A genus, Larix, of the pine family, with deciduous needles and short spurlike branches, which annually bear a crown of needles. The cones are small and persistent, varying by species in size, number, and form of the cone scales. The tamarack (L. laricina), also called hackmatack, is a native species. It has an erect, narrowly pyramidal habit, and grows in the northeastern United States, west to the Lake states, and across Canada to Alaska. The tough resinous wood is durable in contact with the soil and is used for railroad ties, posts, sills, and boats. Other uses include the manufacture of excelsior, cabinet work, interior finish, and utility poles. The western larch (L. occidentalis), the most important and largest of all the species, grows in the northwestern United States and southeastern British Columbia. |
