European Larch

Larix decidua

Found in forests. Weakley, Flora of the Southeastern United States (2025), Northern Tier edition What its natural habitat tells you

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Not native

Not native to West Virginia. How scores work Is it native here?

Profile 76%

Height: 60–100 feet
Spread: 20–30 feet
Light: Full sun, Partial shade
Soil moisture: Usually moist

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American Holly
Ilex opaca
Sun: Full to part sun. Soil: Average. Flowers: Yellow.
Similar growth form, evergreen or deciduous, light
Eastern White Pine
Pinus strobus
Sun: Full sun, Partial shade. Soil: Somewhat dry to moist. Flowers: Yellow, green, inconspicuous or red.
Similar growth form, height, spread
Shortleaf Pine
Pinus echinata
Sun: Full sun, Partial shade. Soil: Somewhat dry to moist. Flowers: Yellow.
Similar growth form, height, spread

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At a glance

Life cycle: Woody perennial
Leaves: Deciduous or evergreen
Bloom: Mid spring
Fruiting season: Winter

Recorded in 1 West Virginia county.

Natural habitats

Places it grows wild. Not a planting requirement. Each habitat page lists the plants and wildlife also found there.

Forests and woodlands

Forest or woodland where the source does not say how moist or dry.

All habitats

Also found with this plant

Wildlife whose habitat models include habitats this plant grows in, in West Virginia. Shared habitat, not food. 108 animals.

Cooper's Hawk
Accipiter cooperii
Birds. 2 shared habitats
Dark-eyed Junco
Junco hyemalis
Birds. 2 shared habitats
Double-crested Cormorant
Phalacrocorax auritus
Birds. 2 shared habitats
Downy Woodpecker
Picoides pubescens
Birds. 2 shared habitats
Eastern Bluebird
Sialia sialis
Birds. 2 shared habitats
Eastern Kingbird
Tyrannus tyrannus
Birds. 2 shared habitats
Eastern Screech-owl
Megascops asio
Birds. 2 shared habitats
European Starling
Sturnus vulgaris
Birds. 2 shared habitats
Fox Sparrow
Passerella iliaca
Birds. 2 shared habitats
Golden-crowned Kinglet
Regulus satrapa
Birds. 2 shared habitats
Golden-winged Warbler
Vermivora chrysoptera
Birds. 2 shared habitats
Gray Catbird
Dumetella carolinensis
Birds. 2 shared habitats
Great Horned Owl
Bubo virginianus
Birds. 2 shared habitats
Hairy Woodpecker
Picoides villosus
Birds. 2 shared habitats
Hermit Thrush
Catharus guttatus
Birds. 2 shared habitats
Hooded Merganser
Lophodytes cucullatus
Birds. 2 shared habitats
Long-eared Owl
Asio otus
Birds. 2 shared habitats
Mourning Dove
Zenaida macroura
Birds. 2 shared habitats
Northern Flicker
Colaptes auratus
Birds. 2 shared habitats
Northern Mockingbird
Mimus polyglottos
Birds. 2 shared habitats
Northern Saw-whet Owl
Aegolius acadicus
Birds. 2 shared habitats
Osprey
Pandion haliaetus
Birds. 2 shared habitats
Ovenbird
Seiurus aurocapilla
Birds. 2 shared habitats
Pileated Woodpecker
Dryocopus pileatus
Birds. 2 shared habitats

All wildlife of West Virginia

Ecological relationships

Who uses this plant?

What these records mean

80CaterpillarsGenus host records with ranges including WV

Genus host records with ranges including WV · Larix

Acronicta impressaImpressive Dagger, Printed Dagger
Amorbia humerosanaWhite-Lined Leafroller Moth
Anavitrinella pampinariaCommon Gray, Cranberry Spanworm
Aplectoides conditaX
Argyrotaenia occultanaFall Spruce Needle Moth
Argyrotaenia velutinanaRed-Banded Leafroller Moth, Jack Pine Tube Moth
Biston betulariaSalt-and-Pepper Geometer, Cleft-Headed Looper
Callima argenticinctellaOrange-Headed Epicallima
Campaea perlataPale Beauty, Fringed Looper
Caripeta angustiorataBrown Pine Looper Moth

