The eastern larch is one of our rare deciduous conifers, and arguably the most beautiful of them all. Each spring, this northern tree pushes out soft blue-green needles and tiny purple cones that are as small as your thumbnail. Come autumn, these needles turn a golden yellow and fall, just like our oaks and maples, to re-needle again in the spring. Feisty red squirrels and songbirds dine on the larch’s seeds, and cedar waxwings, warblers, and song sparrows are among the many birds who nest in its boughs. The larch hosts a selection of caterpillars, and even humans can safely nibble on the fresh spring needles, which have bright, crisp notes of citrus and pine. This tree is incredibly cold-hardy, and can thrive in temperatures as low as -85F, but it also tolerates warmer temperatures as well. If you have the habitat for it, this is a tree well-worth planting for its fantastic beauty and colors.