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Western Larch: a Deciduous Conifer in an Evergreen World

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Western Larch: a Deciduous Conifer in an Evergreen World Station Bulletin No. 90 October, 2008 Updated April, 2010 An electronic publication Western Larch: available at: www.uidaho.edu/ A Deciduous extension/forestry Listed under the Forest- Conifer Management/Silviculture section. in an Evergreen World Dennis R. Parent, Ronald L. Mahoney, & Yvonne C. Barkley Idaho Forest, Wildlife and Range Experiment Station, Moscow, Idaho. Director Kurt S. Pregitzer About the Authors: Dennis R. Parent, Silviculturist, Inland Empire Paper Company, Spokane, WA. Ronald L. Mahoney, Emeritus Professor and Extension Forester, University of Idaho, Moscow, ID. Yvonne C. Barkley, Associate Extension Forester, University of Idaho Extension, Moscow, ID. Special thanks to the following people for their critical review of this publication: John Mandzak, Forester, Potlatch Corporation, Lewiston, ID. Chris Schnepf, Area Extension Educator - Forestry, Coeur d’Alene, ID. Mike Wolcott, Consulting Forester, Inland Forest Management, Sandpoint, ID. Production: Yvonne C. Barkley, Associate Extension Forester, University of Idaho Extension, Moscow, ID. Photo Credits: Cover; page 12: David Restivo, National Park Service. All other photographs were provided by the authors or are from ForestryImages.com Notes to the reader: • This publication contains some technical terminology, without which we would have to provide much explanation. If any of the terminology here is unfamiliar to you, please refer to Terminology for Forest Landowners, Extension Bulletin 1353, Washington State University. That publication is available from any Cooperative Extension offi ce in WA, OR, or ID, many libraries, and online at http://cru84.cahe.wsu.edu/cgi-bin/pubs/EB1353.html?id=bEpI8KGe (read and print a PDF fi le, or purchase it for $4.00). • Herbicide Use. Herbicide recommendations in this publication are generalized information. Any herbicide planning and application must comply with herbicide labels and other regulatory requirements. This publication is issued as contribution No. 1018 of the Idaho Forest, Wildlife and Range Experiment Station, College of Natural Resources, University of Idaho, Moscow, ID 83844-1130 Western Larch: A Deciduous Conifer in an Evergreen World Dennis R. Parent , Ronald L. Mahoney, & Yvonne C. Barkley Western larch is unique. Instead of maintaining their management regimes of the future, and well-suited to needles throughout the winter as other conifers do, a variety of other ecosystem management objectives. larches are deciduous and drop their foliage and grow Its unique qualities among conifers contribute new needles every year. This physiological difference strongly to biodiversity as well. make the larch distinct among the world’s conifer tree species. Few other conifers are deciduous, namely The Characteristics & Ecology of bald cypress and dawn redwood. Western larch Western Larch (Larix occidentalis) is a familiar tree in the Inland Northwest, especially when its fall foliage turns a Range. Western larch has a relatively limited natural brilliant yellow. Many people also refer to this tree range: southeastern British Columbia, central to as tamarack, particularly when used as fi rewood. northern Idaho, western Montana, and northeastern Western larch and subalpine larch (Larix lyallii) Washington (Figure 1). It also is found throughout are the only larches native to the Inland Northwest. the northern Cascade mountain range and in the Subalpine larch exists in small populations in Blue Mountains of northeastern Oregon. There are high altitude locations in Idaho, Washington, and 11 species Montana, and is not suffi ciently represented across Figure 1. Native range of of larch the landscape to differentiate it from western larch in western larch. throughout this publication. Consequently, we will only consider the world. western larch and refer to this tree species as larch Three are through the rest of the publication. native to the United States: Larch is well-adapted to nutrient-poor soils and western larch, burned sites. This shade-intolerant pioneer species subalpine has adapted well to the fi re cycles of its home range. larch found Larch is also relatively resistant to many insects at the higher and diseases common to the region. This is partly elevations of due to its ability to produce new foliage each year. the northern In addition, the wood itself is high in extractives, Rockies, chemicals that help it to resist root-rot and many and eastern wood-rotting organisms. larch (Larix laricina) a Not only is larch exceptionally adaptable as a species smaller tree and resistant to many pests, but it also has excellent in the northeastern United States, Alaska, and Canada wood qualities that make it an outstanding choice