Tamarack United States Department of Agriculture

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Forest An American Wood Service Tamarack United States Department of Agriculture

FS-268

Tamarack grows from Maine to Mm- nesota, throughout much of Canada, and in Alaska. Most of its volume in the United States is in the northern Lake States and Maine. The tree, whose needles fall in autumn, is found especially on wet lowlands where it grows fast in full sunlight. The brownish heartwood contrasts with the narrow, whitish sapwood. The wood- one of the heaviest of the northern conifers-is medium to fine textured, odorless, tasteless, and somewhat oily. It rates intermediate in strength, is easily pulped, and has fairly high heating value. Recent use has been largely for pulp products, but in earlier days tamarack was used in the construction of wooden ships and for lumber.

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QCT1'85 An American Wood

Tamarack (Larix laricina (Du Roi) K. Koch) s William F. Johnsto& and Eugene M. Carpenter2

so . .. , Distribution I . , < \ ,/ '

Tamarack has one of the widest ranges \ , of all North American conifers (fig. 1). / The tree grows throughout much of / Canada, with a range extending to the ' northern limit of tree growth. In the I - . - ' United States tamarack's main range / . , o extends from Maine to Minnesota; the tree also grows locally as far south as L k --- northern West Virginia. A major dis- junct area occurs in the Yukon and . 'N - /---.-. -. Kuskokwim drainages in interior i.-.-4._._ Alaska. i i ! ' f In the United States tamarack is most / L j abundant in the northern Lake States, ¡a' 2 -' t .

particularly Minnesota, where it grows .. mainly on glacial lakebeds and lake- r - . ç swamp-moraine plains at elevations ,

I averaging about i 000 feet. The tree is ¿ \ N

, - - -

also abundant in Maine from elevations I L__ -- - t of less than 500 feet to more than I \\

i 000 feet. The climate in which - - --- ' \\\ r \ \\ _II _ _ tamarack grows in the Lake States and / _ 4 \\ Maine is generally humid, with short, se- cool summers and long, somewhat 7ì - T ' vere winters . The average frost-free period ranges from about 90 to 150 -:-' days. .

? - Tamarack is found on poorly 'N - mainly - -N '-N N -'\ drained sites, especially on wet N ' - ' -S.- 2,

- N ' lowlands where the organic soil is more /--1--N ------than 12 inches thick. However, it

z' grows best on moist but well-drained . . , loamy soils along streams, lakes, and -,.-- N // 1 swamps. Tamarack is characteristic of N _ : poor swamps where the soil water is weakly enriched with mineral nutrients. -__._i

However, the tree grows on the full fr-- range of organic-soil sites from rich

'S swamp to raised bog and is also found ioo 95 so SS jar II5 IIo lo on mineral soils ranging from heavy tamarack. clay to coarse sand. Figure 1-Natural range of In northern Minnesota and the boreal 'tensive pure stands. In the rest of its (swamp) sites, include northern white- region of Canada tamarack forms ex- range the tree occurs in isolated pure cedar (Thuja occidentalis), balsam fir stands or as a minor component in (Abies balsamea), black ash (Fraxinus i Principal Silviculturist, U.S. Department of several other forest types. Black spruce nigra), and red maple (Acer rubrum). Agriculture, Forest Service, North Central Forest (Picea mariana) is usually the main Paper birch (Betula papyrifera) and Experiment Station, Grand Rapids, MN. tree associate in mixed stands on all eastern white pine (Pinus strobus) are 2 Market Analyst, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, North Central Forest sites. Other common associates, common associates on transitional sites . Experiment Station, Duluth, between wet lowlands and dry uplands. MN. especially on the better organic-soil

3 An American Wood

Description and Growth

Tamarack is a small- to medium-sized tree, usually 50 to 75 feet tall and 14 to 20 inches in diameter at breast height (4 . 5 feet) at maturity . A few trees may grow as large as i 15 feet tall and 40 inches in diameter. In closed stands it is characteristically a straight, slender tree with a narrow, pyramidal crown; the bole is often clear for one- half to two-thirds of its length (see cover photo) . Tamarack typically has a shallow, spreading root system. On fairly dry sites roots of larger trees grow at a sharp angle from the trunks, forming knees.

