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Signs of larch. Why larch is good - amazing facts that you did not know about. Where is larch found

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 - larch. 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 in strong winds. 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 with 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: Daurian, 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 the 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 that larch is a 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, calm the nervous system and relieve 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 in ascorbic acid. An infusion of fresh needles is used as an excellent remedy for scurvy, as well as for the prevention of various diseases, strengthening the immune system. 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.

(lat. Lárix) - a genus of woody plants of the pine family, one of the most common species of coniferous trees. Larch is the only genus of conifers in which the needles fall for the winter. However, larch seedlings retain needles throughout the year. If we take into account that in their “childhood” trees show the features of the most ancient forms, it can be assumed that the deciduousness of larch is a secondary quality. Probably, its ancestors were evergreen trees, and the ability to drop foliage in autumn arose as a result of adaptation to a harsh climate (with frosts up to 60 ° C). Due to its exceptional frost resistance and unpretentiousness, larch is very widespread.

About 20 species of larch grow in the cold and temperate zones of Europe, Asia and North America. The most ancient species grow in the mountain systems of the Himalayas, Eastern Tibet and the Cordeliers. In Russia, there are 6-7 species and several hybrid forms that have arisen at the junctions of ranges. The participation of larch in the species composition of forests increases with the advancement to the north. 14 species of larch grow in Russia. Of these species, the Daurian and Siberian species are of the greatest economic importance. Larch in Russia occupies the largest area among all species - about 40% of the forest area and 33% of our total timber stock is concentrated in them. In harsh climatic conditions, larch reaches operational performance only by 150-200 years.

Larch is a monoecious tree, usually large, up to 35–50 m high and up to 1 m in diameter. and short shoots with bunches of needles (20-40 each).

Larch forests (larches, listvyaga) - light coniferous pure or mixed forests with the main species (dominant) larch. The most significant areas are occupied in Northern Eurasia, North America (Canada), small areas - in Central and East Asia (China) and Western Europe. In Russia - the bulk in Western and Eastern Siberia, in the Urals, in the mountains of Southern Siberia and Transbaikalia, in the Far East. In the northwestern regions of the European part of Russia, larch forests are found in small areas.

Larch forests are distributed in various climatic and soil conditions, from the arid central regions of Asia, where they border on the steppes, to the forest tundra and the upper forest line in the mountains. Up to 80% of deciduous forests grow in the zone of continuous permafrost. Larch forests are the most common type of vegetation cover in Russia. Their appearance varies significantly from region to region.

Characteristics of larch wood

Larch wood is characterized by increased strength compared to oak - 96 MPa by 94 MPa. The density of the Siberian larch is 620-725 kg/m3 at a humidity of up to 12%, which is not much inferior to the density of oak 670-720 kg/m3. In addition to its special strength and resistance to external influences, it is characterized by good color and structure.

Larch belongs to the heartwood species. It has a reddish-brown heart and sharply limited narrow white or slightly yellowish sapwood, clearly visible annual layers with a clear boundary between early and late wood.

The texture of larch is determined on longitudinal sections by the width of annual layers, the difference in color of late and early wood, as well as the heartwood and sapwood. The texture on tangential sections is especially rich and beautiful. The wood is slightly knotty. Larch wood has a low uniform density, i.e. it is characterized by a significant difference in density between late and early wood.

Freshly cut larch wood has a water absorption moisture content of 126%. Just like in other species, a growing larch tree exhibits seasonal and daily fluctuations in humidity, which, while maintaining the general pattern, manifest themselves to a much lesser extent.

Moisture absorption and water absorption of larch wood is significantly lower than that of pine due to its greater density. When using protective coatings, products made from it practically do not change their moisture content during operation, so larch can be used for parquet. The moisture conductivity of larch is also significantly lower than that of pine, spruce and birch, which requires a special approach to drying larch lumber.

Larch belongs to the species with strong shrinkage. Significantly more than that of pine and spruce, and the internal stress that occurs during the drying process of larch lumber. Therefore, such lumber is more prone to cracking and warping during the drying process than other softwoods.

