Guides · Tree database · Pennsylvania trees
Tamarack (eastern larch) identification: needles, bark, cones and twigs
Tamarack, Larix laricina, is a native tree in Pennsylvania. How to recognize it by its needles, bark, cones and twigs, and how to tell it from look-alikes.
Soft needles that drop every fall. Soft, light green needles 3/4 to 1 inch long, in tufts on short spur shoots. Bark: Gray-brown to reddish brown bark in small scaly patches. Checked Nov. 14, 2026.
How to identify tamarack
| Leaf type | Soft needles that drop every fall |
|---|---|
| Needles | Soft, light green needles 3/4 to 1 inch long, in tufts on short spur shoots. A conifer that drops its needles: they turn yellow in fall. |
| Bark | Gray-brown to reddish brown bark in small scaly patches. |
| Cones | Small egg-shaped cones 3/4 to 1 inch long, light brown, hanging on through winter. |
| Twigs | Slender light brown twigs covered in stubby spur shoots. |
| Size and shape | Open, narrow cone-shaped crown on a straight trunk; up to about 80 feet. |
From the Virginia Tech Dendrology fact sheet, in our own words.
Is tamarack native to Pennsylvania?
The Pennsylvania Natural Heritage Program (PNHP) lists tamarack as native to Pennsylvania.
See all 140 trees, with a 4-question identifier, in our Pennsylvania tree identification guide.
Trees that look like tamarack
| Tree | Its leaves |
|---|---|
| European larch Larix decidua | Soft needles that drop every fall. Light green needles about 1 inch long that fall off each autumn; single on new growth and in tufts on older twigs. |
Compare the leaves first, then the bark, cones and twigs on each tree’s page.
Questions
How do you identify tamarack?
Look for soft needles that drop every fall. Soft, light green needles 3/4 to 1 inch long, in tufts on short spur shoots. Bark: Gray-brown to reddish brown bark in small scaly patches.
Is tamarack native to Pennsylvania?
The Pennsylvania Natural Heritage Program (PNHP) lists tamarack as native to Pennsylvania.
How big does tamarack get?
Open, narrow cone-shaped crown on a straight trunk; up to about 80 feet.
What tree looks like tamarack?
European larch. Compare the leaves first.
Sources: Virginia Tech Dendrology (Larix laricina fact sheet); Pennsylvania Natural Heritage Program, PA Vascular Plant List (native or introduced status). Checked Nov. 14, 2026.
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