Ten species of Larch are native to the cooler parts of the Northern Hemisphere. Three in North America, one in Europe, and six in Asia. Larch trees are deciduous conifers in the Pine Family. Their soft, flat needles grow about 1 to 2 inches long grow in dense, brush-like clusters around short spur-like shoots. (True Cedars (Cedrus) have similar needles on spurs that are evergreen, plump in cross section, and not soft). The small, soft cones are about 1/2 to 2 inches long, grow upright, and hold on for a long time. The bark is similar to pines of scaly or plated. To tell the similar species apart, one must measure size of cones, length and number of needles around spurs, count the number of cone scales, and such.

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