American Larch

LEAVES: Needles not evergreen; occur singly near the ends of the twigs, elsewhere in clusters of 10 or more; about 1″ long, pale green, turning yellow and falling from the tree during the autumn.

TWIGS: At first covered with a bluish white coating, becoming dull brown and with numerous short spurs. Buds round, small, 1/16″ long, dark red.

FRUIT: A cone, about 3/4″ long, egg-shaped, upright, often remains attached for several years after ripening in the fall.

BARK: Smooth at first, later becoming scaly, dark brown.

GENERAL: A medium-sized tree also known as Eastern larch and Tamarack. Only cone-bearing tree native to Pennsylvania that loses its needles annually. Found locally in moist situations. Wood used chiefly for paper pulp, lumber, posts and railroad ties. European larch (L. decidua) and Japanese larch (L. leptolepis) are more commonly planted in the state.