A deciduous conifer, “People who see western larch for the first time are immediately impressed by its tall, ramrod-straight form and narrow, pyramidal crown made up of fine, bright-green needles that contrast with the somber dark green of most conifers. In autumn, larch foliage transforms to a stunning gold yellow that seems to light whole mountainsides. Then a few weeks later the needles fall, making newcomers think these barren conifers are dead.” --From Stephen Amo's canonical Northwest Trees: Identifying and Understanding the Region's Native Trees