lindleyana ) – this variety of Douglas fir grows in Mexico close to the border, and these trees are the smallest and most drought tolerant of the three varieties. Mexican Douglas Fir ( pseudotsuga menziesii var.They are the sturdiest, and are usually medium sized. glauca ) – this variety of Douglas fir grows farther away from the coast and in more mountainous regions of those states and province. Rocky Mountain Douglas Fir ( pseudotsuga menziesii var.They experience the tallest heights of the three varieties. menziesii ) – this variety of Douglas fir grows on the coasts of Oregon, California, Washington, and British Columbia. Coastal Douglas Fir ( pseudotsuga menziesii var.There are three varieties of Douglas fir trees, and these varietals are all dependent on different growing locations, rather than drastically different physical attributes. What are the Different Types of Douglas Firs? This is one of the easiest ways to identify a Douglas fir tree. The needles completely encircle a twig, making it look like a bottle brush. Needles are arranging individually on a stem instead of growing in fascicles or clusters. They are soft to the touch and are a bright green color. The needles are flat and between 2 and 4 cm in length. The leaves of the Douglas fir are needle-like and are evergreen (meaning that they do not shed seasonally). These furrows will possess a bright red/brown color, making the tree easily recognizable by the look of its thick bark. Bark on mature trees will have darkened in color and developed deep furrows. The bark of a Douglas fir on a young tree will be smooth and a light gray color. When Douglas firs grow in more open spaces with greater sun exposure, they will often be shorter and will have branches that start their growth much lower down on the trunk. When they grow in a dense forest they will self-prune their lower branches in order to conserve energy, and oftentimes their crown will only start at around 30 meters up the trunk’s length. When Douglas firs grow in forests, they will experience their tallest growth and smallest crown. Their trunk diameters will usually reach a width of 2-3 meters around. Douglas firs found near the coasts of British Columbia, Oregon, and California will have the most impressive growth. These trees can be anywhere between 20 to 100 meters in height, of course depending on their growing location. Dimensionsĭouglas fir trees have very varying sizes. The lateral roots penetrate the earth at a sharp angle and help provide stability. The taproot is useful to help with resilience against windthrow, and as a way for the tree to access water reserves that can be found deep in the soil. Though it can be slightly varying due to their growing location, Douglas fir trees usually come equipped with one primary taproot that grows very deep into the earth and some supporting lateral roots. Related: Fraser Fir Tree | Balsam Fir Tree What do Douglas Fir Trees Look Like? Root System Though the Douglas fir grows in the Pacific Northwest, we’ve explored 101 Types of Trees from all around the world! Check it Out! Just remember, this tree is part of the pine tree family! These large trees have an average life expectancy of between 5 years! That makes them a proud member of the old-growth forest. It seems as if no one can actually tell what family the Douglas fir actually belongs to!įor the purpose of this article, we will stick with the most common name for the tree Douglas fir. Though it sometimes also goes by the name of Doug fir, Douglas spruce, Oregon pine, British Columbia pine, Puget Sound pine, coast Douglas fir, false hemlock, red fir, or red pine. Its official name, the Douglas fir, comes from the Scottish botanist, David Douglas, who was the actual first person to document the tree. Menziesii is the epithet given after Archibald Menzies, who documented the Douglas fir on Vancouver Island in 1791. Pseudo means false in greek, and tsuga is the scientific term for hemlock. They are technically a pine tree, though their scientific name explains where the misnaming comes from. This is one of those trees where its name can be a bit confusing, because Douglas firs are not actually true fir trees, nor are they part of the fir family (genus abies). The Douglas fir tree is a coniferous evergreen tree that is part of the pine family ( Pinaceae). What is a Canaan fir tree? Pseudotsuga Menziesii
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