Western larch

The tree is a large deciduous conifer reaching tall, with a trunk up to diameter; the bark ranges from orangish to purplish brown. The crown is narrow conic; the main branches are level to upswept, with the side branches often drooping. The shoots are dimorphic, with growth divided into long shoots (typically long) and bearing several buds, and short shoots only long with only a single bud. The leaves are needle-like, light green, long, soft The seed cones are ovoid-cylindric, long, with 40 to 80 seed scales; each scale bearing an exserted bract. The cones are green to reddish purple when immature, turning brown and the scales opening flat or reflexed to release the seeds when mature, four to six months after pollination. The old cones commonly remain on the tree for many years, turning dull gray-black. Individual specimens can live centuries, even up to a millennium. The largest known specimen is about 1,000 years old, tall and over in diameter with a crown, located at Seeley Lake, Montana. == Distribution ==

Western larch grows almost exclusively in the drainage of the Columbia River, from the east of the Cascade Range to the west of the Continental Divide. ==Ecology==

Western larch grows more quickly than many associated trees, as it needs to because larch is shade intolerant. With its thick bark, nonflammable foliage and protective cones, the species is very fire resistant. The seeds are an important substitute winter food for some birds, notably the pine siskin but also the redpoll, and white-winged crossbill. This is frequently during times when other conifer cones that are a more preferred diet are in short supply. Woodpeckers utilize the heart rot of older specimens to make openings, which are used by various small animals. Assisted migration of Canadian forests had been proposed as an adaptation measure in response to climate change. Indeed, as average temperatures rise, the optimal climate conditions for trees species are also moving north. Research had shown that western larch trees have no trouble growing in northern BC, an area whose climatic conditions are predicted to match the western larch's historical range by 2030. However, if some "aggressively warming climate scenarios" actually unfold, foresters will need to let go of any expectations of helping this species maintain a presence south of the Canadian border. ==Uses==

Indigenous peoples applied the resinous gum to injuries and chewed it to treat sore throat. the Kutenai and Bitterroot Salish of Montana in particular collected the sap. The sweetish galactan of the sap can be made into baking powder and medicine. The wood is highly prized as firewood in the Pacific Northwest where it is often called "tamarack", although it is a different species than the tamarack larch. The wood burns with a sweet fragrance and a distinctive popping noise. Western larch is used for the production of Venice turpentine. == Gallery ==