1% Tamarack needles are to i inches long and are bright blue green in the summer, turning yellow and dropping in the autumn. They grow singly on new, long shoots and in dense clusters on older, short shoots (fig. 2). The cones are one-half to three-quarters of an inch long; the scales are slightly . longer than they are broad, with their margin sparingly and irregularly toothed (fig. 3). Seeds are one-eighth of an inch long and have light chestnut- brown wings one-quarter of an inch long. The bark is thin and smooth on young trees , later becoming one-quarter to one-half of an inch thick or more and roughened by small, thin, reddish- brown scales (fig. 4). Figure 2-Clusters of tamarack needles. Good seed crops are produced every 3 to 6 years. Germination and early cedar, and balsam fir. Tamarack forests much greater on uplands than on growth are best on warm, moist may be reproduced by clearcutting lowlands; growth apparently drops mineral or organic soil with a light mature stands in strips or by leaving sharply when the crowns close or after cover of herbaceous vegetation. Slash- well-spaced seed trees on harvest areas. the age of 40 to 50 years. Thinning is burned seedbeds and hummocks of However, satisfactory reestablishment probably economically feasible only on slow-growing sphagnum moss generally will often require site preparation to good sites when the objective is to favor seedling establishment. Vegetative improve seedbeds and control corn- grow high-quality products such as reproduction of tamarack is uncommon peting vegetation. poles and sawtimber. Tamarack reaches except along the northern tree limit. a maximum age of 180 years or more, Although seedlings can tolerate some If exposed to full sunlight, tamarack is but timber stands should be harvested shade during the first several years, one of the fastest growing conifers on at roughly age 100 on lowlands and they must become dominant to survive. uplands and lowlands. Annual height age 70 on uplands. Thus tamarack should be grown in growth on good sites may average 1½ even-aged stands or it will eventually to 2 feet for the first 20 to 30 years. Tamarack has few major pests. The be succeeded by its more tolerant However, growth rate differs greatly by most serious are two insects, the larch associates black spruce, northern white- site conditions, with the potential being sawfly and larch casebearer. Sawfly An American Wood

Supply

Tamarack stands presently occupy about 900,000 acres of commercial forest land3 in the United States. Half of this acreage occurs in Minnesota and most of the remainder is found in Wisconsin, Michigan, and Maine. Small areas of tamarack occur in New York and several other Northeastern

and North Central States . In interior Alaska small amounts of tamarack occur on commercial forest land in white spruce (Picea glauca) or black spruce stands.

The volume of tamarack is about 580 million cubic feet of growing stock, which includes 970 million board feet of sawtimber.4 Of the reported volumes, about 80 percent of the growing stock and 70 percent of the sawtimber are in the Lake States; the rest is in Maine. Minnesota alone has 43 percent of the growing stock and 36 Figure 3-Cones and short shoots of tamarack. Figure 4-Bark of a mature tamarack. percent of the sawtimber. Production

outbreaks have been widespread and Common Names Tamarack has never been a major corn- recurring , causing tremendous losses. mercial timber species, but tamarack Casebearer outbreaks have killed many The name most commonly used is was an important specialty material trees in some areas. Other pests include tamarack, a word of Algonquian origin. used in constructing wooden ships the porcupine, which commonly It is also commonly called eastern larch through the early 1900's. Tamarack is deforms or kills tamarack trees by and sometimes American larch, Alaska now used principally for pulpwood; an- feeding on the inner bark, and the larch, and hackmatack. nual production in the Lake States has snowshoe hare, whose browsing averaged 44,000 cords for the last 10 sometimes kills many seedlings. Several Related Commercial Species years and estimates indicate about rots and other diseases are reported on 20,000 cords were produced in the tamarack, but none has an economic Tamarack, a native larch, is listed Northeast in 1981. Minnesota ac- impact on its culture. separately in Lake States' timber inven- counted for 82 percent of the 52,000 tories. But it is often reported with cords harvested in the Lake States in Agents besides pests may also severely other softwoods and is combined with 1980. Tamarack pulpwood production damage tamarack. Impeded drainage eastern hemlock (Tsuga canadensis) in in the United States reached a max- caused by road crossings and beaver pulpwood production statistics for the irnum of 95 000 cords in 1926. damming often kills stands or reduces Northeast. Introduced larches (mostly their growth. Tamarack is fairly wind- hybrids) have been planted widely, Production of tamarack lumber is low. firm, but strong winds can uproot large especially in New York where their trees growing on wet lowlands where acreage is reported separately. The 3 Land capable of producing industrial wood and rooting is shallow. And although volumes reported in this leaflet, not withdrawn from harvesting by law or lowlands are normally too wet to burn, however, are estimates for tamarack regulation. 4 volume of live almost any ground fire that does occur only. Growing stock is the trees 5.0 Ikills the tree inches in diameter and larger. Sawtimber is the because it has thin bark volume of trees 9.0 inches in diameter and and shallow roots. larger, International '4-inch Log Rule. An American Wood

