Practical
Plants

Larix lyallii

Sub-Alpine Larch

a perennial woody deciduous member of the Larix genus in the family Pinaceae.

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Taxonomy and growth

Family
Pinaceae
Genus
Larix
Life cycle
perennial
Foliage
deciduous
Woodiness
woody
Height
25 m
Flower type
hermaphrodite

Uses

Edible uses

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

The shoot-tips are used as a flavouring in soups[4].

Plant part
Leaves

Material uses

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

The bark contains tannin[7]. Wood - strong, heavy, hard, coarse-grained and durable[10][7].

Product or use
Tannin
Product or use
Wood

Ecology and functions

Ecosystem niche
Canopy

Environment

Range
Western N. America - Washington to British Columbia.
Habitat
Sub-alpine to alpine zones, often on north-facing slopes where snow lies until late in the season[8].
Light
full sun
Shade tolerance
light shade
Water
moderate
Hardiness
Zone 3+
Soil textures
sandy, loamy, clay
Soil pH
acid, neutral, alkaline
Tolerates Nutritionally Poor Soil
No
Drought
intolerant

Propagation

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

Seed - sow late winter in pots in a cold frame. One months cold stratification helps germination[3]. It is best to give the seedlings light shade for the first year[9]. 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[3] 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.

Cultivation

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

Prefers an open airy position in a light or gravelly well-drained soil[6]. Intolerant of badly drained soils, but tolerates acid and infertile soils[6]. Succeeds on rocky hill or mountain sides and slopes[6]. A north or east aspect is more suitable than west or south[1]. This species is very cold-hardy when fully dormant, but the trees can be excited into premature growth in Britain by mild spells during the winter and they are then very subject to damage by late frosts and cold winds[1]. Plants are not very successful in Britain, they have been tried on many occasions but have failed to make a satisfactory tree[2][5]. A specimen at the Hillier Arboretum was 4.5 metres tall in 1970 and suffered frost damage each year[5]. This species is impossible to grow in lowland Britain, though it should succeed above a height of 300 metres in the eastern Scottish Highlands[6]. Growth is normally slow in Britain with average height increases of less than 30cm per year[5]. Hybridizes freely with other members of this genus[6]. Closely related to L. occidentalis[6]. Open ground plants, 1 year x 1 year are the best for planting out, do not use container grown plants with spiralled roots[6]. Plants transplant well, even when coming into growth in the spring[6]. Plants in this genus are notably resistant to honey fungus[6].

References

  1. F. Chittendon. RHS Dictionary of Plants plus Supplement. 1956 Oxford University Press 1951-00-00

    ↩1↩2

  2. Bean. W. Trees and Shrubs Hardy in Great Britain. Vol 1 - 4 and Supplement. Murray 1981-00-00

    ↩

  3. Dirr. M. A. and Heuser. M. W. The Reference Manual of Woody Plant Propagation. Athens Ga. Varsity Press 1987-00-00 ISBN 0942375009

    ↩1↩2

  4. Kunkel. G. Plants for Human Consumption. Koeltz Scientific Books 1984-00-00 ISBN 3874292169

    ↩

  5. Mitchell. A. F. Conifers in the British Isles. HMSO 1975-00-00 ISBN 0-11-710012-9

    ↩1↩2↩3

  6. Huxley. A. The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992. MacMillan Press 1992-00-00 ISBN 0-333-47494-5

    ↩1↩2↩3↩4↩5↩6↩7↩8↩9

  7. Elias. T. The Complete Trees of N. America. Field Guide and Natural History. Van Nostrand Reinhold Co. 1980-00-00 ISBN 0442238622

    ↩1↩2

  8. Hitchcock. C. L. Vascular Plants of the Pacific Northwest. University of Washington Press 1955-00-00

    ↩

  9. Sheat. W. G. Propagation of Trees, Shrubs and Conifers. MacMillan and Co 1948-00-00

    ↩

  10. Sargent. C. S. Manual of the Trees of N. America. Dover Publications Inc. New York. 1965-00-00 ISBN 0-486-20278-X

    ↩

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