Larix laricina
tamarack
Native to North America
Overview
Larix laricina, tamarack or eastern larch, is a deciduous conifer of the boreal forest, native across northern North America. It forms a slender, open, conical tree 30-65 feet (9-20 m) tall with a straight trunk and thin, scaly grey-brown bark. The soft needles are light blue-green, about 0.5-1 inch (1-2.5 cm) long, and grow in dense tufts of 10-20 on short woody spurs along the branches. Unlike most conifers it sheds its needles each autumn, turning a clear golden-yellow before they drop and leaving bare twigs through winter. Small egg-shaped cones about 0.5 inch (1-1.5 cm) long stand upright on the branches, green ripening to brown. The tree grows in cold sphagnum bogs, muskeg, and wet, acidic soils, as well as moist uplands, and withstands extreme winter cold well below -40F (-40C). It demands full sun and will not tolerate shade, and it is poorly suited to hot, dry, or alkaline conditions, which confine it to cool northern climates and cold wetlands.
Native Range
Native to northern North America, from Alaska across Canada to Newfoundland and south into the northeastern United States and the upper Great Lakes. It is a characteristic tree of the northern boreal forest and cold wetlands.Suggested Uses
Used in cold-climate parks, large gardens, and naturalized wet sites and bog gardens for its golden autumn colour and open form. It suits wet, acidic ground where other trees fail. Its size and climate needs limit it to spacious northern landscapes.How to Identify
Appearance
Size & Dimensions
Height30' - 65'
Width/Spread15' - 30'
Bloom Information
Small reddish female cones and yellow male cones appear in spring, in April and May, as the new needles emerge. Pollination is by wind. The young cones colour the branch tips briefly before ripening through summer.
Detailed Descriptions
Flower Description
reddish female and yellow male conesFoliage Description
light blue-green, golden-yellow in autumnGrowing Conditions
Sun Requirements
Requires 6-12 hours of direct sunlight daily
• Full Sun: 6+ hours of direct sunlight
• Partial Shade: 3-6 hours of direct sunlight
• Full Shade: Less than 3 hours of direct sunlight
