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Scientific name: Larix laricina (Du Roi) K.Koch 1873
Synonyms: Abies microcarpa (Lamb.) Lindl., Larix alaskensis W.Wight, Larix americana Michx., Larix dahurica var. americana (Michx.) Henkel & W.Hochst., Larix fraseri Curtis ex Gordon, Larix intermedia (Du Roi) Lodd. ex J.Forbes, Larix laricina var. alaskensis (W.Wight) Raup, Larix laricina subsp. alaskensis (W.Wight) Silba, Larix laricina var. americana (Michx.) Lemmon, Larix microcarpa (Lamb.) J.Forbes, Larix rubra Steud., Larix tenuifolia Salisb., Pinus intermedia Du Roi, Pinus laricina Du Roi, Pinus microcarpa Lamb.
Common names: Tamarack, American larch, Eastern larch (English), Mélèze laricin (French)
Tree to 25(-35) m tall, with trunk to 0.6(-1.1) m in diameter, often much smaller at the northern limit of its range. Bark remaining scaly through life, weathering gray over reddish brown. Crown narrowly conical at first, becoming very narrowly egg-shaped above a long, bare, cylindrical trunk, with numerous slender, short, horizontal branches. New branchlets orange-brown, slightly waxy, hairless. Buds small, about 3 mm long, dark reddish brown, smooth, somewhat resinous, those of the spur shoots surrounded by a ring of hairs. Needles of spur shoots straight, (10-)15-40(-60) on each spur, soft, (1-)2-3(-5) cm long and 0.5-0.8 mm wide, light green, turning bright yellow in autumn before falling. Midrib flat and without stomates above, raised beneath and with one (to three) inconspicuous lines of stomates on either side. Pollen cones spherical, 3-4 mm in diameter, yellowish brown. Seed cones nearly spherical or a little elongate, 1-2 cm long, with 9-15(-20) seed scales, green with a reddish tinge before maturity, ripening light brown with paler edges, on a slender curved stalk 4-5 mm long. Seed scales circular to roundly fan-shaped, the tip a rounded, not curled outward. Bracts hairless, 2.5-3.5 mm long, much shorter than and hidden by the seed scales, squared off or rounded with a bristle tip to 1 mm long. Seed body (1-)2-3 mm long, without resin pockets, the firmly clasping wing another (3-)4-6 mm longer.
The scientific name means “larchlike” in Latin, referring to the resemblance to European larch, which Linnaeus had called Pinus larix.
Across northern North America south of the arctic tundra, generally east of the Rocky Mountains, from central Alaska to Newfoundland, south to south-central Alberta, southeastern Manitoba, central Minnesota, northern Indiana, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and New Jersey, with outliers in southwestern Pennsylvania and adjacent Maryland and west Virginia. Growing in sparse to dense pure stands or mixed with other boreal conifers and hardwoods, primarily on boggy sites; 0-600(-1,200) m.
Red List Category & Criteria: Least Concern
Larix laricina is assessed as Least Concern as it is distributed across the northern part of the North American continent in a dynamic and constantly renewing ecosystem, of which this larch is a constituent species.
This is mostly a species of the lowland boreal and subarctic forests across Canada, it is less common in medium high mountains. Its altitudinal range is from 1 m to 1,200 m a.s.l., but in British Columbia and Alaska it does not occur above 520 m. Tamarack will grow on a variety of acid soils, but is found most commonly on peaty soils in swamps and muskegs. The climate in its vast range is likewise varied, ranging from cool, moist maritime on the Atlantic coast, to extremely dry, cold continental in the interior. It occurs locally in pure stands (maritime), but elsewhere commonly with Picea mariana, Picea glauca, Abies balsamea, or Pinus banksiana; boreal broad-leaved trees such as Populus tremuloides and Populus balsamifera occur usually after disturbance, Betula may be represented with tree and shrub species. The shrub layer is often well developed, with various ericaceous species.
