#don't rush

It's not uncommon for me to see cute jokes/comments around my username, so, an explainer!

The Western Larch is a coniferous tree found in the mountains of the US Pacific Northwest (Eastern Washington & Eastern Oregon), Northern Idaho & Montana, and the southern Interior of BC, Canada (yay, it's me!).

Grows in valleys and lower slopes of mountains

A deciduous conifer (one of the few evergreens that loses its needles in winter!). Its needles turn a brilliant gold in the fall, making them stand out among the other evergreens

Its needles are soft, especially in the spring; young trees are gentle and flexible

The Larch can grow up to 60 meters, but growth is very slow…one foot every 30 years!

As it ages, a Larch's trunk become incredibly strong and more resistant to environmental forces

Can survive in areas susceptible to strong wind/heavy snows/avalanche. Grows where other trees cannot .

Western Larches are very fire resistant. Stands of larches are often found in tact when everything else has burnt down

They can thrive in fire-blackened soil