tamarack in autumn

 

The Tamarack tree Larix laricina is a deciduous tree.  In summer it has lush green needle-like leaves; in autumn the leaves turn golden before they drop.  Next to the pond, it gets along with other swamp and wetland species. 

This tree is also a conifer, making small cones that shed winged seeds in the fall.

trees

 
Flowers on Willow tree (above) and new cones on Tamarack tree (left).

tamarack rosettes

There are several trees in the riparian area around the pond.  One is the Tamarack Larix laricina or American Larch.  It is just starting to flower, before sprouting its fresh bright green soft needles. Tamarack is a native deciduous conifer; it is in the pine family but sheds needles (leaves) in Autumn.

Coneflower seed harvest

It is time to harvest some wildflower seeds, in order to expand the native plant population in the riparian buffer surrounding our pond.  There are more than 30 documented native species in this buffer.  Close to the water is a ring of wetland; outside of that is a ring of moist to dry areas.  So the pond provides a comfortable home for a wide variety of plants.  We hope to reduce the 'weeds' and encourage the flowering native plants to flourish.

For example, a few coneflowers bloom here.  Purple Coneflower Echinacea purpurea now has some blooms 'going to seed' as the petals dry out. When I remove the seeds, intending to spread them around the pond for new plants, we can see why this plant is called 'cone flower'.

deciduous conifers

These new cones and needle-like leaves are emerging on our non-native European Larch Larix decidua.  The old cones (at top in the photo) commonly remain on the tree for many years, turning dull grey-black.  From a distance, the new cones look like rosey flowers on the Larch tree.

native deciduous conifers

Needle-like leaves (right) emerging in clusters, and new cones developing on the deciduous conifer American Larch Larix laricina.  The seed cones will become 3/4" long, bright rosey red, and mature to lustrous brown scales containing the seeds.
The needle-leaves grow in dense clusters spirally on branches.  They will glow bright green all summer, then turn golden before dropping in winter.

new growth among the evergreens

The evergreen trees are showing this year's branch buds and new cones. As I wandered tree to tree, each species showed a different beauty.

larch cones

Although a conifer, the larch is a deciduous tree.  In summer it has lush green needle-like leaves; it will lose these golden leaves to the autumn winds as the needles dry out.  This tree, Larix laricina, is more than twenty feet tall; it grows on the edge of the woods in the low swale that is constantly moist.  This tree is also known as Tamarack Larch or American Larch.  Larch are used as a food plant by the larvae of a number of butterflies.

 

tamarack - loaded with cones

This spring the tamarack tree must finally be established and happy; it has set hundreds of cones. They first appeared in the shape and color of little rose buds. As they enlarge they turn more brown and cone-like. Bill snapped this shot and captured the sap oozing from them in the sun.