Larch Bonsai Zones

I was planning on buying a larch pro-bonsai. I would like to ask if my climate is suitable for larch specie to survive. I live in Fresno, CA. Our summer sometime 100+, and 15+ for winter time. So can i have a larch bonsai in this climate of mine.

Thanks for any advices
Regards, Jason.

Psuedolarix kaempferi ( Golden Larch ) , may work . I suspect all other commonly found Larches would succumb to the heat .

Golden larch is Pseudolarix amabilis. Larix kaempferi is Japanese larch. Beware of zone envy. If you would like to grow something like a larch in Fresno, get a cedar, like Cedrus libani. A cedar is an evergreen larch.
Iris

Golden Larch is also known as Pseudolarix kaempferi , though I think it may be an older moniker .

http://plants.usda.gov/java/profile?symbol=PSKA2

Western Larch are common over in eastern Oregon, where the climate is hot and dry, but not here on the westside of the Cascade range. They grow here, but do not propagate on their own here, too warm and fuzzy. Try shopping your local nurserys to see if they are selling any larch for local planting (landscaping). While you're there see what they are selling to get an idea of what you can grow down that way.

The USDA site is usually correct, but not this time. Larix kaempferi is the accepted name for Japanese larch. Pseudolarix kaempferi is a synonym. Check names with the Plant List.
Iris

Such a fountain of knowledge Iris...I'm simply amazed haha

Thanks for all the wonderful advices, sorry for the late reply, my internet was down for a few days. uhm... so i guess larch is not an option for my climate. i really like that specie.

bonsaisr wrote:Golden larch is Pseudolarix amabilis. Larix kaempferi is Japanese larch. Beware of zone envy. If you would like to grow something like a larch in Fresno, get a cedar, like Cedrus libani. A cedar is an evergreen larch.
Iris

Whilst both belong to the genus pinus and share rosette like growth, the cedar is not an evergreen larch!

You mean the family Pinaceae. I was speaking metaphorically. Larch and cedar are rather closely related and have a somewhat similar growth habit. Spruce & fir would not do well in California, so the nearest thing she could try that would have a similar appearance to a larch would be a cedar. Some of the Mediterranean pines have a similar juvenile growth habit, but they don't seem to do well as bonsai.
Iris

You know exactly what I mean Iris so no need for patronising. If you speak metaphorically whilst giving out factual information, you may confuse matters.

BTW, and to my surprise, according to the tol project pinaceae page, cedar is no more related to larix than to any other pinacea, and laryx closest relatives are pseudotsuga to it may due too data scarcity.

OK, I stand corrected. I don't think Douglas fir would be too happy in California either, so it's cedar if anything.
Iris

I am often told that our climate here in Australia is very similar to California. We get 100+ Summer days here and I was told I would not be able to grow larch. In fact my local bonsai nurseryman (300km away) refused to sell them to me. I was stubborn and bought some seeds and grew my own. They have been going well for several years although still quite small. As I grow other cold climate trees such as hornbeam I have organised to protect from the harsh Summer. I bought a larger one last year and that is also going pretty good.
I think the main issue will be does it get cold enough in the Winter for them to have a good dormant period where you are.
We usually get a few -2 deg celsius mornings through the Winter with frosty mornings but no snow but occasionally one hour away we do get snow on the mountain. This seems to be JUST cold enough.

Well, Bonsai4Life, I have a larch for you. Fresno is in USDA Zone 9. The true larches are all from hardiness zones 2 to 5 or 6. However, the golden larch, Pseudolarix amabilis, has a range that extends to Zone 9. It looks like a true larch and is used for bonsai, so give it a try. Monrovia Nursery lists it, so you should be able to get it in California.
There are lots of pictures on the Internet of Pseudolarix bonsai, so get inspired.
Iris

Thank you everybody for great advices. i will give it a try. Wish me luck guys,

thank you, Jason

So, after 16 months, how is your larch growing?
I do love larches and a very kind person from IBC has sent to me a 4 years old seedling of Larix kaempferi to give it a try. You see I have the same zone problem like you have.
Thank you.

Bonsai4life wrote:Thanks for all the wonderful advices, sorry for the late reply, my internet was down for a few days. uhm... so i guess larch is not an option for my climate. i really like that specie.

You're just going to have to move further north.

Hi all, I would only like to say that your ag zone is a starting place and not the only criteria to consider. I say this because your ag zone will only give you your minimum winter temp. This will tell you if the tree can survive your winters, but not reflect on if the tree can survive your summer.

Particularly with most Larch this is the time when you need to protect them. Zone wise I am in an excellent position, but when the summer heat is on I have to mist regularly or my larch will get yellow needles. The larch in the eastern part of Oregon begin to yellow in mid-summer, if it's a hot one.

IMMHO, larch should due ok in a 9a given careful tending during your summer months. It would be interesting to know if Jason ever got going with one. Rick

The question is, where do you find these? Not real common.

If Monrovia lists Pseudolarix, go to their web site. They have a link to tell you if any nurseries in your area sell ir.
Iris

Hello, Rick!

RKatzin wrote:... ...IMMHO, larch should due ok in a 9a given careful tending during your summer months. It would be interesting to know if Jason ever got going with one.    
Rick

I thought you might be interested to know that the little larch has carried safely through the summer. Note, that this summer was not as hot as it could be in past years... Anyway, the tree is happily growing and getting fatter  
Now, when it will start to shed I plan to move it to a balcony facing northwards to give it -hopefully- colder conditions.
I would also like to ask your opinion on a possible placement into the bottom compartment of the refrigerator.

Hi all, I would only like to say that your ag zone is a starting place and not the only criteria to consider. I say this because your ag zone will only give you your minimum winter temp. This will tell you if the tree can survive your winters, but not reflect on if the tree can survive your summer.

For that, you need help from the American Horticultural Society's Heat Zone map:

http://www.ahs.org/gardening-resources/gardening-maps

Greetings,

I just read about that the Japanese Larch trees I've purchased will not grow in my zone and I'm trying to find out if in fact this is true. I'm located in Virginia ag zone 6b-7a. I read how some had these trees grow in this area for a few years but after so long the trees died because the heat was to much or winters not cold enough. I really enjoy these trees so I hope I can keep them alive.

Dave

dhd47 wrote:Greetings,

I just read about that the Japanese Larch trees I've purchased will not grow in my zone and I'm trying to find out if in fact this is true.  I'm located in Virginia ag zone 6b-7a. I read how some had these trees grow in this area for a few years but after so long the trees died because the heat was to much or winters not cold enough.  I really enjoy these trees so I hope I can keep them alive.

Dave

Larch do well up here in zone 6, so I would think that you would be ok. But, if there are experienced people in your area that say they don't do well there then I might think that they could be right.