Scientific name:
Larix decidua

Other names:
Alerce americano occidental
British Columbia tamarack
Hackmatack
Larice americano occidentale
Larice occidentale
Meleze occidental
Montana larch
Mountain larch
Oregon larch
Red American larch
Roughbarked larch
Tamarack
Vastamerikansk lark
Westamerikaanse lariks
Westamerikaanse lork
Westamerikanische larche
Western larch
Western tamarack.

Western larch is native to the high mountains of the upper Columbia River Basin in southeastern British Columbia, northwestern Montana, northern and central Idaho, Washington and northern and northeastern Oregon. Western larch trees reach heights of 180 feet, with diameters of 4 feet at an age of 400 years. Older trees, of 700 years, may reach heights of 200 feet, with diameters of 8 feet. About two-thirds of the lumber of this species is produced in Idaho and Montana and one- third in Oregon and Washington.

Weight:
about 590 kg/m3 (37lb/ft3); specific gravity 0.59.

Use:
Pit props, posts, transmission poles, piles, boat planking, exterior work in contact with the ground. Door and window frames, flooring, staircases and ship building.

General characteristic:
This is softwood, the resinous heartwood is pale red-brown to brick red in colour, with uniform texture, it is the only European deciduous conifer. The heartwood of western larch is yellowish brown and the sapwood yellowish white. The sapwood is generally not more than 1 inch thick. The wood is stiff, moderately strong and hard, moderately high in shock resistance, and moderately heavy. It has moderately large shrinkage. The wood is usually straight grained, splits easily, and is subject to ring shake. Knots are common but generally small and tight. The properties of western larch are similar to those of Douglas-fir and sometimes they are sold mixed.

Working properties:
Works well with most hand and machine tools but knotty material can cause severe blunting of cutting edges. It saws and machines cleanly in most operations although loosened knots may be troublesome. Nailing causes splitting and pre-boring is essential. It takes stain, paint or varnish well.

Drying and shrinkage:
Larch dries fairly rapidly with a tendency to distort and for knots to split and loosen. It may be kiln dried very satisfactorily. There is small movement in service. 1,000 cubic feet in kiln dried and air dried stock: 1in, 11/2ins and 2ins. 500 cubic feet of boatskin/joinery quality logs available for sawing and kilning to customers requirements. It has moderately large shrinkage

Durability:
The wood is moderately durable and subject to insect attack. The heartwood is resistant and the sapwood moderately resistant to preservative treatment. The wood is stiff, moderately high in shock resistance, and heavy.