Larch (Tamarack)–larix laricina

colour photo of Larch.

Larch, or Tamarack, is found throughout Ontario, but is more common in the north. This coniferous tree has needles that turn yellow in autumn and drop off. Although Larch grows on many sites, it prefers swamps or wet organic soils, and is usually associated with Black Spruce.

Larch wood is tough yet flexible, and has been used for lumber, pulp, poles and snowshoes. Larch represents less than 0.2% of Ontario’s annual harvest, and is 1.5% of its growing stock volume.

Map of Larch relative occurrence

map of Larch distribution in Ontario indicating low (light brown), moderate and high (dark green-brown) levels of relative occurrence.

Enlarge map of Larch relative occurrence

Area and proportion of Larch in the AOU (area in hectares)

Statistic Crown Parks and protected areas Other Total
Total Area Containing Larch 2,810,364 183,131 319,802 3,313,296
1-25% of stand 2,209,265 139,670 245,969 2,594,904
26-50% of stand 436,778 27,961 47,071 511,810
51-75% of stand 106,422 7,388 14,831 128,641
76-100% of stand 57,898 8,112 11,931 77,941
Average Proportion in All Forest (%) 2.0 1.7 1.6 2.0
Area of Larch Working Group 209,679 18,769 37,215 265,662

Growing stock volume of Larch in the AOU (volume in thousands of cubic metres)

Statistic Crown Parks and protected areas Other Total
Gross Total Volume 58,351 4,912 9,919 73,182
Net Merchantable Volume 19,249 1,652 3,659 24,561
Current Annual Increment 469 29 82 579

Larch working group area by age class

vertical bar graph of Larch working group area by age class including brown for Crown, green for park and grey for other.