It is the last tree to leaf out in spring and among the first to loose its leaves in autumn. The flowers are inconspicuous but the bright red, berry-like fruits persist well into winter providing food for birds and mammals and a splash of decorative color for us humans. Only the female shrubs bear fruit. Tamaracks are trees with needles but, unlike other conifers, they are deciduous. The needles turn bright yellow in fall and are dropped for the winter.
Tamaracks prefer moist to wet soils and full sun.
They can be fast-growing trees, reaching heights of between 40 and 80 feet depending on conditions. The branches often stretch into the water providing important egg-laying sites for amphibians and some fish. The leaves, which are fragrant when bruised, were formerly used to scent linen and flavor beer. Black spruce trees are slow-growing evergreens with very short needles. They grow in moist to wet soils, in full sun and reach heights of 30 to 40 feet.