Japanese Larch                LAR-iks KEMP-fer-i

• Deciduous conifer, 70-90 ft, [21-27 m], open and pyramidal, drooping branches, short spur shoots.  Leaves (needles) in clusters, as many as 40 per bundle arise from each spur, 2.5-4 cm long, deep green, yellowish in fall.
• Sun, sufficient moisture and well-drained soil.  Similar to L. decidua but more tolerant of poor soils.  Considered the best among the larches but its large size makes it most suitable for parks, golf courses, etc.
• Hardy to USDA Zone 4     Native to Japan.
• kaemferi: after Engelbert Kaempfer (1651-1716), physician and botanist who traveled in Japan.