Wanted to share this larch

[amkhalid]

I am watching this tree for my friend for awhile and wanted to share a crappy pic. Larch get a lot of well-deserved love on this forum, and this is one of my favorites. It is one of the most well ramified and rugged old larches I know of, with a lovely classic design. Not perfect, but still awesome. The pic doesn't do it justice but hopefully you get the idea. The bark looks like pine bark which takes a LONG time for L. laricina to achieve. Stunted larches don't get as old as cedars or junipers, but this tree is surely around 100 years old.

Originally collected from The Middle of Nowhere, Ontario at least 20 years ago. Not looking the finest right now as it is in winter storage and is due for a wiring. He keeps lots of his larches in a shed where they freeze solid, but can be accessed to wire in late winter, similar to what Crust does but without the insulation. Obviously wiring this thing takes some time. Pot is Nick Lenz.

 

[cmeg1]

I always admire larch ramification.

 

[Nomiyama]

Awesome larch, they do indeed take time to develop to a level like this. Thanks for sharing.

 

[edprocoat]

I seee he leaves the shed foliage on the soil surface. I always have felt that it has to be good for the tree as in nature that very shed foliage breaks down into the soil and the tree lives off it. I am sure there are nutrients almost like a fertilization leaching into the soil as it breaks down.


ed

 

[vancehanna]

Damn Smart looking tree! Excellent!

 

[Forsoothe!]

I seee he leaves the shed foliage on the soil surface. I always have felt that it has to be good for the tree as in nature that very shed foliage breaks down into the soil and the tree lives off it. I am sure there are nutrients almost like a fertilization leaching into the soil as it breaks down.


ed

The nutrients contained in the dropped foliage is minimal, but returning the decaying matter to the microbes keeps them healthy. Mulching with almost any leaves feeds a "tea" to the soil that helps build humus levels.

 

[leatherback]

Lovely larch. Would love to spend a few hours trimming and wiring that one! There is sooo much more bonsai in there!

 

[Mike Corazzi]

Nice. I don't think larches like central California.

 

[n8]

Nice. I don't think larches like central California.

Got one from a lady who has had success with them in Paradise. Did OK for about 18 months, but I'm pretty sure the valley heat is what did it in.