• Home
  • Coniferous Animals
  • Coniferous Trees
  • About Coniferous Forest
  • Contact
Home > Larch > Western Larch

Western Larch

Western larch, also known as western tamarack or tamarack, is a species of large deciduous conifers found on the lower mountain slopes and valleys of western North America, as well as in parts of Canada and the United States. Although it is typically found in forests with mixed species of trees, it can sometimes grow in pure groups. It has a pyramidal form with level to upswept main branches and sagging side branches.

Western Larch

Western Larch

Tamarack

Tamarack

Scientific Classification

KingdomPlantae
DivisionPinophyta
ClassPinopsida
OrderPinales
FamilyPinaceae
GenusLarix
Scientific NameLarix occidentalis
Tamarack Tree

Tamarack Tree

Western Larch Leaves

Western Larch Leaves

Quick Information

Other NamesMontana larch, mountain larch, hackmatack, mélèze occidental (French)
Size30-60 m (98-197 ft) tall; trunk diameter of 1.5 m (4.9 ft)
Leaves (Needles)Very slender, 2-5 cm long; light green in spring turning yellow in the fall; cross-section is triangular; clustered in groups of 15-30 on old twigs
ConesRed when young turning reddish-brown when mature, 2-5 cm long, egg-shaped with 40-80 woody scales, each of which bears a protruding bract
BarkGray-brown, thin, and scaly in young trees; it becomes 3-6 inches thick, developing deep furrows, turning yellow or reddish brown
Crown/TopNarrow conic
Distribution/RangeAlberta and British Columbia in Canada; Oregon, Idaho, Washington, and NW Montana in the United States
Hardiness Zones2-6
Growth RateMedium in the initial stages but high (greater than 50 cm a year) after the establishment period
LifespanProbably more than 800 years
Growing ConditionsWinter Conditions: Moist and very cold; average annual minimum temperature is -9° C

Summer Conditions: Cool summers; grows well during May-August when the average temperature is 16° C

Rain: Moderate rainfall; its native range receives 450-875 mm of precipitation per year

Sunlight: Shade-intolerant; requires exposure to full sun

Soil Requirements: Deep, porous, well-drained, medium or coarse-textured soil; somewhat tolerant to acidic substrates

Diseases and PestsDwarf mistletoe, red ring rot, needlecast, and the fungus Fomitopsis officinalis are some of the serious diseases; insect pests such as western spruce budworm, larch casebearer, larch bud moth, and larch sawfly cause damage
Flowering/FruitingSeed cones and pollens appear between mid-April and mid-May; pollination takes place from late May-early June; cones mature by late-August
Breeding SystemMonoecious
Seed ProductionProduction of cones and seeds is less common on trees under 25 years
Seedling DevelopmentSeeds germinate from late April-early June, adapted to seedbeds uncovered by mechanical scarification or burning
Wildlife ValueSome birds including two-barred crossbills, redpolls, and pine siskins feed on the seeds; western larch trees provide shelter to deer, moose, elk, bears, and hole-nesting birds
CultivarsA few varieties exist including the broom-shaped Larix occidentalis cv. ‘Bollinger’
UsesThe wood is used for fine veneer, railroad ties, lumber, mine timbers, long utility poles, pulpwood in papermaking; a water-soluble gum, called Arabinogalactan, from the bark is used in paint, ink, pharmaceutical, food, and offset lithographic printing industries
IUCN Conservation StatusLeast Concern
Western Larch Needle

Western Larch Needle

Western Larch Tree

Western Larch Tree

Interesting Facts

  • The Seeley Lake Giant, found in Lolo National Forest in Montana, is the largest known western larch with a height 49.4 m, dbh 221 cm, and stem-volume 83 m3.
  • By counting the annual rings from a sawn-off stump near Cranbrook, British Columbia, the age of the supposedly oldest western larch was estimated at 920 years.
  • Some indigenous people of the Plateau consumed a drink prepared from the shoots for the treatment of laryngitis and tuberculosis.
  • The western larch wood is valuable as firewood, and while burning, it gives off a sweet fragrance.
Western Larch Cone

Western Larch Cone

Western Larch Pictures

Western Larch Pictures

References

  1. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Larix_occidentalis
  2. https://www.fs.usda.gov/rm/pubs_journals/2020/rmrs_2020_steed_j001.pdf
  3. http://dendro.cnre.vt.edu/dendrology/syllabus/factsheet.cfm?ID=214
  4. https://www.fs.usda.gov/rm/pubs_journals/2020/rmrs_2020_steed_j001.pdf
  5. https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/42315/2971858
  6. https://www.for.gov.bc.ca/hfd/library/documents/treebook/westernlarch.htm

Published on June 20th 2016 by admin under Larch.
Article was last reviewed on 5th December 2024.

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

− 5 = 5

    • Recent Posts

      • Cedar Tree of Lebanon
      • Eastern Red Cedar
      • Black-backed Woodpecker
      • Eastern Gray Squirrel
      • Bohemian Waxwing
      • Norway Spruce
      • Douglas Squirrel
      • Northern Goshawk
      • Bighorn Sheep
      • Eastern Milk Snake
      • Ovenbird
      • California Redwood
      • Western Terrestrial Garter Snake
      • Foxtail Pine
      • Snow Goose
    • Categories

      • Coniferous Forest Animals
      • Coniferous Trees
        • Cedar
        • Cypress
        • Fir
        • Hemlock
        • Juniper
        • Larch
        • Pine
        • Spruce
        • Yew

© 2025 (Coniferous Forest). All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without permission is prohibited.

  • Privacy Policy