Here's a larch that is growing by my dad's house. When he logged the place, he felled a larger doug fir away from this tree. When it stood alone, its graceful form was much more apparent. It is a very lovely tree- the branches have a very graceful sweep. As I look through the woods at wild stands of these trees, I'm struck by how variable they are. Few are as graceful as this one is, but there is quite a bit of variation in terms of branch shape and general habit. The question that needs to be answered in this case is whether the tree is worth propagating or not. Is it strikingly unusual enough for people to notice?
I've been watching this tree for about five years. It seems to be pretty stable in terms of this branching pattern. Perhaps the next step is to graft a few up and try them in different environments. Even if it doesn't end up being worthy of propagation, it is a tree that I wouldn't mind having in my yard. Not every person needs to be a supermodel to be beautiful, either. In my quest for ever more unusual plants, I need to remind myself to take time to appreciate slightly more ordinary plants as well.
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