Inventory as of Feb. 1, 2018: 0 Seeds
Seed Specifications: Purity - 100%; Projected Germination Rate - 83%; Where Harvested (location) - Montana
Western Larch is a species of larch native to the Northwestern United States and Southwestern Canada. The Western Larch is a large deciduous coniferous tree reaching 90-200 feet tall, with a trunk up to 5 feet in diameter. The crown is narrow conic, and the main branches are level to upswept, with the side branches often drooping. The leaves are needle-like, light green, .5-2 inches long, very slender, turn bright yellow in the fall, leaving the pale orange-brown shoots bare until the next spring. The seed cones are ovoid-cylindric, .5-2 in long, with 40-80 seed scales. The cones are red when immature, turning brown and the scales opening flat or reflexed to release the seeds when mature. The old cones commonly remain on the tree for many years, turning dull gray-black. It grows at 1600-8,000 feet altitude, and is very cold tolerant, able to survive winter temperatures down to about −50 °C. It only grows on well-drained soils, avoiding waterlogged ground. The seeds are an important food for some birds. The wood is tough and durable, but also flexible in thin strips, and is particularly valued for yacht building. Small larch poles are widely used for rustic fencing. Western Larch is used for the production of Venice turpentine. The wood is highly prized as firewood in the Pacific Northwest where it is commonly called "Tamarack," although it is a different species than the Tamarack Larch. The wood burns with a sweet fragrance and a distinctive popping noise. Indigenous peoples used to chew gum produced from the tree as well as eat the cambium and sap. The Western Larch is cold hardy to USDA zone 3.
Suggested Planting Instructions:
Scarfication: None required. Stratification: Cold stratify for 30 days, some seeds may germinate during stratification. Germination: Sow seed 1/4" deep, press seed into the soil, cover seed, keep moist, mulch the seed bed, remove mulch upon germination. Other: fall sowing in mulched beds is prefered to artificial stratification.