Q: A caller recently asked you about growing a golden larch. You said larch doesn’t grow here, but then backtracked on your answer. Can you elaborate?

A: I sure wish I had listened to her say “golden larch” rather than hearing “larch”!

Larch, Larix species, is a deciduous tree commonly found in the mountains of North America. It does not do well at all in the South.

On the other hand, golden larch, Pseudolarix kaempferi, grows perfectly well here. It has thin needles which turn a brilliant yellow in fall before dropping. The tree is a slow grower but can be an excellent specimen tree. Trees Atlanta sells them during their annual tree sale.

Golden Larch