I missed it the last two years running, the larches at Shevlin Park turning golden, the apex of our fall leaf color in Central Oregon. Finally I was able to get out on an extraordinarily beautiful day and take a few gazillion photos. Note to self: the first week of November seems to be prime time for larch color.
The Western Larch, Larix occidentalis, is not a common tree in our area so we are fortunate to have several hundred trees right here in Bend. It is a tree with specific environmental conditions that we lack for the most part: cool temperatures, a lot of sunlight, and limited competition from other trees. Because it is the most highly fire-adapted conifer that we have, it often thrives in areas that are burned over with some regularity. And, it is also a rarity among conifers, a deciduous species like the cypresses, that drops its needles in the fall.
There is something quite amazing about walking along a path covered in golden larch needles, a veritable yellow brick road come to life, and walking through a glittering shower of golden needles on a sunny and breezy day.
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