A guide to coniferous trees in the Alps

Fall has arrived in the Alps, which means mushrooms are popping out of the ground everywhere and leaves of deciduous trees are showing beautiful orange, red and yellow colors. The bright vibrant colors of mountain nature at this time of year is like candy to the eye. Most coniferous trees in the Alps stay green over winter, but there is one species that doesn’t: the European larch (Larix decidua). During fall the needles of these trees turn bright yellow!

European larch 

The autumnal colours in a larch forest make it without a doubt my favourite place to hike at this time of year. The European larch is a very common tree line species in the Alps and you’ll see loads of them along the trails of the Tour du Mont Blanc and the Chamonix Zermatt Haute Route. It is the only coniferous tree in the Alps that loses its needles, which makes it easy to recognize during fall: it’s the only tree that will have bright yellow needles. In summer this beautiful tree has light green needles which feel quite soft when you touch them.

Spruce, fir, pine or larch?

Other coniferous trees you might see on the Tour du Mont Blanc and the Chamonix Zermatt Haute Route are Norway spruce (Picea abies), silver fir (Abies alba) and several species of pine. So how can you tell the difference between all these different coniferous species?

Distinguishing between the four genera of coniferous trees is easy when looking close at their needles:

– P is for Pine, Pairs
The needles of pines are together in Pairs. (Please note there is one exception! The Arolla pine – Pinus cembra – has its needles together in bundles of five).

– F is for Fir, Flat
The needles on a fir are, just like a spruce, attached singly to the branches. To tell the difference between the two you can look at the shape of the needle: only a fir’s needle is Flat. 

– L for Larch, Lots
Larches have clusters of Lots of needles. The L also stands for Losing, because as said before the larch is the only conifer found in the Alps losing its needles over winter.

– S for Spruce, Single
The needles on a spruce are attached Singly to the branches.

Enjoy the colors!

But for now, just take in those bright vibrant autumnal colors. And also, don’t forget to look around for the many mushrooms while wandering along the trails of the Tour du Mont Blanc and Chamonix Zermatt Haute Route!

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Simone van Velzen

In her work as an alpine naturalist Simone adds an exciting new dimension to your Tour du Mont Blanc trek with insights into the incredibly rich flora and fauna of the Alps. Simone studied Wildlife Management at the Van Hall Institute in the Netherlands. After her studies she left her home country (which is flatter than a pancake) and moved to British Columbia. In the Canadian Rockies, she discovered the astonishing richness of mountain environments. Her passion for mountain nature was born. And when she returned to Europe, she based herself in Chamonix-Mont-Blanc, the perfect setting for exploring and studying the natural history of mountain environments. As an alpine naturalist she writes for outdoor magazines and leads excursions in the natural world.

If you step into the natural world with Simone, her passion for all living things—wild flowers to lichen, birds to mammals—can’t help but rub off on you. She’s excited to meet you on your Tour du Mont Blanc and share the amazing natural wonders in the Alps.

Latest posts by Simone van Velzen (see all)

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