This is just about the slowest growing tree I've ever planted. The first one was a 4' container grown tree at my old place, which grew about 1' in the first four years. I planted a 12" container grown tree at my current place couple of years ago; I don't think it has grown more than 2" since. Painfully slow!

I'm guessing that it will put on faster growth with longer, warmer, and more humid summers than what we have. If you have the patience, this tree is well worth growing and the fall color can be quite beautiful.

Well that's a little discouraging lol. I was able to see one about 20' tall this fall at a University garden and it had some of the best fall color I'd seen, especially on a conifer.

It seems like you'd be in a good region to see P. a. grow on nicely. Resin would be the person to affirm or refute that, but our z4 climate does does it no favors. There used to be about a 30' specimen at a park in Minneapolis, but it has been a few years since I was last there. It looked a bit weather beaten, but was producing cones.

One I had here planted in buttercup dirt (moist and fine-textured) grew quite a bit faster than that but I cut it down when several feet high because the roots were terrible, it having been in a one gallon pot way too long before the tree was given to me. I should have gone ahead and worked on the roots at planting, as there was no point in having it make a nice top only to be removed later. Better to have taken a chance on killing it right at the start, instead of having it grow for a time, to no ultimate purpose.

Sizes and ages of two in a Seattle park indicated an approximate average growth of 12" per year when measured about 10 years ago.

Unfortunately a lot of interesting conifers are slow out of the gate, so to speak. But they pick up. I have a Pseudolarix that was 8" last winter, this year it's 10" LOL. Likewise my Abies pindrow seedlings also only grow 2-3" inches, BUT my 4 footer is now a five footer. (actually added about 14-15") So, you either get a big one or accept being patient.

About 2-3 years ago David Parks at Camforest sold about 5 Golden Larches, 8-9 footers for only $100 each! They were a little pot-bound but I could have sorted that out. Alas, I missed the last one by a couple days. BTW $99 for 4 ft. seems a little high to me.

below... same tree in 2008 .... i know there is no scale.. use your imagination ... lol.. ken

Thanks for all the input guys. I think I'm going to get a small one but continue to look for a better deal on a larger one. I thought $99 for a 4' was high also. I guess it would be best for me to wait till early spring to plant the small one at this point, right?

does your ground freeze??? .. doubt it ...

and is it already hardened off to outside temps ...???

if so ... i dont know why you couldnt plant it ...

if i.. here in MI ... mail ordered in a plant.. today ... from a higher zone place ... with nights pretty much in the 20s - 30s .... i dont think i would have the time to harden the plant off ... before ground freeze was likely ... so i am done ...

i am thinking.. you have a lot more flexibility than i do ... and i think you are in south TN ...

call that local university if no one here can guide you

ken

The ground does freeze here, actually, although that most likely won't occur until after Christmas. I'm in East Tennessee. Basically as far east as I could be without being in North Carolina. The Great Smoky Mountains are in my backyard.

is the plant outdoors... and fully hardened off to outdoor temps???

what is your soil type ... could you water it in.. and the water.. for sure.. drain away ????

if so ... plant it ...

or... heal it in.. and plant it properly in spring ... though planting is probably OK .... perhaps its not a great time to do severe root surgery .... all those cut roots might rot over winter ...

i will defer to anyone with better info for your specific area ...

ken

I don't have personal experience but... here is an iPhone photo from October 30th from a nursery near Athens, Ga (Piccadilly Farm). The nursery is around 30 years old, so everything planted on the grounds is around that age or younger... (though, I don't know the specifics on this Psudeolarix - when or how old it was when planted.) The owner said that the Psudeolarix loves Georgia (both the summer heat & humidity).

Check out the size compared to the building in the background:

Just starting to turn (They said the color only lasts for about a week before the leaves drop.)