Wasowski, Sally and Andy
Pseudotsuga menziesii (Mirbel) Franco
Blue Douglas fir, Douglas-fir
Pinaceae (Pine Family)
This
evergreen grows from 15-150 ft. tall depending on environment. In mesic sites, the conical, columnar
tree is usually 75-100 ft. tall. Limbs are straight – the lower drooping, upper ascending. Flattened needles vary in color depending on seed source. Large to very large
tree with narrow, pointed crown of slightly drooping branches; 2 distinct geographic varieties: Coast and Rocky Mountain. The Rocky Mt. type is bluish-green; Pacific coast is dark-green; and yellow-green types exist.
Pendulous cones are ever-present.
Coast Douglas-fir (var.
menziesii), the typical Douglas-fir of the Pacific Coast, is a very large
tree with long, dark yellow-green needles and large cones with spreading bracts. Rocky Mountain Douglas-fir (var.
glauca), of the Rocky Mountain region, is a medium-sized to large
tree with shorter, blue-green needles and smaller cones with bracts bent upward. One of the worlds most important timber species, Douglas-fir ranks first in the United States in total volume of timber, in lumber production, and in production of veneer for plywood. It is one of the tallest trees as well and a popular Christmas tree. David Douglas (1798-1834), the Scottish botanical collector, who sent seeds back to Europe in 1827, is commemorated in the common name. The foliage is consumed by grouse and by deer and elk; birds and mammals eat the seeds.
Image Gallery:
4 photo(s) available
Plant Characteristics
Duration: Perennial Habit: Tree Leaf Complexity: Simple Leaf: Green
Fruit: Brown
Size Class: 12-36 ft.
Bloom Information
Bloom Time: Apr
Distribution
USA: AZ , CA , CO , ID , MN , MT , NV , NM , NY , OR , TX , UT , WA , WY
Canada: AB Native Distribution: Mts. of Alt. to w. TX & n. Mex., w. to B.C. & CA
Native Habitat: Moist, well-drained, mountain sites
USDA Native Status: L48(N), CAN(N) Growing Conditions
Water Use: Medium
Light Requirement: Part Shade
Soil Moisture: Dry
CaCO3 Tolerance: Low
Soil Description: Igneous, Limestone-based, Sandy, Sandy Loam, Moist, well-drained, neutral or slightly acid soils.
Conditions Comments: Douglas fir in the Pacific Northwest can reach 150 ft. At the other extreme, some Douglas firs in Big Bend National Park grow only 15 ft. tall. Branches grow to the ground on
solitary trees; trees in groves self-prune, revealing the thick bark. The
tree fails on dry, poor soils; in crowded spaces; or in high winds. In the proper environment the
tree is fast-growing and seedlings are likely to establish.
Butterflies and Moths of North America (BAMONA)
Pseudotsuga menziesii is a larval host and/or nectar source for:
Last Update: 2008-04-01
