Larch is a genus of the pine family (Pinaceae). There is no larch in the wild flora of Latvia. They have been introduced for >2 years. are grown as ornamental trees in parks. Larch is a summer green monoecious conifer, also called skukmets. The bark of young trees is smooth, later a crust forms. The root system is strongly developed, with abundant mycorrhizae.

The wood is resinous, heavy and dense, very valuable. Its heartwood is brownish or pinkish-brown, sapwood lighter, narrow. Needles soft, linear; there are alternate ones on long ones, on short ones – in many tufts. The strobili develop on the previous year's shoot or on the tip of older short stems. Male strobils or microstrobils are round, yellow, female strobils or macrostrobils are round, long, yellow-green, cream or pink. Pollen without air vesicles. Blooms at the same time as needles bloom. Cones small, cotyledons woody, 2 winged seeds develop on each. A wing has grown on the seed and covers half of it. The cones fall unbroken after 2-5 years. We germinate 5-7 cotyledons, which disappear already in the 1st year. in the fall.

Larch is more resistant to air pollution than other conifers of the temperate zone. Quick-sighted, life span up to 600 years. In autumn, the foliage remains green for a long time. Pronounced sunflower, frost-resistant. Some ecotypes suffer from late spring frosts. Moderately demanding in terms of soil, grows better in loose, clayey sand or sandy loam soil, does not tolerate excessively wet soil. Larch cancer is a dangerous disease.

In forest stands, the growth of European larch wood significantly exceeds that of native trees. wood growth. The wood stock of a hundred-year-old stand reaches 600 m3/ha (sometimes 1000 m3/ha). The largest pl. and the best forest crops are in the Makašeni region, where the European larch also regenerates naturally, and the 2nd and 3rd generation young shoots have formed there. Economically important is the very valuable Siberian larch wood, which physically and mechanically. properties are better than European and Russian larch.

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