In Praise of Larch

I am fond of conifers. One of my favs is what we call larches (Larix spp.). These coniferous trees produce 1-2-inch-long flat and delicate leaves that are pleasantly soft to the touch. The branches are dimorphic. The needle thin leaves are arranged individually on new shoots but in older stems they are located in brush-like clusters at the end of spur-like shoots. The emerging fascicle (10-40 leaves per, depending on species) looks something like a basally attached sea creature with exerted tentacles. The slender foliage has a wonderful bright green to teal coloration during the growing season (see pic above) and in late fall the needles turn gold (sometimes with a hint of salmon) thus often approaching electric butterscotch. Many people are turned off by larches since the plants are deciduous. How dare they do that?* The "plants as furniture crowd" want the color change but not the leaf change. I commented last month on the small number of Midwest hardy woody species which perform that way (color change without shedding). The color change display for larches is short, perhaps a week, but it is amazing. With the right lighting the plants seem to be about to burst into flames (see pic above). Similar color-form is produced by bluestar (Amsonia) and Spirea thunbergii ('Ogon'). (* Our other deciduous conifers include bald cypress, pond cypress, dawn redwood and ginkgo)

While the foliage of larches is spectacular, the cones are also impressive, although they are among the smallest for any conifer. Larch cones are typically about an inch in diameter and often remain attached to the branch for years. The smallest larch cones belong to the North American native L. laricina -- often no more than 1/2-inch in measure.

Like most conifers, larches are monoecious (i.e., they produce both male and female cones on the same specimen). The cones are produced on the short spurs.  The male (staminate) cones are yellow to tan globose structures which wither and are shed soon after the pollen is released. Their job is finished. The pollen is wind dispersed (anemophilous). The female (pistillate) cones are produced on the same branches and give rise to the small woody cones discussed above. However, when early in development these pineapple-like structures are stunning. They are sometimes referred to as "larch roses." Depending on species, they range from green to pink to red-purple (see pic above) with a prominent central strand that forms a cusp on the recurved colored scale. Most people miss this display due to the smallness and because larches are not a common garden plant. Again, owing in part to the fact that their deciduous nature is a turn off for most people, but also to availability and lack of interest -- we are NOT a gardening society, and not the better for it.

All larches are trees with fine scaly gray outer bark and a red-brown inner bark. The potential size and growth rate depends on the species and cultivar as well as how and where being grown. The handful of species are easy to grow. All are hardy in the Midwest but better northward as they do not like hot dry summer conditions. While larches tolerate occasional inundation, and are drought tolerant once established, avoid waterlogged ground. They will tolerate some shade but do best in full sun and are a low maintenance plant -- mostly pruning, to remove dead and to prevent branches from reaching the ground. The branches are relatively thin and snap easily when dead.  New branches can be somewhat pinkish. Moreover, I find larches do better with lower pH, so I apply a handful of sulfur to the ground under the canopy in spring and fall. Coning is eventually regular, but rarely if ever are seedling produced. Potential problems include a few diseases and insect pests, especially Japanese beetles.

L. laricina (American larch or tamarack) - (background in second pic above) a North American native that is VERY underutilized in landscaping. One of only 12 conifers native to Indiana, then only the northern tier of counties. Growth rate is about one foot per year and the form is the stereotypic conical (also known as excurrent). Old specimens can approach 75 feet (with a trunk >1 foot) but 50 feet tall is more likely. Back right in the same pic is the standing bole of what remains of a dead ash. The specimen left of and closer is a hackberry I pollard in winter with the intent of producing a bizarre short thick bole (think elephant leg with ridges). -- I was excited at the prospect of a narrow American larch cultivar 'Michigan Tower' I obtained from Conifer Kingdom. Unfortunately, both specimens died.

L. decidua (European larch) 'Pendula' and ' Varied Directions' - the foreground specimen in the second pic is 'Pendula' but 'Varied Directions' is equally spectacular. Either would be the show specimen in any garden. While the normal species is upright and can approach 100 feet, both these weeping cultivars will be shrublike in habit. Eventually (i.e., over many decades) the specimen may approach 20 x 20 feet. Pics 1 & 4 are of the same 'Pendula' at my place. More than one person has called the specimen Snuffleupagus. The medial strand and cusp on the young female cone scales are impressive (see pic above). I have heard many people say they think my 'Pendula' specimen is ugly because they do not like weeping plants but not one of them was a serious gardener. Again, we are NOT a plant savvy society.

L. kaempferi (Japanese larch) 'Blue Rabbit' and 'Diana' - in cultivation perhaps to 50 feet, at least 2x that in the wild. In contrast to L. decidua, its cones are light green. 'Diana' is upright with contorted branches and great young bark (red-brown with longitudinal stripping). 'Blue Rabbit' is more of the typical species form but with spectacular powder blue foliage. 'Diana' can be visually coarse in winter (i.e., not attractive naked). Furthermore, I include 'Diana' with those species that look better when smaller -- like most shoe samples. The appealing youthful feature (in this case the neat bark) either going away on the older plants or lost on the bigger specimen.

Pseudolarix amabilis (Chinese golden larch) - closely resembles a true larch, differing mostly in cone morphology. Chinese larch cones are (1) larger, (2) males cones appear in cluster rather than singly, (3) female (woody) cones are shed as soon as the seeds ripen, and (4) cones scales taper to a point. Moreover, the needles of this slower-grower are longer and broader. A medium-sized tree very similar in general appearance to the normal form of European larch. Tellingly, the species names means beautiful. The common name denotes the fall coloration and, like true larches, Pseudolarix is deciduous.

These are the species of "larch" one might occasionally find. Unfortunately, larches are rarely available at the garden centers and when they are the number of specimens is often limited and expensive, but well worth it.