Larix decidua 'Gossard Dwarf' / European Larch

Larix decidua 'Gossard Dwarf' is a low, mounding upright globose form of European larch with pale green foliage that turns straw-yellow before being shed in the fall. After 10 years of growth a mature specimen will measure 24 inches (60 cm) tall and wide, an annual growth rate of around 2 inches (5 cm).

This cultivar originated as a seedling selected in 1986 by Randy Dykstra of Fulton, Illinois, USA, from seed collected from the original Larix decidua 'Lanark' broom. It was selected because of exceptional dwarf characteristics. The plant was named at the request of Ted Krueger, another long-time conifer lover who lived in Crystal Lake, Illinois who wanted to name it for an old friend, Myron Gossard who was raised in the Lanark, Illinois area. The original broom was destroyed in 1992 because of ignorance. Randy raised hundreds of seedlings from this broom. Many have been dispersed throughout the conifer world. Nearly all of the them after the first selection have turned out to be very compact and excellent plants.