The density of wood significantly depends on the type and place of growth. The most dense wood is found in deciduous timber obtained in Altai, followed by the Urals and the Urals. European larch has the lowest density.

The air permeability of larch wood (core) is the lowest among all our species. The same can be said about water permeability. Due to this, larch wood is difficult to impregnate with various protective qualities.

In addition to the beautiful texture and color, larch has very high strength properties. It is slightly inferior in these indicators only to hardwood species. Its mechanical properties also significantly depend on the species and place of growth.

Possessing high physical and mechanical properties, larch wood, however, requires a certain technological approach in its processing. Saw blades are heavily tarred when sawing. It is difficult to process with a conventional tool, but it is well polished and painted (after deresining the surface.)

Larch harvested in Altai, in the regions of the Baikal region, in the upper reaches of the Lena and Angara have the best qualities. Larch wood belongs to the group resistant to biological impact (fungal attack). Moreover, biostability increases with the age of the tree. More biostable wood in the lower (butt) part of the trunk.

Prolonged exposure to water leads to a noticeable increase in larch hardness. During the construction of Venice, about 400 thousand pieces of larch piles were hammered to strengthen the foundations of various structures. In 1827, i.e. after 1000 - 1400 years, part of the piles was examined. In conclusion about their strength, it is said that the piles from the larch forest, on which the underwater part of the city is based, seem to have turned to stone. The wood has become so hard that both the ax and the saw can hardly take it.

Due to the nature of the resin that impregnates larch, it is not attacked by carpenter insects, and also allows it to be used without any chemical treatment in cases where other species are prone to rot.

The fire resistance of larch wood, according to studies conducted by the Moscow State Forest University, is about twice as high as that of pine wood.

Daurian larch has valuable properties. This is a sound rock with resin passages. The sapwood is narrow, white with a slight brownish tint; the heartwood is reddish-brown, sharply different from the sapwood. Annual layers are very well distinguished in all cuts due to the sharp difference between early and late wood and their number in one centimeter is 12-16 pieces. Larch wood in terms of physical and mechanical properties ranks first among Russian conifers, while Dahurian larch gives wood with higher physical and mechanical properties (by 10%) than Siberian larch. The height of the trunk is up to 46 meters, the taper is 1.2%.

The use of larch wood

Larch wood is used in small shipbuilding, construction, carpentry - elements of building structures, wall beams, parquet, moldings, window frames, sleepers and power line poles.

Piles and other elements of hydraulic structures are made of larch, which serve indefinitely. One example is Venice, which has already been mentioned above. Another example - the piles of the Troyan bridge across the Danube stood for 1800 years.

The parquet of the Ostankino Palace of Counts Sheremetyevs, the window frames of the Winter Palace prove that larch wood can serve for many years without the use of special antiseptics.

At present, a technology has been developed for the production of glued laminated timber and larch furniture panels. Larch wood in glued structures can be combined with pine (under certain conditions).

The path of the Olympic cycle track in Krylatskoye is made of larch.

Larch wood, both in the form of round timber and sawn timber, is in steady demand on the Western European market. Moreover, prices for larch wood are practically not subject to seasonal fluctuations and remain stably high.

Larch wood is used: for equipping swimming pools, beaches, boat moorings, balconies, loggias, terraces, showers, built-in equipment cladding, partition cabinets, dressing rooms, panels, etc.

The cost of products or structures made of larch wood is higher than that of pine, but the products are much more durable. The strength of the root wood is much higher than the stem wood, and the curly texture gives it a special expressiveness. Festive and ritual dishes were cut down from the root wood. A ladle with a capacity of one and a half buckets is stored in Zagorsk. The ladle was hollowed out in the 18th century. from the root of a larch by a certain Volga master.

Until the middle of the XIX century. in Russia, it was forbidden by law to sell larch wood to private individuals - too much of it was required for military and commercial shipbuilding (and even now there are restrictions on its use). An exception was made during the construction of the Winter Palace, St. Basil's Cathedral, the cathedrals of the Moscow Kremlin, the Manezh (now the Central Exhibition Hall in Moscow), where the frames and ceilings were made of larch wood.

