Larch
This article is about larch trees.
Larches are conifers in the genus Larix, in the family Pinaceae. They are deciduous trees, growing from 15-50 m tall, and are native to much of the cooler temperate northern hemisphere, on lowlands in the far north, and high on mountains further south.
The shoots are dimorphic, with growth divided into long shoots typically 10-50 cm long, and short shoots only 1-2 mm long. The leaves are needle-like, and borne singly, spirally arranged on the long shoots, and in dense clusters of 20-50 needles on the short shoots. The needles turn yellow and fall in the late autumn, leaving the trees leafless through the winter. The cones are erect, small, 1.5-9 cm long, green or purple, ripening brown 5-8 months after pollination; in about half the species the bract scales are long and visible, and in the others, short and hidden between the seed scales.
Species
There are 9-13 species; those marked '#' are not accepted as distinct species by all authorities:
- Larix decidua (L. europea) European Larch
- Larix gmelinii (L. dahurica) Dahurian Larch
- Larix himalaica Langtang Larch #
- Larix kaempferi (L. leptolepis) Japanese Larch
- Larix kongboensis Tibetan Larch #
- Larix laricina Tamarack Larch or American Larch
- Larix lyallii Subalpine Larch
- Larix mastersiana Master's Larch
- Larix occidentalis Western Larch
- Larix potaninii Chinese Larch
- Larix principis-rupprechtii Prince Rupprecht's Larch #
- Larix sibirica Siberian Larch
- Larix speciosa Yunnan Larch #
Most if not all of the species can be hybridised in cultivation; the best known hybrid is Larix x marschlinsii (a.k.a. L. x eurolepis, an illegitimate name), the Dunkeld Larch, which arose more or less simultanously in Switzerland and Scotland when L. decidua and L. kaempferi hybridised when planted together.
Uses
Larch is valued in forestry for its wood, which is tough, waterproof and durable, with top quality knot-free timber being in great demand for building yachts and other small boats. Larch has also been used in herbal medicine; see Bach flower remedies for details.
Links to other Pinaceae
Pinus - Picea - Cathaya - Larix - Pseudotsuga - Abies - Cedrus - Keteleeria - Pseudolarix - Nothotsuga - Tsuga
