European Larch
European Larch foliage and cones
Conservation status
Least Concern
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae Division: Pinophyta Class: Pinopsida Order: Pinales Family: Pinaceae Genus: Larix Species: L. decidua
Binomial name
Larix decidua Mill.

European Larch (Larix decidua) is a species of larch native to the mountains of central Europe, in the Alps and Carpathians, with disjunct lowland populations in northern Poland and southern Lithuania. Image File history File links Download high-resolution version (688x918, 174 KB) Larix decidua foliage and cones File links The following pages on the English Wikipedia link to this file (pages on other projects are not listed): Larch European Larch ... The conservation status of a species is an indicator of the likelihood of that species remaining extant either in the present day or the near future. ... Image File history File links Status_iucn2. ... Least Concern (LC) is an IUCN category assigned to extant species or lower taxa which have been evaluated but do not qualify for any other category. ... Scientific classification redirects here. ... For other uses, see Plant (disambiguation). ... Orders & Families Cordaitales † Pinales   Pinaceae - Pine family   Araucariaceae - Araucaria family   Podocarpaceae - Yellow-wood family   Sciadopityaceae - Umbrella-pine family   Cupressaceae - Cypress family   Cephalotaxaceae - Plum-yew family   Taxaceae - Yew family Vojnovskyales † Voltziales † “Conifer” redirects here. ... Orders & Families Cordaitales † Pinales   Pinaceae - Pine family   Araucariaceae - Araucaria family   Podocarpaceae - Yellow-wood family   Sciadopityaceae - Umbrella-pine family   Cupressaceae - Cypress family   Cephalotaxaceae - Plum-yew family   Taxaceae - Yew family Vojnovskyales † Voltziales † “Conifer” redirects here. ... Families Pinaceae, pine family Araucariaceae, araucaria family Podocarpaceae, yellow-wood family Phyllocladaceae Sciadopityaceae, umbrella-pine family Cupressaceae, cypress family Cephalotaxaceae, plum-yew family Taxaceae, yew family The Order Pinales in the Division Pinophyta, Class Pinopsida comprises all the extant conifers. ... Genera Subfamily Pinoideae     Pinus - pines (about 115 species) Subfamily Piceoideae     Picea - spruces (about 35 species) Subfamily Laricoideae     Cathaya (one species)     Larix - larches (about 14 species)     Pseudotsuga - douglas-firs (five species) Subfamily Abietoideae     Abies - firs (about 50 species)     Cedrus - cedars (two to four species)     Pseudolarix - golden larch (one species)     Keteleeria (three... For other uses, see Larch (disambiguation). ... Latin name redirects here. ... Philip Miller (1691 - December 18, 1771) was a botanist of Scottish descent. ... For other uses, see Larch (disambiguation). ... For other uses, see Europe (disambiguation). ... Alp redirects here. ... Satellite image of the Carpathians. ...

It is a medium-size to large deciduous coniferous tree reaching 25-45 m tall, with a trunk up to 1 m diameter (exceptionally, to 55 m tall and 2 m diameter). The crown is conic when young, becoming broad with age; the main branches are level to upswept, with the side branches often pendulous. The shoots are dimorphic, with growth divided into long shoots (typically 10-50 cm long) and bearing several buds, and short shoots only 1-2 mm long with only a single bud. The leaves are needle-like, light green, 2-4 cm long which turn bright yellow before they fall in the autumn, leaving the pale yellow-buff shoots bare until the next spring. For other uses, see Deciduous (disambiguation). ... Orders & Families Cordaitales † Pinales   Pinaceae - Pine family   Araucariaceae - Araucaria family   Podocarpaceae - Yellow-wood family   Sciadopityaceae - Umbrella-pine family   Cupressaceae - Cypress family   Cephalotaxaceae - Plum-yew family   Taxaceae - Yew family Vojnovskyales † Voltziales † “Conifer” redirects here. ... The coniferous Coast Redwood, the tallest tree species on earth. ... For other uses, see Bud (disambiguation). ... Look up foliage in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ...

