Larix decidua — European larch
![Winter buds: Larix decidua. ~ By Andrew Nelson. ~ Copyright © 2024 Andrew Nelson. ~ andrew.nelson[at]oswego.edu ~ New York Flora Atlas - newyork.plantatlas.usf.edu](https://newfs.s3.amazonaws.com/taxon-images-1000s1000/Pinaceae/larix-decidua-wb-anelson1.jpg)
![Bark: Larix decidua. ~ By Alexey Zinovjev. ~ Copyright © 2024. ~ webmaster[at]salicicola.com ~ Salicicola - www.salicicola.com/](https://newfs.s3.amazonaws.com/taxon-images-1000s1000/Pinaceae/larix-decidua-ba-azinovjev.jpg)
![Plant form: Larix decidua. ~ By Alexey Zinovjev. ~ Copyright © 2024. ~ webmaster[at]salicicola.com ~ Salicicola - www.salicicola.com/](https://newfs.s3.amazonaws.com/taxon-images-1000s1000/Pinaceae/larix-decidua-ha-azinovjev.jpg)
![Winter buds: Larix decidua. ~ By Bryan Hamlin. ~ Copyright © 2024 Bryan Hamlin. ~ bryanthamlin[at]gmail.com](https://newfs.s3.amazonaws.com/taxon-images-1000s1000/Pinaceae/larix-decidua-wb-bhamlin.jpg)
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Facts
European larch is introduced in North America from its native range in central and southern Europe, where it is an important timber tree. Although this large, spreading tree with drooping branches is a member of the Pine family (Pinaceae), unlike pines it is not evergreen; it drops its clusters of needles in the winter, shortly after they turn a golden yellow in the fall.
Habitat
Anthropogenic (man-made or disturbed habitats), forests, shrublands or thickets
New England distribution
Adapted from BONAP data
Native: indigenous.
Non-native: introduced (intentionally or unintentionally); has become naturalized.
County documented: documented to exist in the county by evidence (herbarium specimen, photograph). Also covers those considered historical (not seen in 20 years).
State documented: documented to exist in the state, but not documented to a county within the state. Also covers those considered historical (not seen in 20 years).
Note: when native and non-native populations both exist in a county, only native status is shown on the map.
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enlargeCharacteristics
- Habitat
- terrestrial
- New England state
-
- Connecticut
- Maine
- Massachusetts
- New Hampshire
- Rhode Island
- Vermont
- Growth form
- the plant is a tree
- Leaf form
- the leaves are needle-like
- Leaf cross-section
- the needle-like leaves are flattened (can't be rolled between the fingers)
- Leaf arrangement
- the needle-like leaves are in clusters or held on short shoots
- Seed cone form
- the seed cone is longer than wide, with woody scales attached at the base
- Leaf clustering
- the needle-like leaves are densely clustered on short shoots
- Seed cone shape
- the seed cone is ovoid (egg-shaped)
- Leaves overlapping
- the needle-like leaves are separate and do not hide the twig surface
-
Buds or leaf scars
- Winter bud shape
- the winter buds are globose (spherical, globe-shaped)
-
Fruits or seeds
- Seed cone base
- NA
- Seed cone bracts
- the bracts protrude beyond the seed cone scales
- Seed cone form
- the seed cone is longer than wide, with woody scales attached at the base
- Seed cone scales
- NA
- Seed cone shape
- the seed cone is ovoid (egg-shaped)
- Seed cone symmetry
- the seed cone is symmetrical
- Seed cone umbo position
- there is no raised portion on the seed cone scale
- Seed cone umbo spine
- NA
- Seed wings
- the seeds have wing-like projections
-
Growth form
- Growth form
- the plant is a tree
-
Leaves
- Leaf arrangement
- the needle-like leaves are in clusters or held on short shoots
- Leaf base
- NA
- Leaf clustering
- the needle-like leaves are densely clustered on short shoots
- Leaf cross-section
- the needle-like leaves are flattened (can't be rolled between the fingers)
- Leaf duration
- the needle-like leaves fall off in winter
- Leaf form
- the leaves are needle-like
- Leaf glands
- there are no glands on the underside of the needle-like leaves
- Leaf stalks
- the needle-like leaves do not have a leaf stalk
- Leaf types
- there is only one type of needle-like leaf on the twig
- Leaves overlapping
- the needle-like leaves are separate and do not hide the twig surface
-
Place
- Habitat
- terrestrial
- New England state
-
- Connecticut
- Maine
- Massachusetts
- New Hampshire
- Rhode Island
- Vermont
- Specific habitat
-
- forests
- man-made or disturbed habitats
- shrublands or thickets
-
Stem, shoot, branch
- Bark resin blisters
- there are no resin blisters on the bark
- Leaves on shoots
- there are needle-like leaves growing in tight clusters on a short, knob-like shoot
- Twig bloom
- there is no bloom on the twig
- Twig hair type
- the twigs have few or no hairs on them
- Twig hairs
- the twig does not have hairs
Wetland status
Not classified
In New England
Distribution
- Connecticut
- present
- Maine
- present
- Massachusetts
- present
- New Hampshire
- present
- Rhode Island
- present
- Vermont
- present
Conservation status
Exact status definitions can vary from state to state. For details, please check with your state.
- Massachusetts
- unranked (S-rank: SNR)
From Flora Novae Angliae dichotomous key
1. Larix decidua P. Mill. E
European larch. CT, MA, ME, NH, RI, VT. Forests and thickets in areas of human habitation.
Native to North America?
No
Sometimes confused with
- Larix laricina:
- branchlets spreading, bark of main stem shedding as small, irregular scales, and seed cones 1–2 cm long, with mostly 10–15 scale (vs. L. decidua, with branchlets pendulous, bark of main stem shedding as large, plate-like scales, and seed cones 2–3.5 cm long, with 40–50 scales).