Pennsylvania's Deciduous Conifer  

All but one of Pennsylvania's native conifers are evergreen. There is a species of larch that occurs in the state and it sheds it's needles each autumn, just like other deciduous trees. Larches are in the genus Larix and there are about ten species worldwide, distributed in North America [3] and the Old World [7]. Larches are found in northern latitudes or mountainous regions. Larix is in the plant family Pinaceae (pines, spruces, hemlocks, firs, etc.).

The European larch has a revealing scientific name related to its deciduous nature: Larix decidua . Along with the Japanese larch and a few other species, it is planted throughout Pennsylvania and is one of the trees used to re-vegetate disturbed areas.

Our native larch is a rather rare species in the state, Larix laricina, and is known by the common name American larch or tamarack. The word tamarack is derived from the Algonquian Indian name for this tree. Tamarack is also a deciduous tree and grows a straight, tapering trunk, and a thin, open, conical crown of horizontal branches. Preferring moist or swampy soils, it is generally a medium size tree, but may reach heights of 40 feet or more. The soft needles turn yellow in autumn before shedding.

Tamarack grows across northern North America in Canada and the northern tier of states in the U.S. It occurs locally in the mountains of West Virginia and Maryland within high elevation swamps or bogs.

As the autumn season progresses, start watching for larches as they turn from green to golden yellow before finally raining their soft needles to the ground. Afterwards they will stand naked until new leaves sprout in the spring.

Today's photo, by WPC Volunteer John Karian, is of a stand of larches in Venango County that measures about about 50 feet in height.

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