The cones are erect, ovoid-conic, 2-6 cm long, with 30-70 erect or slightly incurved (not reflexed) seed scales; they are green variably flushed red when immature, turning brown and opening to release the seeds when mature, 4-6 months after pollination. The old cones commonly remain on the tree for many years, turning dull grey-black. Mature female European Black Pine cone Male cones of a pine A cone (in formal botanical usage: strobilus, plural strobili) is an organ on plants in the division Pinophyta (conifers) that contains the reproductive structures. ... A ripe red jalapeño cut open to show the seeds For other uses, see Seed (disambiguation). ...

It is very cold tolerant, able to survive winter temperatures down to at least -50°C, and is among the tree line trees in the Alps, reaching 2400 m altitude, though most abundant from 1000-2000 m. It only grows on well-drained soils, avoiding waterlogged ground. In this view of an alpine tree-line, the distant line looks particularly sharp. ...

The seeds are an important food for some birds, notably Siskin, Lesser Redpoll and Citril Finch, while the buds and immature cones are eaten by Capercaillie. European Larch needles are the only known food for caterpillars of the case-bearer moth Coleophora sibiricella. For other uses, see Bird (disambiguation). ... Binomial name Carduelis spinus Linnaeus, 1758 The Eurasian Siskin, or just Siskin in Europe, Carduelis spinus, is a small passerine bird in the finch family Fringillidae. ... Species Carduelis flammea Carduelis cabaret Carduelis hornemanni The Redpolls are a group of small passerine birds in the finch family Fringillidae which have characteristic red markings on their heads. ... Binomial name Carduelis citrinella (Pallas, 1764) Synonyms Serinus citrinella The Citril Finch (Carduelis citrinella) is a small songbird and member of the finch family. ... Binomial name Linnaeus, 1758 The Capercaillie (Tetrao urogallus), also known as the Wood Grouse or more specifically Western Capercaillie is the largest member of the grouse family, reaching over 100 cm in length and 4 kg in weight. ... For other uses, see Caterpillar (disambiguation). ... genera Abaraschia Aesyle Agapalsa Amblyxena Amselghia Amseliphora Apista Apocopta Aporiptura Ardania Argyractinia Ascleriducta Atractula Augasma Bacescuia Baraschia Belina Benanderpia Bima Bourgogneja Calcomarginia Carpochena Casas Casinetella Characia Chedra Chnoocera Coleophora Corethropoea Cornulivalvulia Corythangela Cricotechna Damophila Ductispira Dumitrescumia Duospina Ecebalia Enscepastra Eupista Eustaintonia Falkovitshia Frederickoenigia Glaseria Globulia Glochis Goniodoma Hamuliella Haploptilia Helopharea...

There are two subspecies:

• Larix decidua subsp. decidua - European Larch or Alpine Larch. Most of the range, except as below. Cones 2.5-6 cm; shoots yellow-buff.
• Larix decidua subsp. polonica - Polish Larch. Disjunct in lowland northern Poland. Cones 2-3 cm; shoots very pale yellow-buff, almost white.

Uses

The wood is tough and durable, but also flexible in thin strips, and is particularly valued for yacht building; wood used for this must be free of knots, and can only be obtained from old trees that were pruned when young to remove side branches. Small larch poles are widely used for rustic fencing. For other uses, see Wood (disambiguation). ... This article or section needs copy editing for grammar, style, cohesion, tone and/or spelling. ... In microeconomics, pruning taken as a metaphor from gardening, refers to the removal of excess items from a budget. ... A fence in Westtown Township, Pennsylvania. ...

Gallery

Early spring foliage.

European Larch woodland in summer, Alpes-Maritimes, France European Larch forest in summer - from French wiki fr:Image:Quelques Mélèzes. ... Alpes_Maritimes is a département in the extreme southeast corner of France. ...

European Larch in autumn colour Image File history File links Download high-resolution version (1536x2048, 1056 KB) Summary Larix decidua de fr:Image:Mélèze en Automne. ...

Young seed cones (red) and pollen cones (yellow)

Wikimedia Commons has media related to:

Larix decidua

References

• Conifer Specialist Group (1998). Larix decidua. 2006 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. IUCN 2006. Retrieved on 12 May 2006.