Larix kaempferi 'Little Bogle' - Japanese Dwarf Larch
General: The Japanese Larch grows naturally in the mountainous regions of Japan at altitudes between 1200 and 2000 meters above sea level. It prefers fresh to moist, deep and nutrient-rich soils. However, it does not tolerate waterlogging and drought. With sufficient moisture, it is superior to the European larch in terms of vigor and is therefore often found in our forests used for forestry. The species differ clearly in habit, shoots and needles. A European larch grows with a narrow crown, ascending branches, and the yellowish shoots are covered with long tufts of needles. The Japanese larch, on the other hand, grows with a broad crown and conspicuous horizontally protruding branches. The young shoots are also reddish, the needle tufts denser and the needles themselves shorter. Larches grow up to 45 feet tall and, interestingly, have deciduous foliage. In the fall, the needles turn bright yellow and are shed.
Care as a bonsai: Larches are very popular with us as bonsai. They are very robust and tolerate pruning. Even from the old wood they sprout again and the wire is no problem due to the flexibility of the branches. Wiring is also simplified by the shedding of the needles in the fall. The wood is also very durable and can be used as appropriate deadwood in design. Compared to the European larch, the Japanese larch has denser and shorter needles and is also somewhat easier to care for than the native species. However, it also likes a sunny location and does not like waterlogging. Repotting is best done in spring just before the first needles appear. After that, the larch is very sensitive and may even die. In case of late frosts, the tree should be protected accordingly. Apart from this, the larch is very frost hardy.
Features of the variety: The dwarf larch grows compactly with overhanging shoots and sometimes develops a sweeping and bizarre growth by itself. Compared to the species, it grows less vigorously and barely exceeds 2 meters in height. Nevertheless, it is equally robust, pruning tolerant and frost hardy. These characteristics make the 'Little Bogle' variety very suitable for bonsai cultivation. With regular pruning and little wire work, convincing designs can be quickly realized.
