INSTYTUT DENDROLOGII

Abstract: Japanese larch (Larix kaempferi Sarg.) is one of the most frequent exotic species in Polish woodlands. The basic object of research comprised 60 stands of the studied species, located mainly in the northern and western parts of Poland. The growth results for the studied species, evaluated on the basis of the average height (hg55), were compared with data describing the local climate and the stand location within the botanical and climatic zoning. The results confirm the opinion that the Japanese larch prefers a climate of maritime character and generally shows high degree of flexibility regarding its climatic requirements (very large differences between the growth conditions in the studied area and the country of origin). The dependence between the growth results and precipitation is however lower than expected. The most interesting results include the relatively clear connection between the height of the larch stands and the Degórski’s (1984) ‘floristic’ ‘K’ (continentality) index.

 Additional key word: continentality, climatic zoning, introduction, acclimation, temperature, precipitation