Content
- Is there a conifer with soft needles? The most beautiful species
- The most beautiful conifer species with soft needles
- European larch (Larix decidua)
- Common Juniper (Juniperus communis)
- Occidental Tree of Life (Thuja occidentalis)
- Douglas fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii)
- Tips
The European larch has very soft needles
Is there a conifer with soft needles? The most beautiful species
The leaves of the conifers have a very different appearance depending on the species and variety: they can be wide or flat, pointed or round, long or short, hard or soft ... There are also different colors, so green, blue and yellow , With such a variety, a lot of variety can be created in the garden.
The most beautiful conifer species with soft needles
Conifers do not necessarily have sharp, piercing needles. Instead, there are many beautiful species with soft needles for the garden.
European larch (Larix decidua)
Probably the softest needles have the European larch, which is also the only deciduous conifer. In autumn, the up to three centimeters long, flattened and very flexible needles turn golden yellow and are discarded. However, the rare forest tree can only be found in very large gardens or in parks - it can grow up to 40 meters high.
Common Juniper (Juniperus communis)
Some varieties of the common or Juniper juniper have fan-shaped branches with flattened, needle-shaped leaves. Especially the varieties 'Green Carpet' and 'Repanda' offer a rather untypical appearance with long, soft needles. Soft needles are also found in other juniper species such as the creeping juniper (Juniperus horizontalis) and the Pfitzers Juniper (Juniperus x pfitzeriana). Other types and varieties may again have sharp and hard needles.
Occidental Tree of Life (Thuja occidentalis)
The so-called "Thuja" tree of life has soft, flaky leaves. They are pressed close to the branches, dull green above and pale on the underside. In winter they often show an olive to bronze color. There are also many varieties with yellow needles, for example 'Sunkist', 'Golden Globe' or 'Europe Gold'. Also typical is the strong aromatic fragrance, which escapes by rubbing the needles between two fingers.
Douglas fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii)
The Douglas fir, often referred to here as Douglas fir, has very soft, blunt needles. These stand individually and are up to four inches long. If you take some needles between two fingers and rub them, they give off a fresh, lemon-like scent. The Douglas fir is native to North America and can grow up to 60 meters in good conditions. Accordingly, this tree is only suitable for large gardens or parks.
Tips
A rarity is the golden larch (Pseudolarix amabilis), which is also deciduous and whose needles turn wonderful golden yellow in autumn. Despite this similarity, the species is not related to the domestic larch.