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• Tsuga canadensis

Tsuga canadensis — eastern hemlock

Facts

The mighty spires of eastern hemlock can tower over other trees, especially in old-growth forests and moist, cool ravines where it grows best and can live up to 800 years. Eastern hemlock produces tannins, which dye nearby streams a deep reddish-brown; these astringent chemicals were used for tanning leather in the 1800s. As a dominant and widespread tree, it provides nesting habitat for many species of birds. The sheltering, evergreen boughs are favored by deer for bedding grounds. Eastern hemlock is increasingly under threat from the hemlock woolly adelgid (Adelges tsugae), a tiny white sucking insect that can defoliate whole stands.

Habitat

Anthropogenic (man-made or disturbed habitats), forest edges, forests, talus and rocky slopes, wetland margins (edges of wetlands)

Characteristics

• Buds or leaf scars

  Winter bud shape

  the winter buds are ovoid (egg-shaped)

• Fruits or seeds

  Seed cone base

  NA

  Seed cone bracts

  the bracts are covered by the seed cone scales

  Seed cone form

  the seed cone is longer than wide, with woody scales attached at the base

  Seed cone scales

  NA

  Seed cone shape

  the seed cone is ovoid (egg-shaped)

  Seed cone symmetry

  the seed cone is symmetrical

  Seed cone umbo position

  there is no raised portion on the seed cone scale

  Seed cone umbo spine

  NA

  Seed wings

  the seeds have wing-like projections

• Growth form

  Growth form

  the plant is a tree

• Leaves

  Leaf arrangement

  there is one needle-like leaf per node

  Leaf base

  the base of the needle-like leaf is narrow (not expanded) at the attachment point

  Leaf clustering

  the needle-like leaves are single, with one per node

  Leaf cross-section

  the needle-like leaves are flattened (can't be rolled between the fingers)

  Leaf duration

  the needle-like leaves remain green all winter

  Leaf form

  • the leaves are needle-like
  • the leaves are scale-like

  Leaf glands

  there are no glands on the underside of the needle-like leaves

  Leaf stalks

  the needle-like leaves have a small leaf stalk

  Leaf types

  there are two distinct types of needle-like leaves on the twig

  Leaves overlapping

  the needle-like leaves are separate and do not hide the twig surface

• Place

  Habitat

  • terrestrial
  • wetlands

  New England state

  • Connecticut
  • Maine
  • Massachusetts
  • New Hampshire
  • Rhode Island
  • Vermont

  Specific habitat

  • edges of forests
  • edges of wetlands
  • forests
  • man-made or disturbed habitats
  • talus or rocky slopes

• Stem, shoot, branch

  Bark resin blisters

  there are no resin blisters on the bark

  Leaves on shoots

  the needle-like leaves do not grow in tight clusters on a short, knob-like shoot

  Twig bloom

  there is no bloom on the twig

  Twig hairs

  the twig is hairy

Wetland status

Usually occurs in non-wetlands, but occasionally in wetlands. (Wetland indicator code: FACU)

New England distribution and conservation status

From the dichotomous key of Flora Novae Angliae