Larix decidua

Botanical Description

Larix decidua is a deciduous tree with a pyraminal crown when young, widening in older trees; it can grow around 40 - 50 metres tall, occasionally reaching 55 metres. The usually straight trunk can be 150 - 250cm in diameter[ 2124 Title A Handbook of the World's Conifers Vol. 1 (Second revised edition) Publication Author Farjon A. Publisher Brill; Leiden, The Netherlands Year 2017 ISBN 978 90 04 32449 7 Description ]. The plant is widely cultivated and also harvested from the wild for its highly valued wood. It is often used as a herbal medicine and cultivars for ornamental use have been developed[ 2124 Title A Handbook of the World's Conifers Vol. 1 (Second revised edition) Publication Author Farjon A. Publisher Brill; Leiden, The Netherlands Year 2017 ISBN 978 90 04 32449 7 Description ]. Larix decidua is widespread and common to abundant in much of its range, and is in fact expanding (northwards) with the abandonment of alpine cattle grazing in many parts of high altitude Europe. The plant is classified as 'Least Concern' in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species(2017)[ 338 Title IUCN Red List of Threatened Species Publication Author Website http://www.iucnredlist.org/ Publisher Year 0 ISBN Description A list of plants under threat and facing possible extinction, usually with brief details of the threats and information on habitat. ].