The Laricin Larch or American Larch will also be named “Red Spruce” in the everyday language of our French ancestors. By simple ignorance of the different conifers, they grouped all the “needle trees” under the same name.
We know today that the Laricin Larch is one of the Pinaceae and not from the Epiceae family like the Black or White Spruce. The particularity of this native tree is that it is the only Canadian conifer to shed its needles in late fall. But, before losing its foliage, its needles will change from green to flamboyant golden yellow and will add to the many vibrant autumn colors of our beautiful Canadian forests.
The Larch is found throughout Canada. Lands conducive to its development are moist, light and well-drained soils, but it does not tolerate much shade, which would explain its presence in sphagnum bogs. Under ideal conditions, it can reach up to 22 meters in height after twenty years of growth. It grows three times faster than fir and spruce.
Its bark, gray when young, turns into small reddish-brown scales over time. Its cones measure less than 2 cm and can remain attached for 1 year. When flowering, the flowers of the male cones are yellow and those of the females are pink. Its flexible, soft-to-the-touch needles are soft green and measure 2 to 5 cm.. They grow back in spring in groups of 30 to 40 per bundle.
Its hard, heavy wood resists humidity well, making it an excellent choice for outdoor use. It is used to make patios, shingles, pilings, boats and canoe coverings, not to mention posts, piles and railway ties.. Formerly, barn floors were made with this type of wood, because its qualities allowed it to resist the hooves and urine of horses!
The Tamarack is the official iconic tree of the Northwest Territories.
