Larix laricina aka Alaskan Larch

Larix laricina is a conifer that sheds its needles each year. People call it tamarack, eastern larch and American larch. It belongs to Pinaceae, the pine family. It grows wild in Alaska and much of Canada. Its range reaches south into the northern United States, as far as Maryland. Wild trees grow in bogs, wet woods and moist uplands. In northern North America, it grows up to the tree line.

Garden trees often reach 40–60 feet [12–18 metres] tall. Some sources give heights of 65–80 feet [20–24 metres]. Their spread reaches 20–30 feet [6–9 metres]. The trunk grows straight, with a narrow crown shaped like a cone. Main branches grow out to the sides. Smaller branches may droop. Thin young stems have fine hairs and reddish-brown bark. As bark ages, it forms rough scales. Its color ranges from gray-brown to reddish-brown. New needles look green or blue-green. They grow in groups on short shoots called spur shoots. On longer shoots, needles grow in a spiral. They turn yellow in fall, then drop for winter.

This tree grows cones, not true flowers or fruit. Each tree has both male and female cones. Small yellow male cones grow in groups near branch tips. Female cones look reddish-brown and have an egg shape. Chicago Botanic Garden lists bloom time as March to April. Seed cones turn light brown and stay through winter. Sources give different cone sizes, but all call them small.

Tamarack needs full sun and a cool summer climate. It does better in cold winters than hot, humid summers. Sources put its cold limit in USDA zone 1 or 2. For gardens, Missouri Botanical Garden recommends zones 2–5. It grows best in moist, acidic soil that drains well. It can also grow in wet ground, but not dry soil. Full shade and polluted air cause problems. It suits groups and plantings of native plants. It also suits bog gardens and rain gardens. Yellow fall needles give the tree its main show of the year. Growers use it for bonsai, too.

Case-bearers, sawflies and loopers are among its pests. Woolly aphids, Japanese beetles and tussock moths may also attack. Diseases may include needle cast, needle rust and canker. Plants For A Future lists young shoots as emergency food. It lists teas made from roots, branches and needles, too. It records past uses of bark and leaves as medicine. These records do not prove that treatments work or are safe. Wood sawdust can cause dermatitis, a skin rash, in some people. The strong wood lasts well and has served for posts and snowshoes. People have used roots as sewing material. The bark contains tannin. People tap resin for uses that include helping preserve wood.