The larch is a conifer that does not only grow in the forests. In large gardens it can freely display its impressive stature or nestle tightly in a hedge. When does which planting distance have to be maintained?
What planting distance should you keep for larch trees?
The ideal planting distance for solitary larches is 5 m so that they have enough space for growth and optimal lighting conditions. When planting hedges, the planting distance should be between 1 and 1.5 m to achieve a dense hedge, although regular cutting is necessary.
The larch is a tree of light
The larch is commonly referred to as the light tree. She likes to be bathed in brightness from all sides. That's why the larch is not a tree for very close neighborhoods that compete with it for sunlight.
The closer the planting distance is to other trees, but also to buildings, the more unsightly deviations in their development can be expected in later years.
Space requirements increase with age
The larch tree can live for a good 600 years under the best living conditions. The numerical values that characterize an old larch tree are impressive:
- Height over 50 m
- Crown diameter more than 8 m
- Trunk diameter up to 2m
A young larch from the nursery cannot keep up with these values. It is so thin and small that it can fit anywhere in the garden. But although hardly any gardener thinks centuries ahead, they still have to find a greater distance when planting. Once rooted, the larch will quickly move in all directions.
Larch as a solitaire
This tree doesn't want to regularly sacrifice its branches to the scissors, which is why it only belongs in a large garden. It is best if there is neither a tree nor a building within a radius of 5 m.
If this distance is not maintained when planting, it won't bother you at first. But as the years pass, the crown and the invisible root system become wider and wider. The larch may have to be cut unsightly or even felled.
Larch as a hedge plant
The European larch is also popular as a hedge plant, although it does not provide sufficient privacy in winter. Unlike most conifers, it turns its needles yellow in autumn and throws them to the ground.
A tree that nature intended to be giant is somehow inconceivable as a hedge plant. Nevertheless, good results can be achieved, at least with a lot of cutting.
When planting hedges, the planting distance between two larch trees must be reduced to 1.5 m. Some tree nurseries even recommend a planting distance of 1 m or even less.
