Larix laricina

tamarack

Alaskan larch, hackmatack, American larch, eastern larch

Did you know?:

Tamarack is a conifer that is deciduous, turning golden-yellow then shedding all of its needles annually in the fall.

Photo Credit:

What does this species look like?

Tamarack is a deciduous conifer tree that grows 40 to 80 feet tall. Male and female cones are present on the same tree. The small, yellowish male cones bear pollen and the reddish brown female cones mature and become pale brown. Cone production begins when the tree matures at about 15-40 years of age, and pollination occurs by wind.

Tamarack prefers moist to wet soils and cooler weather. It is often found in poorly drained swamps, bogs and muskegs, and also found along streams, lakes, swamp borders, and occasionally on upland sites.

Why observe this species?

Tamarack is a USA-NPN regional plant species. Regional species are ecologically or economically important but are distributed more locally than calibration species. The USA-NPN integrates these observations to understand better plant responses within the different geographic regions of the nation.

Where is this species found?

U.S. States:

AK, CT, IL, IN, MA, MD, ME, MI, MN, NH, NJ, NY, OH, PA, RI, VT, WI, WV

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Special Considerations for Observing

If drought seems to be the cause of needle color or fall for a plant, please make a comment about it for that observation.

Which phenophases should I observe?

Needles	Do you see...? *Breaking needle buds* One or more breaking needle buds are visible on the plant. A needle bud is considered "breaking" once a green needle tip is visible at the end of the bud, but before the first needle from the bud has unfolded and spread away at an angle from the developing stem, or from other needles in a bundle. How many buds are breaking? Less than 3 3 to 10 11 to 100 101 to 1,000 1,001 to 10,000 More than 10,000 More... *Needles* One or more live, unfolded needles are visible on the plant. A needle is considered "unfolded" once it begins to spread away at an angle from the developing stem enough that its point of attachment to the stem is visible, or from other needles in a bundle so that it is no longer pressed flat against them. Do not include fully dried or dead needles. What percentage of the canopy is full with needles? Ignore dead branches in your estimate. Less than 5% 5-24% 25-49% 50-74% 75-94% 95% or more More... *Colored needles* One or more needles (including any that have recently fallen from the plant) have turned to their late-season colors. Do not include fully dried or dead needles that remain on the plant. What percentage of the canopy is full with colored needles? Less than 5% 5-24% 25-49% 50-74% 75-94% 95% or more More... *Falling needles* One or more needles are falling or have recently fallen from the plant. More...
Pollen cones	Do you see...? *Pollen cones* One or more fresh, male pollen cones (strobili) are visible on the plant. Cones have overlapping scales that are initially tightly closed, then spread apart to open the cone and release pollen. Include cones that are unopened or open, but do not include wilted or dried cones that have already released all of their pollen. How many fresh pollen cones are present? Less than 3 3 to 10 11 to 100 101 to 1,000 1,001 to 10,000 More than 10,000 More... *Open pollen cones* One or more open, fresh, male pollen cones (strobili) are visible on the plant. Cones are considered "open" when the scales have spread apart to release pollen. Do not include wilted or dried cones that have already released all of their pollen. What percentage of all fresh pollen cones (unopened plus open) on the plant are open? Less than 5% 5-24% 25-49% 50-74% 75-94% 95% or more *Pollen release* One or more male cones (strobili) on the plant release visible pollen grains when gently shaken or blown into your palm or onto a dark surface. How much pollen is released? Little: Only a few grains are released. Some: Many grains are released. Lots: A layer of pollen covers your palm, or a cloud of pollen can be seen in the air when the wind blows More...
Seed cones	Do you see...? *Unripe seed cones* One or more unripe, female seed cones are visible on the plant. For Larix laricina, an unripe seed cone is green, dark red, purplish or brown with scales closed together. How many seed cones are unripe? Less than 3 3 to 10 11 to 100 101 to 1,000 1,001 to 10,000 More than 10,000 More... *Ripe seed cones* One or more ripe, female seed cones are visible on the plant. For Larix laricina, a seed cone is considered ripe when it has turned yellow-brown or brown and the scales have begun to spread apart to expose the seeds inside. Do not include empty cones that have already dropped all of their seeds. How many seed cones are ripe? Less than 3 3 to 10 11 to 100 101 to 1,000 1,001 to 10,000 More than 10,000 More... *Recent cone or seed drop* One or more seed cones or seeds have dropped or been removed from the plant since your last visit. Do not include empty seed cones that had long ago dropped all of their seeds but remained on the plant. How many seed cones have dropped seeds or have completely dropped or been removed from the plant since your last visit? Less than 3 3 to 10 11 to 100 101 to 1,000 1,001 to 10,000 More than 10,000 More...

