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).
Canadian Hemlock
Eastern Hemlock
Scientific Classification
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Division: | Pinophyta |
| Class: | Pinopsida |
| Order: | Pinales |
| Family: | Pinaceae |
| Genus: | Tsuga |
| Scientific Name: | Tsuga canadensis |
Canadian Hemlock Tree
Eastern Hemlock Tree
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 |
Eastern Hemlock Needles
Eastern Hemlock Leaf
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.
Eastern Hemlock Bark
Canadian Hemlock Pictures
Canadian Hemlock Needles
Eastern Hemlock Cones
References
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tsuga_canadensis
- https://www.fs.usda.gov/rm/pubs_journals/2020/rmrs_2020_steed_j001.pdf
- http://dendro.cnre.vt.edu/dendrology/syllabus/factsheet.cfm?ID=116
Published on June 7th 2016 by Sudipto Chakrabarti under Hemlock.
Article was last reviewed on 30th November 2022.
