Rising from the soil
as Kun rises from water
a green furred dragon.
Brown scales gleam when she rests, as
heaven’s grace flows to and fro.
Lillian is today’s host of dVerse’ Open Link Night.
One of my old co-workers in the juvenile probation officer job ended up leaving and putting his teaching degree to further good use. He worked for some years at an alternative education high school and got the students involved in an annual fundraising plant and craft sale that taught them a lot about entrepreneurship. He and wife, both retired from their day jobs, (although I’ve never seen any two retired people work harder!) now run a very successful perennial plant, shrub, tree nursery from their homes and also have a stall at the farmer’s market.
Before covid, when I routinely visited the farmer’s market I would always stop at their stall to see what goodies they had to offer. One season they had a variety of small larch trees for sale. It was love at first sight. I curbed the impulse to buy any; yet they were put on my bucket list.
Finally getting past the contemplative stage of change – my contemplation stage can be LONG – to the action stage, I started doing a little research on larch trees. I was knock-over astounded to learn that larch trees, although they have the appearance of evergreens with the shape and color of the leaves, they drop their leaves in the fall! To me, a non-scientist tree-lover, I see the larch tree as a missing link between deciduous and evergreens. The realization of just how special larch trees are convinced me to contact my friend and set up an appointment at his and his wife’s place to look at the several varieties of larch to choose from.
As I got the tour of the what I will call Garden of Eden that is their property, a labor of love for these two as much as anything, we finally got to the larch section. My avid curiosity had me firing questions about larch habits and care faster than my friend could answer. I looked until one “sang to me” as my friend described it. He said when you choose like that, with a connection, it makes the tree feel loved and it grows better. I have no reason to doubt it. We managed to lay down the back seats of the car, maneuver it in, and get the trunk door shut. (Getting it out solo was another matter!) It’s between 5′-6′ tall. Close inspection reveals a trunk texture that inspires poetry.
Going out to old faithful, the internet, I found some of the specifics on the variety I chose.
Conifer Society says:
Larix decidua ‘Pendula’ bears luminous, fresh, green foliage that covers this fast-growing weeping tree in the spring. In the fall, there is a glow of yellow before the needles drop to reveal tawny-brown twigs. This plant can take on a multitude of forms depending on how it is trained and staked. Terminal branches will push up to 12 inches (30 cm) each year, creating with time, an imposing specimen in the landscape. This is an extremely old cultivar in the nursery trade, likely first described in botanical literature as early as 1836, perhaps 1789, leading one to believe that multiple clones likely exist.
Wisconsin’s Horticultural Extension says:
The larches (Larix spp.) are unusual conifers, in that they are deciduous and drop all their leaves each autumn, unlike their evergreen cousins. They are among the earliest trees to come into leaf in spring, with leaves on both short shoots (spurs) and long shoots. Clusters of leaves arise from each spur. The needle-like leaves are usually vivid green, sometimes blue-green in summer and turn butter yellow to old gold in autumn. Upright, summer-ripening cones are borne on the shorter shoots and remain on the tree for some time. In older trees, the branches tend to droop in a graceful manner. Larches are adaptable to most soils, though wet soils are best avoided for most species. All need full sun, and are readily transplanted when dormant. Species hybridize readily, in the wild and in cultivation. They propagate readily from seed.
Larix occurs in boreal circumpolar lowlands in Alaska, Canada and Russia, and at moderate to high altitudes in the mountains of North America, northern Europe, and over much of Asia from Siberia as far south as northern Myanmar. There are about 11 species (there is some debate about the Asian ones). The most commonly available larch for landscaping is the European larch and its hybrids.
The European larch, Larix decidua (= europaea), is hardy to zone 2. In its native range in the Alps and Caucasian mountains, it forms extensive forests at high altitudes. It has also naturalized in other parts of northern Europe on moist soils in temperate regions. This tree was important in European folklore, being traditionally considered to prevent enchantment and ward off evil spirits – infant children sometimes wore collars of larch bark as protection against the evil eye. Various preparations of larch were also used for medicinal purposes. A brown dye was also obtained from the needles in autumn.
