Larix decidua
Common names
European larch
Biostatus
Exotic
Category
Vascular
Structural class
Trees & Shrubs - Gymnosperms
Flower colours
No flowers
Detailed description
Rather open-branching deciduous tree to 43 m. Needles are grass-green, 4 cm long and are held in dense whorls of 40–65 on the side shoots of branchlets. Male cones are yellow, and drooping from the lower sides of branchlets. Female cones are crimson red, maturing to brown, elongated ovoid in shape, upright and 4 cm high. Seed with large asymmetric wing.
Similar taxa
Can be distinguished from L. kaempferi by the crimson-red juvenile female cones, and more dense and irregular needle clusters.
Habitat
Terrestrial. A plant of montane and subalpine habitats and sites of low fertility (Timmins & MacKenzie 1995). A plant of tussockland (Timmins & MacKenzie 1995).
Conservation status
Not applicable
Detailed taxonomy
Family
Pinaceae
Ecology
Year naturalised
1919
Origin
Europe, W Asia
Reason for introduction
Ornamental
Tolerances
The plant is intolerant to frost at time of spring flush), dense shade and poor drainage; tolerant of partial shade and slightly intolerant of drought (Timmins & MacKenzie 1995). Physical damage to the plant results in regrowth if some green foliage remains (Timmins & MacKenzie 1995). Fire can kill plants less than 2 m (Timmins & MacKenzie 1995). Generally can grow in harsh conditions where no grazing, oversowing or topdressing has occurred (Timmins & MacKenzie 1995).
Life cycle and dispersal
Perennial. The life span of the plant is greater than 80 years (Timmins & MacKenzie 1995). 130,000-170,000 seeds per kg of cones (bid.). Seed remains viable after 3–5 years of dry storage at 4°C (ibid.). Seed dispersed by wind (ibid.).
Other information
Extra information
The National Wilding Conifer Control Programme team at Biosecurity New Zealand, a branch of Ministry for Primary Industries, has produced this wilding conifer quick ID guide.
NVS code
The National Vegetation Survey (NVS) Databank is a physical archive and electronic databank containing records of over 94,000 vegetation survey plots - including data from over 19,000 permanent plots. NVS maintains a standard set of species code abbreviations that correspond to standard scientific plant names from the Ngä Tipu o Aotearoa - New Zealand Plants database.
LARDEC
Referencing and citations
References and further reading
Timmins SM, Mackenzie IW. 1995. Weeds in New Zealand Protected Natural Areas database. Department of Conservation Technical Series 8. Department of Conservation, Wellington, NZ. 282 p.