Japanese Larch tends to be more orangey-yellow even to coppery, European Larch paler yellow.

Resin

resin using common names rather than latin .... is the world going to end???? .... lol ...

here is my Larix gmelinii var. olgensis in fall .. it seems top grow 3 to 5 feet per year .... good luck .... ken

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I gotta get me a larch.
Just for laughs I should call around the nurseries here...
"A what? A Lunch? What is that tree?"

Pseudolarix has maybe even better color. While individual trees provide a nice picture, seeing a pure stand of larch in full color is memorable.

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the only difference in my z5 yard between the pix I posted.. and basics golden larch ..... is growth rate ...

the GL only grows at most a foot a year .... compared to the others.. at 3 to 5 feet ...

research the growth rates.. and you will know which is for you ....

ken

Growth rates vary - give it some steamy southern heat, and Pseudolarix speeds up quite a lot (while the Larix species drop dead!).

Resin

I never see a normal Japanese or European Larch for sale, I assume that is because the nurseries are afraid that people will think the Larch will be brought back by the customer for refund... "this pine tree turned yellow and died during the fall"... is that why nurseries avoid the Larch?

I got a Pseudolarix, it's grown 3 centimeters so far this year. It's still a nice yellowish color, can they suffer from chlorsis?

"because the nurseries are afraid that people will think the Larch will be brought back by the customer for refund... "this pine tree turned yellow and died during the fall"... is that why nurseries avoid the Larch?"

Tempting to think so, but it would be easy enough to put an autumn colour pic on the tag, and promote that as the main selling point. I don't think their average customers are quite so ignorant as to buy something for autumn colour and then complain when it has it!

Resin

Basic has the right idea. Golden Larch or Pseudolarix kaempferi stands head and shoulders above the rest. Golden Larch is truly a connoisseur tree. The needles turn golden yellow and then darken. I even like the way they look on the ground. The tree's habit is better than the true larches. They have a very horizontal outline which I love. I've never seen one over 45' tall, they can have an equal spread.
BEST OF ALL, they do not hang onto old cones like the larches. A neighbor has a large, true larch in front of his house. Every winter it fairly resembles a dead spruce.
If dirtslinger 2 has the room, by all means get a Golden Larch, they will grow in Canada.
Sam

So why are species Larch uncommon in the nursery trade then, if the "people will think they are dead pines in autumn" theory is not the reason?

They grow fine here, I see older trees and trees in parks. They are quite cute when little with softer needles than Pines and Spruce. They could put a picture on the tag of the fall color.

HI Noki,

I think the availability of species larch is changing. I've seen several different retail nurseries carrying L. decidua the past couple of years, and a smaller number with kaempferi. Bailey's (a major player in the wholesale market based in Minnesota) is providing these, so I'm guessing this tree is experiencing a popularity upswing. Like Ken said earlier, both the European and Japanese Larches grow incredibly fast when young. With the average consumer desiring immediate results, this can only help its popularity. Fast growth, nice habit, good fall color, and user friendly foliage--I'm surprised it took so long for them to be "discovered."

Bob

I don't think there is much consumer demand for them. From my days working at a garden center, they were always a tough sell. Very rarely would someone walk in and ask for a larch. Most people are not familiar with them and they tend to buy what they know....Birch, Maple, Linden, Spruce, Pine etc. It seemed like when I did spark some interest in a larch, I would lose them at the "they turn yellow in the fall and drop their needles" part.

be careful .. if it matters.. when buying a pendula ... kaempferi and decidua are mixed up in the trade ... though to 99% of us.. we would NEVER know the difference nor care ...

as to common names ... i believe the larch is a native species in MI ... under a different common name.. go figure on that .. maybe resin can explain such ...

Larix larcinia Tamarack / Eastern larch

maybe tamarack is an old indian term ...

anyway.. good luck
ken

Yes, and don't confuse tamarack with tacamahac. ;)

Another questions then, seeing that Pseudolarix have a wide spread. Narrow, columnar trees will suit this spot best.
Does one species have that columnar form? Thanks again.

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noki says:
I got a Pseudolarix, it's grown 3 centimeters so far this year. It's still a nice yellowish color, can they suffer from chlorsis?
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The nursery-bought Pseudolarix I planted in my parents' "contractor loam" that has alot of lime mortar debris in it suffers from chlorosis. A dose of vinegar water or acid fertilizer greens it up, but it's doing poorly in the alkaline conditions (almost any plant would).