European Larch Sapling Trees

• Variety: European Larch, the deciduous conifer with rusty autumn needles
• Latin name: Larix decidua
• Sold as: Bareroot saplings, 40/60cm tall
• Mature size: More than 12m tall and 4 to 8m wide, and 30 to 35m in time
• Time to full size: More than 50 years
• Foliage: Deciduous. Soft light green needles in whorls, turning yellow in autumn
• Cones: Erect, up to 4cm, held on the branches for years
• Use: Woodland, shelter and big garden planting. Not for a clipped hedge
• Position: Full sun. Stands an exposed site
• Soil: Any deep, well-drained soil, acid to neutral. Not chalk, not wet ground
• Hardiness: H7, hardy in the severest British winter
• Delivered: Bareroot, November to April. Collection from Castle Cary also available

European Larch is a conifer that drops its needles: soft green in spring with small pink-red cones, rusty orange in autumn, bare all winter. It is a big tree for a big space, it wants full sun and deep, drained soil, and it is rated H7, the hardiest band there is.

European Larch Sapling Trees

The European Larch tree, Larix decidua, is a deciduous conifer, a large, graceful specimen tree that looks lovely in early spring, when the first new leaves and bright little pink-red female cones appear at the same time. The needles are richly scented and turn rusty orange in the autumn.
Mature trees produce large numbers of miniature cones with seeds that feed several bird species, and the thick, scaly bark is good for insects. The old cones stay firmly on the branches for several years, which is handy for making Christmas wreaths.

To 30-35 metres with a very narrow habit with young, spreading to a pyramid.
You can also buy Japanese Larch to create a wild looking group of trees.
Browse our large garden trees, or all of our trees.

Delivery season: Larch trees are delivered bareroot from late autumn to early spring, November to April.
Choosing a size: Small trees are cheaper, easier to handle and more forgiving of less than ideal aftercare, so they're best for a big planting project. If instant impact is your priority, or if you are only buying a few plants for use in a place where it's convenient to water them well in their first year, then you may as well use bigger ones. All our bareroot trees are measured by their height in centimetres above the ground (the roots aren't measured).

Growing Larches

Wet sites or chalky soil aren't suitable. Larches are vigorous, light hungry trees that will shed old, low down branches if they're in the shade too much.
Your trees can reach 45 metres, but about 30 metres is the norm.

European larches of Alpine origin seem to be susceptible to canker and have been replaced in production with other strains of the species from parts of Europe where resistance is high, including trees in Scotland that came from Germany originally.

Planting Companions

Plant it with Japanese Larch, linked above, for a mixed group of the two. In a shelter belt, Scots Pine and Silver Birch suit the same open ground, and the evergreens are with our conifers. Dust the roots with Rootgrow as you plant.

Why Ashridge for Hedging and Young Trees?

Hedging and young trees are not a sideline here: your European Larch saplings are grown for us by specialist growers. Bareroot plants are lifted to order while dormant and guaranteed for 12 months. Ashridge has sold plants since 1949 and is a Which? Best Plant Supplier 2025.

Frequently Asked Questions

How big does a European Larch grow?

Big. More than 12 metres tall and 4 to 8 metres across, and 30 to 35 metres in time. Give it room.

Is a Larch evergreen?

No. It is a conifer that loses its needles: they come soft and green in spring, turn orange in autumn and drop.

Will it grow on chalk or wet ground?

No. It wants a deep soil that drains, acid to neutral, and full sun. Wet sites and chalk are the two to avoid.

Can you clip it as a hedge?

No. Plant it for woodland, shelter or a specimen. It needs no pruning.

Will it take an exposed site?

Yes. It is rated H7, the hardiest band there is, and it stands an exposed site.

What is the difference between European and Japanese Larch?

Both are deciduous conifers, and we sell both as bareroot saplings. Plant them together for a mixed group.

When are the plants delivered?

Bareroot only, from November to April, while the plants are dormant. You can order at any time of year and your plants are lifted and sent once the season opens.