Juniper vs. Tamarack: Names, Type, and Wood

Owner asks if juniper is a tree or shrub, if it's called tamarack, and whether it's hardwood/softwood.

Clarification

Tamarack (Larix laricina) is a deciduous conifer (larch), not a juniper. It sheds needles in fall, has very hard wood for a conifer, and ranges across North America.

Juniper (Juniperus spp.) are evergreen conifers, mostly shrubs or small trees, with softwood.

Common names overlap regionally ("juniper" sometimes used for tamarack), but they are distinct genera.