Common Name: Tamarack

General Information

Larix laricina is a deciduous tree with a narrow crown and sparse branching; it can grow up to 20 metres tall with a trunk up to 60cm in diameter[].
The plant is harvested from the wild for use as a medicine, food and source of wood. The wood is often used commercially. The plant is sometimes grown as an ornamental.
Larix laricina is distributed across the northern part of the North American continent in a dynamic and constantly renewing ecosystem, of which this larch is a constituent species. The plant is classified as 'Least Concern' in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species(2013)[].

Known Hazards

Sawdust from the wood has been known to cause dermatitis in some people[].

Botanical References

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Range

Northern N. America - Alaska to Labrador, south and east to Michigan, Illinois and West Virginia

Habitat

Lowland boreal and subarctic forests, often forming pure forests in the south of its range in swamps and wet soils[, , ], sometimes also on dry plateau or slopes in the north of its range; at elevations up to 1,220 metres[, , ].

Properties

Conservation Status	Least Concern
Edibility Rating
Medicinal Rating
Other Uses Rating
Habit	Deciduous Tree
Height	18.00 m
Growth Rate	Medium
Pollinators	Wind
Cultivation Status	Ornamental, Wild

Cultivation Details

Larix laricina is found in a wide range of climates, ranging from cool, moist maritime on the Atlantic coast, to extremely dry, cold continental in the interior. It is a very cold-hardy plant, able to tolerate temperatures down to around -40°c when fully dormant[, ], but in regions with milder winters the trees can be excited into premature growth by mild spells during the winter and they are then very subject to damage by late frosts and cold winds[]
Prefers an open airy position in a light or gravelly well-drained soil[]. Plants are intolerant of shade[]. Tolerates acid and infertile soils and waterlogged soils[]. Succeeds on rocky hill or mountain sides and slopes[]. A north or east aspect is more suitable than west or south[].
This species is very cold-hardy when fully dormant, . Plants growing in the far north of its range, and also on upper mountain slopes, are often stunted[].
Hybridizes freely with other members of this genus[].
Planted for forestry in Europe[], they are not suitable for this purpose in Britain[]. Growth is normally slow in this country with average height increases of less than 30cm per year[]. The trees are generally not long-lived[]. Planting them in boggy soil may improve growth rates[].
Open ground plants, 1 year x 1 year are the best for planting out, do not use container grown plants with spiralled roots[]. Plants transplant well, even when coming into growth in the spring[].
Plants in this genus are notably resistant to honey fungus[].

Edible Uses

The young shoots are used as an emergency food[].
A tea is made from the roots[].
A tea is made from the branches and needles[].

Medicinal

Tamarack was employed medicinally by a number of native North American Indian tribes who used it to treat a variety of complaints[]. It is little used in modern herbalism.

A tea made from the bark is alterative, diuretic, laxative and tonic[, ]. It is used in the treatment of jaundice, anaemia, rheumatism, colds and skin ailments[, ]. It is gargled in the treatment of sore throats and applied as a poultice to sores, swellings and burns[, ].

A tea made from the leaves is astringent[, ]. It is used in the treatment of piles, diarrhoea etc[].

An infusion of the buds and bark is used as an expectorant[].

The needles and inner bark are disinfectant and laxative[]. A tea is used in the treatment of coughs[]. A poultice made from the warm, boiled inner bark is applied to wounds to draw out infections, to burns, frostbite and deep cuts[].

The resin is chewed as a cure for indigestion[]. It has also been used in the treatment of kidney and lung disorders, and as a dressing for ulcers and burns[].

Other Uses

Resin is extracted by tapping the trunk. It is obtained from near the centre of the trunk[], one properly made borehole can be used for 20 - 30 years[]. The resin has a wide range of uses including wood preservatives, medicinal etc. The hole is made in the spring and the resin extracted in the autumn[].

The roots have been used as a sewing material in canoes and to make durable bags[, ].

The bark is a good source of tannin[, ].

A dense wood that isvery strong, heavy, hard, durable even in water. It weighs 39lb per cubic foot and is used for telegraph poles, railway sleepers, log cabins, mine shaft timbers, fence posts etc[, , , , , ]. The roots are often curved by as much as 90° and are used by builders of small ships[].
According to one report the tree's main industrial use is to provide pulp wood for the manufacture of paper, in particular transparent envelope windows[]. However, another report says that slow-growing trees develop wood with a high resin content, making it decay resistant but limiting its value for pulpwood[].

Propagation

Seed - sow late winter in pots in a cold frame. One months cold stratification helps germination[]. It is best to give the seedlings light shade for the first year[]. As soon as they are large enough to handle, prick out the seedlings into individual pots. Although only a few centimetres tall, they can be planted out into their permanent positions in the summer providing you give them an effective weed-excluding mulch and preferably some winter protection for their first year. Otherwise grow them on in the cold frame for their first winter and plant them out in early summer of the following year. The seed remains viable for 3 years[]
If you are growing larger quantities of plants, you can sow the seed in an outdoor seedbed in late winter. Grow on the seedlings in the seedbed for a couple of years until they are ready to go into their permanent positions then plant them out during the winter.