Larches can tower high into the sky, developing massive, spreading crowns as they mature. Because of this, giving them the right amount of elbow room when planting is super important. Even if you’re planning to use larch for a hedge and keep it trimmed to a specific height, spacing still plays a huge role in the health of your trees.
Why Larches Need Their Space
Larches need plenty of distance from their neighbors for a couple of key reasons. First off, these trees can reach heights of up to 160 feet! They grow wide, impressive crowns, and if you want that beautiful, natural shape to develop properly, they can’t have other trees getting in their way. Letting a larch grow naturally results in a truly stunning silhouette.
Here are the spacing rules of thumb:
- Give your larch at least 15 feet (5 meters) of space on all sides.
- Make sure the tree isn’t stuck in the shadow of a tall wall or building.
There’s a second big reason for this spacing, too: sunlight. Larches are sun-worshippers and won’t thrive unless their location gets plenty of light. Sunlight is vital for the tree’s metabolism. To grow fast and stay healthy, the tree needs to soak up rays from all sides, which only happens if it isn’t crowded out by other tall trees.
Spacing for Larch Hedges
You can actually use larch to create a unique hedge, but there are two things you should keep in mind first. For one, larches lose their needles in the winter. Unlike evergreens, they won’t provide a thick privacy screen year-round. Secondly, you’ll need to commit to regular pruning to keep the hedge at your desired height.
When planting a larch hedge, you’ll want to space the saplings about 3 to 5 feet (1 to 1.5 meters) apart. This tighter spacing is necessary so the plants grow together and close any gaps in the hedge. Just remember: when they are planted this close, you’ll need to be extra diligent about water and nutrients to keep the competition between the trees from causing issues.
