Tamarack

Larix laricina

Taxonomy

Division:
Coniferophyta | - Conifers
Family:
Pinaceae
Genus:
Larix
Species:
Larix laricina

Growth Characteristics

Life Cycle:
Perennial
Growth Habit:
Tree
Height:
More than 40 ft
Light Requirements:
Full Sun, Shade
Drought Tolerance:
High
Bloom Months:
apr
Bloom Colors:
Red, Yellow, Green, Brown

Native Range

United States: Alaska, Connecticut, Illinois, Indiana, Massachusetts, Maryland, Maine, Michigan, Minnesota, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, Wisconsin, West Virginia, Canada: Alberta, British Columbia, Manitoba, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Northwest Territories, Nunavut, Ontario, Prince Edward Island, Quebec, Saskatchewan, Yukon

Keystone Species Ranking

Caterpillar Keystone:
★☆☆☆☆ Based on number of butterfly and moth species using this genus as host plant (Source: National Wildlife Federation)

Host Plant for Caterpillars

Anacamptodes vellivolata, Anaplectoides pressus, Aplectoides condita, Apple Sphinx (Sphinx gordius), Black zigzag (Panthea acronyctoides), black-dashed hydriomena moth (Hydriomena divisaria), Canadian Melanolophia (Melanolophia canadaria), Ceanothus Silkmoth (Hyalophora euryalus), Cecropia moth (Hyalophora cecropia), Chain-lined geometer moth (Cingilia catenaria), Columbia silk moth (Hyalophora columbia), common eupithecia (Eupithecia miserulata), contracted spanworm (Thera contractata), Dawn Rustic (Xestia dilucida), Eastern blackheaded budworm (Acleris variana), Eastern Panthea (Panthea furcilla), Eastern spruce budworm (Choristoneura fumiferana), Eupithecia annulata, Eupithecia fletcherata, Eupithecia luteata, Eupithecia palpata, False hemlock looper (Nepytia canosaria), false sphinx (Lapara bombycoides), gray spruce looper (Caripeta divisata), Great Brocade (Eurois occulta), Gypsy moth (Lymantria dispar), hibiscus Quaker (Orthosia hibisci), Hickory Tussock Moth (Lophocampa caryae), Imperial Moth (Eacles imperialis), Jocose Sallow (Feralia jocosa), Lacanobia nevadae, larch needleminer (Coleotechnites laricis), Larch Pug (Eupithecia lariciata), Larch Tolype (Tolype laricis), laricella moth (Argyresthia laricella), Melanchra assimilis, Melanchra pulverulenta, Morrison's pero (Pero morrisonaria), mottled gray carpet moth (Cladara limitaria), Northern Pine Tussock Moth (Dasychira plagiata), obscure leafroller (Argyrotaenia occultana), Papestra cristifera, Peppered Moth (Biston betularia), Petrealis Owlet Moth (Chytolita petrealis), Pine Hypagyrtis Moth (Hypagyrtis piniata), Porcelain Gray (Protoboarmia porcelaria), powdered eufidonia (Eufidonia notataria), Prochoerodes transversata, Semiothisa denticulata, Semiothisa granitata, Semiothisa oweni, Semiothisa sexmaculata, Semiothisa submarmorata, signate melanolophia moth (Melanolophia signataria), southern nepytia (Nepytia semiclusaria), sparganothis fruitworm moth (Sparganothis sulfureana), Spiramater lutra, spruce coneworm (Dioryctria reniculella), sweetfern geometer (Cyclophora pendulinaria), Syngrapha rectangula, Variable Climbing Cutworm (Xestia elimata), variegated midget (Elaphria versicolor), wheatear sallow (Lithophane fagina), white triangle tortrix (Clepsis persicana), White-marked Tussock Moth (Orgyia leucostigma), Xestia praevia, Young's Dart (Xestia youngii), Zeiraphera improbana

Reported Fauna Sightings

Butterflies:Brown Elfin (Callophrys augustinus), Brown Elfin (Callophrys augustinus)

Soil Requirements

Soil Type:
peaty, acidic, nutrient-poor soil
pH:
4.0 - 6.0 (acidic to slightly acidic)
Drainage:
tolerates poor drainage
Moisture:
consistently moist
Notes:
Commonly found in bogs and wetlands

Germination Information

Pre-treatment: Seeds are placed in cold moist stratification for 0 to 42 days.

Establishment: L. laricina is found in boreal forests on wet, poorly drained sphagnum bogs and muskegs. It is also on upland mineral soils. It ranges from Alaska and Yukon across Canada to New Brunswick ,Newfoundland,St. Pierre and Miquelon south throuth the eastern United States to West Virginia. It is also found in the midwestern states from Michigan, Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Ohio.

Source: npn.rngr.net