A large tree, it usually grows 30 to 50 metres tall. It has a rather narrow crown and conspicuously drooping new growth at the top of the tree. It has mostly down-sweeping branches and delicate feathery foliage. Needles are nearly flat, glossy, and soft; yellow to dark green on the upper surface and whitish underneath.
How do you identify a western hemlock?
A large tree, it usually grows 30 to 50 metres tall. It has a rather narrow crown and conspicuously drooping new growth at the top of the tree. It has mostly down-sweeping branches and delicate feathery foliage. Needles are nearly flat, glossy, and soft; yellow to dark green on the upper surface and whitish underneath.
How do I identify a hemlock tree?
Hemlock trees are identified by their conical shape, flat, aromatic needle-like leaves, oval or cylindrical seed-bearing cones, and reddish-brown bark . Cultivars of the popular Eastern hemlock or Canadian hemlock are also beautiful landscaping trees or shrubs that are easy to grow.
What does Western hemlock bark look like?
Its bark is dark brown with ridges . Cones turn from green to brown over time. These trees have characteristically long, drooping branches. Leaves are needle-like with rounded tips.
Is the western hemlock tree poisonous?
All parts of poison-hemlock (leaves, stem, fruit, and root) are poisonous . Leaves are especially poisonous in the spring, up to the time the plant flowers. ... Signs of poisoning usually appear within an hour after an animal eats the plant. Animals die from respiratory paralysis in 2 to 3 hours.
Is hemlock stronger than pine?
It is much stronger and harder than pine . It is used as cribbing (jacking timbers) and in situations requiring high strength. Green hemlock is very heavy but is easily worked with tools. Once dry, hemlock is very difficult to work.
Is Western hemlock a hardwood or softwood?
Western hemlock is a softwood native to North America. It produces a lustrous pale timber that is an attractive choice for carving. Western hemlock is a valuable tree with many commercial uses.
Is hemlock a pine?
Eastern hemlock is a woody, needled evergreen tree in the Pinaceae (pine) family . It is native to eastern and central Canada and the United States. ... A beautiful conical evergreen with drooping branches and tiny cones, a healthy eastern hemlock makes a lovely specimen tree in a home landscape.
What’s the difference between a fir tree and a hemlock tree?
Hemlock has narrow, flat needles that are usually only one inch long. They are completely green or covered with white bands in some species. ... Fir has longer (3 inches on average) and more flat needles compared with hemlock .
Is hemlock tree edible?
The hemlock poison that Socrates drank (and what a horrible death it was) came from an herb, also called “hemlock.” There is nothing toxic about a hemlock tree. In fact, its edible (digestible) parts contain carbohydrates, fats, protein, phosphorous, iron, vitamins A and C, riboflavin, thiamin and niacin.
Is hemlock tree poisonous to humans?
Poison-hemlock is acutely toxic to people and animals , with symptoms appearing 20 minutes to three hours after ingestion. All parts of the plant are poisonous and even the dead canes remain toxic for up to three years. The amount of toxin varies and tends to be higher in sunny areas.
What is hemlock commonly used for?
External and interior construction applications include joinery, cabinetry, flooring, and ceilings . It also is a popular choice for creating doors, windows, parts of staircases, ladders, flooring, paneling, broom handles, crates, pallets and packing cases as well as other architectural millwork items.
What is hemlock bark?
Hemlock bark was an important vegetable tanning material in North America for many years producing the characteristic red leather of 19th century America (Roberts and Etherington 1982). The extract was also used as a dye to produce colors ranging from a pinkish tan to a dark gray.
Where is the western hemlock found?
Western hemlock grows along BC’s coast on both the east and west sides of the Coast Range as well as in the interior wet belt west of the Rocky Mountains . It is a large tree that typically grows 30 to 50 metres and has conspicuously drooping new growth at its top.
What looks like poison hemlock?
There are many plants that look similar to poison hemlock including fennel, chervil, anise, coltsfoot and wild carrot . The most distinctive feature of poison hemlock is that the entire plant is hairless. In contrast, the look-a-likes have hair somewhere on the plant such as the stem or leaf surfaces.
What animal eats hemlock?
Red squirrels and mice chew off the scales of the tiny hemlock cones to get at the seeds underneath. Deer will also eat hemlock foliage and twigs as high up as they can reach. Porcupines prefer hemlock and will eat the bark and chew off large twigs.
