisture than pine.
table
| Larch (botanical specimen) | Pine (botanical specimen) |
| Acute-angled crown | Rounded crown |
| The needles are soft, flattened | Sharp hard needles |
| Drops needles | Evergreen |
| Cones are small, from yellowish to brown | Cones are large, from green to brown |
| The bark is brighter | The bark is darker |
| Larch (lumber) | Pine (lumber) |
| Almost odorless | Pronounced resinous odor |
| Dark | Light |
| Distinct drawing | Less distinct pattern |
| Heavy | Easier |
| Dense | Softer |
| More difficult to ignite | Lights up quickly |
| Low thermal conductivity | Thermal conductivity is higher |
| High moisture resistance | Less moisture resistant |
Larch is poorly suited as the main wall material in comparison with pine / spruce (it does not breathe well, it gets damp, it is cold in the house). A lining board is made of it, the lower rims of the log house (sometimes up to the window sills). How to make sure that you have this kind of wood by paying 2 times more for larch?
Larch differs markedly from pine, spruce in strength and visual characteristics. Has a higher density, respectively, heavier. There is little room for air between the fibers, so larch walls are colder. You can draw an analogy with a lush shock of hair, the owners of which suffer less from the cold without a headdress. Here, spruce log cabins have an advantage, in contrast to dense wet hairstyles (larch). The difference between wood species is in many other parameters. It remains to choose any convenient way comparisons if others are not obvious.
Anyone who has been in a mixed forest had the opportunity to compare different types of wood on the vine. Able to distinguish them by the bark at least. If you have a log house being cut on the spot, take a closer look at the thickness of the bark of the timber. In larch, it is much thicker, with a red or pronounced reddish tint under the upper layers. It is especially different in the Siberian variety, which we use for log houses. Kirov larch is much inferior in quality. Like any of the European part of Russia.
Break off larch chips, pine chips and place in water. The first will sink faster. Planks of these species moistened with water differ in the manifestation of the structure - pine will not have such a clear, clear pattern. Larch will show its marble structure, pinkish tint is possible. From the end of the log, different species can be easily distinguished by the structure of the wood. Larch has a large core, dense annual rings of narrow sapwood. Pine and spruce are characterized by a wider sapwood and a weaker kernel, into which a nail is much easier to hammer. They have more growth rings, the width of the layers depends on the conditions in which the tree grew.
Fresh pine and spruce on the cut is yellowish-white (the tree is always lighter). In the sun, all 3 types of wood will then darken over time. The first two become yellow-brown in color, the sun will give the larch a brownish tint. Later, a tinted antiseptic will eliminate the differences. The color will not differ from that of a freshly sawn tree. There are also noticeable differences in smell, especially after aging in a drying chamber. From the breed, which is the main secret of log cabins for long-livers, after heating, a smell similar to chocolate emanates.
Pine and spruce feel 30-40% softer. If you run a nail along the log (even on a cut across the fibers), the mark on the larch will be less noticeable or there will be almost no trace of it. In the old days, ladles, dishes from its root were made, household utensils were not worn out. It is much harder to work with this tree, the timber is 2 times more expensive in terms of cost. Therefore, the presence of larch affects the price of a log house. Try to knock on a log, you will hear a different sound. If none of the above helps, test by fire. Larch is reluctant to burn, it will burn longer. The first because of the resinous external structure the pine will burn, then it will be the turn of the spruce.
Conifers are found almost everywhere - in warm and cold regions. Some sites even differ in the predominance of representatives of this family over the rest of the species. The most famous conifers are spruce, cedar, pine, fir, cypress, juniper, larch, sequoia and yew. Most of them are tall trees, however, there are also shrubs and dwarf representatives of trees. In Russian regions, they are widespread, but not everyone can distinguish, for example, larch from pine.
In this article, we will try to figure out how to distinguish larch from pine and what is the difference between the woods of these trees.
How is larch different from pine?
The kingdom of the forest is not only magnificent nature, but also a place of life for birds and animals. Among other things, a huge variety of trees grow in the forest, differing from each other. Pine and larch are familiar to many, but few have delved into their features and differences. Both of these plants are conifers, but there are some significant differences... Next, let's try to figure out how they are similar to each other and how they differ from each other.
Below is a description of larch and pine.
Larch
This plant is one of the most common among conifers growing in Russia and not only. The tree grows up to 50 meters high, and the trunk diameter reaches 1 meter. The life span of this breed is 300-400 years. There are also "old-timers" who have reached 800 years of age.
