Big-Leaf Maple vs Common Larch

Acer macrophyllum compared with Larix decidua

Key Differences

• Big-Leaf Maple is Least Concern while Common Larch is Not Evaluated.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Big-Leaf Maple	Common Larch
Kingdom same	Plantae (Plants)	Plantae (Plants)
Phylum	Magnoliophyta (Flowering Plants)	Coniferophyta (Conifers)
Class	Magnoliopsida (Dicots)	Pinopsida (Conifers)
Order	Sapindales (Sapindales)	Pinales (Pines & Allies)
Family	Sapindaceae	Pinaceae (Pine Family)
Genus	Acer	Larix
Species	Acer macrophyllum	Larix decidua

Evolutionary Relationship

Big-Leaf Maple and Common Larch share a common ancestor at the Kingdom level: Plantae. (Plants)

Conservation Status

Big-Leaf Maple

LC — Least Concern

Common Larch

NE — Not Evaluated

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Big-Leaf Maple	Common Larch
Diet	—	—
Average Lifespan	—	—
Average Length	—	—
Average Weight	—	—

Habitat & Geographic Range

Big-Leaf Maple

Habitat

Typically found in diverse terrestrial habitats from tropical forests to temperate regions.

Range

Distributed across Belgium, Canada, Ireland, and United States.

Common Larch

Habitat

Typically found in temperate and boreal forests, often at higher elevations.

Range

Widely distributed across Asia (Armenia, Turkey), Europe (18 countries), North America (Canada, United States), and Oceania and the Pacific (New Zealand).

Big-Leaf Maple

The Big-Leaf Maple (Acer macrophyllum) is a species in the genus Acer. It is currently classified as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List. Typically found in diverse terrestrial habitats from tropical forests to temperate regions.

Common Larch

Common Larch (<em>Larix decidua</em>) is a deciduous conifer in the family Pinaceae, distinguished among conifers by its seasonal needle drop. Its native range spans Asia (Armenia and Turkey), eighteen European countries, North America (Canada and the United States), and Oceania (New Zealand), encompassing a broad latitudinal range across temperate and boreal zones. The species typically inhabits temperate and boreal forests, often at higher elevations in montane and subalpine zones where it tolerates cold, short growing seasons and well-drained mineral soils. Common Larch is an important timber tree and is widely planted in forestry and as an ornamental species. Its golden autumn foliage is a distinctive feature of mountain landscapes in the Alps and Carpathians. The conservation status of this species has not been formally evaluated by the IUCN. It plays an ecological role in structuring montane forest communities and providing habitat for numerous associated species. Biological traits of this species remain poorly documented in the scientific literature.

Shared Countries

Both species can be found in 4 countries:

🇧🇪 Belgium 🇨🇦 Canada 🇮🇪 Ireland 🇺🇸 United States