The swelling and shrinking of juvenile wood, sapwood and heartwood of European larch (Larix decidua Mill.) were compared to Siberian larch (Larix Sibirica (Münch) Ledeb.) heartwood. The dimensional stability was examined by observation of shrinking (ß) and swelling, and by determining the indicators of dimensional stability: differential swelling (q), swelling coefficient (h) in radial and tangential direction, and by sorption quotient (s). The growth characteristics were assessed from width of earlywood and latewood, where the resin duct density was also determined. There were no statistically distinctive differences between European and Siberian larch in wood dimensional stability. The heartwood and juvenile wood of European larch were very similar. In all measurements the wood of Siberian larch had the lowest variability.
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