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Larix laricina, commonly known as the tamarack, hackmatack, eastern larch, black larch, red larch, or American larch, is a species of larch native to Canada, from eastern Yukon and Inuvik, Northwest Territories east to Newfoundland, and also south into the upper northeastern United States from Minnesota to Cranesville Swamp, West Virginia; there is also an isolated population in central Alaska.
Tamarack is generally the first forest tree to grow on filled-lake bogs. In the lake states, tamarack may appear first in the Cyperaceae mat, sphagnum moss, or not until the bog shrub stage. Farther north, it is the pioneer tree in the bog shrub stage. Tamarack is fairly well adapted to reproduce successfully on burns, so it is one of the common pioneer species on sites in the boreal forest immediately after a fire.
The central population, separated from the eastern Yukon populations by a gap of about , is treated as a distinct variety Larix laricina var. alaskensis by some botanists, though others argue that it is not sufficiently distinct to be distinguished.
Tamaracks are targeted by many species of insects. One of the most prominent damaging insects is larch sawfly, which is non-native. It causes damage across its range and causes defoliation which can kill the trees within 6 to 9 years. To lessen the problem, parasites have been imported to kill the larch sawflies in parts of Minnesota and Manitoba. Another serious defoliator is the larch casebearer ( Coleophora laricella). All tamaracks are susceptible to being killed by the larch casebearer, however recently the outbreaks of larch casebearer have been less severe.
There are some other insects that can harm Tamaracks, including spruce budworm ( Choristoneura fumiferana); the larch-bud moth ( Zeiraphera improbana); the spruce spider mite ( Oligonychus ununguis); the larch-shoot moth (Argyresthia laricella); and the eastern larch beetle ( Dendroctonus simplex). Healthy trees are left mostly unaffected by eastern larch beetles. Defoliation by the larch casebearer makes infestation of the eastern larch beetle more likely.
Only one of the many pathogens that affect Tamarack causing diseases serious enough to have an economic impact on its culture, is the Lachnellula willkommii fungus. It is a relatively new pathogen in Canada, first recorded in 1980 and originating in Europe. The fungus causes the formation of large Canker and a disease known as larch canker which is particularly harmful to the tamarack larch, killing both young and mature trees. European larch canker Natural Resources Canada Rust is the only common foliage disease amongst Tamaracks, and causes minimal damage to the trees. The needle-cast fungus (Hypodermella laricis) is also a cause for concern in Tamaracks.
Black spruce ( Picea mariana) is usually tamarack's main associate in mixed stands on all sites. Other commonly associated overgrowth species include balsam fir ( Abies balsamea), white spruce ( Picea glauca), and quaking aspen ( Populus tremuloides) in the boreal region. In the better organic soil sites in the northern forest region, the most common associates are the northern white-cedar ( Thuja occidentalis), balsam fir, Fraxinus nigra ( Fraxinus nigra), and red maple ( Acer rubrum). In Alaska, quaking aspen and tamarack are almost never found together. Additional common associates are American elm ( Ulmus americana), balsam poplar ( Populus balsamifera), jack pine ( Pinus banksiana), paper birch ( Betula papyrifera), Kenai birch ( B. papyrifera var. kenaica), and yellow birch ( B. alleghaniensis).
There are a vast number of shrubs associated with Tamarack due to their range, some of the common ones are dwarf and swamp birch ( Betula glandulosa and Betula pumila), Willow ( Salix spp.), speckled alder ( Alnus rugosa), and red-osier dogwood ( Cornus stolonifera) bog Labrador tea ( Ledum groenlandicum), bog-rosemary ( Andromeda glaucophylla), leather leaf ( Chamaedaphne calyculata), blueberries and huckleberries ( Vaccinium spp.) and small cranberry ( Vaccinium oxycoccos). Characteristically the herbaceous cover includes Carex (Carex spp.), cottongrass (Eriophorum spp.), three-leaved false Solomonseal ( Maianthemum trifolium), marsh cinquefoil ( Potentilla palustris), Caltha palustris ( Caltha palustris), and bogbean ( Menyanthes trifoliata).
It is also grown as an ornamental tree in gardens in cold regions. Several dwarf cultivars have been created that are available commercially. Tamarack is commonly used for bonsai.
Tamarack poles were used in because of their resistance to rot. Tamarack posts were used before 1917 in Alberta to mark the northeast corner of sections surveyed within townships. They were used by the surveyors because at that time the very rot-resistant wood was readily available in the bush and was light to carry. Their rot resistance was also why they were often used in early water distribution systems.
The aboriginal peoples of Canada's northwest regions used the inner bark as a poultice to treat cuts, infected wounds, frostbite, boils and hemorrhoids. The outer bark and roots are also said to have been used with another plant as a treatment for arthritis, cold and general aches and pains.
Wildlife use the tree for food and nesting. Porcupines eat the inner bark, snowshoe hares feeds on tamarack seedlings, and red squirrels eat the seeds. Birds that frequent tamaracks during the summer include the white-throated sparrow, song sparrow, veery, common yellowthroat, and Nashville warbler.Dawson, Deanna K. 1979. Bird communities associated with succession and management of lowland conifer forests. In Management of north central and northeastern forests for nongame birds: workshop proceedings, 1979. p. 120-131. USDA Forest Service, General Technical Report NC-51. North Central Forest Experiment Station, St. Paul, MN.
Because tamarack is very shade-intolerant, it does not become established in its own shade. Consequently, the more tolerant black spruce eventually succeeds tamarack on poor bog sites, whereas northern white-cedar, balsam fir, and swamp hardwoods succeed tamarack on good swamp sites. Recurring sawfly outbreaks throughout the range of tamarack have probably sped the usual succession to black spruce or other associates.
Various tests on planting and natural reproduction indicate that competing vegetation hinders tamarack establishment.
The shade-intolerance of tamarack dictates the use of even-aged management. Some adaptation of clear cutting or seed-tree cutting is generally considered the best silvicultural system because tamarack seeds apparently germinate better in the open, and the seedlings require practically full light to survive and grow well. Tamarack is also usually wind-firm enough for the seed-tree system to succeed. Satisfactory reestablishment of tamarack, however, often requires some kind of site preparation, such as slash disposal and herbicide spraying.
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