Needles

Do you see...?

Breaking needle buds
One or more breaking needle buds are visible on the plant. A needle bud is considered "breaking" once a green needle tip is visible at the end of the bud, but before the first needle from the bud has unfolded and spread away at an angle from the developing stem, or from other needles in a bundle.

How many buds are breaking?

Less than 3

3 to 10

11 to 100

101 to 1,000

1,001 to 10,000

More than 10,000

More...

Needles
One or more live, unfolded needles are visible on the plant. A needle is considered "unfolded" once it begins to spread away at an angle from the developing stem enough that its point of attachment to the stem is visible, or from other needles in a bundle so that it is no longer pressed flat against them. Do not include fully dried or dead needles.

What percentage of the canopy is full with needles? Ignore dead branches in your estimate.

Less than 5%

5-24%

25-49%

50-74%

75-94%

95% or more

More...

Colored needles
One or more needles (including any that have recently fallen from the plant) have turned to their late-season colors. Do not include fully dried or dead needles that remain on the plant.

What percentage of the canopy is full with colored needles?

Less than 5%

5-24%

25-49%

50-74%

75-94%

95% or more

More...

Falling needles
One or more needles are falling or have recently fallen from the plant. More...

Pollen cones

Do you see...?

Pollen cones
One or more fresh, male pollen cones (strobili) are visible on the plant. Cones have overlapping scales that are initially tightly closed, then spread apart to open the cone and release pollen. Include cones that are unopened or open, but do not include wilted or dried cones that have already released all of their pollen.

How many fresh pollen cones are present?

Less than 3

3 to 10

11 to 100

101 to 1,000

1,001 to 10,000

More than 10,000

More...

Open pollen cones
One or more open, fresh, male pollen cones (strobili) are visible on the plant. Cones are considered "open" when the scales have spread apart to release pollen. Do not include wilted or dried cones that have already released all of their pollen.

What percentage of all fresh pollen cones (unopened plus open) on the plant are open?

Less than 5%

5-24%

25-49%

50-74%

75-94%

95% or more

Pollen release
One or more male cones (strobili) on the plant release visible pollen grains when gently shaken or blown into your palm or onto a dark surface.

How much pollen is released?

Little: Only a few grains are released.

Some: Many grains are released.

Lots: A layer of pollen covers your palm, or a cloud of pollen can be seen in the air when the wind blows

More...

Seed cones

Do you see...?

Unripe seed cones
One or more unripe, female seed cones are visible on the plant. For Larix laricina, an unripe seed cone is green, dark red, purplish or brown with scales closed together.

How many seed cones are unripe?

Less than 3

3 to 10

11 to 100

101 to 1,000

1,001 to 10,000

More than 10,000

More...

Ripe seed cones
One or more ripe, female seed cones are visible on the plant. For Larix laricina, a seed cone is considered ripe when it has turned yellow-brown or brown and the scales have begun to spread apart to expose the seeds inside. Do not include empty cones that have already dropped all of their seeds.

How many seed cones are ripe?

Less than 3

3 to 10

11 to 100

101 to 1,000

1,001 to 10,000

More than 10,000

More...

Recent cone or seed drop
One or more seed cones or seeds have dropped or been removed from the plant since your last visit. Do not include empty seed cones that had long ago dropped all of their seeds but remained on the plant.

How many seed cones have dropped seeds or have completely dropped or been removed from the plant since your last visit?

Less than 3

3 to 10

11 to 100

101 to 1,000

1,001 to 10,000

More than 10,000

More...

For more information

USDA PLANTS profile for tamarack (USDA Symbol: LALA)
ITIS information for tamarack (ITIS TSN: 183412)

Acknowledgments

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