OOPS... American Larch in Florida

I pulled the trigger on an American Larch grove before I did my homework... probably have to sell it  
 
Question: Is it at all feesible to grow this in 9b?
 
Thanks for any insight.

I wouldn't think so. They need a dormancy period, and I'm not sure zone 9 would be able to give them that.

only if you have a big freezer......

Zone 9b is 25 to 30 degrees f. Do you get frost? It could work as long as it doesn't rise above 45 and below 29 degrees f.

Bonsaiteen wrote:Zone 9b is 25 to 30 degrees f.  Do you get frost?  It could work as long as it doesn't rise above 45 and below 29 degrees f.

Below 29....? Larch can withstand much colder than that.

Ryan wrote:

Bonsaiteen wrote:Zone 9b is 25 to 30 degrees f.  Do you get frost?  It could work as long as it doesn't rise above 45 and below 29 degrees f.

Below 29....? Larch can withstand much colder than that.

Maybe the top but what about the root mass? That temp is ideally where you want to be.

Bonsaiteen wrote:

Ryan wrote:

Bonsaiteen wrote:Zone 9b is 25 to 30 degrees f.  Do you get frost?  It could work as long as it doesn't rise above 45 and below 29 degrees f.

Below 29....? Larch can withstand much colder than that.

Maybe the top but what about the root mass?  That temp is ideally where you want to be.

I'm sure the roots, along with some protection, could very easily handle that. Larch are quite cold hardy, especially given the temperatures they can withstand in the wild.

The point is not that the Larch could not tolerate 29°F, but if it gets enough cold to go dormant. If the tree doesn't get its dormancy it will slowly weaken and deteriorate.
How many days of 29°F do you get on average?
My bigger Larches are outside up to -10°C (14°F), the ShoHin get a bit more protection but they also get some frost, so they are totally dormant before they go into the greenhouse.

Bonsaiteen wrote:Zone 9b is 25 to 30 degrees f.  Do you get frost?  It could work as long as it doesn't rise above 45 and below 29 degrees f.

I've yet to see a larch grow further south than central Pennsylvania. It's a zone 5-6 or lower at best.

joe_a wrote:I pulled the trigger on an American Larch grove before I did my homework... probably have to sell it  
 
Question: Is it at all feesible to grow this in 9b?
 
Thanks for any insight.

Sell it as quickly as possible.  Larch are zone 5-6 or lower.

There's a beautiful larch growing at the NC Arboretum in Asheville, NC...that's the furthest south I've seen them. A larch can stand unprotected in temps below 20F for weeks to months without any damage....but it won't last a year anywhere in FL.

Lack of winter temps and dormancy are only part of the problem. You're forgetting the prolonged, sweltering heat and humidity - especially at night - that will do this tree(s) in long before the lack of winter does. Sell it north ASAP, while you still have something to sell.

If you must have a larch, try golden larch, Pseudolarix amabilis. But first ask around to see if anyone else in Florida grows it. Now you know why pine wannabe Casuarina is so popular down there.
Iris