tamarack
Larix laricina
USDA zones2 to 5
SunHandles full sun or full shade
WaterHandles moderate to wet soil
Size40 to 80 feet tall15 to 30 feet wide
- Bloom color
- Non-flowering
- Foliage color
- Dark green
- Soil types
- Sand, loam, clay
- Soil pH
- Acid, neutral
Garden uses
Attracts
Notes
Tamarack (Larix laricina) is a tree for low maintenance landscapes, woodland gardens, and rain gardens. It is hardy to USDA zone 2, or down to -50°F (-46°C). This plant likes full sun to full shade and average to wet, sandy, loamy, or clay soil. Deer usually look elsewhere for a meal. The soft needles turn golden-yellow in autumn before they fall. Seeds feed crossbills, and the branches often serve as nesting sites.
Pairs well with Bog rosemary, Paper birch, and Blue bead lily.
Native range
Northern North America.