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Larch/Tamarack

(Larix laricina)

Larch or Tamarack are found in moist or wet areas. This one is growing by the side of a pond. Others can be found in boggy areas.

Trees are between 12 and 24 m in height with a conical crown.

Smaller, shrub sized, trees can be observed at the edge of forests and in clearings.

The bark of the larch is scaly, thin and reddish brown

 

It is a deciduous conifer meaning that it has both cones and needles, but that it loses the needles during the fall and grows new ones each spring.

In late April to early May male and female cones and needles begin to grow.

The male cones are brown.

The female cones are pink.

The pink, female cones remain on the branch and grow into 12-19mm long rose shaped cones such as these.

The brown, male cones wither and fall after shedding their pollen.

A fully developed female cone, which is open having released its seeds.

The needles grow in bundles of 10-20.

They emerge from small woody stumps.

When fully grown they are 1-4 cm long.

 


    Choosing your tree

  • Choose a tree in an area that you visit regularly and base all of your observations on that tree.
  • Avoid trees which are within 10 metres of any buildings.
  • Tag your chosen tree using a ribbon or other marker

    What to record

  • Record when the first pollen is being shed by the male (small brown) cones.
  • Make a note of when 50% of the male cones are shedding pollen abundantly.
  • Finally record when the tufts of needles are getting much longer and beginning to spread open at the tip.

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