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Pseudotsuga menziesii var. menziesii (Mirbel) Franco

Douglas-fir

Pinaceae (Pine Family)

USDA Symbol: PSMEM

USDA Native Status: Native to U.S.

The wood was used as fuel and to make items such as spear handles, harpoon shafts, spoons, dip-net poles, harpoon barbs, fire tongs, salmon weirs, caskets and halibut and cod hooks by coastal groups. The Nuxalk, Quinault and others made torches from the pitchy heartwood. (pojar/mackinnon)
Medicinal: The pitch was used to make a medicinal salve for wounds and skin irritantions. (pojar/mackinnon)
Become established after fires on wetter sites, thus many old-growth forests contain giant Douglas fir that represent a legacy of fires that swept the landscape many centuries ago.
Squirrels, chipmunks, mice, shrews, winter wren and crossbills eat the seeds.
Bears scrape off the bark and eat the sap layer beneath.
Deer browse on young trees.

 

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Plant Characteristics

Duration: Perennial
Habit: Tree
Leaf Complexity: Simple

Distribution

USA: CA , NV , OR , WA
Canada: BC
Native Habitat: Forest
USDA Native Status: L48(N), CAN(N)

Growing Conditions

Light Requirement: Sun
Soil Moisture: Moist

Benefit

Use Wildlife: Squirrels
Attracts: Butterflies
Larval Host: Pine White (Neophasia menapia), Columbia silkmoth

Butterflies and Moths of North America (BAMONA)

Pseudotsuga menziesii var. menziesii is a larval host and/or nectar source for:
Pine White
(Neophasia menapia)

Larval Host
Learn more at BAMONA 		Columbia silkmoth
(Hyalophora columbia)

Larval Host
Learn more at BAMONA
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Find Seed or Plants

Find seed sources for this species at the Native Seed Network.

From the National Organizations Directory

According to the species list provided by Affiliate Organizations, this plant is on display at the following locations:

Santa Barbara Botanic Garden - Santa Barbara, CA

Bibliography

Field Guide to Moths of Eastern North America (2005) Covell, C.V., Jr.
Field Guide to Western Butterflies (Peterson Field Guides) (1999) Opler, P.A. and A.B. Wright

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Recommended Species Lists

Find native plant species by state. Each list contains commercially available species suitable for gardens and planned landscapes. Once you have selected a collection, you can browse the collection or search within it using the combination search.

View Recommended Species page

Additional resources

USDA: Find Pseudotsuga menziesii var. menziesii in USDA Plants
FNA: Find Pseudotsuga menziesii var. menziesii in the Flora of North America (if available)
Google: Search Google for Pseudotsuga menziesii var. menziesii

Metadata

Record Modified: 2007-01-01
Research By: TWC Staff

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