Larix lyallii Parl.

Alpine larch (en)

Species

Gymnosperms > Pinales > Pinaceae > Larix

Characteristics

Trees to 25m; trunk to 1.  diam.; crown sparse, conic. Bark furrowed and flaking into red-to purple-brown scales. Branches horizontal, occasionally pendulous, persistent on trunk when dead; twigs strongly white-to yellow-tomentose for 2--3 years. Buds tomentose, scale margins ciliate. Leaves of short shoots 2--3.  ´ 0.6--0.8mm, 0.4--0.  thick, keeled abaxially, 2-angled adaxially; resin canals 40--80µm from margins, each surrounded by 6--10 epithelial cells. Seed cones 2.5--4(--5) ´ 1.1--1.9cm, on curved stalks 3--7 ´ 2.5--4mm; scales 45--55, margins erose, abaxial surface tomentose; bracts tipped by awn 4--5mm, exceeding mature scales by ca. 6mm. Pollen 78--93µm diam. Seeds yellow to purple, body 3mm, wing 6mm.
More
A small tree. It grows to 12 m high and is 50 cm across the trunk. The bark is thin, smooth and yellowish-grey when young. It is thicker and in irregular reddish scaly plates when old. The branches are irregularly spaced and thick near the trunk. The leaves are stiff and 4 sided in cross section. They are 4-5 cm long and pale bluish-green. There are 30-40 leaves per tuft. The mature cones are oval and 4-5 cm long. They are purplish-brown. They stand out from the twigs in all directions. The scales are hairy and curve toward the base of the cone. The seeds are 3 mm long.
Life form perennial
Growth form tree
Growth support free-standing
Foliage retention deciduous
Sexuality hermaphrodite
Pollination -
Spread -
Mature width (meter) 0.5
Mature height (meter) 18.6
Root system -
Rooting depth (meter) 0.9
Root diameter (meter) -
Flower color -
Blooming months
JanFebMar
AprMayJun
JulAugSep
OctNovDec
Fruit color -
Fruiting months -
Nitrogen fixer -
Photosynthetic pathway c3

Environment

In Canada it grows between 1200 and 2200 m altitude. It grows up to the tree line. It grows on acidic gravely soils. It suits hardiness zones 2-8.
More
Sub-alpine to alpine zones, often on north-facing slopes where snow lies until late in the season.
Light 6-8
Soil humidity 2-4
Soil texture 1-6
Soil acidity 2-5
Soil nutriment -
Hardiness (USDA) 3-7

Usage

Uses material wood
Edible leaves shoots
Therapeutic use -
Human toxicity -
Animal toxicity -

Cultivation

Can be grown by seedlings. Seeds needs stratification.
Mode seedlings
Germination duration (days) 30 - 90
Germination temperacture (C°) 18 - 23
Germination luminosity -
Germination treatment stratification
Minimum temperature (C°) -
Optimum temperature (C°) -
Size -
Vigor -
Productivity -

Images

Larix lyallii unspecified picture

Distribution

Larix lyallii world distribution map, present in Canada and United States of America

Conservation status

Larix lyallii threat status: Least Concern

Identifiers

LSID urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:262441-1
WFO ID wfo-0000443266
COL ID 6NYW8
BDTFX ID -
INPN ID -
Wikipedia (EN) Link
Wikipedia (FR) Link

Synonyms

Larix lyallii Pinus lyallii