Despite it being 55 years ago, it’s still impossible to not flash back to Monty Python’s ridiculous “The Larch” skit, from their “How to Recognise Different Types of Trees from Quite a Long Way Away”. Although we’re limited in the true larches we can grow here, one that does thrive, and one of the earliest trees to show fall color here is Pseudolarix amabilis, or the fake larch.
Pseudolarix is one of a small number of deciduous conifers, who drop their needles in fall/winter. This monotypic genus, native to the Southeast coastal provinces of China, usually has a much more open layered look. We feel that this compact form, which we named Pseudolarix ‘Greensanity’, would be a much better choice for home gardeners, over the typically found seed grown plants. It is our hope to find someone willing to graft this selection and make it available one day. Hardiness is Zone 4a-8b.
Tony,
I had one of these Larches which I got shortly after our China trip (late ’90s) where I saw larches in the wild. It was doing fine until I moved it b/c I had to cut down an oak nearby and the light shifted. Unfortunately, I moved it into too much shade and it died. I’ve been looking for one ever since but I can’t remember where I got it. Could I possibly have gotten from you? Maybe Heronswood? I take it from your comments that it’s not in the trade anymore.
Back in the 1990s, we did offer this as a one time offering, so it could have come from us. They are now somewhat established in the nursery trade.
If not Pat or Alex, I think Kevin had a bunch of seed, maybe he has understock that’s perfect? I have heard that you can take cuttings off juvenile trees. Glad you gave that tree a cv name, taken more than one photo of it.
I’m trying to get Pat interested. I’d never seen such a well-branched Pseudolarix.
We agree that it’s pretty special.