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liz_gilbert58

ID dwarf Larix

Liz Gilbert
9 years ago

Does anybody recognize this dwarf Larix?

It was tagged as 'Diana' which is obviously incorrect. It looks just like 'Blue Sparkler' only it isn't blue at all- it is bright fern green.

It has been in the ground about 8 years now and has not changed much except to increase in size slightly.

It is always globe shaped, I haven't touched it.

Comments (8)

  • Liz Gilbert
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    (Here it is from farther away for size perspective)

  • ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5
    9 years ago

    i see what looks like 3 to 5 inches of growth on it... which over 8 years would be... 24 to 40 inches ..

    so you confuse me... when you say its grown 'slightly' ????

    WAG = Larix kaempferi 'Wolterdingen'

    as i said.. wild guess ...

    perhaps your seller.. has a favored vendor.. and we could figure out the name.. by what the offer... as in.. he gets his stock from buckholtz ... or some such ...

    looking at that first pic.. i would encourage you to share more pix of your garden ...

    ken

    Here is a link that might be useful: link

  • whaas_5a
    9 years ago

    From what I can tell its likely Larix Prag as it has a rich green color.

  • Liz Gilbert
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    Thanks Ken- I looked at the link. 'Wolterdingen' is a little more brushy looking.

    It looks like the pictures of Prag more than anything, although the Iseli photo and description suggest a more weeping/mounding habit.

    http://www.iselinursery.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=308%3Alarix-decidua-prag-&catid=40%3Aconifers&Itemid=85


    Mine is definitely a globe and has pretty rigid form.
    I recently saw 'Blue Sparkler' at a nursery and that's when I started wondering- those looked exactly like mine except for the color!

    It stayed small the first several years, hardly growing at all- after the past 2 years of very heavy rainfall it seems to have put on a lot of new growth.

    It is in a lot of water late winter/early spring- it seems to love that, but its neighbor P. aristata may have to move- it had some brown terminal buds this year, although it has recovered nicely from new growth on lower branches.

    I don't have a good spot for the aristata- all red clay and water.
    I am considering adding a large (by large I mean 12sf or so) mound of proper soil in a berm so it will have a chance.

    Do you guys think it's worth doing?

  • whaas_5a
    9 years ago

    Larix decidua Lanark is another possibility. I think with a close up of cones and needles so of the experts could identify the species which might narrow it down.

    Yeah that pine doesn't look all that happy. This species holds on to several years of neddles and yours only appears to be holding current year. Plus there might be a little discoloration going on there.

  • Liz Gilbert
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    It has never coned now that I think about it.

    Lanark is another possibility. I'll try to get a close up later today if the rain holds off.

    I wanted that aristata but should have considered how long lived it is- not fair to plant it in the wrong spot.

    I'm working on the berm idea now to give it better drainage-plus, it will give me an excuse to add some more dwarf conifers!

    That part of the yard is at the bottom of a long slope and the past few years it has been an ice rink in early spring with all the runoff. In the meantime I dug a trench to drain the excess water so it doesn't happen again this winter.

  • plantkiller_il_5
    9 years ago

    Berms are always a good idea,,,,plus,,, ya know,,more room.
    ron

  • plantkiller_il_5
    9 years ago

    double post
    ron

    This post was edited by plantkiller.il.5 on Fri, Aug 1, 14 at 21:08