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How do larch and cedar short shoots produce new needles?
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Conifer
A giant sequoia (Sequoiadendron giganteum) estimated to be between 1,900 and 2,400 years old, Grizzly Giant is the oldest tree in the Mariposa Grove, Yosemite National Park, California.
In conifers, the short shoots of larch (Larix) and true cedar (Cedrus) are permanent, woody structures often described as peglike or spurlike. Unlike transient short shoots that are shed annually, these structures persist on the branches and elongate slowly over time.1
These permanent short shoots produce new needles each year. In true cedars, these needles are typically clustered in dense tufts at the ends of the short spurs. Similarly, in larch, the needles are arranged in whorls at the tips of these spurs, with each spur capable of supporting 10 to 30 soft, light green needles. Because these shoots are permanent, they continue to function as sites for annual needle production throughout the life of the twig.123