Tamarack, Eastern Larch, American Larch               LAR-iks lar-i-SI-na

• Deciduous conifer, to 65 ft (20 m), narrowly conical when young, branches thin, short, spreading horizontally, spur shoots very short and black.  Leaves linear, 2-5 cm long, flattend above and keeled below with 2 stomatal bands, or triangular or 4 sided, 12-30 or more per cluster, bluish-green.  Male flowers yellowish, small and round in clusters near branch tips; female flowers reddish brown, numerous scales, egg shaped.  Cones (seed) very small, ovate, 10-15 mm long, violet when young, then yellowish-brown, 15-20 scales.
• Sun.  Best in moist, well-drained, acid soils.  Popular bonsai plant.
• Hardy to USDA Zone 1     Native range from the Arctic Circle in Alaska and Canada (found in every Canadian province and territory), southward to Minnesota, Wisconsin, Michigan, Illinois and northern Pennsylvania.
• laricina
: apparently from Larix