Part 32

Twigs: Slender, brown.

Leaves: Of 2 types, either flat, triangular, opposite, and up to ¹/₁₆ inch long, or short and needle-like, up to ¾ inch long, blue-green to green to yellow-green.

Flowers: Staminate and pistillate on different trees, the staminate in small, narrow yellowish spikes, the pistillate in small, ovoid, purplish clusters.

Fruit: Berry-like, spherical, up to ¼ inch in diameter, dark blue with a whitish covering, with sweet flesh and 1-2 seeds.

Wood: Durable, light in weight, close-grained, red, fragrant.

Uses: Clothing chests, pencils, fence posts.

Habitat: Fields, dry woods, cliffs.

Range: New Brunswick across to North Dakota, south to Texas, east to Florida.

Distinguishing Features: The 2 kinds of leaves readily distinguish this species.

EUROPEAN LARCH Larix decidua Mill.

Growth Form: Medium tree to 50 feet tall; trunk diameter up to 15 inches; crown straight and more or less columnar.

Bark: Light brown, scaly.

Twigs: Moderately stout, yellowish, with numerous conspicuous leaf scars or, when older, with short lateral spurs.

Leaves: Needles borne many in clusters from short spurs, or borne singly on new branchlets, soft, yellow-green, up to about one inch long, somewhat triangular, falling from the tree in the autumn.

Flowers: Staminate and pistillate borne separately, but on the same tree, appearing as the new leaves begin to appear, the staminate in nearly round, yellow heads, the pistillate in oblong, bright red “cones.”

Fruit: Cones oblong, upright, up to 1¼ inches long, containing numerous small, winged seeds.

Wood: Hard, heavy, strong, orange-brown.

Use: This tree is sometimes planted as an ornamental.

Habitat: Around homes where it has persisted from cultivation.

Range: Native of Europe; infrequently escaped from cultivation in northeastern North America.

Distinguishing Features: The European Larch differs from the American Larch by its slightly longer cones, its yellow-green needles, and its yellower twigs.

AMERICAN LARCH Larix laricina (DuRoi) Koch

Other Name: Tamarack.

Growth Form: Medium to large tree to 100 feet tall; trunk diameter up to 1½ feet; crown narrowly pyramidal.

Bark: Reddish-brown, broken into scales.

Twigs: Slender, light brown or orange, smooth; leaf scars alternate, elevated, borne on spurs, with 1 bundle trace.

Buds: Spherical, reddish-brown, up to ⅛ inch in diameter.

Leaves: Needles numerous in clusters, soft, up to about 1 inch long, light green, falling away during the autumn.