Conifers are found almost everywhere - in warm and cold regions. Some sites even differ in the prevalence of representatives of this family over other varieties. The most famous conifers are spruce, cedar, pine, fir, cypress, juniper, larch, sequoia and yew. Most of them are tall trees, but there are shrubs and dwarf tree representatives. 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 forest kingdom is not only a magnificent nature, but also a place of life for birds and animals. Among other things, a huge number of trees that differ among themselves grow in the forest. Pine and larch are familiar to many, but few have delved into their features and differences. Both of these plants belong to conifers, but there are some significant differences between them. Next, we will 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 expectancy 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 characteristic of all conifers. It is larch, unlike pine and spruce, soft and annual to the touch. Needles are dumped in the fall, and the tree hibernates as a deciduous, without foliage. Therefore, many have the question: what kind of trees does the plant belong to and how to distinguish larch from pine?
Common pine
The height of the tree is 25-40 meters, the trunk in diameter is more than 1 meter. Age can reach up to 350 years (maximum - 600).
Twin needles emerge from brown leathery scabbard. The length of the prickly and hard needles is 4–9 cm, and the width is up to 2 mm. They are placed on the shoot linearly-spiral. In the upper part of the needles it is dark green, in the lower part it is bluish-green due to the wax coating. She lives about 2-3 years, sometimes up to 8 years. Cones sit on branches singly or in 2-3 pieces. In shape they are oblong-ovate, up to 7 cm long.
Common pine, like larch, is very photophilous and is easily replaced by fast-growing and more shade-tolerant species. Not demanding on moisture and soil fertility. Pine ordinary cold-resistant and frost-resistant.
Where do larch and pine grow?
Larch withstands the most severe frosts and is able to grow in the most depleted soils. In nature, it is found in any locality and can even form larch forests. You can meet this tree in Primorye, in Siberia, in the Carpathians and in the Far East. Some representatives grow around the world.
Pine trees grow in the Northern Hemisphere, in the temperate zone. The range of growth extends from the northern part of Africa to the regions beyond the Arctic Circle. These are Russia, European countries, North America and Asia. Forms pine and mixed forests, and pine forests, where they grow together with fir trees and other trees.
In Russia, the leading position is occupied by ordinary pine. In total there are 16 wild species.
Larch Features
Larch (see photo in the article) is a coniferous tree belonging to the pine family. Although she dumps her needles, she looks attractive at any time of the year. In the spring, it is bright green, in the fall - yellow. In the fall, dropping her needles, she is also magnificent with beautiful cones on the branches.
Soft needles grow singly or in a bunch.
This photophilous plant grows in those places where there is a lot of light. Larch is unpretentious and tolerates frosts. Under favorable conditions for her, she grows to one meter in a year. It can grow on tops of mountains, and in wetlands.
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 close. The main difference is that larch, like all hardwood species, discards foliage for the winter, and in winter it looks almost bare. Pine - an evergreen coniferous tree that changes only the shades of needles in the seasons.
Both of these trees can grow up to 40 meters in height, however, the larch trunk is thicker and in diameter can reach up to 1.8 meters. And their trunk is straight, so both trees serve as excellent building material. In larch, the crown is more transparent than in pine.
On young trees, the larch bark is much lighter than that of pine, but this difference is almost not noticeable in older trees. The needles of larch (this is clearly visible in the photo) are bright green, flattened, soft and arranged spirally on branches and in bunches of about 20-40 pieces. In the fall, it turns yellow and crumbles. Pine needles are long and located on a branch of 2 pieces in a bunch, also in a spiral. The leaves do not fall over 2-5 years, and they are replaced imperceptibly and gradually.
Pine cones have a classic shape - conical. Young ones are green, and ripe ones are dark brown with pointed hard scales. In the spring they open and fall. Larch cones are elegant, more rounded and ovoid. Young bumps are pale yellow, and ripe brown. After opening, they pour out 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 terms of the appearance of the plant is clear. Now you should find out the quality of the wood of these two plants.
Construction material
As a building material, which is better - larch or pine? Many construction masters know that larch is valued more than pine.
Pine is not very suitable for use in rooms with a high temperature, for example in saunas and baths, due to the oiliness of the plant. In such places, you can get burned if tar gets on your skin.
Larch Benefits:
- middle group of hardness of wood (comparable to oak);
- good resistance to chips and impacts (produce high-quality parquet);
- durable and dense (drowning in water), less susceptible to decay;
- good water resistance (used in the outdoor decoration of rooms with high humidity).
There are some disadvantages. Due to the fact that larch wood is very dense, this creates problems during construction. Trees used to be rafted down the river to the destination, and larch wood, due to its high density and heaviness, immediately went to the bottom.
In any case, larch is a unique and expensive material.