#2717 "Singleton Sanctuary November Tamaracks"

#2717 "Singleton Sanctuary November Tamaracks"
11x14 oils on canvas

The colours of the larch within the Singleton Sanctuary were just a bit past prime when I seized the opportunity to go out and paint them. It was windy with gusts to 20 knots. The sun felt great on my shoulder but 22 degrees Celsius in early November is certainly not justified. I was even bitten by a black fly and was pestered a bit by blowflies. One black fly got mixed in with the oils.

Tamaracks or larch are favourites of mine. I have painted them before. The larch's fiery, bright autumn colours are still around long after all the deciduous trees have lost their leaves. I wore a blaze orange toque for safety. No one should be hunting the Singleton Sanctuary but one can't be too careful.

Larch trees, also known as tamaracks, are a favourite species among many people because they are both beautiful and unique. These trees are both deciduous and coniferous. It is found in every province and territory in Canada. Most conifer trees keep their needles year-round, but tamaracks are deciduous conifers — their needles fall off in autumn and new ones grow in spring. Tamarack has a medium to fast growth rate (2.5 feet per year) in its youth. This slows down over time. Healthy trees can reach from 70 to 75 feet high and 25 to 30 feet wide at maturity. It provides cover from summer heat for bears and deer but is browsed by relatively few species. Snowshoe hares feed on twigs and bark, and porcupines feed on the inner bark. Spruce grouse eat the needles and buds. 

Tamarack is a smaller tree that rarely exceeds 75 feet in height, while western larch can exceed 180 feet. Tamarack trees may live for 200 years, while western larch can often exceed 400 years of age. The extremely thick bark (up to 6 inches) allows these trees to survive many forest fires without damage. 

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Warmest regards and keep your paddle in the water,

Phil Chadwick