What is the most common tree in Russia? Birch, spruce, pine? It turns out larch!
It is hard to believe in the inhabitants of the middle belt, but about 40% of the trees in the Russian forests are larch. Especially a lot of it in Eastern Siberia and the Far East. Under natural conditions in our country there grow larch (Larix) Sukachev, Siberian, European, Daurian, Kuril, Olga, as well as several hybrid forms - Amur, Chekanovsky, Lyubarsky, Okhotsk. And Japanese larch is often found in culture. The members of this coniferous genus got their name for the fact that their needles behave like leaves - with the onset of the cold season they change color and fall off from the trees not immediately, but in two or four years.
Larch tolerates not only severe frosts, but also heat and drought. It grows quickly, perfectly "gets on" with most trees; unsuitable neighbors for her only elm (elm) and birch - because of the root competition.
Outwardly, all the larches are very similar. These are large trees (up to 50 m) with shirokokonichesky crowns, but there are also dwarf varieties. The needles are soft, narrow, straight or slightly curved, collected in bundles of 20–60 pieces. Like all conifers, larches are durable - they live on average for 350–450 years. European larch in favorable conditions can last up to 500 years, and sometimes up to eight hundred.
In early spring, thin branches are covered with thick brushes of delicate young needles. Then, on their background, there are female bumps (reddish, pink or green) and male spikelets (yellow). Light blows of the wind raise clouds of golden pollen above the tree, and self-pollination occurs. Cones ripen in late August -September, but often open at the end of winter. They are small, woody; winged seeds, the wind carries them away from the parent trees. It is curious that, having given up the seeds, the cones fall.
In the fall, the needles of larches take on shades from pale lemon to bright yellow and golden orange. The most famous larch cultivars are pendula (pendula, with a weeping crown), fastigiata (astraghiata, with a columnar crown), pendulina (pendulina, with winding, "serpentine" trunk and branches). 
23-03-2012
Russia has long been famous for a rich selection of wood. In our latitudes, both coniferous and deciduous trees are common, many of which are distinguished by special decorative qualities, increased strength, ability to resist decay, and other features.
Softwood
Larch (Larch)
The most common wood in Russia, occupying 2/3 of the forest. In total, we have 14 species of this tree. Distinctive features - high density, no knots, resistance to decay. Of the minuses - the complexity of processing on the machine, wood is easily cracked. Due to its high density, larch is difficult to fuse.
Pine (Pine)
The second most popular timber, which occupies about one-sixth of all forests. Density - medium, durability - high, high resinous content, almost impossible to rot, easily processed. Used in furniture production, as a raw material, is exported.
Spruce
1/8 part from all wood. In all respects it is inferior to pine, difficult to process due to the increased knotty. Used in the manufacture of musical instruments in the pulp and paper industry, is exported.
Fir (Fir)
It looks like spruce, but does not contain pitch passages. Household items are made from the Caucasian and European fir, the rest of its species are not suitable for this purpose due to its low strength.
Cedar (Pine)
The wood of this tree is soft, but not too strong, easy to process. It has high resistance to decay. Cedar wood is widely used for the production of pencils.
Juniper (Juniper)
It has a high density, easy to process. Often used in construction.
Tees (Yew)
Yew is especially valued as a finishing material, widely used in the manufacture of furniture. It has a beautiful texture, rich color.
Hardwood
Oak (Oak)
Differs in the increased durability, immunity to rotting, esthetic appearance. It is widely used in construction, furniture manufacturing, decoration.
Ash (Ash)
By its properties, ash is similar to oak wood and is used in the same areas. It bends well, has a high viscosity, does not give flakes.
Elm
It has a beautiful texture, used for art handicrafts, in the production of furniture and sports equipment, for decoration.
Chestnut (Sweet Chestnut)
Externally similar to oak wood, but its properties are much inferior to it. The tree is distributed mainly in the Caucasus, so wood is used for staves for wine barrels.
Velvet Tree (Cork wood)
Soft wood with low strength. Easily handled, looks beautiful. Used in the manufacture of furniture.
Pistachio (Pistachio Tree)
Very hard and dense wood. Differs in the increased wear resistance, it is processed hardly. Widely used in engineering.
White locust
Resists to rotting, wood strong, firm, differs in beautiful color. According to its properties, it is much better than oak and ash, used in the manufacture of parquet, furniture.
