WESTERN HEMLOCK
tsuga heterophylla

• also known as Pacific Hemlock, West Coast Hemlock
• 'tsu-ga' is the Japanese word for "tree" and "mother". 'heterophylla' means "different leaves" in Greek
• the scent of the crushed needles reminded early settlers of a European weed with a similar smell

UNIQUE FEATURES:

• has a narrow crown
• droopy new growth at the top of the tree
• feathery foliage on down-sweeping branches
• shallow root system which makes it sucseptible to blowdown
• important food source for deer and elk

LOCATION:

• along the coast of British Columbia
• in Interior wet belt west of the Rocky Mountains
• grows from sea level to mid elevations
• can tolerate shady areas
• can grow on decaying wood or even raw humus

SIZE:

• average 30 to 50 metres in height

CONES:

• numerous, small (1.5-2.5 cm)
• greenish, turning brown with age
• hang from the ends of the branchlets

NEEDLES:

• nearly flat, soft, glossy, widely spaced along twigs
• are of 2 lengths with the shorter ones standing upright along the top of the twigs producing a feathery, flat look
• yellowish-green on top and whitish on the underside

BARK:

• rough, scaly, reddish or dark brown

WOOD CHARACTERISTICS:

• even grain, resists scraping

USES:

• modern - doors, windows, staircases, ladders, architectual miller items
• traditional - inner bark: bread, cakes, eaten whipped with snow and eulachon grease; wood: carvings, spoons, combs, roasting spits, dishes; branches/needles: tea, spice; bark: tanning hides, red dye; roots: strengthen fishing lines