Larix kaempferi (Japanese larch, "Karamatsu")

Japanese name: カラマツ （唐松、落葉松）
Scientific name: Larix kaempferi

[Overview]
A deciduous coniferous tree reaching 30 m in height and 1 m in trunk diameter.
It is distributed from the subalpine to the alpine zone, and sunny, dry places suit its growth.
The bark is dark gray and falls off in long scales.
The leaves are borne singly in a spiral on long shoots, and in clusters of 20–30 on short shoots (3–4 mm long).
The leaves are needle-shaped, 2–3 cm long and 0.1–0.2 cm wide, and green tinged with powdery white.
The leaves turn yellow in autumn.
There are male and female flowers; the male flowers are elliptical to long-ovate, 4 mm long.
The female flowers are borne at the tips of short shoots, and are reddish purple and ovate, about 10 mm long.
The cone is ovoid-globose, 2–3 cm long, at first greenish white and turning brown when ripe.
The seeds have long wings.

[Uses]
It grows quickly and is used as a windbreak and snow barrier, and the wood is also used for construction.

[Cultivation]
It is also planted in the Chugoku region, Shikoku and Kyushu, but good growth is limited to high-elevation areas of Hokkaido, Tohoku and the Chubu region.
It likes full sun very much, and sunny, dry places are suitable for its growth.
It tolerates poor and dry soil fairly well, and if soil conditions are suitable it grows 1 m a year.
It has strong sprouting ability, and branches regenerate even from thick trunks.
It is weak against sea breezes, and its shape easily changes under the influence of wind.

[Notes]
The alternative names Fuji-matsu and Nikko-matsu come from its abundance on Mount Fuji and at Nikko, and Rakuyosho from its leaves falling in autumn.

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