{"id":11925,"date":"2022-09-17T05:41:04","date_gmt":"2022-09-17T10:41:04","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.forestwildlife.org\/?page_id=11925"},"modified":"2022-11-12T11:39:42","modified_gmt":"2022-11-12T16:39:42","slug":"western-hemlock-tree","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.forestwildlife.org\/western-hemlock-tree\/","title":{"rendered":"Western Hemlock Tree: Key Facts"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Did you know that the bark of western hemlock trees can be used to tan leather? Or that parts of the tree can be made into bread? Keep reading to learn more about these and other western hemlock tree key facts!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Quick Facts About Western Hemlock Trees<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Scientific Name:<\/strong><\/td>Tsuga heterophylla<\/em><\/td><\/tr>
Common Names:<\/strong><\/td>Western hemlock, coast hemlock, west coast hemlock, Pacific hemlock, western hemlock-spruce, Alaska pine<\/td><\/tr>
Type of Tree:<\/strong><\/td>Evergreen\/ conifer<\/td><\/tr>
Physical Description:<\/strong><\/td>Large evergreen tree with drooping lead, down-sloping branches, and an overall thick, feathery appearance. Needles are short, flat, and blunt at the tip, and they grow from the sides of each branch in a feather-like pattern. Pine cones are \u00bc to \u00be inch long and grow thickly on the tree. Bark is reddish-brown to brownish-gray and furrowed.<\/td><\/tr>
Distribution:<\/strong><\/td>Coastal regions from California through Alaska, Montana, Idaho, and British Columbia.<\/td><\/tr>
Habitat:<\/strong><\/td>Temperate rainforests, evergreen forests, mixed deciduous forests<\/td><\/tr>
Average Height:<\/strong><\/td>100 to 150 feet<\/td><\/tr>
Average Lifespan:<\/strong><\/td>300 to 500 years (some have been known to live 1,200 years)<\/td><\/tr>
Uses:<\/strong><\/td>– Wood pulp
– Timber
– Food
– Medicine
– Tanning
– Dye<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

What are Western Hemlock Trees?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Western hemlock trees are large evergreens<\/a> native to the Pacific Northwest region of the United States<\/a> and western parts of Canada. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

They have very thick foliage that often shades out other plants attempting to grow beneath them. Their wide, flat needles are packed tightly on each branch, and the branches and lead both have a droopy, down-sloping appearance.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Western hemlock trees grow slowly at first<\/a>, often getting their start<\/a> in rotting wood beneath other trees. As they become established<\/a>, they may add up to two feet of growth each year and will begin to dominate the forests where they are found.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

These shade-loving trees are used to receiving a lot of water. Their shallow root systems make them prone to toppling in windy conditions.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

To learn more about western hemlocks, check out this video:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=pCciH_0AJj0<\/a>