Tamarack produces durable, dense wood that is used for outdoor purposes such as posts, railway sleepers, log cabins and mine shaft timbers. Its main industrial use is for pulp wood feeding the manufacture of paper, in particular transparent envelope windows. In Alaska, dog sled runners are made from sapling trees. In the past, the northern tribes of Native Americans used the roots of Tamarack to sew birch bark canoes and the wood supplied the shafts for arrows. Its use as an amenity tree outside its natural range is limited due to damage from 'late' frosts; however there should be some southern provenances that are more suitable.
Tamarack occurs in many protected areas throughout its range.
Larix laricina ’American Pine’ Larix laricina ’Arethusa Bog’ Larix laricina ’Aurea’ Larix laricina ’Bear Swamp’ Larix laricina ’Beehive’ Larix laricina ’Big Mama’ Larix laricina ’Blue Sparkler’ Larix laricina ’Blue Star’ Larix laricina ’Bogle’ Larix laricina ’Bohlkens Blaue Kugel’ Larix laricina ’Chickadee’ Larix laricina ’Craftsbury Common #2’ Larix laricina ’Craftsbury Flats’ Larix laricina ’Dangler’ Larix laricina ’Darn Big Broom’ Larix laricina ’Debbie’ Larix laricina ’Deborah’ Larix laricina ’Deborah Waxman’ Larix laricina ’Edelweiss WB’ Larix laricina ’Edelweiss Weeping’ Larix laricina ’Elliot’ Larix laricina ’Ely’ Larix laricina ’England’ Larix laricina ’Ethan’ Larix laricina ’Filip’s Perfect Spot’ Larix laricina ’Filip’s Tiny Mushroom’ Larix laricina ’Flat Top’ Larix laricina ’Floodwood’ Larix laricina ’Gemini’ Larix laricina ’Girard Dwarf’ Larix laricina ’Girard’s Nana’ Larix laricina ’Glauca’ Larix laricina ’Fastigiata’ Larix laricina ’Hang in There’ Larix laricina ’Hanna’s Broom’ Larix laricina ’Hannins Blue’ Larix laricina ’Hartwig Pine’ Larix laricina ’Iron Rocket’ Larix laricina ’Iron Rod’ Larix laricina ’Josh’s Ornament’ Larix laricina ’Kate Brook Nursery Witches Broom’ Larix laricina ’Little Grapette’ Larix laricina ’Lund Road’ Larix laricina ’Lutea’ Larix laricina ’Madie Gee’ Larix laricina ’Manestigue’ Larix laricina ’Michigan Tower’ Larix laricina ’Mighty Mushroom’ Larix laricina ’Mud Flat’ Larix laricina ’Nana’ Larix laricina ’Nana #7’ Larix laricina ’Nana #9’ Larix laricina ’Nana #17’ Larix laricina ’Nana #19’ Larix laricina ’Nash’s Pendula’ Larix laricina ’Nemakagen’ Larix laricina ’Newport # 7’ Larix laricina ’Newport # 17’ Larix laricina ’Newport Beauty’ Larix laricina ’Northern Torch’ Larix laricina ’Old Timer’ Larix laricina ’Oldy’ Larix laricina ’Ossorio Broom’ Larix laricina ’Oxen Pond’ Larix laricina ’Parasol’ Larix laricina ’Perfect Spot’ Larix laricina ’Porcupine’ Larix laricina ’Průhonice’ Larix laricina ’Red Squirrel’ Larix laricina ’Rush City’ Larix laricina ’Russian Bee Queen Broom’ Larix laricina ’Semini’ Larix laricina ’Short ‘n’ Sweet’ Larix laricina ’Sister Seedling to Deborah Waxman’ Larix laricina ’Smurf’ Larix laricina ’St. Louis County Jail’ Larix laricina ’Steuben’ Larix laricina ’Stubby’ Larix laricina ’Sunrise’ Larix laricina ’Susan M.’ Larix laricina ’Sweet Baby J’ Larix laricina ’Sweet Gumball’ Larix laricina ’Tharandt’ Larix laricina ’Tiny Tim’ Larix laricina ’Top Knot’ Larix laricina ’Traffic Jam’ Larix laricina ’Tree Hugger’ Larix laricina ’WB SDL’ Larix laricina ’Wehlen’ Larix laricina ’Wild Bill’ Larix laricina ’Windigo Ball’
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