What is mélèze?
The Wood Guide · Wood register
Wood speciesWhat is mélèze?
Mélèze is simply the French word for larch — but in the timber trade the term often means something specific: slow-grown mountain wood from the Alps.
- Larix — around ten species
- The only conifer that sheds its needles
- Class 3–4
European larchLarix decidua
What is mélèze?
Mélèze is simply the French word for larch — but in the timber trade the term often means something specific: slow-grown mountain wood from the Alps.
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The same tree, a different name
If you buy mélèze in Belgium or France, you are buying larch. But the term often carries an expectation that does not apply to every larch.
The genus Larix belongs to the pine family and has around ten species, all in the northern hemisphere. In Europe it mainly means Larix decidua, the European larch from the Alps, Poland, the Sudetes and the Tatras, and the introduced Japanese larch Larix kaempferi, which is more resistant to larch canker.
In French-speaking regions — and so also in the Belgian timber trade — mélèze usually brings to mind mountain larch from the Alps. The climate and altitude make those trees grow slowly, which gives narrower growth rings, denser wood and more heartwood than a larch from a fast-growing plantation in the Low Countries. That difference is real, and it is why people ask for mélèze by name.
What every larch has in common: it is the only conifer in our part of the world that sheds its needles in autumn. The heartwood is reddish brown and darkens in the light; the sapwood is whitish yellow and clearly lighter.
No standard says mélèze has to come from the mountains. If you want slow-grown, dense wood, ask where it comes from and look at the growth rings: the closer together they are, the slower the growth and the sturdier the wood.
- Botanical
- Larix spp., family Pinaceae
- European species
- Larix decidua — Alps, Poland, Sudetes, Tatras
- Introduced
- Larix kaempferi, the Japanese larch
- Height
- about 30 m, trunk diameter up to 1 m
- Service life
- 150 to 200 years
- Heartwood
- reddish brown, darkens in light
- Sapwood
- whitish yellow, not durable
- Special feature
- the only conifer in our region that sheds its needles
To be fair: larch moves a lot. The wood shrinks and swells noticeably as the weather changes, and it tends to twist and warp if it is not properly dried or firmly fixed. On cladding you can deal with that by using enough fixing points; for a surface that has to stay dead straight, you are better off choosing something else.
Which larches exist
| Species | Where | Special feature |
|---|---|---|
| Larix decidua | Alps, Poland, Sudetes, Tatras | the European larch; the classic mélèze |
| Larix kaempferi | Japan, introduced to Europe | faster-growing, more resistant to larch canker |
| Larix sibirica | Eastern Siberia and Manchuria | slow-grown and dense; traded separately |
| Larix potaninii | Western China | rarely traded in Europe |
| Larix occidentalis | Oregon, Washington, Idaho, Montana, British Columbia | western larch |
| Larix laricina | Eastern and northern Canada, north-eastern US | tamarack; smaller and rarely used as building timber |
How mélèze performs
Colour
Reddish-brown heartwood that darkens under the influence of light, with clearly lighter, whitish-yellow sapwood. Left untreated outdoors, it weathers to silver grey.
Durability
The heartwood is in class 3–4: moderately durable. Above ground and sheltered it lasts a long time; in the ground it does not, without treatment.
Resin
Larch contains resin, which makes it naturally somewhat water-repellent but can also cause resin bleed on sunny sides.
Strength
Strong for a softwood: it is used in structures, façades and scaffold boards where spruce falls short.
Movement
The wood moves noticeably as humidity changes. Fix cladding with enough fixing points and let the wood acclimatise.
Working
It saws and planes well, but the hard growth rings are tough on tools and the resin sticks to saw blades.
Where mélèze belongs
Cladding
The best-known use. Attractive figure, weathers to an even silver tone, and lasts a long time above ground.
Decking boards
Possible, but it moves and splinters more easily than hardwood. If you go for it, choose slow-grown, dense material and use plenty of fixings.
Garden structures
Pergolas, screens and canopies — everything above ground, with the end grain protected.
Indoors
Floors, wall panelling and beams. Indoors the reddish-brown colour comes into its own and durability plays no role.
In the mountains
In Alpine building, mélèze is the traditional wood for chalets and shingle roofs, precisely because it grows locally and can cope with the climate.
Not in the ground
For posts and ground contact, class 3–4 is not enough. Use pressure-treated softwood or a class 1 species instead.
The two are often weighed against each other: both reddish brown, both stronger than spruce. Douglas fir is usually more dimensionally stable and available in larger sizes; larch has a livelier figure and slightly higher natural durability.
Frequently asked questions about mélèze
Is mélèze the same as larch?
Yes. Mélèze is the French word for larch. In the trade, though, the term is often used for slow-grown mountain wood from the Alps.
What makes Alpine mélèze different?
The slow growth. At altitude and in a cold climate the tree grows more slowly, with narrower growth rings, denser wood and proportionally more heartwood.
Can mélèze be used outdoors untreated?
Above ground, yes. The heartwood is in durability class 3–4 and weathers to silver grey. In contact with the ground you need treatment or a different species.
Does larch really lose its needles?
Yes, and that is unique for a conifer in our region. In autumn the needles turn golden yellow and fall.
Does larch move a lot?
More than most softwoods. It shrinks and swells noticeably and can twist. So fix cladding with enough fixing points and let the wood acclimatise first.
How does it differ from Siberian larch?
Siberian larch is a different species, Larix sibirica, which grows even more slowly and gives denser wood. It is traded separately and has its own points to watch.
More in the wood register
Larch, Siberian larch and Douglas fir each have their own page.
Have a question about your project? Just ask — we're happy to help.
Larix decidua — Lumbar, Public domain · Larix decidua — Philipp Zinger, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Larix decidua — KaiKemmann, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Photo via Wikimedia Commons: Larix decidua — Uoaei1, CC BY-SA 4.0