Larix decidua, Larch

Larix decidua is a medium-size to large deciduous coniferous tree.

It forms a tall, narrowly conical tree if growing alone.

This Larch tree grows in Highfield Country Park surrounded by Hawthorns, Birches, Hazels and Oaks, creating a nice contrast in shape and colours.

 The soil underneath was damp and it was still receiving a lot of sunlight despite its neighbours.

Larch can grow up to 40m in height. Its bark is rough and greyish in young trees and became fissured with age. The branches are mostly horizontal but the lower ones on the old trees are slightly dropping.

The leaves are needles of tight bunches up to 40. The needle is up to 3cm long freshly green when it opens, with two pale bands bellow in summer and then changing through red and yellow before falling in autumn.

The male flowers soft small yellow cones releasing pollen in spring.

The female cones are conspicuously red in spring becoming woody brown later. They ripen in the first year but persist on the twigs after releasing their seeds.