The high acoustic data of larch were used in the 17th century. in the manufacture of an organ in the Polish city of Kazimierz.

On old trees, you can find tinder fungi, or a larch sponge. Evenks used it for washing and washing clothes. Larch soap gives abundant foam, easily washing away dirt. A rich red dye for fabrics was also prepared from the sponge. In terms of the content of resinous substances, the larch sponge has no equal. Before the revolution, it was exported in large quantities abroad, and now it continues to be exported. Even in ancient Rome, "white agaricus" - as the Romans called the larch sponge - was used as a valuable medicinal raw material. Exported from the northern countries, the sponge was highly valued in Arabic medicine. For the needs of modern medicine, agaric acid is extracted from it.

Durable as amber, larch resin refreshes the mouth, cleans teeth well and strengthens gums.

The bark of the tree is also a valuable raw material. Taiga residents get red-brown paint from it. Strong textile dyes are produced from larch bark, essential oils and tannins are extracted.

In the epic tales of the Mansi peoples, larch was revered as a symbol of power, longevity and ever-renewing life. Larch is a soothing tree. It heals nervous disorders, especially those accompanied by bouts of melancholy and depression. The medicinal properties of larch are determined by biologically active substances - antioxidants, which help the body fight aging and various diseases, especially under conditions of stress, polluted environment, and radiation.

Siberian larch is a coniferous tree of the pine family from the genus larch, its name in Latin sounds like Larix Sibirica. These giants grow up to 40-45 m in height, and the trunk diameter can reach 180 cm, but most often about one meter. In young trees, the crown, as a rule, has the shape of a cone, but becomes more rounded with age. Larch branches are usually sprawling: they grow at an angle of 90 ° from the trunk, and then bend upward.

The trunk of Siberian larch has an upright, at a young age the bark is usually smooth, light with a beautiful sandy or grayish tint, as the tree grows older, the bark thickens to 25 cm, cracks, darkens a little. Larch wood is highly valued due to its high strength and resistance to decay; it has a brownish-red core color with a thin whitish sapwood. The thickness of the bark serves as a kind of shield, protecting the tree from adverse external factors: frost, fire.

Branches with the presence of shoots of 2 types:
1. Long - annual. On them, the needles are located singly, spirally. The color of such shoots is usually yellow-green.
2. Short - perennial. The needles on such shoots have a beam arrangement. In each such bundle there are from 30 to 50 pieces of needles. The life span of perennial shoots varies from 10 to 12 years, then they die off. Their color is grey-yellow.

The buds of Siberian larch are yellowish-brown or red-brown in color and have a wide conical shape. They are covered with scales, resinous in structure. The needles are mostly soft, narrow, reaching a length of 3-4 cm. The color of the needles is bright green, with a characteristic bluish bloom, there are rows of stomata on both sides.

The root system of Siberian larches is well developed, which allows these trees to withstand the strongest winds. On scarce stony soils, as well as on soils with an excess of moisture or the nearest location of permafrost, the root system of Siberian larch is identical to the spruce root system. Near the swampy area with an abundance of moss, additional roots grow on the trunks of these trees - adventitious, which are located just above the root neck under a layer of growing moss. In the process of growing moss and drowning deeper and deeper than the roots of the tree, their lower part dies over time, allowing adventitious roots to take over the function of feeding the tree.

The time of flowering falls on April - May and lasts for 1-1.5 weeks. At the same time, the needles bloom. On the crown, heterosexual cones are distributed uniformly, evenly. Male flowers are usually connected in round spikelets of yellow color, while female flowers have the form of cones with a color from purple-red to slightly green. The peak of cones ripening is September. Ripe cones are egg-shaped and saturated brown in color, their dimensions are small, about 4 cm. by mid-autumn - in October, but empty cones continue to hang on the tree for years.

Seeds have the following characteristics (on average):

  • Length: 5mm
  • Width: 3mm
  • Wing: 7mm
  • Color: yellow-brown

Siberian larch bears fruit almost every year. The yield depends on the region where the tree grows, its age and the weather conditions of the vegetative period, the rate of seed collection varies from 15 to 80 kg per 1 ha. For the first time, the tree begins to bear fruit at the age of 12-50, depending on the conditions and location.