On the North American continent European larch is most commonly planted in southeastern Canada and the northeastern United States, where it makes a great ornamental tree. Young trees establish very quickly and grow vigorously, putting on 12 to 18 inches of growth annually. European larch does best with sufficient moisture, well-drained and sunny conditions; it does not grow well in very dry or wet soils. One cultivar of the European larch is ‘Pendula,’ a small version of the original that weeps down to the ground.
Tao Talk 
What a beautiful tree. I love how the branches twist around and the bark is pretty. It’s really nice how the leaves hang down, and are such a soothing green. I’ve never seen a larch tree, so this was so interesting to read about. 🙂
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Glad you like the look of the tree. TX is probably too hot for it, although MI has a TX heat going on right now.
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I think summer is finally showing up. It’s been over 100 degrees here for a few days, and we have heat advisories for the area. Stay cool! 🙂
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Thanks, Barbara. You too!
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That’s gorgeous! I’d buy it in second!
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🙂 I’m still trying to decide where to plant it!
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The Seller should know if your conditions are right. They should have asked you that before you bought it. Give em a call. No?
You’ll find the perfect place because I know you love plants! 😊👍
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This one will do well here, I’m just worried about the heat wave and transplanting it. Plus I wanted a native MI tree not a European variety. As long as no risk of it being an invasive species I’m cool with it.
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Good luck with it! I’m sure it will be fine! 😊🤞
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Up in the Cascades, the Larch and fir coexist. Because it is not an evergreen conifer, in autumn its leaves turn a bright gold; a wondrous delight to witness, turning foothills into gold bars.
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Oh Glenn, that sounds SO pretty! The idea of seeing a forest of larch and fir coexisting.
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We do have larch in some places (usually planted) but it survives our winter, and as you say it feels strange with a tree that grows new needles every year.
That said I remember from Monty Python’s flying circle when they said as interlude:
And now for something completely different…. the larch…
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Bjorn I’m glad you are familiar with them. Now that I know Monty Python had a few words for them, consider me a lifelong fan 🙂
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Had never heard of larch….as I’ve always said, I always learn something new at dVerse! It is truly beautiful!
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Thank you, it is. I want to see how this one does here and see if more are on the horizon…
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Lisa,
Enjoyed this read about the larch. Very much like a dragon, and hard to tame to boot, a part of its charm.
pax,
dora
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🙂 Indeed, Dora! Thank you.
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Not that it doesn’t already have it, but your words bring the tree to vivid life.
And thank you for the informative description that follows your poem.
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Thank you, Ken. When I posted it earlier today the poem was at the end, but when I chose it for OLN I moved it to the top.
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I love all this information about the larch. Thank you, Lisa
“He said when you choose like that, with a connection, it makes the tree feel loved and it grows better.” 💙
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You are very welcome. My pleasure, Merril. He and his wife are true stewards of the plant kingdom.
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This was an informative piece and I learned something new. thank you
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You are very welcome, thank you. My pleasure.
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This is very beautiful.
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Lucy, thank you! How many can say they have a dragon living with them?
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What a fascinating read Lisa, thank you for sharing this! What a killer plant. As Glenn said, it is a deciduous conifer, and quite beautiful when they go golden in autumn, interspersed with our evergreens here in the PacNW. We get turpentine from the Larch.
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Rob so glad you are familiar with them. You make turpentine from larch trees? Or from their sap? Interesting!
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Thanks for sharing this! The weeping larch looks beautiful in your pictures.
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You’re very welcome. I was kind of disappointed that I didn’t choose a native MI larch 😦
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What an interesting tree and post! I never heard of this tree before. It looks like a perfect fit for you! I hope it does very well.
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The biggest hurdle for the tree now is getting into the ground. Can’t decide where to plant it. Lots of barriers to every place I’ve considered for it so far. Wish me luck.
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Give it lots of love and it will grow!
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Wow, never heard or seen Larch trees, Li. Thank you for your detailed information. 🙂
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Thanks Kitty, my pleasure!
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My son learned about the larch in geography last year, which is when I learned it was deciduous. Slovenians love their trees! A beautiful poem and interesting background story, thank you Lisa.
