Columnar Tree Dreaming: Japanese Larch 'Paper Lanterns'

More dreaming about trees going on here on the blog today.  Yesterday, I posted about the columnar American Sweetgum called Slender Silhouette.  The whole [tree dreaming] series can be found at the very bottom of this post.  If you're not interested in following along with me in documenting some of the trees that I've come across this Winter that are worth sharing, you can just move along here. 

But, today I'm posting about something interesting:  a new (to me) deciduous conifer.  I have a few deciduous conifers on our property including a Dawn Redwood and Bald Cypress that are both small trees. 

Turns out, the largest portion of deciduous conifers appear to be larch trees.  From this post on The Spruce:

Most of the deciduous conifers belong to the genus Larix and are commonly known as larch trees. These trees have short needles in clusters that run along the branches, with flowers sprinkled throughout. The flowers transform into cones. Larch trees are appealing because they look like spruce trees in summer but stand out in autumn when their needles display stunning new colors.

(Emphasis, mine)

This post is about the Larix Kaempferi Paper Lanterns Larch tree.  I first came across the tree at Conifer Kingdom here.   Here's a look at the tree in it's Fall show:

Source via Pinterest here. 

This one has "Japanese" in the name, so you know that I'm drawn to it, right?  The American Conifer Society describes the tree thusly:

Larix kaempferi 'Paper Lanterns' is a unique narrow upright tree form of Japanese larch with slightly contorting or twisting branches and twigs that bear numerous papery lantern-shaped cones which become very prominent in fall along with the yellow-orange needle display. Foliage is typical medium green during the growing season.

Those lantern-shaped cones are interesting.  ConiferKingdom.com has this close-up photo of them:

Not my photo.  Via ConiferKingdom.com listing here.  Source. 

This one is hardy down to Zone 4, so it would work well in our Zone 5b yard.  Last Summer, I came across a Larch tree at The Growing Place, but I don't think it was a columnar form. 

There appear to be a few other columnar varieties of Larch trees including this Blue Rabbit Larch (that I don't like as much as this Paper Lanterns variety) and this Jacobsen's Pyramid Larch that *might* also be a Blue Rabbit?  Kigi Nursery has a 6-7 year old tree for $200.  And...finally, there's one more variety of narrow Larch tree that features two things that I am drawn to:  contorted branching AND weeping.  Yeah...both in the same tree.  I'll post about that particular Larch tree tomorrow. 

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As I post more of these 'tree dreaming posts' this Winter,  I've decided to do a property inventory of my columnar tree dreams.  These are trees that if I come across, I'd be hard-pressed to not add to our yard:

•  The Amanogawa Japanese Flowering Cherry tree - a columnar variety that's hardy to Zone 5b. 
• This post that references a compilation from Pretty Purple Door that includes the columnar Goldspire Ginko. 
• A columnar Norway Spruce - an evergreen that can (I think) be sourced locally (not online).
• A Slender Hinoki Cypress (technically a shrub) that is home in a Japanese garden.
• A couple of 'white' columnar trees:  Dakota Pinnacle Birch and Swedish Aspen.
• Now this Columnar Eastern White Pine - that I hope would be disease resistant.  
• In 2018, I posted about these Sky Pencil Holly narrow shrubs.  
• We have a small Weeping White Spruce that I planted in 2019 in our backyard.  
• Late January 2020:  Van Den Aker Narrow Alaskan Weeping Cedar (and Green Arrow Weeping Cedar)
• A (non-columnar) Austrian Pine that has these crazy 'candles' or pipe cleaners on the tips.
• This super narrow 'Joe Kozey' Narrow Japanese Umbrella Pine can handle heavy snow loads. 
• Another columnar Birch tree - The Parkland Pillar Birch can be used as a screen or privacy hedge.
• This Slender Silhouette American Sweetgum has a similar feel to many of the deciduous columnar trees that I've covered here.  
• A narrow Japanese Larch called "Paper Lanterns" that has beautiful papery cones.