Page 50 - Tạp chí bonsai cây cảnh BCI 2013Q3

Forest of Larix decidua in winter A pioneer species that grows on poor and mixed soils, big and long trunks, curved downward and upward
dress, Ceresole Reale/ north deficient in organic elements critical to other species, at the ends. The secondary branching presents long
Italy nevertheless prefers soils with a poor surface structure thin twigs and pendulous. Tolerates pruning of the
but rich in humus below. The biggest natural forma- branches wrong, being one of the few conifers that can
tions are found commonly in the Alps between 1200m repel sprouts from the trunk, moreover any large rup-
and 2500m and higher, and between 550m and 1500m tures of the same trunk or primary branches, caused
in Eastern Europe. by avalanches or extreme weather events. The bark
Like all pioneer species, larches tend to colonize new smooth and gray at a young age is very thick, rough
territories especially if the environmental conditions and brownish in old larch trees, in which it breaks into
are right. The larch, being a sun-loving species, forms scales that reveal the characteristic reddish color of the
pure stands that grow well in sun-drenched areas, or is inner part of the trunk.
mixed with red spruce, Picea abies, white spruce, Picea Its primary branches are big and long, bent down-
abies var. alba, stone pine, Pinus cembra, mountain ward and ascending at the ends, while the second-
pine, Pinus mugo, and Scots pine, Pinus sylvestris. In ary branches have long, thin and pendulous twigs.
the mountains, where sheep farming has destroyed It tolerates pruning of incorrect branches, being
all vegetation, the common larch is slowly returning, one of the few conifers able to send out shoots from
opening the way for other conifers, especially spruce. the trunk larch also tolerate severe breakages in
Of particular interest to bonsai artists is the morphol- the trunk or primary branches, that are caused by
ogy of this attractive conifer that offers an upright snow or extreme weather events. The bark, smooth
growth habit, straight or curved trunk at the base, and and gray at a young age, is very thick, wrinkled and
an irregular crown, broad at low altitudes and nar- brownish in old specimens. When its scales flake,
rower at higher altitudes to better withstand the im- they reveal the characteristic reddish color of the in-
pact of heavy snowfall. Its primary branching presents ner layer of the bark.

48 | BCI | July/August/September 2013