Larix kaempferi (Japanese Larch)
Japanese Larch
Larix kaempferi (Japanese Larch) is a vigorous deciduous conifer adorned with a round, straight trunk and long, horizontally spreading branches and slender pendulous branchlets. The crown is conical, dense, becoming irregular and more open with age. Unlike most cone-bearing trees, Japanese Larch loses its foliage each winter. Among the earliest trees to come into leaf in spring, its gray or blue-green needles turn bright yellow before being shed in the fall. They are spirally arranged on long shoots and are spirally arranged in radial clusters of 20-35 on short shoots. Small, erect, conical, violet cones mature to orange-brown before turning dark brown when old. They persist on the tree, falling long after the seeds have dispersed. The bark is smooth and red-brown on young trees, becoming scaly and fissured, weathering to gray with age. Fast growing and very hardy, Japanese Larch makes a wonderful specimen in a large landscape. It is adaptable to wet areas, tolerates clay soils and is disease-resistant.
- Grows up to 70-80 ft. tall (21-24 m) and 25-40 ft. wide (7-12 m).
- A full sun lover, this plant is easily grown in deep, well-drained soils.
- Watch for adelgids, honey fungus and canker.
- No pruning required
- Propagate by seed, sown from late winter to spring. Chilling the seeds for three weeks may aid germination. Propagate by softwood or semi-ripe cuttings in summer. Graft in winter
- Native to Japan
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Requirements
Hardiness | 4
– 7 |
---|---|
Heat Zones | 4
– 7 |
Climate Zones | 1, 1A, 1B, 2, 2A, 2B, 3, 3A, 3B, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19 |
Plant Type | Conifers, Trees |
Plant Family | Larix - Larches |
Exposure | Full Sun |
Season of Interest |
Spring (Mid,Late) Summer (Early,Mid,Late) Fall |
Height | 70' – 80' (21m – 24m) |
Spread | 25' – 40' (7.5m – 12m) |
Water Needs | Average |
Maintenance | Low |
Soil Type | Clay, Loam, Sand |
Soil pH | Acid, Alkaline, Neutral |
Soil Drainage | Well-Drained |
Characteristics | Showy |
Tolerance | Deer |
Garden Uses | Beds and Borders |
By Schad / Shutterstock
While every effort has been made to describe these plants accurately, please keep in mind that height, bloom time, and color may differ in various climates. The description of these plants has been written based on numerous outside resources.
Requirements
Hardiness | 4
– 7 |
---|---|
Heat Zones | 4
– 7 |
Climate Zones | 1, 1A, 1B, 2, 2A, 2B, 3, 3A, 3B, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19 |
Plant Type | Conifers, Trees |
Plant Family | Larix - Larches |
Exposure | Full Sun |
Season of Interest |
Spring (Mid,Late) Summer (Early,Mid,Late) Fall |
Height | 70' – 80' (21m – 24m) |
Spread | 25' – 40' (7.5m – 12m) |
Water Needs | Average |
Maintenance | Low |
Soil Type | Clay, Loam, Sand |
Soil pH | Acid, Alkaline, Neutral |
Soil Drainage | Well-Drained |
Characteristics | Showy |
Tolerance | Deer |
Garden Uses | Beds and Borders |