Golden Larch

The Golden Larch (Pseudolarix kaempferi) is a deciduous tree native to the Yangtze River valley in southern China.

Appearance
A Golden Larch resembles a tree of the true larch genus (Larix) but has small cones that fall apart when mature and club-shaped, short branchlets, or shoots, that are longer than those of Larix species. It has reddish-brown, fissured bark and may grow to 30 to 40 metres (about 100 to 130 feet) tall and 1.5 to 2.4 m (5 to 8 ft) in diameter. The needlelike leaves are bright green in summer but turn golden in autumn before they fall. They are grouped in spirals on the long shoots and arranged in star-shaped clusters on the spurlike shoots.

Status
According to the Embassy of the People’s Republic of China, the Golden Larch is one of five rare species of garden trees throughout the world. Golden Larch trees are favored for their golden yellow leaves that appear during the autumn.