Another wood ID (no pic yet)

[op_man1]

I have two trees at the far end of my yard that I think are Tamarack. They are evergreen with LOTS of dropping needles (needles are about 2/3 inches), although the tree still has needles all winter. Height is about 60 feet or so, trunks are about 24-30" or so. Branches can be either dropping or going up - towards the top of the tree they go up and towards the bottom they drop a bit. You can see the tunk on pretty much the entire tree, although there are quite a few branches. I live in eastern Ontario.

Are there other trees you know of that could fit this description or is this likely Tamarack? Will send pics when I find the battery charger for the camera!

Sorry if this is a bad tree description! The tops of the trees snapped in 1998 and they look kind of funny as result. They also drop their needles and make a big mess. I think they will go next year, regarless of type... I see that Tamarack seems to be high enough on the BTU chart (for a softwood species).

 

[Backwoods Savage]

Could that be white pine? If so, just spell w-h-i-t-e. That is 5 letters. Now see if the needles grow in groups of 5. If so, it is white pine. If not, you might be right.

 

[op_man1]

Could that be white pine? If so, just spell w-h-i-t-e. That is 5 letters. Now see if the needles grow in groups of 5. If so, it is white pine. If not, you might be right.

I will check it tonight. Thanks.

 

[Adios Pantalones]

If they drop all of their needles every year, then they are probably tamarack. White pine will have green needles through the winter, tamarack will not. Tamarack needles are in bunches sticking off the branch in an odd fashion- sort of a fraggle hairdo style. They never really look "full"- even with needles.

summer/winter tamarack:

 

[Wood Duck]

Tamarack drop all of their needles each fall, so they don't have needles in the winter. They are deciduous needle-leaved trees. White Pine, and many (most?, all?) other pines drop a bunch of needles each fall, but keep lots of needles and are green all winter. Broken down tops make me think White Pine. Are the needles long or short? How many needles grow per bunch? The number of needles in a cluster is a big help identifying pines, The length of the needles is also helpful. Of course pictures are best.

 

[op_man1]

Ok, not Tamarack, since I definitley have lots of needs on the tree all year. It drops a shtload but also keeps a lot. Probably white pine but will check tonight on the number of needles per cluster.

 

[Battenkiller]

You'll know where the tamarac is around your area in a couple of weeks. The needles turn yellow before they fall, so you have an evergreen-shaped tree that is covered with yellow needles... a pretty distinctive look once you notice it.

 

[Wood Duck]

Eastern White Pine has 5 needles per cluster in most of the clusters, and relatively long, soft needles. Pretty distinctive in the east. Other pines here have much stiffer needles.