Trees of Russia and their leaves. The most common tree in Russia and everything about it

We are all accustomed to the fact that slender white-trunks are considered to be the symbol of our homeland. However, when answering the question of the name of the most common tree in Russia, do not rush, because everything is not as simple as it may seem at first glance. Let's try together to find the right answer and find out a little more interesting details about the representatives of the forests of our country.

Unknown Leader

So, what is the most common tree in Russia? The first place for more than a dozen years has been kept by the beautiful larch from the conifer family. Such a tree is truly unique: despite the fact that it is considered a relative of the Christmas tree and pine, in the winter it throws off the needles, as well as the deciduous representatives of the forests of the middle belt. Distinctive features of larch are the following characteristics:

• The height of the trunk to 45 meters (there are dwarf varieties).
•   up to 900 years.
•   and dense bark structure.
• Crohn, resembling a wide cone.
• Soft needles of light green color, falling in October.
• Small in size (up to 4 centimeters) cones with scales tightly closed before the period of ripening.
• The flowering period is May.
• The seed ripening period is the beginning and the middle of autumn.

The distribution area of ​​larch

The most common is represented by only twenty varieties. In our country, it most often grows on the territory of Siberia (in its western and middle parts). According to statistics, larch accounts for just under 40 percent of the total forest area in the Russian Federation. The tree is found in small quantities in the European part of the country, but on the territory stretching from the White Sea to Lake Baikal, there is a lot of it. Individual varieties predominate in the Far East and Eastern Siberia.

The use of larch in folk medicine

The most common tree in Russia has received widespread acceptance of traditional medicine. Thus, it is considered that almost all parts of larch (needles, buds, bark and even shoots) have healing properties, they are collected for healing only in the spring period (needles - at the end of summer). Let's talk about exactly how such gifts of nature are applied. The most common are:

• Broth sprouts on warm milk to eliminate cough and sputum.
• Infusions needles on the water to combat high blood pressure.
• Turpentine compresses of external use from radiculitis and toothache.
• Infusions on the basis of needles or bark during inhalation for the treatment of bronchitis.
• Baths with decoctions on fresh branches (rheumatism is treated, as well as gout).

Leader among deciduous trees

What is the most common tree in Russia among the hardwood? In this category there is no equal to the native Russian birch, distinguished by its modest beauty and unpretentiousness. Birch is considered to be an easily renewable representative of the flora, it first appears on the ashes, resistant to frost, drought, abundance or lack of moisture. The tree is found in the European part of the country, in Siberia, above the Arctic Circle and in the Far East.

From time immemorial in Russia used the bark of birch - birch bark. It has found its use in the production of kitchen utensils, various household items, baskets and boxes. From the branches of the tree make the most popular and all the country bath brooms, and birch sap is considered among the people healing.

Evergreen pine

Often, pine is also considered the most common tree in Russia. In our country it grows almost everywhere, on the shores of the Black and European parts of the country and on the Siberian plains. There are about 100, however, for the most part, all trees are characterized by the need for sunlight and a good ecological environment, while they almost do not need moisture and beneficial trace elements from the soil. Evergreen plantings have a powerful and very deep root system, which allows them to grow in the sands, in swamps and bare rocks.

Strong oak

A strong oak can also be considered a symbol of Russia; it belongs to the beech family and is represented by 600 different varieties. A powerful tree is a real long-liver in the world of flora, some of its members lived to 1500 years. The distinctive features of an oak are its fruits - acorns, and beautiful carved leaves of the original form.

The distribution area of ​​the tree is also quite extensive. Oaks can be found both in the north and in the south of the country, near the northern capital and the Black Sea, in the Urals and unfortunately, it is quite difficult to call the common oak these days, but in former times, in Ancient Russia, this giant could be one of the most popular.

Of course, the most common tree species in Russia is larch, but we should not forget that there are many other beautiful and famous representatives of the flora world in our country, which we can admire while visiting our native forests.

Growing area of ​​pine

If you carefully consider the physical map of Russia, it is clear that most of it is occupied by forests. Coniferous trees prevail in the forests. The most common of them - numerous species of pines.

It is difficult to find a place where a pine tree has not taken root. These trees grow in sandy soil, on rocky terrain, in cold and hot climates. Due to the vast areas of growth of these conifers, many genera and species of pines have been formed. There are 11 genera, including larch, spruce, fir, pine. Each genus consists of several dozen species. In total, the family has 260 species. In each climatic zone, a coniferous plant species takes root.

