Larch Facts
Larch Facts
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| Interesting Larch Facts: |
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| Larch can reach from 80 to 140 feet in height. Initially cone-shaped crown transforms into broad, pyramidal crown in old trees. |
| Larch has thick, light-brown (or slightly pinkish) bark covered with deep ridges. Bark protects the tree from harsh weather conditions and ensures survival even on a temperature of -70 degrees of Celsius. |
| Larch has needle-like, soft, green leaves that grow in tufts from the knobs on the branches. Each tuft (cluster) consists of 30 to 40 needles. |
| Unlike other coniferous trees, larch sheds its leaves during the autumn. Needles change their color into yellowish golden before they fall from a tree. |
| Larch is monoecious plant which means that it produces individual male and female flowers on a same tree. Male flowers are arranged in globular clusters composed of creamy-colored anthers. They grow from the bottom side of shoots. Female flowers consist of clusters of scales that develop on top of shoots. They can be white, pink or green colored. |
| Pinkish female flowers of larch are also known as "larch roses". After wind-induced pollination, flowers transform into cones. |
| Cones are "fruit" of larch. Mature cone is brown in color and scaly. It contains numerous seed with wings which facilitate dispersal by wind. Old cones can remain on tree couple of years. |
| Seed, immature cones and buds of larch are important source of food for the squirrels and forest birds. |
| Larch has extremely strong and dense heartwood that is used in the manufacture of coffins, buildings, telephone poles, railroad ties, fences, furniture and boats. |
| Piles, which hold the Venice (one of the most popular European cities) above the water, are built almost exclusively of the wood of the larch. |
| Some species of larch are cultivated as bonsai. |
| Bark, needles and young shoots of larch can be used in treatment of constipation, rheumatism, bronchitis, bleeding gums, earache and gout. |
| Women in central and northern parts of Asia believe that they can increase their chances to get pregnant if they spend the night under the crown of larch. |
| Europeans were wearing items made of larch to protect themselves from the evil spirits in the past. |
| Even though some species can survive up to thousand years, most species of larch live around 250 years in the wild. |
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