Prince Rupprecht Larch Seeds

This species of larch represents one of the few if not the only one of the genus that can grow in incredibly dry soil. It is found in Northern Europe and Russia on essentially what would be called 'sandy plains' . Its tolerance to drought and its fast growth make it an ideal candidate for both urban trees and forestry use as a timber tree. The trees are easily cultivated and grow vigorously when young. Cones are produced when trees reach 20-30 ft. As the trees mature the branches begin to spread out more like a Norway spruce. The trunks of the trees have a beautiful shaggy appearance at this time too. 

I received this tree and seeds from Lawyers Nursery. I kept a few of the most vigorous trees at my farm and took a couple home too. The trees did very well here. They are not tolerant of shade so I did have to prune a black oak tree at my farm to let this tree gain more light from one side. This worked and now that tree is 40 ft. high. All the trees show very good form maintaining a strong central leader. You can harvest the seeds in November. The seeds are relished by red squirrels. 

To germinate the seeds;  Larch seeds have a simple cold dormancy of 60-90 days cold stratification with moisture. They can sprout in the refrigerator too. They damp off easy so be careful not to over water if in pots. Prevent germination in cold storage if possible by flat sowing and storing outdoors protected from mice. Use a light sand mixture barely covering the seeds.