Larches are conifers that turn gold in autumn and lose their needles in winter.
Identifying larch
Scientific name: Larix
How to recognise it
- Soft needles in tufts on short spurs along the twig, and single on new growth.
- Needles turn yellow in autumn and fall, so the tree is bare in winter.
- Small upright cones that stay on the tree after the seed is shed.
Species
- Tamarack (Larix laricina): a northern tree of cold, wet ground.
- European larch (L. decidua): from the Alps; widely planted for timber.
- Western larch (L. occidentalis): a tall tree of the Rocky Mountain region.
Names
Tamarack is the common name for the North American larch of cold, wet ground. Larch is also called hackmatack.
Confusion
Larch can be mistaken for dead pine in winter. Look for the knobby spurs and small cones to confirm it. The true cedars also carry their needles in tufts, but they are evergreen.