The annual harvest of saw logs (mainly makes up three-fourths or more of each however, it was widely used in wooden for lumber) in the Lake States in annual ring. The wood is medium to ships, principally to join ribs to deck 1980-81 was approximately half a fine textured, slivery, odorless, timbers, but also for timbers and plank- million board feet, which is equivalent tasteless, and somewhat oily. Tamarack ing. Indians used the fine, stringy roots to only about 1,000 cords. However, is one of the heaviest of the northern to bind seams of birch bark canoes, the more than 100 million board feet of conifers; based on ovendry weight and wood for arrow shafts, and the bark for lumber were produced annually from green volume, its specific gravity medicine; colonists used the soft 1906 to 1914, when major lumbering averages 0.49, and its density at 12 needles to stuff pillows and mattresses. activity took place in Lake States' percent moisture content is about 35 virgin forests. Production then de- pounds per cubic foot. In addition to its use for various creased markedly and reached a level products, tamarack has certain wildlife of 2 to 4 million board feet per year Tamarack wood rates intermediate in values . Porcupines feed on the inner from 1930 to 1947, the last year strength, stiffness, and hardness and is bark, snowshoe hares browse on seed- tamarack lumber production was moderately high in shock resistance. lings, and red squirrels eat the seeds. documented. During drying, tamarack has moder- Birds common in tamarack stands dur- ately large shrinkage, but moderately ing the summer include the white- Outbreaks of the larch sawfly in the low warping and checking. It is dif- throated and song sparrows, veery, Northeast in the latter part of the 19th ficult to penetrate with preservatives common yellowthroat, and Nashville century and in the Lake States in the but has good natural resistance to warbler. The American osprey, a sen- first quarter of the 20th century killed decay . It ranks low in paint retention. sitive species, often nests in lowland much mature tamarack timber. Salvage Tamarack is somewhat uneven grained; types such as tamarack. And the great of dead and dying tamarack may have its distinct earlywood to latewood con- gray owl utilizes large tamarack stands influenced production statistics in the trast produces strong figures on flat- in northern Minnesota, the southern Lake States, where peak production of grained surfaces and distinct figures in limit of its breeding range in central tamarack lumber coincided with years quartersawn material. Spiral grain is North America. of heavy defoliation by the sawfly. It is common. The wood is easily pulped by also possible that the loss of much the sulfate process and is readily re- Tamarack is esthetically appealing, par- standing timber contributed to the duced by the mechanical or ground- ticularly in early autumn when its marked decrease in production after the wood process. However, tamarack re- needles turn yellow. It has significant peak years. quires significantly more power to potential as an ornamental because of grind than white spruce. It ranks high its rapid growth and fall color, Posts, poles, mine timbers, and railroad in heating value among softwoods, although it is only infrequently used. ties were produced in small quantities similar to the hardwoods red maple and Tamarack is especially valuable in prior to 1945. Substantial quantities of paper birch. suburban areas; however, because the tamarack were used for fuel in earlier tree needs ample moisture and is sen- days, and its use for fuel has been Principal Uses sitive to polluted air and heat, it is not documented again recently after a lapse suitable for shade trees on city streets. of many years. More than i 900 cords In the United States tamarack is used of tamarack fuelwood were harvested mainly to manufacture pulp products, References in Minnesota in 1975 and almost 700 especially the transparent glassine paper cords in Wisconsin in 1981. used for window envelopes. Because of Barnard, Joseph E.; Powell, Douglas S. its natural decay resistance and good Some preliminary results of the 1982 Characteristics and Properties strength properties, tamarack is also forest inventory of Maine. Broomall, used for posts, poles, mine timbers, PA: U.S. Department of Agriculture,

Tamarack heartwood is yellowish to and railroad ties . Other uses include Forest Service, Northeastern Forest russet brown, without the reddish tinge rough lumber, fuelwood, boxes, crates, Experiment Station; 1983. 15 p. characteristic of western larch (Larix and pails. In interior Alaska young Blyth, James E. ; Whipple, James H.; occidentalis). Sapwood is whitish and tamarack stems are used for dogsled Boelter, Allen H. ; Wilhelm, Steven. generally less than an inch wide. runners, boat ribs, and fishtraps; in Lake States primary forest industry Growth rings are moderately wide to northern Alberta the branches are used and timber use, 1975. Resour. Bull. wide (8 to 20 per inch), with an abrupt to make duck and goose decoys. NC-49. St. Paul, MN: U.S. Depart- transition between the light-colored ment of Agriculture, Forest Service, earlywood and the dark, conspicuous Tamarack wood is still used to some North Central Forest Experiment Sta- latewood. The earlywood zone usually extent for boatbuilding . In the past, tion; 1980. 39 p. OREGON STATE UNIVERSITY LIBRARIES

