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The Larch: A Colorful Fall Tree
Did you know that this coniferous tree changes color and drops its needles like broadleaf trees?
Back when I taught garden club, a curious third grader — the son of a teacher friend — asked why conifers don’t lose their needles and stay evergreen all year long. I didn’t have an answer. I told him we’d each research his question and report back at the following month’s meeting.
I’ve never been the type of teacher that feels they have to know everything. And fortunately for this student and others, his question pointed out a lack of knowledge in this area, so I took it seriously and gave his query due diligence.
In short, conifers do lose their needles, just not all at the same time like deciduous trees. Needles have a way to capture light all year long. This is possible due to adaptations that have occurred over eons. Needles are shaped in such a way that enables them to catch light during the “low light months” or winter, and they have a waxy coating to protect them from the harsh elements of wind and colder temperatures. Needles also have less surface area than a typical broad-leaf tree. In addition, conifers possess a natural anti-freeze in the form of proteins that prevent the needles from freezing and falling off the tree (Source).