that frequents poorly-drained areas. Western larch is whenever strength and consistency are desired. the tallest and largest of the world’s larches. Larch wood is strong, hard, and dense, making it ideal for wood products such as laminated beams, Growth. Western larch is the fastest growing poles, trusses, joists and rafters, and even fl ooring conifer species in the Inland Northwest. Larch and fi rewood. Larch wood fi bers produce good yields effectively competes with other species by rapid for kraft paper. Larch has many qualities that make juvenile height growth. It is common to observe it an ideal wood producer for the intensive forest annual height growth of three to four feet on young 1 plantations with occasional observations of up to as an unreliable fi ve feet. However, larch diameter growth is very seed producer in sensitive to stand density, and if crowded, it loses northern Idaho and crown rapidly because its needles function poorly other parts of its without full sunlight. This property of larch is called range. The reasons “intolerance”. Due to its shade intolerance, larch for this discrepancy usually develops into even-aged stands. are still somewhat of a mystery, although Larch height growth is peculiar compared to other late spring frosts conifers. It exhibits both predetermined and free appear to be the main (indeterminate) growth. Predetermined height growth factor. Consequently, consists of the portion of potential shoot growth for outside of Montana, which stem units were initiated the previous growing natural regeneration season and enclosed in the over-wintering bud. Free of larch is considered growth consists of the portion of the shoot that is Female, risky in most initiated and expanded during the growing season cone-producing fl owers of situations and beyond what was predetermined. In most conifers, western larch in mid-season. planting is preferred. free growth is a juvenile trait that lasts up to 20 years for most species; in larch, free growth continues Tree improvement and tree breeding applies genetic beyond the juvenile phase. This has important principles to develop “better” trees. One of the tools ramifi cations for long-term height growth. of tree improvement is seed transfer. Guidelines have been developed for each western conifer species to Environmental Tolerances. Larch is considered a determine how far seed can be transferred from the “seral” species meaning the tree is very intolerant seed collection site to the planting location. These to low light levels, and is adapted to open, disturbed environmental requirements differ between species. sites. Larch is also a “pioneer species” in that it is one The seed transfer rules for western larch are relatively of the fi rst species to come in after disturbances, such broad, meaning seed and seedlings can be spread as fi re, landslide, fl ood, or clearcut harvest. Compared further from the source compared to other species. to the other conifers in its range, many of which Larch’s adaptation to natural environments with three tolerate partial shade, larch survives and grows only seed zones is intermediate between white pine, which in conditions of high light levels. Whereas all conifers has one seed zone and ponderosa pine, which has six do best in open sunlight, larch can survive only in seed zones across the Inland Northwest. open sunlight. If larch is overtopped by other species its crown rapidly deteriorates, and its vigor declines Nutrition. Little research-based information is severely. Larch is the most shade-intolerant conifer available about larch nutritional characteristics, in the Northern Rockies. This characteristic has many particularly its response to fertilizer, but growth implications for management. response to fertilization is commonly reported. We also know that larch uses nitrogen more effi ciently Larch is “mid-range” in drought tolerance, requiring than other conifers. Larch effectively translocates more moisture than Douglas-fi r and less than western nitrogen from the foliage back into the tree tissues redcedar, for instance. before dropping its needles in the fall and it does this more effi ciently than any other tree genus. For Reproductive Biology and Seed Transfer. Western example, the needle litter of most other regional larch fl owers very early. A warm spell in early- to conifers has about 1 part nitrogen per 16 parts of mid-March can stimulate fl owering. Unfortunately, carbon, whereas larch has only 1 part nitrogen per 50 this peculiar phenology makes the fl owers susceptible parts carbon in its needle litter. to later spring frosts. Water Use. Larch is very water effi cient. It has a Western larch is known to be one of the best seed higher wood production rate per unit of water used producers in northwestern Montana, but it is regarded than other western conifers. However, it can also
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