Instead of foliage, the tree has needles, which is typical for all conifers. In larch, unlike pine and spruce, it is soft and annual to the touch. The needles are dropped in the fall, and the tree hibernates like deciduous, without foliage. Therefore, many people have a question: what type of trees does the plant belong to and how to distinguish larch from pine?
Scots pine
The height of the tree is 25-40 meters, the trunk is more than 1 meter in diameter. Age can reach up to 350 years (maximum - 600).
A pair of needles emerge from a brown leathery sheath. The length of the spiny and hard needles is 4-9 cm, the width is up to 2 mm. They are placed on the shoot in a linear-spiral manner. In the upper part the needles are dark green, in the lower part they are bluish-green due to the wax bloom. She lives for about 2-3 years, sometimes up to 8 years. Cones sit on the branches singly or 2-3 pieces. They are oblong-ovate in shape, up to 7 cm long.
Scotch pine, like larch, is very light-loving and is easily displaced by fast-growing and more shade-tolerant species. Not demanding on moisture and soil fertility. Scots pine is cold-resistant and frost-resistant.
Where do larch and pine grow?
Larch can withstand the most severe frosts and can grow in the most impoverished soils. In nature, it is found in any area and can even form larch forests. You can meet this tree in Primorye, Siberia, the Carpathians and the Far East. Some representatives grow all over the world.
Pines grow in the Northern Hemisphere, in temperate... The habitat extends from northern Africa to regions beyond the Arctic Circle. This is Russia, the countries of Europe, North America and Asia. Forms pine and mixed forests, and pine forests where they grow together with spruces and other trees.
Scots pine is in the lead in Russia. There are 16 wild species.
Features of larch
Larch (see photo in the article) is a coniferous tree belonging to the pine family. Although it sheds its needles, it looks attractive at any time of the year. In the springtime it is bright green, in the fall it is yellow. V autumn time having dropped her needles, she is also gorgeous with beautiful cones on the branches.
Soft needles grow singly or in a bunch.
This light-loving plant grows in places where there is a lot of light. Larch is unpretentious and tolerates frost perfectly. Under favorable conditions for her, it grows up to one meter in a year. It can grow both on mountain tops and in swampy areas.
How to distinguish larch from pine
As you can see, pine and larch plants have much in common in terms of places and growing conditions. It is difficult to confuse larch with pine if you see them up close. The main difference is that larch, like all deciduous trees, sheds foliage for the winter, and in winter it looks almost naked. Pine is an evergreen coniferous tree that only changes the shades of the needles according to the seasons.
Both of these trees can grow up to 40 meters in height, but the trunk of the larch is thicker and can be up to 1.8 meters in diameter. And their trunk is straight, so both trees are excellent building materials. Larch has a more transparent crown than pine.
On young trees it is much lighter than on pine, but in mature trees this difference is practically not noticeable. The needles of larch (this is clearly visible in the photo) are bright green, flattened, soft and located on the branches in a spiral and in bunches of about 20-40 pieces. In autumn, it turns yellow and crumbles. The pine needles are long and are located on a branch, 2 pieces in a bunch, also in a spiral. Leaves do not fall for 2-5 years, and they are replaced imperceptibly and gradually.
Pine cones have a classic cone shape. Young have green color, and ripe ones are dark brown with pointed hard scales. In the spring they open up and fall off. graceful, more rounded and ovoid. Young cones are pale yellow, and ripe ones are brown. After opening, they pour out the seeds, and the cones themselves remain on the branches and hang for about three years.
The answer to the question of how to distinguish larch from pine in the plan appearance plants is clear. Now it is necessary to find out the quality of the wood of these two plants.
Construction material
As building material which is better - larch or pine? Many masters construction business know that larch is more valuable than pine.
Pine is not very suitable for indoor use. high temperature air, for example in saunas and baths, due to the oiliness of the plant. In such places, you can get burned if the resin comes into contact with the skin.
Larch advantages:
- middle group hardness of wood (comparable to oak);
- good resistance to chips and impacts (produce high-quality parquet);
- durable and dense (sinks in water), less rotting;
- good water resistance (used in exterior decoration of rooms with high humidity).
There are also some downsides. Due to the fact that larch wood is very dense, this creates problems during construction. Trees used to be floated down the river to their destination, and larch wood, due to its high density and weight, immediately sank to the bottom.
In any case, larch is a unique and expensive material.
The fact that conifers were massively widespread on our planet millions of years ago is known to everyone. After all, amber is nothing more than the petrified resin of these mighty relics. And today tens of millions of coniferous trees form huge groves in all parts of the world, and wood is used by humans for almost the entire period of our civilization.
