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