Vigoro Dunkeld Larch-Hybrid Larch Seeds

currently unavailable -collection involves tree climbers to harvest. One of the oldest and most well known hybrid plant populations is the Dunkeld larch. It was first described and discovered as a chance seedling in Scotland. It was a European larch that had been cross pollinated by a Japanese larch in an arboretum setting where they spontaneously cross with each other grown from seed of the parent European larch.  Even today, it is considered a good example of woody plant heterosis in hybrid populations where hybrid vigor meaning robust and fast growth also means no loss in the durability and strength of the wood as well. Since then numerous seed selections have been made  and other researchers have grown them here in the U.S. and abroad. I am not sure this hybrid ever got off the drawing board, but if it did you really do not see it anywhere. 

I was fortunate to get some of the early selections of this plant where there had been selections done to maintain and improve the hybrid vigor as much as possible by using what would be considered 'improved; parent trees. In the case of the Dunkeld larch it was the European larch that was the parent as the reverse cross was not successful.  I never really thought much about it when I planted them. I had so many failures with many larch species. As much as I liked larch trees only two species survived at my farm-Dunkeld and Prince Ruprechtii. Both of these could tolerate drought and grow vigorously even in my dry sandy soils. Unlike the images found on the web, 'Vigoro" seed selection lives up to its name and has that hybrid vigor needed for timber production for wood and fiber. It is more upright with strong upright branching almost fir like in growth. 

Further seed sources could be developed with this species hybrid and used for a variety of uses including wind breaks, timber production as well as ornamental trees for urban areas. Developing further faster growing trees would be very easy. I think the population as a whole is good to use as it is and now is the time to employ it into other planting areas to test it further. 

"Vigoro" Seed source represents a faster growing and more upright tree with large caliper developing early on in the trees life. Can be produced from seed to retain the fast growth and strong upright growth. Cuttings available upon request with seeds. 

To germinate the seeds; Seeds of larch have a simple dormancy of 60-90 days of cold moist stratification of 33F to 38 F. This can be done in the refrigerator using moist Canadian peat moss or direct seeded in a flat and stored outdoors protected from mice. The seeds need to be lightly covered. There is always an issue with damp-off for me so I use some organic controls found in the Arbico Organics catalog. I lightly cover the seeds with sand and make sure to use well aerated soil that is free of compost or other soil mixes. They need very uniform soils to germinate so keep that in mind and do not over engineer the soil mix for larch seeds. Seeds can sprout easily in the fridge so plan out the timing to make sure you are prepared for the sprouting seedlings as they can get too long in sprouting if in a cold dark refrigerator.