The most interesting thing, as the specialists of the company "Evrovolinka Dom" note, is that there is still no consensus on the merits and demerits softwood lumber... The reason for the disagreement is in the serious differences in the properties of different breeds... If you do not take into account such exotic forms as thuja, yew, cypress and juniper, there are only 5 varieties of conifers on the territory of Russia: pine, spruce, fir, cedar and larch. This article tells about the features of their wood, the advantages and disadvantages.
Pine
Pine sawn timber is the most demanded among all conifers. It is not only about the prevalence of wood and the simplicity of the workpiece, but also about its strength, low thermal conductivity and sufficient resistance to decay. The wood has a highly recognizable golden texture with a very beautiful pattern, which is appreciated in the manufacture of furniture and finishing works. Pine lends itself well to all types of processing, is environmentally friendly and durable, which, combined with a reasonable price, makes it one of the best building materials.
The disadvantages include a thick layer of sapwood, as the loose top layer of the trunk is called. When sawing, this layer usually remains, which leads to the appearance of specific defects. However, modern ways drying and handling minimizes the effects of this deficiency, as does the tendency of pine lumber to crack.
A lot of controversy is caused by the high percentage of resin content, since this can be considered both an advantage and a disadvantage. On the one hand, the eurolining or block house, thanks to the resin, gains increased strength and resistance to decay, and the delicate aroma of the forest exuded by the boards contains phytoncides that are beneficial to health and, among other things, is an excellent antiseptic. On the other hand, not everyone likes the resinous discharge on the surface of the lining or other cladding board.
Spruce
Spruce lumber is the cheapest. At the same time, the wood is very light, which means increased content microvoids, which means it has improved thermal insulation properties. The same factor explains the excellent plasticity of spruce, which makes it suitable for both mechanical and manual processing. Spruce details adhere well, and its surface is perfectly polished. Almost all types of moldings are made of it, as well as a block house, lining, etc.
Spruce also has one more unique quality, thanks to which this tree has been used for centuries to make expensive musical instruments. Numerous microscopic resin pockets, after ten years (and longer) drying, turn into voids, making ordinary spruce, the so-called resonant. This is how the entire fortunes of the violin and guitar of the legendary Italian masters Stradivari and Amati were made.
The abundance of knots is somewhat difficult for the handlers, although sometimes this is also perceived as an advantage, since such inclusions are rarely dropped out, and after special processing they are fixed very firmly. Beautiful after polishing, light wood, decorated with picturesque knots, looks great in the interior. Other disadvantages include low resin content, which makes spruce lumber less resistant to moisture, but the same fact expands the conditions for their use.
Cedar
Cedar - unique in combination physical properties tree. He has no equal, as the specialists of the company "Evrovolinka Dom" note, in terms of plasticity, as well as the level of thermal and acoustic insulation. Scientists know and healing properties cedar boards, which, due to their high resin content, are biologically active substances, capable of relieving fatigue, which is especially appreciated when decorating baths and saunas. Noble wood is not sharpened by beetles, it is ideally beautiful, providing great opportunities for furniture makers and designers.
By the way, the world-famous cedar pencil tablet, especially widely known during the Soviet era, has no worthy analogues, including such an alternative as the American juniper. The disadvantages include only the rarity of the cedar, which naturally entails an increase in the cost of products from it.
Larch
Larch - unique coniferous plant, combining the advantages of both conifers and hardwood... The density of its wood is not inferior to oak, and over time, larch boards, lining or molding become stronger and stronger. This is one of the few tree species that does not need biological protection. The latter leads to an increased demand for sheathing boards and other larch sawn timber where special environmental friendliness is required. It is worth noting the unique moisture resistance, due to which boards for a terrace, lining for a bath, etc. are made of larch. Among the disadvantages are special composition resins, which makes it difficult to glue the parts together, as well as the tendency of the boards to twist around the centerline.
Fir
Fir has the lightest of all conifers, due to special structure its fibers. Low density is also due to the low resin content, which, on the one hand, makes fir suitable for use in conditions elevated temperatures, on the other hand, it reduces resistance to decay. But, according to the specialists of the company "Evrovolinka Dom", a surprisingly beautiful reddish texture makes it in demand in furniture production where fir is a great alternative to expensive cedar. In addition, recognizable and low-resinous wood is used for manufacturing different types facing boards, euro lining, etc. The main disadvantage of fir lies in its ability to absorb moisture, however, this only complicates and somewhat increases the cost of the production process and does little to end consumers.
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