 Photo Courtesy of K. Hubeny |
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| Common Name(s) | American larch | ||||
| Scientific Name | Larix laricina | ||||
| Family | Pinaceae | ||||
| Location/Vegetative Zone | Edge | ||||
| Flowering Period | Mid-Spring | ||||
| Identifying Characteristics | Yellow-ish flowers, grows up to 75 ft tall, slender orange-brown twigs | ||||
Description
- Trunk is straight, to 14″-2 0″ in diameter, occasionally larger.
- Branches are whorled, horizontal or slightly ascending.
- Self-pruning; by 25-30 years trunks generally clear of branches for half their length or more.
- Twigs are slender, orange-brown, and smooth, with numerous short, spur branches.
- Flowers are yellowish, small and round in clusters near branch tips.
Cultural Uses
- Wood
- Railway ties, pilings, and posts
- Historically used for boat construction
Misc
- The American larch has little commercial use because of issues with insects and disease
- Tapping the trunk of the American Larch produces a thick resin
Sources
“Larix laricina – (Du Roi.)K.Koch.”. Plants For A Future. Web.
Goldsberry, Lalainya. “Larix laricina (Tamarack, American Larch) Pinaceae”. Lake Forest College. Web.
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