Siberian larch is a monoecious deciduous plant. It grows fast, loves light, pollinated by wind, winter-hardy, not demanding on soil fertility, but humidity is of some importance. These trees improve the quality of the soils they grow on. The life span of these giants reaches 900 years, but this is the maximum figure, on average - 400 years.

Spreading

Siberian larch has a very wide area of ​​growth. Naturally, it is most often found throughout Siberia, but it is also not uncommon to meet it from the south of Russia to the forest tundra. It is able to live at an altitude of 2500m above sea level, rising high into the mountains. Altai and Tien Shan also did not pass by the Siberian larch.

Over a wide area of ​​their geography, these trees form the purest forests, in addition, they grow in friendly neighborhood with other coniferous representatives: pine, spruce, cedar, as well as fir and birch, and so on.

Collection and preparation

The medicinal properties of larch are:

  • cones
  • kidneys
  • shoots
  • Sponge
  • Resin

The collection of needles is carried out during the whole summer, but the most favorable period is the end of June or the beginning of August, since it is then that the needles are most rich in ascorbic acid. In early spring, it is advisable to collect buds and shoots (young), at this time the scales are still tightly pressed against the bud.

The resin is collected in the following way. During the growing season, a notch is made on the trunk, from which the resin flows.
The bark is extracted from felled trees, carefully removing it.

Drying of raw materials is carried out at a temperature of no more than 25 ° in a closed room with minimal humidity, or in an open space. This applies to needles, shoots and buds, although a greater effect is achieved when using fresh raw materials, but the shelf life of raw material is extremely short. Storing branches at a temperature of 20 ° -25 ° leads to the destruction of vitamins in them within three days.

The use of the bark requires its heat treatment: boiling, steaming, and only then drying at room temperature. Heat treatment allows you to destroy small pests that can live in the larch bark. Bark raw materials have a long shelf life if the necessary conditions are met, one of which is storage in the refrigerator.

Medicinal properties

Siberian larch has excellent healing properties. The use of preparations based on raw materials from Siberian larch has many therapeutic effects:

  • enveloping
  • painkillers
  • laxative
  • antimicrobial
  • anti-inflammatory
  • antihelminthic
  • wound healing
  • antitoxic
  • antiviral
  • gynecological
  • hemostatic

Larch needles contain such useful substances as: vitamin C, essential oils, adhesives.
The bark is rich in the content of such elements as: Catechins, Gum, Flavonoids, Organic acids, Tannins.

Gum has a healing effect, due to the content in its composition of such products: Rosin, Essential oils, Abietic acid, Fatty acids: palmitic, oleic, linolenic.

The use of larch as a medicine is due to the fact that certain parts of this tree have medicinal properties that are significant in terms of effectiveness, and are used in the treatment of many diseases.

Pine needles are an excellent remedy for diseases such as:

  • hypertension
  • C deficiency
  • Scurvy
  • periodontal disease
  • Smell from the mouth

Young shoots can help in the treatment of such ailments:

  • Cough
  • Bronchitis
  • Urolithiasis disease
  • Helminthiasis
  • Flatulence
  • Constipation
  • Rheumatism
  • Gout
  • Neuralgia

Larch resin has a truly miraculous effect in the treatment of:

  • Angina
  • Gingivitis
  • open wounds
  • Inflammatory diseases
  • poisoning
  • Diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, including: gastritis, duodenitis
  • Viral diseases
  • Gout
  • Rheumatism
  • Muscle inflammation
  • Neuralgic diseases
  • Respiratory diseases
  • Abscesses

Siberian larch bark is a good panacea for the following health problems:

  • Menstrual bleeding is excessive with severe pain
  • Diarrhea
  • Intestinal infections
  • Radiculitis
  • Headaches
  • toothache
  • Encephalitis
  • kidney disease
  • Diseases of the heart and liver

