A tree, a viper, a story

A tree far away...what could it be? We're in the very furthest east of Kazakhstan, not far from the "Austrian Road" built in these rugged mountains by German prisoners during the Second World War. It doesn't look quite right to be Siberian pine (Pinus sibirica) the commonest conifer hereabouts...the scale can be deduced by the tiny figure to the left--whatever it is it's impressive...

A closeup of the last picture--

Larix sibirica

Yes! it IS a larch, Siberian larch to be exact!  

This picture, alas, doesn't convey the size and magnificence...

 I love the rugged form that so many trees--especially oaks--take when they're growing by themselves. On hilltops like this they often have a slight (or not so slight) twist from the force of wind, and a hefty trunk caliper in ratio to the height. But a larch growing amid steppe vegetation on top of a hill? Don't they need to be wetter?

Here's a taller specimen--not quite so gnarly--growing lower down the hillside not far away...

Vladimir Kolbintsev, our guide and interpreter, along with Mike Bone--my colleague at the gardens. This is the closeup of the trunk of the tree in the last picture: very impressive!

A few yards away, Vladimir spied one of his specialties--the common "European" viper, or adder--

Vipera berus.  A tad far away from Europe--and an excellent example of how "Eurocentric" we are in so many ways. The equivalent in North America is bi-coastal-syndrome (where the two coasts get all the attention and the rest of the US and Canada are "flyover country")...

Not nearly as colorfully marked as many adders, it was nevertheless a delightful creature to encounter: Vladimir, who studied them for his degree--says he was bitten many times. I didn't care to experiment. 

Here is the view from where we saw that first giant Larch--basically a steppe meadow--too exposed and likely too dry for forest. Nevertheless, a giant larch grew here--and has survived for centuries, I reckon.

And here is one of several specimens at Denver Botanic Gardens: we grow other larches, but this one has thrived wherever it was planted--and looking at where it grows in nature should tell you why. It's an example of one of dozens--nay! HUNDREDS of spectacular trees we SHOULD be growing instead of the small number usually found in commoner nurseries.

Tree diversity is something that should be on EVERYONE'S plate. We are hosting the 8th Annual Tree Diversity Symposium at DBG via Zoom this Friday (although if you sign up you can view the programs at your convenience for several weeks). We have had many of America's leading tree experts speak, and this year is no exception. Our keynote speaker, Michael Dosmann, is keeper of the Arnold Arboretum of Harvard University, which celebrates its 150th Anniversary this year!

A wide spectrum of topics--including the widespread insect pests and diseases in our mountains, the unique re-forestation programs of Denver proper and a panel discussion by local nursery professionals on how and why new trees are so hard to get to you--and how to change that!

Do check  it out here: better yet--just sign up! You won't regret it!