The fruit of the larch tree is its cone—and in my opinion, they’re some of the prettiest ones out there! However, don’t be surprised if your tree takes its sweet time to produce them. Growing flowers and fruit requires a massive amount of energy for a larch. Here’s a quick guide to everything you need to know about these charming cones.
When to expect the first cones
Botanically speaking, larches belong to the pine family (Pinaceae). This means they produce cones that are not only great for DIY crafts and holiday decor, but also make fantastic natural fire starters. But here’s the catch: a larch has to reach a certain age before it’s ready to start producing.
If your larch is a “solitaire” (standing alone with plenty of space and sunlight), it might start showing off cones as early as 15 years old. However, if your tree is part of a dense forest or a crowded grove, it might wait until it’s 30 or 40 years old to produce its first batch. So, if you’ve just planted a young larch, you’ll need to pack a little patience!
What you should know about larch cones
Keep in mind that growing cones is an exhausting process for the tree. To pull it off, the larch needs to be in the perfect location with the right nutrients. In years when the tree is heavy with cones, you’ll actually notice its overall height and branch growth slow down because it’s diverting all its energy to its offspring. Once the larch flowers bloom in the spring, they eventually develop into the cones we recognize.
Cone shape and appearance:
- Color: Light brown
- Shape: Classic egg-shaped cone
- Length: Between 1 and 1.5 inches
- Width: Between 0.5 and 0.75 inches
- Stance: Mature cones sit upright on the branches
One of the coolest things about larch cones is that they stick around. While the seeds inside ripen gradually and usually fly away by the following year, the empty cones themselves can stay attached to the branches for up to 10 years! This means once your larch starts fruiting, it’ll look beautifully textured and “decorated” for a long time to come.
