Description
Bundle of 25
At a Glance: Growing up to 197’ tall, Western Hemlock has the densest canopy of any tree species in the west, so that few understory plants can grow under it. Western Hemlock will only grow in sites with significant organic content in the soil. It has a narrow crowna conspicuously drooping leader, gracefully down-sweeping branches and delicate, feathery foliage. Its rough, scaly, thick and furrowed bark is reddish-brown.
Leaves: Needles are short, flat, blunt, widely and irregularly spaced of unequal length producing feathery flat sprays that are yellowish-green on top.
Cones: Pollen cones are numerous, and small. Seed cones are also small and numerous, and are oblong, purplish-green when young to light brown when mature.
Growing Conditions:
| Sun/Shade Tolerance | Hydrology | Elevation Range |
| Full sun 80%-100%
Most sun 60%-80% Part sun/shade 40%-60% Shade 20%-40% |
Fairly dry
Moist Wet
|
Low elevations
Mid elevations
|
References:
MacKinnon, A., Pojar, J., & Alaback, P. B. (1994). Plants of the Pacific Northwest coast: Washington, Oregon, British Columbia & Alaska. Richmond, Wash: Lone Pine Publishing.
