Larix laricina
American Larch
The indigenous name for this tree is Tamarack, a term derived from the Algonquin word akemantak, which translates as “woods used for snowshoes.” While Tamaracks are rarely found in the Catskills, their relative the European Larch can be spotted due to reforestation efforts by the Civilian Conservation Corps in the 1930s and 1940s. Generally larches like their “feet wet” meaning they prefer to be in wet or bog-like areas. The Tamarack is a deciduous conifer...yes you read right! After the Tamarack’s needles turn a brilliant gold in the autumn they fall to the ground and the tree is left a sculpture of flaky brown bark with ornaments of small cones. Come springtime, fresh bright green needles emerge in clusters.