Eastern Hemlock (Canadian Hemlock)

Eastern hemlock is a species of conifers found across eastern North America at elevations of 600-1800 meters (2,000-5,900 feet).

Scientific Classification

Kingdom:	Plantae
Division:	Pinophyta
Class:	Pinopsida
Order:	Pinales
Family:	Pinaceae
Genus:	Tsuga
Scientific Name:	Tsuga canadensis

Quick Information

Other Names	Canadian hemlock, hemlock spruce
Size	31 meters(102 feet); exceptional specimens have been known to grow up to 53 meters(174 feet); straight and monopodial trunks.
Leaves (Needles)	Evergreen; flattened and typically distichous; 15 to 20 mm(0.59 to 0.79 inches) in length, could be as short as 5 mm(0.20 in) or as long as 25 mm(0.98 in).
Cones (Strobili)	Ovoid; 1.5-2.5cm (0.59-0.98 in) in length, 1-1.5 cm (0.39-0.59in) in width
Tree Type	Needled evergreen
Branches	Lower branches gravitate towards the ground
Shape	Slightly rounded apex, projecting outward
Distribution/Range	Ranges from NE Minnesota to Southern Quebec and Nova Scotia, and south in the Appalachian Mountains to Northern Georgia and Alabama.
Hardiness Zones	3 to 7
Lifespan	250-300 years to reach maturity; may live for 800 years or more
Growth Rate	Medium
Growing Conditions	Winter Conditions: Grows in cool, humid conditions; winter temperatures average about 10°-42° F (-12°-6° C) Summer Conditions: Temperatures average about 60° F (16° C) Rainfall: Areas where annual precipitation ranges between 740 mm and 1520 mm Sunlight: Partial sun/partial shade Soil Requirements: Sandy, loamy, moist, well-drained, acidic
Problems	Pest insects such as hemlock wooly adelgid; root rot disease
Flowering/Fruiting	Male flowers are yellow, small and round; females light green at branch tips; Fruits are ovoid, light brown cone, 3-4 inch long with rounded scales, maturing in early fall
Seed production	During mid-spring female flowers turn into green cones, once these cones turn brown and start to open slightly, seeds are ready to be picked
Seedling development	Seeds germinate when the temperature is around 15° C (59° F)
Wildlife Value	Black-throated blue warbler, black-throated green warbler, Blackburnian warbler are abundant in eastern hemlock cove forests; the white-tailed deer feed on the hardwood sprouts, foliage, and seedlings
Cultivars	More than 300 cultivars including some dwarf forms and weeping shrubs are used; popular varieties are: ‘Beehive’ ‘Bennett’ ‘Cole’s Prostrate’ ‘Gentsch White’ ‘Pendula’ ‘Jeddeloh’ ‘Sargentii’
Uses	Lumber is used for crates, general construction, railroad ties; also for pulp and papermaking; the Canadian hemlock makes for a durable and thick hedge
Identification of wood	Soft, coarse-grained and light buff in color
IUCN Conservation Status	Near Threatened

Interesting Facts

• The oldest recorded eastern hemlock, found in Pennsylvania, was more than 554 years old.
• The eastern hemlock is the state tree of Pennsylvania.
• Once it is cut down, the eastern hemlock tends to shed its needles quickly; this makes it unsuitable for being used as a Christmas tree.
• The leaves, twigs, and bark of eastern hemlock are used in tea, which provides relief from coughs, colds, fever, and kidney ailments.

References

1. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tsuga_canadensis
2. https://www.fs.usda.gov/rm/pubs_journals/2020/rmrs_2020_steed_j001.pdf
3. http://dendro.cnre.vt.edu/dendrology/syllabus/factsheet.cfm?ID=116