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Larix lyallii

Larix lyallii Parl.

Subalpine Larch

Pinaceae (Pine Family)

Synonym(s):

USDA Symbol: LALY

USDA Native Status: L48 (N), CAN (N)

Deciduous tree with straight trunk, short branches, and irregular, spreading crown.

Subalpine Larch is seldom seen because of its isolated timberline location in high mountains. David Lyall (1817-95), a Scottish surgeon and naturalist, discovered this species in 1858. For most of the year the branches are bare, except for the blackened dead cones.

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Plant Characteristics

Duration: Perennial
Habit: Tree
Leaf Retention: Deciduous
Leaf Complexity: Simple
Breeding System: Flowers Unisexual , Monoecious
Fruit Type: Cone
Size Notes: Up to about 75 feet tall.
Leaf: Green

Bloom Information

Bloom Color: Red , Yellow , Green , Purple
Bloom Time: May , Jun , Jul
Bloom Notes: Pollen cones yellowish. Seed cones reddish yellow to purplish green. Bloom time refers to cone production.

Distribution

USA: ID , MT , WA
Canada: AB , BC
Native Distribution: SE. British Columbia and SW. Alberta south to W. Montana and west to NE. Washington; at 4000-8000' (1219-2438 m).
Native Habitat: At timberline on rocky soils in Engelmann Spruce-Subalpine Fir forest; locally in pure stands.

Growing Conditions

Water Use: Low
Light Requirement: Sun
Soil Moisture: Dry , Moist
Soil pH: Acidic (pH<6.8)
CaCO3 Tolerance: None
Conditions Comments: A valuable tree for watershed protection, avalanche control, wildlife habitat and mountain scenery (Farrar)
A deciduous conifer.This species often grows at higher elevations and on cooler exposures than other trees.

Benefit

Use Wildlife: Mountain goats, bighorn sheep, hoary marmots, pikas, mule deer, elk (wapiti), black and grizzly bears, red squirrels, and snowshoe hares are among the mammals that feed in alpine larch stands. Blue grouse apparently feed heavily on alpine larch needles.
Warning: This plant's tiny stinging hairs can cause a painful skin irritation.
Attracts: Birds

Find Seed or Plants

View propagation protocol from Native Plants Network.

Web Reference

Webref 62 - Burke Herbarium Image Collection (2020) University of Washington
Webref 38 - Flora of North America (2019) Missouri Botanical Garden, St. Louis, MO & Harvard University Herbaria, Cambridge, MA.
Webref 23 - Southwest Environmental Information Network (2009) SEINet - Arizona Chapter

Additional resources

USDA: Find Larix lyallii in USDA Plants
FNA: Find Larix lyallii in the Flora of North America (if available)
Google: Search Google for Larix lyallii

Metadata

Record Modified: 2023-06-06
Research By: TWC Staff

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