The larch sponge, which is a tree fungus that grows on the trunk of a larch, allows you to defeat many diseases, including:

  • Lung disease: tuberculosis
  • Profuse bleeding
  • constipation
  • Sweating is excessive

Recipes

  1. Boiling larch knots for 48 hours is an excellent cure for excruciating pains of the head, heart, as well as diseases of the liver and kidneys. Take this decoction should be three times a day, one teaspoon.
  2. Festering wounds and ulcerations, a tendency to develop boils, eczema, burns, cracks in the skin can overcome an ointment based on Siberian larch resin. To do this, mix larch resin, yellow wax and propolis, as well as sunflower oil, taken in equal proportions, and melt it all in a water bath. After cooling, this mass becomes an excellent healing ointment, which should be applied externally to the affected areas, you can also make compresses.
  3. Larch resin can cope with excruciating toothache, you need to chew and put it on a bad tooth. The pain subsides after a couple of minutes.
  4. The resin is also used in the treatment of hemorrhoids. Having kneaded the resin and made it look like a rectal candle.
  5. Bronchitis, pneumonia, cough, tuberculosis and other pulmonary pathologies will help cure Siberian larch resin. You can use it in inhalation or, boiled in milk, drink three times a day.
  6. To cope with gastric diseases: heartburn, duodenal ulcer, and so on, resin can be swallowed 3 times a day before meals, 50 grams each.

Contraindications

  • Individual intolerance
  • Intestinal and stomach ulcer
  • Post-stroke and post-infarction condition
  • CNS diseases
  • pregnancy and lactation

A miracle happened in the taiga forest. A rare sight appeared before the eyes of a lost traveler. Tiny roses bloomed on coniferous trees - it was larch cones that transformed the gloomy and impregnable forest.

larch image

It is not surprising that in ancient times Larches were the object of worship. These trees were sacred to many nations.

Larch helped to find peace of mind. Mighty strong trunks of Larch became heroes of epics and even reincarnated as ancient gods.

For other peoples, Larch was considered a magical tree and was used by shamans in ceremonies and rituals, like Juniper.

In Buryatia, people came to the spirit of Larch with a prayer, asking for children to appear in the family.

larch names

There are several versions of the origin of the Latin name for Larch "larix".

One version claims that the word comes from the word "laridum", which actually means "fat". Indeed, Larch, rich in resins, glistens in the sun, as if greased.

According to another version, the Latin word comes from the Celtic lar, which means plentiful. Apparently, we are also talking about resin.

Most likely, Larch received its Russian name from the fact that the needles of the tree resemble leaves rolled into a tube.

What does larch look like

Larch is a monoecious plant. During flowering, both female and male shoots can be easily distinguished.

Unusual cones, similar to roses, are often used in floristry.

Due to the rather rare and thin needles, Larch is often mistaken for dried spruce. In a larch grove it is always light and clear.

The tree can reach 45 meters in height and up to one and a half meters in diameter. The shape of the Larch crown depends on the area and under what conditions the tree grows. Spreading and curly, thin-leaved and tall, these trees delight travelers around the globe.

The age of some Larch representatives is up to 1000 years, but on average, trees live up to 500 - 600 years.

Where does Larch grow?

In Russia, Larch is one of the most common trees. Withstanding even the most severe frosts beyond the Arctic Circle, Larch is able to grow in fairly depleted soils.

In nature, larch is found in almost any area, it can form entire larch forests.

The most common types of larch in our country are Siberian, European and Dahurian. There are about 14 species of this beautiful tree.

Larch can be found in Siberia, in Primorye, in the Far East, in the Carpathians. Some representatives are found all over the world.

When Larch Blooms

Every spring in May, male and female flowers appear on the branches of the Larch.

The female buds have a pinkish tint, which makes them so similar to roses.

Cones ripen only in September and open either in autumn or after wintering.

Medicinal properties of larch

Mushroom Trutovik collected from the trunk of Larch is a very valuable and useful product. The Romans gave this mushroom the name "white agaricus" and highly valued it for its various properties.

The mushroom can be used as a natural soap. Agaricinic acid, a valuable component of medical preparations, is extracted from it.

