The European larch comes from the larch genus, which in turn belongs to the pine family. As the name suggests, it is mainly native to Europe. There it is mainly found in the Alps, the High Tatras (highest part of the Carpathian National Park in Slovakia and Poland), the Sudetes (mountain range in Germany, the Czech Republic and Poland) and the Polish lowlands.
As the larch is very light-requiring, it grows naturally mostly in higher, alpine regions and on light-permitted steep slopes with a sub-continental climate. However, due to its great economic importance for furniture and timber construction, it is also cultivated outside its native range in warmer regions.