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Very cool they are teaching about trees in school! Thank you for your wonderful comment, Ingrid.
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I know I’ve read about these trees recently somewhere. And I think it had to do with their magical properties. Yours is a beauty! (K)
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Very neat tree and very neat you’ve recently read about them. I didn’t know about the magical properties, but I definitely get a cool vibe from this tree. I went out to see live music last night of an old musician favorite of mine who played on the rooftop of a restaurant. Got home around 9 and it was just getting dusk. I swear the tree called to me! I went out and flooded the container with water and then gave it a nice cool shower.
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I believe it. A good decision.
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Ooooh! Such a lovely plant. I had nor heard of Larch before, beautiful.
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Raivenne, meet larch; larch, meet Raivenne 🙂 Glad to make the introduction.
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‘The missing link.’ Love that. So much wonderful information in your post Lisa. And the poem … ‘heaven’s grace’ .. perfect.
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Many thanks, Helen. When I get to heaven I’m going to find out if I’m right 🙂
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What a beautiful tree the larch! ❤️
Not surprise dyou had to buy it right away.
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Yes it is!
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great choice! This post reminds me instantly of my “hippy” teens when I finally met Eileen and Peter Caddy from Findhorn, what a blessing that was!
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Thank you, Kate. The names aren’t familiar to me…
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founders of Findhorn, a Scottish community who talked to plants … grew roses in snow and giant veggies 🙂
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I just googled it. So neat you met the founders. I bookmarked their site.
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fascinating how your post reminded me of them … also met a community member who used regularly visit oz to give lectures/talk about their achievements … you’ll love it!
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It might be a fun place to take a (working) vaca…
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could well be!
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Oh gosh it’s a beauty, and I absolutely was enchanted by your backstory and how it sang out to you. Such a great post! Thanks for sharing ~peace, Jason
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Thank you, Jason 🙂
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Gladly!
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Beautiful tree – and poem too. The close up of the trunk looks so interesting – great photo. Thank you for telling us more about the Larch – love reading about trees.
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Thank you and thank you for your lovely comment, Marion.
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The other thing that amazed me about larch is how soft the needles are (because, of course, they aren’t needles). What a wonderful poem & essay, and yes that trunk is poetry-inspiring!
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Yes and yes!
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Good for your friends for doing what they seem to love.. What an odd tree…odd as in cool…
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It’s a beauty and yes, my friends are very happy doing what they do.
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Beautiful poem. I think the Larch has cast its spell on you and will inspire you with many more poems! 😍
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I think you are right, Tricia ❤
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Excellent! How is it going, your Larch? 🙂 Did it drop its needles? We had one in my grandparents’ garden (the same garden where my birthday fir tree grows) when I was growing up. Actually, I think it’s still there. For sure there are some in the neighbourhood. Now I know what I’ll be posting for Suzanne one day this month. 🙂
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Yes, it did. So neat you are familiar with larch. Looking forward to your post on the larch 🙂
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I hope what I posted is indeed a larch. 😀
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What a fascinating post Lisa. Looking at the photos I would have guessed the larch was a kind of pine tree. How strange to learn it is deciduous.
I like the idea of making a brown dye from the needles. This reminds of my experiments with eco dyeing which I will write about in a later tree post. You could possibly make a kind of ink too. Making ink from plants is on my ‘to do’ list for 2022 so I can’t really write about that process yet. 🙂
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Suzanne the deciduous nature of the larch totally amazed me also. Hard to believe isn’t it. There are pine trees in the yard and it would be so neat to make plant dye. I know some people use natural substances to get beautiful wool dye. Something cool to look forward to for 2022.
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Wool takes natural dyes really well. The background on the cards I sent you was coloured using an eco dye process with eucalyptus leaves.
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I have a partially merino wool scarf that was died with something natural (not sure what) that I love. The colors of the yarn are so soft yet vibrant. I’m thrilled to learn that about the cards you sent me. It makes them even more precious ❤
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Thanks Jade. I’m a novice when it comes to eco dyeing but it is fun to experiment. The colours experienced dyers get into wool are extraordinary.
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