Show all 80

Caripeta divisataGray Spruce Looper Moth
Celypha nr.Celypha Moth
Choristoneura fumiferanaSpruce Budworm Moth
Choristoneura pinusJack Pine Budworm
Chytolita morbidalisMorbid Owlet
Cladara limitariaMottled Gray Carpet, Yellow-Lined Conifer Looper, Yellow-Lined Forest Looper, Black-Angled Wave
Clepsis persicanaWhite Triangle Tortrix
Coelodasys unicornisUnicorn Caterpillar Moth
Cyclophora pendulinariaSweetfern Geometer
Dasychira vagansVariable Tussock Moth
Dysstroma citrataDark Marbled Carpet
Dysstroma truncataMarbled Carpet
Eacles imperialisImperial Moth, Imperial Spiny Caterpillar
Ectropis crepusculariaThe Small Engrailed, Saddleback Looper
Elaphria versicolorVariegated Midget
Epirrita autumnataThe Autumnal Moth, November Moth
Eufidonia notatariaPowder Moth
Eupithecia miserulataCommon Eupithacia, Common Pug
Eupithecia palpataSmall Pine Looper, Palpata Pug
Eurois occultaGreat Grey Dart, Great Brocade
Eutrapela clematariaCurved-Tooth Geometer, Purplish Brown Looper
Feralia jocosaJocose Sallow, The Joker
Hesperumia sulphurariaSulphur Moth
Hyalophora cecropiaCecropia Silkmoth, Cecropia Moth
Hydriomena divisariaBlack-Dashed Hydriomena, Transverse-Banded Looper
Hyphantria cuneaFall Webworm
Ipimorpha pleonectusaEven-Lined Sallow, Blackcheeked Tentmaker
Iridopsis larvariaBent-Line Gray
Iridopsis vellivolataLarge Purplish Gray
Lambdina fiscellariaHemlock Looper, Western Oak Looper
Lapara bombycoidesNorthern Pine Sphinx
Lithophane innominataNameless Pinion
Lobophora nivigerataPowdered Bigwing, Two-Lined Aspen Looper
Lophocampa caryaeHickory Tussock Moth, Hickory Tiger Moth
Macaria bisignataRed-Headed Inchworm
Macaria exauspicataSpeckled Granite
Macaria signariaPale-Marked Angle, Spruce-Fir Looper, Dusky Peacock
Malacosoma disstriaForest Tent Caterpillar
Melanchra assimilisBlack Arches
Melanolophia canadariaCanadian Melanolphia, Variable Redmarked Looper
Melanolophia signatariaSignate Melanolphia
Nematocampa resistariaFilament Bearer, Horned Spanworm Moth
Nemoria mimosariaWhite-Fringed Emerald
Nepytia canosariaFalse Hemlock Looper Moth, Evergreen Span Worm
Nepytia semiclusariaPine Conelet Looper
Orgyia leucostigmaWhite-Marked Tussock Moth
Orthosia hibisciSpeckled Green Fruitworm Moth, Speckled Green Quaker
Palthis angulalisDark-Spotted Palthis
Panthea acronyctoidesBlack Zigzag, Tufted Spruce Caterpillar
Panthea furcillaEastern Panthea, Tufted Pine Panthea
Paralobesia palliolanaSpruce Mlcromoth
Pero honestariaHonest Pero
Pero morrisonariaMorrison's Pero
Probole amicariaFriendly Probole
Prochoerodes lineolaLarge Maple Spanworm Moth
Protoboarmia porcelariaPorcelain Gray, Dashedlined Looper
Rhyacionia frustranaNantucket Pine Tip Moth
Sparganothis sulfureanaSparganothis Fruitworm Moth, Sulfur Leafroller, False Yellow-Head
Sphinx gordiusApple Sphinx
Spiramater lutraDarling Mamestra, Splashed Arches, Otter Spiramater, Otter Arches
Syngrapha aliasSpruce Looper, Hooked Silver Y
Tacparia detersataPale Alder
Tetracis cachexiataWhite Slant-Line
Thyridopteryx ephemeraeformisEvergreen Bagworm Moth
Xestia badicollisWhite Pine Cutworm, Northern Variable Dart, White Pine Dart, Northern Pine Dart
Xestia dilucidaDull Reddish Dart, Reddish Heath Dart
Xestia elimataSouthern Variable Dart, Southern Pine Dart
Xestia praeviaEarly Conifer Dart, Praevia Dart
Zale duplicataPine False Looper, Banded Zale
Zale helataBrown-Spotted Zale

Shropshire & Tallamy 2025, Lepidoptera of North America north of Mexico, ZooKeys 1261 (ODbL)

—BeesSoutheastern regional records

—Specialist beesPollen specialists

3BirdsRecorded genus food-resource interactions; not a state feeding claim

Recorded genus food-resource interactions; not a state feeding claim · Larix

Dendragapus obscurusDusky Grouse
Falcipennis canadensisSpruce Grouse
Loxia curvirostraRed Crossbill

Hurlbert, Olsen, Sawyer & Winner 2021, Avian Diet Database, Scientific Data 8: 260 (CC0)

Direct food only: birds recorded eating this genus across North America. Caterpillars on host plants also feed nesting birds. NC Native Plant Society: butterfly gardening

Growing and identification

Plant details

Family: Pinaceae
Hardiness: Zones 2a–6b
Soil pH: Acidic to neutral
Flower color: Red
Growth rate: Moderate
Growth habit: Single stem
Foliage color: Yellow-green
Fruit begins: Winter
Fruit ends: Winter

Safety has not been reviewed for this plant; check toxicity and thorns before planting.

Growing sources and scope

Bloom · “Mid spring” · USDA PLANTS · Nationwide species characteristics; local growing conditions may vary
Flower color · “Red” · USDA PLANTS · Nationwide species characteristics; local growing conditions may vary
Foliage color · “Yellow-green” · USDA PLANTS · Nationwide species characteristics; local growing conditions may vary
Fruit begins · “Winter” · USDA PLANTS · Nationwide species characteristics; local growing conditions may vary
Fruit ends · “Winter” · USDA PLANTS · Nationwide species characteristics; local growing conditions may vary
Growth habit · “Single stem” · USDA PLANTS · Nationwide species characteristics; local growing conditions may vary
Growth rate · “Moderate” · USDA PLANTS · Nationwide species characteristics; local growing conditions may vary
Hardiness · “Zones 2a–6b” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox
Height · “60–100 feet” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox (ranked first; USDA PLANTS, Minnesota Wildflowers differ)
Leaves · “Deciduous or evergreen” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox
Life cycle · “Woody perennial” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox
Light · “Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day); Partial shade (direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox
Soil · “Moist” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox
Soil pH · “Acidic to neutral” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox
Spread · “20–30 feet” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox

Conservation status

West Virginia rank	SNA
Global rank	G5
WV status	Not verified
Federal status	Not verified

Conservation source Global and federal source