Seasonal Wild Flowers

Latin name

Larix kaempferi

Family

Pinaceae

Flowering season

March to April

English distribution

It is found throughout the country except for large parts

of the Southeast, East Anglia, the Midlands and parts

of the far North.

See the BSBI distribution map for Japanese Larch

Habitat

It is a neophyte, which has been grown in the UK

since the 1860s and known in the wild since the 1950s.

It is grown mainly for timber as it grows faster than

European Larch and is less prone to larch canker.

It is also grown in large gardens, parks, estates and

 amenity areas.

The escape grows from seed and is found in open

habitats.

Description

Japanese Larch is a deciduous coniferous tree

growing up to 37m.

Female flowers (cones) are oval and up to 3cm.

They have recurved, cream scales tinged with pink.

Male cones are curved tufts up to 2cm. The pollen is

cream.

Cones are up to 3.5cm, green when immature and pale

brown when mature. The scales are recurved.

Short shoot leaves are up to 35mm and in rosettes.

Cones can remain on the tree for several years.

Long shoot leaves are longer and extend the twig.

The twigs are reddish brown and the bark flakes off.