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EXPLORE > PLANTS > GYMNOSPERMS
Pseudotsuga menziesii
The Douglas-fir is the second tallest conifer in the world, second only to the coast redwood. A mature specimen may top out at over 240 feet (73 m) and reach a diameter of over 6 feet (1.8 m). The tallest living Douglas-fir is called the “Doerner Fir” and is located in Coos County, Oregon. Mature specimens can be identified by their conical crowns with foliage consisting of slightly twisted needles which are typically dark green. The tree’s bark is smooth and dark gray in younger trees, but becomes thicker as the plant ages. Numerous blisters on the bark produce a thick, sticky and highly aromatic resin.
These trees are particularly abundant in forests over one hundred years old where they form thick snags which are used as habitat for a variety of animals. The endangered northern spotted owl uses old-growth Douglas-fir forests as its primary habitat. Seedlings, needles and bark also provide food for black-tailed deer, Roosevelt elk and porcupines. The tree’s seeds are particularly important to mice, chipmunks and shrews, who will gather them from fallen cones and hoard them for use throughout the year.
For human uses, the Douglas-fir produces more raw timber than any other tree species in North America. The lumber is used mostly for construction purposes, although live trees are also used ornamentally and as a popular Christmas tree choice.
This tree may be known alternately as the Oregon pine and the Douglas spruce.
Distribution
The tree has a wide distribution through the western part of North America, although its heaviest concentration is in the Pacific Northwest. Some stands can be found as far south as Mexico. In Oregon, it can be seen almost continuously from the Cascade Mountain Range to the coast.
Conservation Status
Common.
Pseudotsuga menziesii
The Douglas-fir is the second tallest conifer in the world, second only to the coast redwood. A mature specimen may top out at over 240 feet (73 m) and reach a diameter of over 6 feet (1.8 m). The tallest living Douglas-fir is called the “Doerner Fir” and is located in Coos County, Oregon. Mature specimens can be identified by their conical crowns with foliage consisting of slightly twisted needles which are typically dark green. The tree’s bark is smooth and dark gray in younger trees, but becomes thicker as the plant ages. Numerous blisters on the bark produce a thick, sticky and highly aromatic resin.
These trees are particularly abundant in forests over one hundred years old where they form thick snags which are used as habitat for a variety of animals. The endangered northern spotted owl uses old-growth Douglas-fir forests as its primary habitat. Seedlings, needles and bark also provide food for black-tailed deer, Roosevelt elk and porcupines. The tree’s seeds are particularly important to mice, chipmunks and shrews, who will gather them from fallen cones and hoard them for use throughout the year.
For human uses, the Douglas-fir produces more raw timber than any other tree species in North America. The lumber is used mostly for construction purposes, although live trees are also used ornamentally and as a popular Christmas tree choice.
This tree may be known alternately as the Oregon pine and the Douglas spruce.
Distribution
The tree has a wide distribution through the western part of North America, although its heaviest concentration is in the Pacific Northwest. Some stands can be found as far south as Mexico. In Oregon, it can be seen almost continuously from the Cascade Mountain Range to the coast.
Conservation Status
Common.
