| Description | Olga Bay larch (Larix gmelinii var olgensis) is one of the most northerly-growing trees, this plant requires zone#5 or colder. Its green deciduous needles turn yellow in the fall before falling off. |
|---|---|
| Pronunciation | (LAR-iks) |
| Plant Type | Trees Coniferous |
| Hardiness Zone | 2-5 |
| Sunlight | full |
| Moisture | moist, intolerant of dry conditions |
| Soil & Site | acidic, well-drained |
| Temperature | cool summers, cold winters, north of zone 5 |
| Flowers | monoecious having male and female flowers on the same plant |
| Fruit | Cones (to 1 1/2" long) emerge purple but mature to light brown. |
| Leaves | Needles are 1.0-1.5 inches long and occur in tufts. The needle tufts grow off of spur-like shoots along the branches. Spring growth is a soft light green color, turning to dark green during the summer and a showy yellow in the fall. Being deciduous, the needles abscise (drop) in the fall. |
| Stems | hairy, reddish-brown young twigs |
| Roots | It primarily differs from the species by having hairy, reddish-brown young twigs and slightly larger cones. |
| Dimensions | 40-60 plus feet |
| Propagation | seeds |
| Native Site | Larix Var. olgensis, Olga Bay larch, is a rare variety native to the Olga Bay region northeast of Vladivostok, Russia. |
| Cultivar Origin | circa 1901 |
| Misc Facts | It was named after Olga Bay in the Sea of Japan. Specific epithet honors Johann Georg Gmelin ( 1709-1755 ), botanist and author of The Flora of Siberia. This variety differs from the species by having hairy, reddish-brown young twigs and slightly larger cones. Using it for landscaping purposes is not very common. |
| Notes & Reference | #03-The Hillier Manual of Trees and Shrubs (Hillier Nursery), #93-North American Landscape Trees (Arthur Lee Jacobson), #144-Missouri Botanical Gardens website (www.missouribotanicalgarden.org) |
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