Birch (Birch)
It occupies half the area of all the deciduous forests of Russia. Wood has a sufficiently high strength, hardness, viscosity. Of the minuses - easy to rot. Used as a decorative material, and for the manufacture of various items.
Aspen (Aspen)
The second most common breed in our latitudes. Wood has a homogeneous structure, the flame hardly smokes from it, the material is easily soaked. Refers to soft breeds. Used in agriculture, as well as for the production of cellulose, cardboard and other things. The kernel often begins to rot in the living tree, so the application is limited.
Beech (Beech)
This is a nuclear-free breed, wood has high strength, beautiful texture, flexibility. Often used for the production of parquet, furniture.
Linden (Lime)
The wood is light, with a slight pinkish tinge. The structure is very soft, homogeneous, easy to cut, toys, pencils and containers are often made from this material.
Larch is the most common tree in Russia. In my report, I will tell you in detail about it, its features and use in the national economy.
Description
Larch belongs to the pine family of conifers. Her closest relatives are spruce and pine. It grows tall up to 40 meters less often - up to 50 m. Trunks as flat as columns, with a diameter of 1-1.5 meters. Young trees have a light bark and a crown tapering upwards, the trunks of old trees are covered with gray-brown bark and have a rounded sparse sprawling crown. The root system is powerful, strongly branched, without a pronounced central core root.
Features of growth and reproduction
Larch grows very fast per year drawn out by 50-100 cm. After 20 years of age, growth slows down. This is a long-lived tree. Lives 400-600 years.
Two unique features of larch:
- Despite the fact that it refers to conifers, for the winter throws off their needles, which before that turn yellow like ordinary foliage. In spring, the larch is again covered with young bright green needles.
- Needles in larch are not prickly, but soft, pleasant to the touch.
Larch is a monoecious plant, female cones up to 5 cm long and male spikelets grow on one tree. In nature, propagated by seeds that ripen in autumn in cones.
The tree is very unpretentious: tolerates frosts and droughts well, is undemanding to soils, although it grows best on moist soils with a high content of clay and sand (river valleys, gentle slopes of ravines). Resistant to diseases and pests. But for good growth larch need sunshine. In shaded places she withers.
Spread
Total 20 known species This tree, the most common - Siberian larch. Deciduous forests are widespread around the globe. Grows in temperate latitudes. But nowhere is there such extensive larch forests as in Russia. A tree occupies 40% of all forest areas of the country, that is, an area equal to 5 such countries as France! No other tree in the world covers such a vast space.
Tree found everywhere: from west to east from Lake Onega to the Sea of Okhotsk, throughout Eastern and Western Siberia, from the tundra in the north to the Altai, going further to the south of Primorye. In Transbaikalia forests of Dahurian larch have grown powerfully.
Pure larch forests grow on heavy and swampy soils in permafrost regions. Under the best climatic conditions, larch grows in coniferous and mixed forests. It adjoins well with pine,.
National economic importance
Venice stands on a foundation, the foundation of which is larch. Recently, experts decided to check how solidly this amazing city stands on the water, because the piles were driven almost 700 years ago. The divers descended into the water and carefully examined the condition of the foundation. The results shocked everyone: not even a sign of rot or other damage was found, larch piles, having spent centuries under water, became strong as iron, on the uneven bars could not even put a notch.
Larch wood has such unique properties:
- does not rot in the water;
- not damaged;
- characterized by very high strength and elasticity;
- it has a high resin content.
Thanks to these qualities, larch is widely used in the construction of ships, the production of cars, cars, airplanes. Without additional impregnation, wood goes to telegraph poles and sleepers. Great for building bridges, dams and moorings. Logs do not know demolition.
Use in the construction of this tree is somewhat limited. A fresh larch board is so dense that it is difficult to hammer a nail into it, and it is impossible to remove a nail from an old board of larch wood.
Rosin, sealing wax, turpentine, acetic acid are obtained from this tree. From one cubic meter of larch forest, 2,000 pairs of stockings or 1,500 meters of synthetic silk can be obtained.
Moreover, a very durable dye for textiles, leather, and hides is made from the bark of this tree. Larch needles are widely used in medicine. She is has antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties, rich in vitamin C.
If this message came in handy for you, bada is glad to see you