Larix

Larix, commonly known as larch, is a genus of deciduous conifers in the pine family Pinaceae, unusual among conifers for shedding its needles each autumn. Larches grow to as much as 60 metres tall and are native to the cooler regions of the Northern Hemisphere, occupying lowland forests in the far north and higher elevations further south; they are among the dominant trees of the boreal forests of Siberia and Canada, making Larix the most abundant tree genus on Earth by area covered. Larch wood is notably tough and durable, widely used in boatbuilding, decking, cladding, garden furniture, fencing, and general construction, while the living trees also yield commercially useful extracts including arabinogalactan (larch gum), rosin, turpentine, and an essential oil, giving the genus both ecological dominance and long-standing economic importance.