Larch resin has disinfecting and bactericidal properties. In addition, larch resin is rich in vitamins. During the war years, she lived to avoid beriberi.

Turpentine from Larch is used to treat pain and sprains, to eliminate pain in rheumatism and neuralgia.

Vitamin flour for animals is made from Larch production waste.

Application in industry

Not only natural soap is made from the Trutovik mushroom, but also red-brown paint is obtained.

On an industrial scale, paint is extracted from the bark of Larch.

Larch wood deserves special attention. Very dense, it should be well dried. Its strength can give odds to many species, such as apple, oak.

In the old days, the lower crown of the huts was made of Larch. Since the tree retains and even enhances its properties in water, Larch is often used in the construction of footbridges and wooden jetties.

In industry, larch wood processing is a rather expensive occupation due to the high content of resin that clogs the tool. In addition, the harvesting of larch forests is hampered by the impossibility of rafting logs down the river. Due to the high density of larch logs, they are not able to float on water.

Contraindications

When using the tinder fungus for medical purposes, you must be careful. It is not recommended to use the mushroom for people in the elderly and childhood, during pregnancy and with stomach problems.

Individual intolerance to the components can also become an obstacle to its use for medical purposes. Before using tinder fungus in the treatment of any disease, you should consult your doctor.

In Bashkiria, in the village of Kuzhanovo, amazing Larches grow. The trees are completely different from the usual Siberian Larch trees.

In the old days, after covering the roof of the house with shingles, a larch trunk together with a root was used to close the last seam. Fancy-shaped skates were made from the root.

In the 19th century, Peter I forbade the sale of larch forest to private individuals. Too much timber was required for the construction of the Russian military and merchant fleet.

One of the most famous cycle tracks in the world is located in Moscow. It was built for the 1980 Olympics. Track material – Larch.

To prevent damage to the edges of the boards when cyclists fall, it was decided to cut the boards in such a way that the annual layers were tilted at an angle of 45 degrees. The result of the decision can be observed to this day.

Larch is the most widespread breed in the world.

The density of Larch after drying is so high that after driving a nail into the wood, it is impossible to extract it.

Venice is built on piles of Siberian Larch.

Larch can be used to make artificial silk.

A coniferous plant from the pine family, one of the most widespread of its kind. In the temperate climate of central Russia, the only deciduous coniferous plant. found in Siberia, the Far East, Primorye, as well as in Europe and North America.

Winter-hardy and durable, it is considered the fastest growing breed among the representatives of the genus. Reaches 40 meters in height. Lives on average about 300-400 years.
Very light-loving.
It is not demanding on rocks and soils. Successfully grows on calcareous, crystalline, shale rocks; on podzolic, chernozem and shallow undeveloped soils. Grows best in loamy, moderately moist and powerful soils. The root system is deep, wind-resistant.
Due to the long vegetation period, it has increased aesthetic and sanitary properties, it is highly desirable in green
construction to create light transparent groups, alleys and single landings. Especially decorative in autumn.
European larch is recommended for use in single, group and avenue plantings on the lawn, as well as in compositions with deciduous trees and shrubs. It stands out well with its delicate greenery against the background of dark green crowns of spruce and fir. It goes well with hardwoods - maples, lindens, oaks. A free-growing powerful tree is beautiful in itself, but it is clear that not every gardener can place such a larch on his site. However, even in a small area you can find a place for it. This is helped by the peculiarity of larch to tolerate pruning perfectly. In Japan, it is largely for this reason that it is cultivated in the form of bonsai. The amazing ability of larch to recover after pruning gives great scope for personal creativity.

Very resistant to urban smoke and gas. Due to the annual discharge of needles, it is most stable in landscaping large industrial centers.

Construction

Larch occupies a special place among other conifers. Its wood has a reddish-brownish, sometimes brownish tint and is highly durable and moisture resistant. Larch is little susceptible to warping. In terms of physical and mechanical properties, the durability of larch wood occupies an intermediate position between soft coniferous


hardwoods like pine and hardwoods like oak. Comparing oak and larch wood, you can see that it is slightly inferior to oak in hardness, but surpasses it in strength. Moreover, due to the special composition of the resin, larch only gains strength over time.

