Larix laricina (American Larch, Tamarack) - QT

American Larch, also known as Tamarack, is a deciduous conifer native to the northernmost parts of North America down to northern Ohio. It is adapted to live in wet, boggy soil with an acidic pH where its roots remain cool year-round. The blue-green foliage turns entirely brilliant yellow in fall before all the needles drop in order to get through the coldest of cold weather unscathed. These trees are not tolerant of dry, hot summers, shallow, poor soils, shady conditions, or urban pollutants. They would prefer to be planted in consistently wet or moist soils, with deep mulch (pine bark or pine needles would be best to help lower the pH) to keep the root zone cool through the summer months.
In ideal growing conditions, Tamaracks can grow to be very tall and provide nesting sites for Bald Eagles and Ospreys. Because the trees lose their needles in the winter, they are not a good source of protective cover for wildlife during the cold months and cannot perform the role of a windbreak. The seeds are a source of food for Pine Siskins, and the foliage is host to some 121 species of Lepidoptera throughout its range.
There is conflicting information about the salt tolerance of Larix laricina. Many sources say that because it drops its needles before winter, it is unaffected by road salt runoff. However, because we are slightly outside of even its most southern native range and the trees are likely to be stressed by the heat of summer, it is probably not advisable to plant them in such a location. It would be best to protect the tree from any additional stresses wherever possible.
Sources:
Native Trees, Shrubs, & Vines by William Cullina
Manual of Woody Landscape Plants by Michael A. Dirr
Midwestern Native Shrubs and Trees by Charlotte Adelman & Bernard L. Schwartz
Eastern/Central Medicinal Plants and Herbs by Steven Foster and James A. Duke
Missouri Botanical Garden
Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center
Illinois Wildflowers
American Conifer Society