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| ## tamarack {#tamarack .Title-Header}                                 |
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| *Larix laricina* (Du Roi) K. Koch                                     |
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| Plant Symbol = LALA                                                   |
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Contributed by: USDA NRCS National Plant Data Center & the Biota of
North America Program

### ![](media/image2.jpeg){width="2.495833333333333in" height="3.7534722222222223in"}

## Alternate Names 

American larch, eastern larch, Alaska larch, hackmatack

## Uses

The commercial value of tamarack wood is limited because of insect and
disease problems and its relatively poor pulping properties. The wood is
used principally for pulp products, especially the transparent paper in
window envelopes, but slow-growing trees develop wood with high resin
content, making it decay resistant and useful for posts, poles, railroad
ties. It also has been used for rough lumber, fuelwood, and boat
construction. The back contains a tannin that has been used for tanning
leather. Various wildlife eat the seeds, seedlings, and bark and birds
use the trees for nesting.

## Status

Please consult the PLANTS Web site and your State Department of Natural
Resources for this plant's current status, such as, state noxious status
and wetland indicator values.

## Description

*General*: Pine Family (Pinaceae). Native trees growing to 20 meters
tall, strongly self-pruning, with a straight, slender trunk and narrow,
open, pyramidal crown that occupies one-third to one-half the bole
length 25-30 years; branches whorled, horizontal or slightly ascending;
short (spur) shoots prominent on twigs 2 years or more old. Bark of
young trees is gray, smooth, becoming reddish brown and scaly. Leaves
are deciduous, needlelike, 1-2 cm long, pale blue-green, produced in
clusters on short shoots or singly along the long shoots, yellowing and
shed in the fall. Seed cones are 1-2 cm long, upright; seeds winged, the
bodies 2-3 mm long. The common name is the Algonquian Indian name for
the plant.

*Variation within the species*: the Alaskan populations of *Larix
laricina* have been described as a different species (*Larix alaskensis*
= *Larix laricina* var. *alaskensis*) on the basis of narrower cone
scales and bracts, but the variability is now generally recognized as
within the range of other populations of the species. Genetic
differences in photoperiodic response, germination, and growth patterns
have been documented among trees taken from various parts of the species
range. Artificial hybrids have been created between tamarack (*L.
laricina*) and two related species: Japanese larch (*L. leptolepis*) and
European larch (*L. decidua*).

Tamarack differs from the other two native species of larch (*Larix*
species) in its shorter leaves (of short shoots), shorter seed cones
with fewer scales, longer scales than bracts at maturity, and broader,
more northern distribution. The larches are the only deciduous conifers
besides the bald cypress species.

## Distribution

Across North America, from St. Pierre and Miquelon, Newfoundland, and
New Brunswick, north and west to Keewatin, Mackenzie, British Columbia,
and Yukon, with disjunct populations in northern Alaska; in northeastern
United States from Maine to West Virginia and Minnesota. For current
distribution, please consult the Plant Profile page for this species on
the PLANTS Web site.

## Establishment

*Adaptation*: Tamarack grows in boreal forests in wet, poorly drained
sphagnum bogs and muskegs, also on moist upland mineral soils, the drier
sites in the northern part of its range, at elevations of 0-1200 meters.
Because it can withstand high soil moisture, high acidity, and low soil
temperature, it is more abundant on peatlands than trees characteristic
of surrounding uplands.

## 

*Planting*: Tamarack trees may bear viable seed at 12-15 years of age,
but open-grown trees 50-150 years old produce the best cone crops. Good
seed crops are produced at intervals of 3-6 years. Germination
percentages in nature often are very low, because of predation by
rodents and damage by fungi or bacteria.

The best seedbed is warm, moist mineral soil or organic soil with no
brush but a light cover of grass or other herbaceous vegetation. For
best growth, seedlings need full light and a constant water level. Early
seedling mortality may be caused by damping-off, drought, drowning, and
inadequate light.

Under favorable conditions, tamarack is the most rapidly growing boreal
conifer until it reaches about 40-50 years old. Most trees show features
of senescence by 150-180 years of age, but some are known to have
reached 230-240 years, and one is known to be over 335 years.

## Management

Tamarack is a shade-intolerant pioneer. It is generally the first forest
tree to invade filled-lake bogs and burned sites in boreal forest, but
it is overtaken in succession by black spruce and various other species.
As a consequence, commercial production of tamarack requires site
preparation, such as slash disposal and herbicide spraying, and some
form of even-age management. Trees should be planted at wide spacings.

Tamarack is highly susceptible to fire damage because of the thin bark,
even light burns on peatlands are destructive because of the shallow
root system. Flooding from wetland road crossings and beaver dams can
kill tamarack stands.

## Pests and Potential Problems

Defoliation by the larch sawfly and the larch casebearer often cause
extensive mortality, but imported parasites of these insects apparently
are becoming established and may help to control outbreaks.

## Cultivars, Improved and Selected Materials (and area of origin)

These plant materials are readily available from commercial sources.
Contact your local Natural Resources Conservation Service (formerly Soil
Conservation Service) office for more information. Look in the phone
book under "United States Government." The Natural Resources
Conservation Service will be listed under the subheading "Department of
Agriculture."

## References

Brown, K.R., D.B. Zobel, & J.C. Zasada 1988. *Seed dispersal, seedling
emergence and early survival of Larix laricina (DuRoi) K. Koch in the
Tanana Valley, Alaska*. Can. J. For. Res. 18:306-314.

Johnston, W.F. 1990. *Larix laricina*. Pp. 141-151, IN: R.M. Burns and
B.H. Honkala. *Silvics of North America*. *Volume 1.* *Conifers*. USDA
Forest Service Agric. Handbook 654, Washington, D.C.
\<http://willow.ncfes.umn.edu/silvics_manual/Table_of_contents.htm\>

Parker, W.H. 1993. *Larix*. Pp. 366-368, IN: *Flora of North America,
north of Mexico*. Vol. 2, *Pteridophytes and Gymnosperms*. Oxford Univ.
Press, New York.
\<http://hua.huh.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/Flora/flora.pl?FLORA_ID=12395\>

Parker, W.H. & T.A. Dickinson 1990. *Range-wide morphological and
anatomical variation in Larix laricina.* Canad. J. Bot. 68:832-840.

## Prepared By

*Guy Nesom*

Formerly BONAP, North Carolina Botanical Garden, University of North
Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina

## Species Coordinator

### *Gerald Guala*

USDA, NRCS, National Plant Data Center, Baton Rouge, Louisiana

Edited 05dec00 jsp;03feb03ahv; 060802 jsp

For more information about this and other plants, please contact your
local NRCS field office or Conservation District, and visit the PLANTS
Web site\<[http://plants.usda.gov](http://plants.usda.gov/)\> or the
Plant Materials Program Web site
\<[http://Plant-Materials.nrcs.usda.gov](http://Plant-Materials.nrcs.usda.gov/)\>

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Center](http://www.usda.gov/oo/target.htm) at 202-720-2600 (voice and
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*To file a complaint of discrimination write USDA, Director, Office of
Civil Rights, Room 326-W, Whitten Building, 14th and Independence
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