An American Wood 12 0141225256

Blyth, James E.; Wilhelm, Steven. neapolis, MN. Gen. Tech. Rep. Michigan forest statistics, 1980. Fuelwood production in rural Mm- NC-51. St. Paul, MN: U.S. Depart- Resour. Bull. NC-67. St. Paul, MN: nesota, 1975. Resour. ment of Agriculture, Bull. NC-47. Forest Service, U. S . Department of Agriculture, St. Paul, MN: U.S. Department of North Central Forest Experiment Sta- Forest Service, North Central Forest Agriculture , Forest tion; 1979: Service, North 120-131. Experiment Station; 1983. 101 p. Central Forest Experiment Station; Drooz , Arnold T . Larch sawfly . For. Rose, A.H.; Lindquist, O.H. Insects of 1980. 6 p. Pest Leafi. 8, revised. Washington, eastern larch, cedar and juniper. For. Blyth, James E. ; Smith, W. Brad. DC: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Tech. Rep. 28. Ottawa, ON: Depart- Pulpwood production in the north Forest Service; 1971. 5 p. ment of the Environment, Canadian central region by county, 1981. Fowells, H.A. , comp. Silvics of forest Forestry Service; 1980. 100 p. Resour. Bull. NC-69. St. Paul, MN: trees of the United States. Agric. Spencer, John S., Jr. The fourth Mm- U. S . Department of Agriculture, Handb. 271. Washington, DC: U.S. nesota forest inventory: timber Forest Service, North Central Forest Department of Agriculture; 1965. volumes and projections of timber Experiment Station; 1983. 21 p. 762 p. supply. Resour. Bull. NC-57. St. Carpenter, Eugene M. Above-ground Harlow, W.M.; Harrar, E.S.; White, Paul, MN: U.S. Department of weights for tamarack in northeastern F . M . Textbook of dendrology. 6th Agriculture, Forest Service, North Minnesota. Res. Pap. NC-245. St. ed. New York: McGraw-Hill; 1979. Central Forest Experiment Station; Paul, MN: U.S. Department of 510 p. 1982. 72 p. Agriculture, Forest Service, North Johnston, William F. ; Brittain, Robert U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Central Forest Experiment Station; E. Tamarack. In: Burns, Russell M., Service, Forest Products Laboratory. 1983. 9 p. tech. comp. Silvicultural systems for Wood handbook: wood as an Considine, Thomas F. , Jr. ; Frieswyk, the major forest types of the United engineering material. Agric. Handb. Thomas S . Forest statistics for New States. Agric. Handb. 445. Rev. ed. 72. Rev. ed. Washington, DC: U.S. York- 1 980. Resour. Bull. NE-71. Washington, DC: U.S. Department Department of Agriculture; 1974. Broomall, PA: U.S. Department of of Agriculture; 1983: 99-101. 428 p. Agriculture, Forest Service , North- Milton, F. Thomas. Firewood: procure- Widmann, Richard H. Pulpwood pro- eastern Forest Experiment Station; ment and preparation. Ext. Bull. 436. duction in the Northeast-1981. 1982. 118 p. Rev. ed. St. Paul, MN: University of Resour. Bull. NE-76. Broomall, PA: Dawson, Deanna K. Bird communities Minnesota, Agricultural Extension U.S. Department of Agriculture, associated with succession and Service; 1980. 31 p. Forest Service, Northeastern Forest management of lowland conifer Panshin, A.J.; deZeeuw, C. Textbook Experiment Station; 1983. 23 p. forests. In: Management of north of wood technology. Vol. 1 . 3d ed. Wile, B.C. Tamarack. Ottawa, ON: central and northeastern forests for New York: McGraw-Hill; 1970. 705 Environment Canada, Canadian nongame birds: Workshop pro- p. Forestry Service; 1981. 10 p. ceedings; 1979 January 23-25; Mm- Raile, Gerhard K. ; Smith, W. Brad.

May 1985

This publication supersedes an unnumbered American Woods leaflet, Tamarack, issued in 1945.