iN PHOTOS: Western larch lights up forests in Kamloops, Okanagan

The hills are aglow in the forests around Kamloops and the Okanagan as western larch needles turn a brilliant yellow before falling off.

Western larch is the only genus of conifer in the province that changes colour and drops its foliage. The annual phenomenon creates splashes of bright yellow on hillsides of dark green conifers.

There are three species of larch in the province according to John Karakatsoulis, a professor at Thompson River University’s natural resources department.

Western larch is found naturally at lower- to mid-elevations in the southern part of BC. Some of it has been planted further north of its natural range in the past few decades.

A species of larch called tamarack grows in the Prince George area and further north in the Peace area. A third native larch, subalpine larch, is found at higher elevations between Hope and Princeton and in the southeastern part of the province.

According to The Weather Network, BC has one of the highest concentrations of larch trees in the world, but their magical transformation is short-lived. After turning yellow, the needles drop off over two to four weeks depending on the weather.