Its most distinctive property is its natural resistance to decay, since the presence of gum (a natural substance) in it protects the wood from damage. Being dried, larch and larch products are not subject to decay. Therefore, larch buildings stand for centuries. Siberian larch is well resistant to water, even salty. Rodents and tree bugs are also not afraid of her. An example of durability and strength are larch piles on which Venice stands, the houses of the Decembrists in Irkutsk, the covering of the cycle track in Krylatskoye, etc.

In a house made of Siberian larch, the likelihood of neurosis, migraine associated with vasospasm is reduced. Throughout the entire period of operation, larch provides a healthy indoor climate, as it evaporates natural volatile substances with antiseptic properties. They, getting into the respiratory tract of a person, prevent colds and viral diseases.

The medicine

As a medicine, infusions of pine needles are used, which have a high content of ascorbic acid, which has a beneficial effect on the body, preventing the development of scurvy, strengthening teeth and gums from abscesses.

The essential oil of larch, obtained from wood, is called turpentine, and it is used as an external remedy for rheumatism, gout, neuralgia, and Lyubmago. Essential oil is used either in its pure form, or as part of ointments and patches.
Turpentine inhalations are sometimes advised for catarrh of the upper respiratory tract, bronchitis, lung abscesses - as an antimicrobial agent.
Turpentine is obtained from the resin, which is also used in the form of ointments and patches for rheumatism and gout.

In folk medicine, many different potions are prepared from larch, or rather its parts. So, for example, a refreshing drink is prepared from pine needles, which heals many ailments and quenches thirst, which is very important on hot summer days.
They learned how to make a salad from needles, which is good for people on a diet. Larch needles are known to be rich in vitamin C.

In medicine, rosin and essential oils are also used, which are obtained from larch by extracting resin. The composition of rosin includes abietic acid, which is very useful for the human body.
With bleeding gums, infusions from the bark or larch needles help very well, and turpentine compress helps with toothache.
Don't forget about the common cold. Larch will help stop the cough and heal it. To do this, brew needles in milk and breathe in a decoction, or take 2 tablespoons orally a few minutes before meals.
Baths from the infusion of fresh branches are useful for rheumatism and gout.

Mythology

Larch has another name - Witch tree. It plays an important role in Sami and Siberian mythology, where it is the World Tree. Shamans use larch as a rim for ceremonial instruments. It is believed that the smoke of burning larch drives away evil spirits. Larch is used for protection, shamans use it to induce visions.
The Yakuts have a belief that larch is not only alive and has a soul, but also like a plant where the spirit-mistress of the earth lives, punishing for disrespectful attitude towards it.

In the Buryat beliefs, those who could not have them came to the larch with a request to give children. To do this, they chose a strong, young tree, girded it with a ribbon or a strip of matter (buud bepelhe), lit a lamp and went around the tree several times, setting out their requests. The rite of the same content existed among the Yakuts. A childless woman spread a white horseskin near a larch, stood on it and prayed, asked to send down childbearing, smeared the tree with oil. Large prayers at the larch were held in spring and autumn by the Tuvans-Todzhans. This was the oldest larch in the area, it was called the mother tree. The Buryats also believed that the death of a tree entails the death of a person: if many trees were broken during a storm, many people will die in the near future, to see a fallen larch in a dream - to the death of one of the relatives, if this tree was small - to the death of the child.

Lyrics

yellow needles

On the ground lie
And they are not prickly ...
In October they circle
Yellow blizzards
Behind my window.
The birds have flown
yellow cover
soft needles
Yes, birch foliage -
I'm used to the picture...
Tree again
undresses the wind
Behind my window.
Autumn day is bright
This is how we live.
Imperceptibly time -
Yellow again...
human tribe
Can't find an answer.
Drink and don't get drunk
Yellow wine.
Autumn will return
One life is given!
("Larch" Pavel Rupasov)

In 2012, Savvateev Nursery has a large offer of European Larch.