European larch
Larix deciduaEuropean larch is a conifer that sheds its needles in autumn. Soft needles grow in tufts from small woody knobs on the twigs. Old cones stay on the bare branches all winter.
How to identify European larch →
Jarro Nevsbaru, CC BY 4.0
jamie-aa, CC BY 4.0
Lookalikes
European larch or ginkgo?
Both drop every leaf in autumn, and both hold their leaves in tufts on short spurs.
The quickest check
The quickest check is the leaf from a tuft. European larch: slender soft needle, up to 3 cm. Ginkgo: flat fan, 5 to 10 cm, on a long stalk. No leaves on the tree? Check the spurs on a bare branch.
At a glance
| Look at | European larch | Ginkgo |
|---|---|---|
| Leaf from a tuft | Slender soft needle, up to 3 cm | Flat fan, 5 to 10 cm, on a long stalk |
| Spurs on a bare branch | Low woody knobs, a millimetre or two long | Stubby knobs at regular spacings, to 3 cm |
Two ways to tell them apart
Leaf from a tuftLeaves
Spurs on a bare branchTwigs and buds
The two trees
Ginkgo
Ginkgo bilobaGinkgo is a tree planted in parks, large gardens and city streets. Its leaves are flat green fans on long stalks, notched or split in the middle. In autumn they turn gold.
How to identify ginkgo →Their other lookalikes
In the app
See them side by side in Treely
- Both trees, part by partLeaves, bark, buds, flowers and fruit, photographed through the year
- Every lookalike side by sideThe checks that settle it, for every pair people mix up
- A short round each dayUntil you can tell them apart at a glance
- The full GuideBoth trees written up in full, with where to find them
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Every fact on this page is checked against the Collins Tree Guide, last in November 2026. Spotted something that looks wrong in front of a real tree? Tell us. How we check.
Photographs: Jarro Nevsbaru (CC BY 4.0), jamie-aa (CC BY 4.0), Susan Marley (CC BY 4.0), Clive Freedman (CC BY 4.0). With thanks to everyone who shares their photographs on iNaturalist and Wikimedia Commons.