Types of larches in Russia

Among the pine family the most common tree in Russia is larch. This is not an ordinary tree. Despite the fact that it has needles and cones resembling roses, this one is not representative of evergreen trees. Larch resets needles every season. It also happens like in all deciduous trees: in the fall, the needle leaves turn yellow and fall off. In the spring, the tree is covered with young delicate green needles.

Larch accounts for about 40% of all trees inhabiting forests in Russia. A large number of species of this plant is registered. More often than others in our forests one can meet: European, Dahurian, Siberian, Olginskaya, Sukachev larch, as well as hybrid forms - Lyubarskaya, Chekanovsky, Amur, Okhotsk.

Siberian larch can be found more often than other species in Russian forests. This giant tree goes up to 30-40 meters and lives from 500 to 900 years. It has a cone-shaped straight trunk and spreading branches extending from the trunk at a right angle. Siberian larch grows in whole arrays, which are most often found in western and middle Siberia, in the forests of Altai and Sayans, from Baikal to the White Sea.

Daur larch

Daur larch prevails in Eastern Siberia and the Far East. This tree with reddish bark reaches 25-30 meters in length and has a trunk girth of up to one meter. The Dahurian species of larches is able to adapt to the most severe climate conditions. The tree is found both high in the mountains, and in the lowlands, and in the river valleys.

Larch can be found not only in the wild. This plant is becoming increasingly popular in gardens, parks and garden plots. Wildlife lovers prefer Japanese larch. This species, with a talking title, hails from Japan and Korea. The tree grows small, unlike its forest counterparts. It has a beautiful spreading crown and neat pinkish bumps, so it fits well into many landscapes. The garden larch is unpretentious in care; it gets along well with many cultivated plants.

The storehouse of traditional medicine

Larch is not only a common tree in Russia, but also a storehouse of raw materials for traditional medicine. Use pine needles, bark, young spring buds and shoots. Pine needles for the manufacture of medicines collected all summer. The highest content of ascorbic acid in it falls on the end of June and the end of August. From the parts of the plant prepare healing broths and infusions.

Among other trees growing on the territory of the Russian Federation, oaks, aspen, birch and alder are numerous and common.

Coniferous trees from the pine family are widely spread throughout the vast expanses of the country because of their unpretentiousness and resistance to different climates. These mighty trees became the decoration of our forests.

Larch belongs to the class of coniferous trees and is divided into several different species, united by the genus "Larch". The most common species of this tree in Russia is Siberian larch, which grows in the east and northeast of the European part of the country, in Eastern and Western Siberia, ranging from tundra to the Altai Mountains. It grows mainly in coniferous forests, consisting of other coniferous trees - Siberian cedar, pine, spruce.

Sometimes there are only larch forests where there are no other species.

Larch trees are very durable, grow up to 600 years and are characterized by increased resistance to environmental conditions. They are not afraid of cold, so they grow mainly in the northern parts of the country, they are not afraid of smoke, gas, sharply continental climate. These trees well withstand the conditions of large industrial centers with a large number of harmful emissions in the air.

Some larches can grow even in permafrost.

Siberian larch is a powerful, tall and wide tree with dark bark and large cones, reaching five centimeters in length. Dahurian larch is also widespread in Russia - slightly lower, slimmer, with light bark and small cones. Daursky species grows in areas east of the Yenisei.

Larch wood is valued for its strength, durability, health benefits and fragrant coniferous aroma. It keeps warm well, has bactericidal and anti-inflammatory properties. Despite the active cutting down of trees in Siberia, larch is not threatened with extinction - it is one of the most common species of living on Earth.

Birch tree

Despite the fact that the most common tree in Russia is larch, the symbol of the country is still birch, which also occupies large areas. Birch grows in almost every corner of Russia, sometimes grows in places where there are no other trees. This genus is divided into about one hundred species, almost all of them grow in the country.

Slender, seemingly fragile and beautiful birches are very hardy, some species grow in areas of permafrost and even far beyond the Arctic Circle. In the mountains, they form the last circle of trees. They are completely unpretentious - they withstand any composition of the soil, tolerate any climate, often shade-tolerant, this explains the prevalence of these trees. Birches live much less than larch - up to 120 years, and only certain species can reach the age of 400 years.