How to Grow and Care for Larches

European larch (*Larix decidua*) is a conifer that originates in mountainous regions in Central Europe. Widespread cultivation began in the 17th century, and many Dukes advocated for planting european larch. The tree is planted for ornamental purposes in gardens, and the wood is also used commercially. European larch wood is thought to be particularly useful for building yachts.

Tamarack (Larix laricina) goes by many names, including hackmatack, eastern larch, black larch, and red larch. In the Algonquin language, tamarack means "wood used for snowshoes." Early settlers would leave the stumps after cutting one of these trees down. Later, they would harvest them. These naturally curved stumps were perfect for use as ship knees when putting together a boat.

Japanese larch (Larix kaempferi) is an attractive conifer that often graces large gardens, parks, and public spaces. However, this is also a popular species in bonsai and several dwarf cultivars exist that are better suited to smaller gardens. The tree's wood is strong and long-lasting and is used for construction and fencing. The specific epithet, kaempferi, honors German naturalist Engelbert Kaempfer.

A true record-holder, the dahurian larch grows further north than any other tree in the world. It is also the most cold-hardy of all trees since it can survive temperatures of -70 ℃. One specimen in Yakutia, Russia is recorded as being 919 years old. It is hard to grow ornamentally because it needs a long period of winter dormancy.

Olga Bay larch or Olgan larch (Larix olgensis) a species of larch is named after Olga Bay in the Sea of Japan. The common name in Japanese language is 満洲唐松 (Manshu'u Kara-matsu). The common name in Chinese is 黄花落叶松 (pinyin: huang hua luo ye song). This species occurs in Central Sikhote-Alin and rarely occurs in North Korea and Jilin and eastern Heilongjiang provinces of China between 500 and 1100 metres in elevation. This deciduous coniferous tree grows to 25–30 meters tall with a trunk reaching a meter in diameter at breast high with gray to gray-brown bark with flaking and scaly fissured bark. Its leaves are needle-like dark-green 1.5–3 cm long and 1 cm wide. The reddish purple or violet cones mature to light brown sometimes tinged with purple and range from 18 to 25 mm long. Pollination occurs in spring with seeds maturing in fall-fall. It grows in mountains and on moist slopes and in swamps. The timber has many uses in construction and for wood fiber. The trunk is used to produce resin while the bark is used for tannins. Olga Bay larch is sometimes treated as a variety of Dahurian Larch Larix gmelinii var. olgensis (Ostenf. & Syrach). Larix olgensis is a vulnerable species.