Growth and Development of Introduced <i>Larix </i>Mill. Species in the Taiga Zone (Karelia)
The study reports results of research carried out from April to October during 1988-2016 at the Botanical Garden of Petrozavodsk State University (South Karelia, middle taiga subzones). Three introduced species of the genus Larix ( Larix sibirica Ledeb., L. leptolepis (Sieb. et Zucc.) Gord, andL. dahurica Turcz. ex Trautv.) were studied. The growth of shoots and needles in different species begins, reaches its culmination, and ends almost simultaneously, differing by no more than one week across the species. L. sibirica shows the highest growth rate. The timing of growth, culmination, and the dynamics of growth of shoots and needles are largely determined by variations in precipitation, temperature, and humidity. The direction and strength of such an effect may vary from year to year. The dates of phenological phases of the Larix species studied here are chiefly determined by the air temperature in the current growing season and the dates of formation of wintering buds in the previous growing season. Bud swelling and opening begins almost simultaneously in the studied species. Most of the other phenological phases begin and end earliest in L. sibirica and latest in L. leptolepis. All the studied species, primarily L. sibirica, are promising for residential landscaping and creation of artificial plant communities in Karelia.